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• July 25, 2004 | 9:30 p.m. ET

From the Hardblogger mail box:

On Chris' interview with Teresa Heinz Kerry:

"Chris, thank you for the wonderful interview with Teresa Kerry. She is very intelligent, sharp as a tack and much more measured in her responses than anyone in medialand ever gives her credit for being.  She is the secret weapon in the Kerry toolkit, not John Edwards. Teresa has wisdom and credibility. That she has traveled and lived globally makes her more qualified to speak on foreign policy. Finally, you allowed her to speak without interrupting, as you know you do... smile... I was so proud of you for bringing her on air and for allowing her to present herself fully."—Rene Westbrook, Yelm, WA

On Chris asking DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe on the party's stand on war: (As these e-mails will show, Dems are divided)

Mark from Oregon: "Way to go Chris, hardballing McAuliffe on 'why not come out against the war.' He was squirming. The more centrist Kerry moves the less I like him. I love Trippi, he's got the right idea. Swing the election on the non-voting youth! This election should be about the future (youth) not the old power blocks. If we want more of the same, we can vote for Bush. He is a great model for 'business as usual.' We want peace, not endless war."—Mark Jabbour, Lincoln City, Oregon

Marge from Ohio: "Chris, your baggering of Terry regarding the Dem platform was sickening.  Many of us Dems have differing opinions about the war and the platform represents that."—Marge Putka, Broadview Hts, Ohio

Hildred from Virginia: "Tell Chris to get off his obsession with the Democrats debating the war in Iraq.  Maybe he wants this debate because he thinks it will make good 'Hardball' programs but the rest of us want to beat George Bush and we do not want to create the division in the public debate that was the homefront on the Vietnam war. No one wants to do that to the troops in Iraq either."—Hildred Shelton, Danville, VA

On our new blog:

"Way to go Hardbloggers. Just learned what a blog was. I guess I'm hooked at age 58. I've always been a convention junkie. Look forward to your coverage and comments - especially Chris Matthews and Imus." —Carol Z, Fort Myers

"What does 'blog' stand for? Several of us are confused." —Teri, Albuquerque NM

"I'm new to blogging and this blog website is not newbie-friendly.  Can you put a brief synopsis on this site on how to start, i.e. registration, where to click to read the blogs, etc.  Thanks...and Chris Matthews rocks!" —John Weaver, Albuquerque, NM

-A "blog" is a short for "web log," a frequently-updated page with reports, opinions, and commentary. Dictionary.reference.com also has a definition. Hardblogger will have posts from our all-star panelists, reporters, and Chris Matthews. Check back often on Hardblogger.msnbc.com, or better yet, bookmark us. No registration required! There is also a list of links to other blogs on the right-hand side of this page— they're folks who are blogging from the convention.

• July 25, 2004 | 9:00 p.m. ET

Behind-the-scenes photos: (Hardball producer Dominic Bellone) So we’re working here at the offices in Faneuil Hall right above the set.  (We’re next to The Salty Dog & Cheers if you know the area). We’re putting the blog together, booking guests, doing research and dealing with a million other issues when our executive producer Tammy calls me and says to bring the camera down to the set.  I got past the barricade during the commercial break, went up on the riser and snapped some photos. Here's one of the pics (our blog producer Sam Go will only allow me to post one tonight, but we’ll do some more tomorrow):

Dominic Bellone Left to right: Chris Matthews, Chris Jansing, and Al Franken

Our friend cablenews watchdog Brian Stelter of Cablenewser.com is loving the “Fanstastic Faneuil Hall Crowd” —we hope you are too.

• July 25, 2004 | 7:00 p.m. ET

Saturday night pub-crawl: (Ron Reagan)  Saturday night we pub-crawled: talking to young folks about issues that matter to them—the war, the economy, education and jobs—as well as that perennial chestnut, why young people vote in such meager numbers. It was a night of billiards, pints of ale and some refreshingly candid (if slightly inebriated) back and forth with Americans youngest generation of voters and next generation of leaders. Check out some photos from our fun evening:

• July 25, 2004 | 6:30 p.m. ET

Inside Fenway Park: (David Shuster) Credentialed convention media were given free access to Fenway park today.  We were doing a few live shots outside, so naturally I went in.  The ball park is as beautiful as it looks.  The warning tracks are made out of a red clay/dirt, the infield grass is cut long, ad the green monster (left field wall) isn't quite as big up close as it looks.  (And at 310 ft from the plate, even I could throw it home from left.)  I ran around the field... and walked through the visitors dugout tunnel to the Yankees locker room.  It is small... and the image of multi millionaires squeezed into a such a tiny place was actually quite pleasing.

One of the coaches caught me gawking and told me to leave.  Obviously, he is not a hardball fan.  Then again, I'm not a Yankees fan. 

• July 25, 2004  | 5:30 p.m. ET

Massive Tea Party: (Joe Trippi) Boston has the look and feel of a massive Tea Party today. I was walking with my son, Ted, over to MSNBC’s Hardblogger HQ to take a look at the digs.  Actually we jumped out of the taxi because it wasn’t moving and found ourselves in the middle of a protest march against the war in Iraq.   And this is the Sunday before the convention starts when most Bostonians are avoiding the area and the Party hasn’t even begun in earnest yet!  The streets are packed with people, signs, sirens, and strange hats and ballons.

MSNBC's Dominic Bellone Hardblogger area in Faneuil Hall

So this is the first time I get to blog from Hardblogger Central— and the digs are cool, except that my boss (Phil the crazed Yankees fan) is in a foul mood after last night’s game (Boston won).

I, for one, am looking forward to seeing all the bloggers that will be covering the convention for the first time.  We’ve posted a list of Blogs that have been accredited to cover the convention, complete with links to them, on this page so you can read their reports and get to see first hand how bottom-up reporting works and how different it is.

I am going to go out now and see if I can dig up some unconventional stuff of my own to pass on to you here.  Oh and Ted is bugging me to go get something to eat— he’s having the time of his life— and its great to have him here with me.

From the Hardblogger mailbag:

Christine can tell Trippi is on board the Hardball team:
Great idea! I can tell that Trippi is on board! Thanks MSNBC and all of you for feeding a news and political junkie like me. I love all of you, and Dee Dee....you have always rocked.
-Chrtistine Tsotsos, Dunedin, Florida

Tom Jones feels the excitement in the air too:
Just flew into Boston to cover the convention for www.lzsally.com (and boy are my arms tired).  I got off the plane at Logan Airport and saw two guys kissing.  At first I thought it was Kerry and Edwards, but then realized it was only two of their staffers.  Security is tight in Boston.  I saw an inebriated cop who was staggering.  There's billboards of Kerry and Edwards everwhere.  One has a closeup of Kerry and in big bold letters, "DID YOU KNOW THAT HE SERVED IN VIETNAM?  Everyone is excited about the convention.  Even the homeless are carrying signs.  One bearded guy was sitting on the curb with a "Winos for Kerry" placard dangling from his neck.  This is going to be one great convention!  Now if I can just find where Bill Clinton is having his party...   -Tom Jones, Pingree Grove, Illinois

-Hardblogger.msnbc.com is our blogsite address

• July 25, 2004  | 2:25 p.m. ET

It's raining in Boston and they confiscated my umbrella! (Chris Jansing)  I just got to rainy, cold Boston yesterday— this is summer?  The first thing you notice (besides the weather) is how much things have changed in the world of conventions.  My first was back in 1980 in New York City. I was so naive I showed up without credentials and I was somehow able to get a floor pass.  Yesterday, I couldn't even get my new, compact umbrella through security.  Confiscated.  Welcome to the first post-9/11 convention. 

Downtown Boston and the North End are pretty deserted; the "captain" of the water taxi I have to take from my hotel says there's been a mass evacuation over the past several days.  Bostonians may be Democrats, but the affection fades if it means getting caught in hours-long traffic jams.  And maybe the weather on the Cape is better, anyway.

The Fleet Center is unlike any convention hall I've been in— the floor is so compact and crowded but the stage is comparitively enormous.  The designers and planners must love it because it's all about what you folks watching at home see... and there's a lot of room to make all that red white and blue look beautiful.  I've been on the road for most of this year in battleground states, and I've never experienced the depth of emotion I've seen from voters in this election.  Of course, the analysts will tell you that what really counts are those 10-15% of undecided voters in the 16-20 states likely to decide the election.  I wonder if John Kerry will tell them what they want to hear; show them what they haven't seen.  Elections like this are usually referendums on the incumbent, but even if someone has decided they don't like George Bush, Kerry still has to convince them he's a worthy alternative.  Pressure.

At the Fleet yesterday afternoon,  I overheard one young woman complaining to a friend, "So I took my Harvard education and I ran gaffer's tape along the cables so no one would trip on them."  I wonder if mom and dad knew how that education would pay off.  There are literally hundreds of these recent college grads here... at NBC we call them "runners" who basically trade the experience of being at a convention for low wages, unlimited supplies of junk food, and generally doing whatever tasks no one on full time staff wants to do.  My runner, Chris, a recent Ithaca grad, helped me find my way through the labyrinth of trailers that will be home for the next five days... to a waiting car and back to my hotel to get ready for four hours of anchoring today... including 6 to 7 with my good buddy Chris Matthews.  First, though, I'll need a runner to help me find the set...

(Check out Chris Jansing's MSNBC special tonight, at 10 p.m. ET, on Battleground America: Winning the White House. Chris has been all over America, visiting battleground states and interviewing grassroots organizers.)

• July 24, 2004 | 6:57 p.m. ET

Indy race rules (David Shuster) This afternoon, I spent about two hours walking around the Fleet Center convention floor as well as the sky boxes and other areas. The speaker's podiums were especially interesting.

The podiums have a couple of items that the delegates and tv viewers won't be able to see. All of the items are related to the "tightly controlled" timing of this event. On the speaker's "desk" in the upper left corner, there is a digital clock displaying the time of day. In the center of the desk, there is also a little tv monitor that I believe will be used as part of the TelePromptR service. (You know, the words that roll on a screen for those folks who can't memorize their speeches. With a prompter monitor on the desk, the speaker will be able to pretend to look down at his/her notes and will actually see the next few lines of the speech.)

Finally, I noticed three holes drilled into the desk that were covered with little colored light bulbs. The bulbs go "red" - "yellow" - "green." So, if we are following Indy racing rules here (forgive my hoosier point of reference) The green light means go or "keep going," the "yellow" is the warning that time is running out, and the "red" means "stop." I asked what would happen if a certain former president, known for running "long," were to hit "red" and kept on going? I did not receive an answer. Though it was pointed out to me that the "colors" were more important for the speakers earlier in the evening so that the "crucial speeches" start on time. So, let's see,  Hillary introduces Bill., Hmmm "Red" means?

• July 24, 2004 | 11:48 a.m. ET

From the Hardblogger mail box:

On Friday's Hardball from Boston:
Cynthia Frazier Rogers writes:
Wow! I can believe that the whole political junkie world is not tuned into Hardball and Hardblogger all the time. Great show Friday night, Chris. I really got the feeling of an exciting convention. I'm also looking forward to Sunday: Teresa H. Kerry, and especially Monday...Wes Clark...I haven't seen enough of that great patriot lately.

Keep on doing what you're doing y'all, and Andrea's first post gave me a laugh. Andrea and I are "of an age"..I was 2 years behind her at Penn, and above all else at this age....comfortable shoes. Love it!

Good luck with your ratings, guys. You deserve good ones.

• July 23, 2004 | 7:53 p.m. ET

Which shoes to pack? (Andrea Mitchell)So it's Friday night, I've been consumed with reporting on the 9/11 report, and haven't started packing for Boston... which reminds me of my first convention summer... Miami, 1972.  Richard Nixon was being renominated, and since I was the youngest reporter in the gang, they told me to pack clothes for covering riots.  What does that mean, gas masks? Wish I had. First night out, got pepper gassed in Flamingo Park where the anti-war demonstrators were massed. I ended up running into an apartment building, knocking on a door, getting help from an elderly couple who washed my eyes out. Let's hope it's a lot simpler in Boston. The challenge this time is all logistics, just dealing with the security and stripping our gear down to the essentials. And wearing comfortable shoes. Talking about shoes reminds me of shoe addictions, which reminds me of the biggest "get" of my last Democratic convention.  Not former presidents, governors or senators, but Sarah Jessica Parker, on the convention floor.  She was actually shy about being interviewed, but was a good sport about it.  Don't think she was wearing her Blahnik's.

There is serious business in Boston. John Kerry has to find a way to reach a lot of Democrats who, according to the latest polls, aren't in love with him.  How is he going to use this opportunity?  After a week of 9/11 and Berger bites....Kerry needs to fill up that stage.

They tell me we'll be blogging... and broadcasting... and now a new game: doing updates to feed out on cellphones. Very cool.

• July 23, 2004|12:01 p.m. ET

Birth of a blog: (Chris Matthews)We're just days away from the Democratic National Convention in Boston and we at Hardball couldn't be more excited. I personally couldn't be more excited. This race is truly a toss-up, with many of the battleground states polls showing the candidates running within the margin of error. We've assembled an all-star panel of reporters and political professionals to cover both the Democratic & Republican Conventions and we want you to be an important part of that coverage. So welcome to the brand new Hardball blog. Here you'll find daily postings from many of the faces you're used to seeing on Hardball, plus a few new ones. We'll bring you all the behind-the-scenes action from the conventions and preview each night's events as well as give you a sneak peek at what we have planned for each show. You can even e-mail us at and we'll have our panelists react to them and publish some of them online.

(Hardball kicks off its own Boston broadcasts Friday at 7 p.m. ET with Boston’s own Mike Barnicle, live from the city’s premier political watering hole, "Doyle's Café." There’s also an exclusive chat with another Massachusetts giant, Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy. Plus Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, Boston journalist David Nyhan and political consultant Ed Jesser).

We kick off the Hardblog's online coverage with Democratic strategist and former Dean campaign manager Joe Trippi:

• July 23, 2004 | 11:58 p.m. ET

A long, strange Trippi:  (Joe Trippi) So I’m getting ready to head up to Boston and attend my fifth Democratic convention. I was a floor manager for the Texas and Utah delegations for the 1980 Kennedy campaign at Madison Square Garden in New York. In 1984 it was the Moscone Center in San Francisco working the floor for Fritz Mondale. But this time is different and I have to admit it feels kind of strange – this time I am going to Boston to cover the convention, analyze what’s important and what’s not, and report on it – blogging here, and joining the discussion on the Hardball panel late nights.

What’s cool about it, is my two bosses Tammy and Phil (Tammy is my guardian angel, and Phil… well, Phil is a crazed Mets fan which explains everything you need to know about him) want everyone on the 'Hardball' team to dig deep and come up with unconventional coverage of the convention and the happenings in Boston.

So if you are attending the convention and you see something interesting that would be fun to report, or if you are not at the convention but really think we are missing something that you would like to know about , I’m hoping you’ll send off an email to with your ideas and story tips. 

This presidential year has been a wild ride for me personally. From the Dean campaign and the primaries, to my new book and now covering my first convention for a news outlet, its been a roller coaster.  Starting with this convention, I think the rest of this year is going to be the most interesting and most important political period that we’ve witnessed in a long time.  I hope you get involved in helping us cover it all and letting me know when I get it wrong— but either way I think hanging around this blog is going to be fun and interesting.

(Read Joe's column, "Trippi's Take," honing in today on those who still think "soccer moms" and "NASCAR dads" will be the key to the election.)

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