Insider Convention

[Annie]

Usually subscriber only, National Journal is making much available during convention, yeah, I know! I should have done for DNC too, oh well!

http://nationaljournal.com/

PROTESTS
Pick An Axis, Any Axis...

When President Bush first uttered "axis of evil" in his 2002 State of
the Union address, he probably didn't anticipate how popular the phrase
would become -- or who would be using it.

At Sunday's United for Peace and Justice march, signs referenced the administration's "axis of ignorance," "axis of arrogance," "axis of oil" and "axis of weevils." The Axis of Eve, an irreverent women's coalition selling protest
undergarments, also was spotted, as was one protestor wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with "Asses of Evil" and the faces of Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld.

INSIDER POLL
GOP Pros See Little Protest Effect

Protesters monopolized the media attention today, but Convention
Daily's survey of Republican Insiders finds that few pols expect the protests
to have much effect. Just five of the 47 Insiders said the protesters
would mar the convention, while nine argued the backlash would benefit
President Bush. "Anti-Bush activists will stir up our base," one Insider
said. "We should pay for them to come."

New York teacher John Callanan, who was hoisting an official
Bush-Cheney '04 sign as he watched today's march pass 34th St. and 7th Ave., concurred with most Insiders: "I'm in the St. Patrick's Day parade every
year," he said, "and it does the exact same thing." So much for
disruption and anarchy.

PARTIES

Hot Spots For The Cool Kids
If you don't already have tickets for the Bush twins' "R: The Party,"
you're probably out of luck. (Sorry pressies, the deadline for
credential applications was noon Saturday.) But for the optimistic or
well-connected, the bash starts at 8 p.m. at the Roseland Ballroom. Other options tonight include:
-- The New York and California delegations party on Ellis Island, 5 p.m.
-- The Republican Governors Association hosts "Martinis in Manhattan"
at the New York Palace Hotel, 5 p.m.
-- House Rules Chairman David Dreier promises martinis AND bowling at
Bowlmor Lanes and Pressure Lounge, 9 p.m.
-- Lynard Skynyrd performs at Crobar, 10 p.m.

PEOPLE

The Delegates, By The Numbers
According a CBS News/New York Times survey, here's where convention
delegates differ notably from GOP voters in general:
DELEGATES GOP VOTERS
Men 57% 50%
Women 43 50
White 85 92
Black 6 1
Union 3 12
NRA member 24 12
College grad 77 33
Married 78 68

Delegates are very representative when it comes to evangelical
Christians (33 percent), gun owners (45 percent vs. 44 percent) and -- perhaps most interestingly -- former Democrats (28 percent vs. 29 percent).
Keynote speaker Zell Miller, D-Ga., should feel right at home.

QUOTED

"I believe President Bush is a committed Christian. But that doesn't
mean he doesn't 'see through a glass darkly.'"
-- Former President Bill Clinton, citing First Corinthians today at
Riverside Church as he argued that "religious conviction is not the
exclusive preserve of conservatives."

PLUS...
More News On NationalJournal.com
All of National Journal's publications, which are normally availble to
subscribers only, are open to all throughout the GOP convention -- just
go to http://nationaljournal.com. Today's complete Convention Daily is
online, while Earlybird, The Hotline, CongressDaily and more will be
published Monday.