Good morning!

The Democratic National Convention will wrap today here in Charlotte, with speeches this evening by Vice President Joe Biden and, of course, President Barack Obama.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is here in Charlotte (or about to land) and will be speaking at the New York delegation breakfast (his advance team, along with Lt. Gov. Bob Duffy and Secretary Larry Schwartz, have been here for a few days already).

Eric Schneiderman arrived last night at the convention as well, and was spotted taking a seat with the delegation in Time Warner Cable Arena.

Now your headlines:

Bill Clinton gave a 48-minute speech at the convention last night and the pundits are gushing.

In the speech, Clinton channeled Ronald Reagan and urged the country to give Obama four more years.

Democrats scrambled on Wednesday to amend their platform to affirm that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, an oversight that angered Jewish leaders and delegates.

Cuomo declined a speaking invitation at the South Carolina Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner in keeping with his low national profile.

For some delegates, Cuomo is a mystery man.

Cuomo is welcomed to Charlotte this morning by this full-page anti-fracking ad in the Charlotte Observer (a great catch from Gannett’s Joe Spector).

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand continues her “charmed hectic ride” in national politics.

City and State reports that Council Speaker Christine Quinn made the rounds to delegates from outside of New York here in Charlotte.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, who defended the president on Israel in his convention speech, also slammed Mitt Romney for taking tax loopholes (the whole Cayman Islands theme is a big one for Democratic speakers this year).

New York Republicans are using the ongoing Vito Lopez sexual harassment scandal as a weapon this election season.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is at his weakest since the near-coup attempt from Michael Bragman, Assembly Democrats say.

Ken Lovett argues that Silver has faced many challenges to his power before and prevailed, but this time it’s different.

Silver yesterday brushed aside calls from the Republicans to step down from his post.

The Lopez scandal complicates the Democratic claims of a “war on women.”

While Ed Cox criticized AG Eric Schneiderman for investigating private equity firms, he failed to mention his own son works for one.

Are lap dances tax exempt? The state’s highest court will decide.

The costs for retirees’ health care is skyrocketing, growing from $210 billion to $250 billion in two years.

Sen. Tim Kennedy, a Buffalo Democrat part of the main conference, received a $6,500 donation from the Independent Democratic Conference.

Ann Coulter spoke to Monroe County Republicans, saying, “I’ll do anything to promote a book.”

Democrats are targeting Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle over (what else?) Medicare.

 

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