I'm listening to Bush and so far he's not saying anything. He's boring. He should fire his speech writer. 1,000 soldiers died in Iraq and he wants to talk about creating a new tax code and going after trial lawyers? George Pataki's speech was more impassioned and heartfelt than his. Here is John Kerry's response to Bush's speech:

“The election comes down to this. If you believe this country is heading in the right direction, you should support George Bush. But if you believe America needs to move in a new direction, join with us. John and I offer a better plan that will make us stronger at home and more respected in the world. And we need your help to do that.

“I believe it's time to move America in a new direction; I believe it's time to set a new course for America. And we have a specific plan to do just that. So tomorrow morning, John and Elizabeth and Teresa and I are hitting the road across America’s heartland. From here, we’ll go out and talk with Americans in towns across Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan. And because a stronger America begins at home, we’ll talk about our plan to create jobs, cut taxes for the middle class, lower health care costs, and make America safer and more secure.”

John Kerry is holding a midnight rally tonight in Ohio. Tune out Bush, Tune into Kerry. George W. Bush, Flip-Flopper in Chief.

Update: Read Michael Berube on last night's speeches. The best so far.

What poetic justice. Yesterday the Republicans were hailing Zell Miller as their new champion. After the massive criticism of Miller's attack on Kerry, they have disowned him.

After gauging the harsh reaction from Democrats and Republicans alike to Sen. Zell Miller's keynote address at the Republican National Convention, the Bush campaign - led by the first lady - backed away Thursday from Miller's savage attack on Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, insisting that the estranged Democrat was speaking only for himself.

Late Thursday, Miller's name was removed from the list of dignitaries who would be sitting in the first family's box during the president's acceptance speech later in the evening. No explanation was immediately offered, but the change was made only a few hours after Laura Bush, asked about Miller's deeply personal denunciation of his own party's nominee, said in an interview with NBC News that "I don't know that we share that point of view."

Aides to President Bush and his campaign said Miller was not speaking for all Republicans.

Markos of Daily Kos writes:

LOL. All those smug f***s, braging about bagging a Democrat as their keynote speaker, can't run far enough in the other direction. They welcomed him with open arms. He's theirs. We're not taking him back.On the other hand, we like our keynote speaker. Ours -- Barack Obama -- represents the future of this country. Zell was the past. They can have the past.

If anyone's looking for Zell Miller today to let him know what you think of his speech, he'll be signing books at the Hilton. (1335 Avenue of the Americas, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.)

If you'd rather catch Arnold, head over to Planet Hollywood. (1540 Broadway, 11 a.m.) where he will be hosting a lunch for the California delegation.

[Via National Journal]

Some thoughts on the dismissal of the Kobe Bryant case, and predictions:

• It's best for Kobe and the accuser. Finally, their dirty laundry will be kept out of our living rooms.

• The civil suit may be on the precipe of being settled. Condition precedent from the accuser: Kobe must make a suitable public apology before she agrees to bow out of the criminal case.

• A week ago, the sides were too far apart on the wording of the apology. Jury selection moved forward. The apology got better and the latest mistake of the jury questionnaire gives the accuser cover to say that was the final straw.

• The loser: The Eagle County District Attorney's Office. It bowed to public pressure to bring the charge after a local sheriff precipitously obtained an arrest warrant, without conducting an adequate investigation into the facts. They lost control of the case. The defense trounced them with good lawyering.

• Judge Terry Ruckriegle is to be commended. He ruled fairly with well-reasoned opinions. He kept order in the courtroom. Mistakes by court personnel were just that, mistakes.

• Colorado's rape shield statute worked in this case. Evidence of the accuser's prior sexual history would not have come into evidence. Only evidence of her contemporaneous sexual activity, within 72 hours of her rape exam, was ruled admissible.

I'll be doing a live chat on the case for the Washington Post at 11 am ET.

Update: Transcript of chat is here.

Amazing fight between Zell Miller and Chris Matthews on Hardball. Miller is a hothead, to put a positive spin on it. Matthews was freaked by the attack. Now even JC Watts is sticking up for Matthews. But Matthews is interrupting Watts the way he does everyone. I like Matthews, but he needs to watch the tapes of his shows and let someone else talk. That rat-a-tat-tat takes a toll on the viewer. But, again, Zell Miller just unloaded on him...catch the rerun if you can. Howard Dean was a puppy by comparison--at his loudest.

Update: The mock jury on msnbc loved Zell Miller's speech. One called it "uplifting and optimistic." They said he had more credibility because he was a democrat. Only one person said he was overboard. If this represents voters in general, this country is in big trouble. The war machine is here to stay.

I have to say, after the fanatical Zell Miller, Cheney is easy on the ears. But what about substance? He's co-opting FDR as his own. He's pushing his own family values.

He wants every child to have a chance to suceed. He wishes his grandkids a world of freedom, safety and peace. So do we all, why doesn't he understand that this is why Bush needs to go?

A gratuitous slap at the trial lawyers. Rote applause. Did someone flash a sign that said "Clap now?"

Lots of trite platitudes in the speech. Whoops, there goes a protester. Cheney smiles.

One nice touch. He mentioned Kerry's Vietnam service and said "We honor him for it." The crowd applauded.

Then he attacked Kerry's record. On cue, the crowd boos for Kerry's record. They are like marionettes with someone behind the podium pulling their strings.

I'm looking at the delegates for the first time. It's a sea of white....like mayonnaise.

Now Cheney is praising the use of military force. The crowd cheers. Warmongers all. He criticizes Kerry's vote for the war but against funding it. Now the crowd is chanting flip-flop.

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the screen, here's what's flashing: "Terror alert elevated."

Cheney is pleased with himself. Listing the flip-flops. Now on the Two Americas--"America sees two John Kerrys."

Nice speech, no impact. Nothing new. Tuning out now.

Kobe Bryant has issued this statement. It's contrite. I think we can expect a settlement of the civil case shortly.

"I want to apologize to her for my behavior that night and for the consequences she has suffered in the past year. Although this year has been incredibly difficult for me personally, I can only imagine the pain she has had to endure. I also want to apologize to her parents and family members, and to my family and friends and supporters, and to the citizens of Eagle, Colo.

Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.

I issue this statement today fully aware that while one part of this case ends today, another remains. I understand that the civil case against me will go forward. That part of this case will be decided by and between the parties directly involved in the incident and will no longer be a financial or emotional drain on the citizens of the state of Colorado."

Here's more:

Zell Miller is a joke. How will Kerry fight in Iraq?...he'll bring out the bimbos. Classy guy (not.) This is the speech of a former Marine. He's angry and impassioned, but it's all fire and brimstone. Inflammatory junk. He's a scary nutcase. Here comes the religious references. Let the praise by the wing-nuts begin. It will.

He should not be calling himself a Democrat. He's a turncoat and a preacher. Nothing more.

Michael Reagan is turning his adoption into a pro-life platform. He says because Ron and Nancy and his adoptive mother and his birth mother were pro-life and pro-adoption, he is here today. He's making it sound like he was surrounded by love his entire life. He sure told a different story in his 1988 family tell-all, "On the Outside Looking In." Here's one account of the happy family from the book (Washington Post, 3/31/88)

...a two-career family, a divorce, third-party child care, a hated stepparent and a second family, sibling rivalry, teen-age rebellion, estrangement. Add emotional traumas from adoption and childhood molestation suffered by a man later branded the family troublemaker who capitalized on the family name, and accused of being a kleptomaniac, and you have Ronald Reagan's own family as seen through the eyes of his elder son.

Michael Reagan on his adoptive mother, Jane Wyman: (Newsweek 3/21/88):

"When are you going to stop living off your father's name? I can't believe you have anything to say at this time of your life that's worth reading." Michael Reagan, quoting his adoptive mother, Jane Wyman, after she learned he was writing a book about his life with her, Ronald Reagan and stepmother Nancy.

Washington Post: 2/17/89, on Barbara Bush visiting Neil Bush's newborn child:

It's a sharp contrast to the family life of former President and Nancy Reagan, who didn't see son Michael Reagan's daughter (coincidentally also named Ashley) until the child was 20 months old ...

On Michael Reagan's book:(Wash. Post, 5/22/88):

Don't miss the new article by Mary Jacoby in Salon detailing President Bush's lost year in the National Guard. Here's the intro. Get a free day pass if you're not a subscriber and read the whole thing:

In the spring of 1972, George H.W. Bush phoned his friend and asked a favor: Could Allison find a place on the Senate campaign he was managing in Alabama for his troublesome eldest son, the 25-year-old George W. Bush? “The impression I had was that Georgie was raising a lot of hell in Houston, getting in trouble and embarrassing the family, and they just really wanted to get him out of Houston and under Jimmy's wing," Allison’s widow, Linda, told me. "And Jimmy said, 'Sure.' He was so loyal."

Linda Allison’s story, never before published, contradicts the Bush campaign’s assertion that George W. Bush transferred from the Texas Air National Guard to the Alabama National Guard in 1972 because he received an irresistible offer to gain high-level experience on the campaign of Bush family friend Winton “Red” Blount. In fact, according to what Allison says her late husband told her, the younger Bush had become a political liability for his father, who was then the United States ambassador to the United Nations, and the family wanted him out of Texas. "I think they wanted someone they trusted to keep an eye on him," Linda Allison said.

Final Update: 6:30 pm: From Court TV: Case dismissed, with prejudice. Kobe was not present in court. His lawyers said he agreed with the decision, he thanks the judge, he says he does believe he could have gotten a fair trial. The prosecution said the case is being dropped for one reason only: the accuser said she will not cooperate with the prosecution. The DA's, prosecutors, civil lawyers and the accusers parents were present for the dismissal hearing. Kobe was not, nor was the accuser.

There is no civil settlement, according to her lawyers. The civil case will proceed. For now. There is nothing to prevent a civil settlement from happening later tonight, or tomorrow.

AP story here. I'll be talking about the dismissal on Fox News at 9:00 am ET, doing an online chat for the Washington Post on the case at 11:00 am, and a Court TV special at 2:00 p.m.

Now back to convention coverage.
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Update: Still no news from the courthouse. But the Vail Daily reports:

Kobe Bryant's alleged victim has reportedly said if there was one more mistake by the courts she was "out." On Friday, that breach happened when the jury questionnaire was leaked to KCNC Channel 4 television, Denver's CBS affiliate. On Wednesday, in the early afternoon, the alleged victim, through her attorneys, notified prosecutors she was out of the case. The move comes on the heels of a defense motion to dismiss the case. Bryant's defense attorneys said in their motion that prosecutors withheld a medical report they say would exonerate their client. 6:23 pm MT

Update: Court officials say an open court session in the Kobe Bryant case will begin at 5:45 p.m.
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Theoria from Daily Kos was not able to convey his marriage proposal to Janeane Garafolo of Air America Radio's Majority Report last night, but he did get some great protest photos.