Mr. Clinton's address to the Democratic gathering was something of a nostalgic homecoming for him.

Like every other big Democratic gathering these days, the bash was something of a casting call for gubernatorial candidates.

The automaker is one of many companies that are providing in-kind donations at this convention, and at the Democratic gathering, as they have in the past.

I invited him to address the most important Democratic gathering in my state.

And there were six Republican women taking the stage at a Democratic gathering to announce their support for abortion rights.

Even to the Democratic gathering, he spoke of the country's "two great parties."

Mrs. Clinton mentioned the war in Iraq - a contentious undercurrent throughout the Democratic gathering - just once.

But in 8 of 10 strictly Democratic gatherings, he probably did not talk to more than 350 people all told.

Both of them, and Mr. King, have been crisscrossing the state for more than a year, appearing at Democratic gatherings to build support.

Among other things, they said, the effort to bring forth a new front-runner could mean a proliferation of straw polls at Democratic gatherings around the country.