The Trail

NO RED MEAT FROM MARK WARNER

For the Keynote Speech, No Attack Dog

Former Virginia governor Mark Warner said that his convention keynote speech Tuesday night will last roughly 15 minutes and that, while other Democratic convention speakers may aggressively attack John McCain and the Republican Party this week, he will not.

"They knew when I started this that it wasn't going to be a hard-core, red-meat speech. If they want that, I'm not their guy," Warner said of the Obama campaign and convention organizers.

Warner, who is running for the Senate, praised Joe Biden, saying Obama's running mate "has real-world, grass-roots, blue-collar appeal. He can go into a VFW hall or a Kiwanis Club meeting. I think he definitely helps."

Warner spoke Sunday night at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre while attending the Green Sunday at Red Rocks concert with his wife and four daughters. In addition to hearing performances by Dave Matthews, Tim Reynolds, Sheryl Crow and Sugarland, the few thousand concertgoers were treated to a beautiful Colorado night: gorgeous cloud formations, impressive winds and a stunning lightning show in the distance.

-- Ed O'Keefe