US:DEMOCRATS HAVE begun a four-day convention which they hope will set the tone for the remaining 10 weeks of the US presidential campaign, as polls show Barack Obama and John McCain running neck and neck. DENIS STAUNTONin Denver reports.
Mr Obama's wife Michelle was the headline speaker last night, but she risked being upstaged by a surprise appearance by an ailing Senator Edward Kennedy, who defied doctors' orders to travel to Denver.
"Senator Kennedy is in Denver and plans to attend tonight's tribute to him," the senator's spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said yesterday.
"He's truly humbled by the outpouring of support, and wouldn't miss it for anything in the world. Right now, Senator Kennedy plans to attend, not speak."
Mr Kennedy, who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour earlier this year, was an early supporter of Mr Obama during the Democratic primaries.
As supporters of defeated candidate Hillary Clinton planned protests in Denver, House speaker Nancy Pelosi admitted yesterday that the party had "not yet achieved the complete reconciliation that we need".
Mr McCain has sought to exploit divisions among Democrats, releasing a television ad taunting Mr Obama for failing to choose Mrs Clinton as his running mate and featuring critical remarks the former first lady made about her opponent during the primaries.
At a breakfast in Denver yesterday, Mrs Clinton disowned the ad and insisted that she was working to ensure a victory for Mr Obama in November.
"I understand that the McCain campaign is running ads trying to divide us," she said. "I'm Hillary Clinton, and I do not approve that message."
Mr Obama's campaign released an attack ad of its own yesterday, featuring images of Mr McCain hugging President George Bush and highlighting the Republican candidate's admission that economics is not his best subject.
A USA Today/Gallup poll conducted after Mr Obama chose the Delaware senator as his running mate gives the Democrat a three-point lead over Mr McCain among likely voters.
Fewer than half of Mrs Clinton's former supporters said they would definitely vote for Mr Obama, however.
Follow Denis Staunton's coverage of last night's events at the US Democratic Convention throughout this morning at www.irishtimes.com