In the Headlines

"Clinton Delivers Emphatic Plea for Unity" (Patrick Healy, New York Times) - With her husband looking on tenderly and her supporters watching with tears in their eyes, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton deferred her own dreams on Tuesday night and delivered an emphatic plea at the Democratic National Convention to unite behind her rival, Senator Barack Obama, no matter what ill will lingered.

"Pressure's on with McCain expected to make VP pick Friday" (Steven Thomma, McClatchy) - Overshadowed by his rival's convention, Republican John McCain is hours away from grabbing back the spotlight by choosing his running mate. McCain is expected to announce his choice Friday in Ohio, just as the newly nominated Democratic team of Barack Obama and Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., roll out of their convention in Denver and McCain heads to Minnesota for his nominating convention next week.

"Obama to Highlight Tax Cuts For Middle Class in Speech" (Monica Langley, Wall Street Journal) - Barack Obama said he plans to focus on the struggles of middle-class Americans, including their tax burden, in his Thursday night speech accepting the Democratic nomination for president.

"McCain Says Obama Is Confused About America's Global Standing" (Michael Shear, Washington Post) - Sen. John McCain on Tuesday accused Sen. Barack Obama of not believing in America's role as a world leader and of being confused about the nation's moral standing, the latest attack on the Democrat's foreign policy credentials.

On the Morning Shows

Early Show - Dan Bartlett, former aide to President Bush, on Hilary Clinton's speech: "It really wasn't specific on Barack Obama as much as it was an endorsement of the Democratic agenda. For every delegate that she riles up here, she riles up a Republican."

Joe Trippi, did she close the deal?: "I think she did."

American Morning - Rudy Giuliani on Clinton's speech: "I appreciated the fact that it seemed to be a very technical speech of supporting him as a Democrat. But during the primary she said he wasn't ready to be president, she never addressed that. Nothing really came from the heart here. Obama clearly is their Candidate X who they agree with on the issues but is not ready to be President."

James Carville, on Clinton's speech: "She set the table. Obama has to put the meat on the table. Everything about her with his speech on Thursday night I will be impressed about. I think he's got to be more conversational, direct, criticize the Bush administration, and lay out clearly what he's going to do. Right now I think the Obamas are pretty glad the Clintons are in this."

(Greg Bobrinskoy contributed to the Morning Report.)