The Democratic Convention begins today in Charlotte.

The 2012 Democratic Platform is here.

We have two choices. I'll take this one.

The other choice is below:

I'm off to Charlotte today for the Democratic National Convention. I'll be on Daily Kos Radio (see this for more details), but I will also be recording some sights and sounds and writing a bit. You'll see some of that here, via J.

In the meantime, I think Ryan Lizza's account of the Bill Clinton-Barack Obama relationship believable, but who really knows?

Open Thread.

“In 1968, France was a dangerous place to be for a 21-year-old American, but Mitt Romney was right in the middle of it. - Gloria Borger of CNN, in their "documentary," "Romney Revealed."

Via digby, Tommy Christopher of Mediate lampoons CNN and Gloria Borger:

Yep, in 1968, the brave choice was to avoid the draft and Vietnam and go to France. What in the world has happened to CNN?

Here's the live stream for President Obama's appearance in Boulder today. He is just beginning. "Hello Colorado."

President Obama stopped for breakfast at The Buff restaurant.

Obama ordered the Ole Skillet, which includes red skinned potatoes, chili verde jalapenos, white onions, tomatoes, cheddar cheese and two eggs a with side of toast

Reminds me of when Blagojevich stopped to eat on his way to FCI Englewood.

Obama stayed at the Westin in Westminister last night. Quips from his speech below:

President Obama will be speaking in Boulder today at the University of Colorado. Both Obama and Mitt Romney have addressed the rising cost of college and student loans. Obama's plan:

Obama would let the current $5,550 per year maximum Pell grant increase to $5,635 next year, as scheduled under current law. That figure has grown by more than $900 since 2008 for a program that is the largest source of federal aid for students, serving more than 9 million of them.

• make the American Opportunity tax credit permanent (it was created as part of his 2009 economic stimulus program.) The credit provides up to $2,500 a year per student for college costs but is due to expire Jan. 1.

• Tie some federal aid, including Perkins loans and subsidies for students' work-study jobs, to schools' abilities to curb tuition increases.

Romney says Obama's plans haven't worked. What is his advice? Get a better loan and shop around."

Romney replied that while it might be popular for him to answer that he would provide students with government money, "what I'm going to tell you is shop around."

[More...]

Is a motion by George Zimmerman's lawyers for a gag order on trial witnesses on the horizon?

George Zimmerman's friends, Mark and Sondra Osterman, thought they would help George out by writing a book about his good qualities. The book is scheduled to be released shortly, and the Ostermans are going to be on Dr. Phil the week of September 10 discussing it.

Mark Osterman has been listed as a potential state witness. He accompanied Shellie Zimmerman to the police station the night of the shooting of Trayvon Martin to pick George up when the police were done questioning him. He also drove George to the site of the shooting the next day where police filmed George doing a video re-enactment of his encounter with Trayvon. Osterman, a federal air marshal who used to be a Seminole County deputy sheriff, is featured in the promos for the Dr. Phil appearance as Zimmerman's best friend. [More...]

Lots and lots of games today. Of particular note, Penn State gets a glimpse of the future under Bill O'Brien, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame are in Ireland to play Navy. And the destruction of Michigan by Alabama tonight in Texas. The picks (3-0 yesterday (told you it would be better, 4-3 for the year.):

Navy +14 1/2 over Notre Dame, Marshall +26 over WVa, Ohio +7 over Penn State, Northwestern Pick over Syracuse, Ohio State -25 over Miami of Ohio, Western Michigan +10 over Illinois, Tulsa -1½ over Iowa State, Southern Mississippi +20 over Nebraska, Colorado -6 over Colo St., Auburn +3 over Clemson, North Texas +44 over LSU and last, but not least, Alabama -14 over Michigan (5 units).

Open Thread.

R.I.P., Richard Flor, a 68 year old medical marijuana dispensary owner who has died in federal prison. The story will make you sick.

US District Court Judge Charles Lovell sentenced Flor to to 5 years in federal prison despite testimony that he was suffering from a variety of illnesses, including dementia, diabetes, hepatitis C, and osteoporosis. Lovell did recommend that Flor "be designated for incarceration at a federal medical center" where his "numerous physical and mental diseases and conditions can be evaluated and treated."

Months after beginning his sentence, he still hadn't been transferred to a medical facility. His lawyer described his condition in a brief:

On multiple occasions while in custody, Flor had fallen out of bed breaking his ribs, his clavicle and his cervical bones as well as injuring vertebrae in his spine. Flor also suffered from dementia, diabetes and kidney failure among other ailments,.

Here's what the Judge had to say: [More..]

3 college picks tonight: Boise (+71/2), Tennessee (-3) and San Jose State (+25).

Started off terribly last night, 1-3. Tonight will be better!

Open Thread.

So who had the worse night? Mitt Romney? Clint Eastwood? Or me? My wallet is lighter (1 of 4 yesterday with my college picks (thank gawd the BiG is turrible.) Mitt Romney was stiff. But I got to go with Clint Eastwood. He became a national punchline. Pains me to write that. Love Clint Eastwood. But it is what it is.

Open Thread.

So Mitt Romney and Clint Eastwood will speak tonight. Is anyone here watching? (Heads up: I am not.)

In other news: The Justice Dept. gives the Bush-era CIA interrogators of detainees a pass- no criminal charges.

George Zimmerman's new judge is Debra Nelson.

Aurora shooting news: CU psychiatrist Lynn Fenton testified today at a hearing that she had only met with James Holmes once, five weeks before the shootings, and that he could not be considered her patient after he dropped out of school. Prosecutors want access to whatever it was Holmes mailed her, saying the privilege didn't apply. The defense countered the package contents are privileged and informed the court Holmes had tried to call Fenton 9 minutes before the shootings. [More...]

You know what today is right? The first day of the college football season! Hallelujah!! You folks watch Romney. I'll be watching some SEC football!

Here are my picks today: Vanderbilt +220 over South Carolina. (Vandy to win!), Washington State +12 over BYU (what will be the big viewing event in Utah tonight?), UNLV +9 over Minnesota (the BiG is turrible as Charles Barkley might say), and finally, Rice (+17) over UCLA (UCLA has been consistently awful at the beginning of the season.)

Open Thread.