The Trail

In a "hear me roar"-style news conference, a parade of elected officials and GOP operatives issued a lengthy defense of the Alaska governor's credentials, and former Massachusetts governor Jane Swift said Palin has been the target of "an outrageous smear campaign."

"She has taken on the corrupt special interests in Washington and Alaska. She has stood up for families and made a difference," Swift said. "She is more prepared than Barack Obama to be the president of the United States. . . . The Republican Party will not stand by while Sarah Palin is subjected to sexist attacks."

Plenty of media bashing took place at the event. Renee Amore, an African American deputy chairman of the Pennsylvania GOP, broke out what she called her "ebonics" in order to fully convey the intensity of her threat.

"We will get with you if you keep messin' with us," she declared.

Several speakers delivered an emotional appeal on Palin's behalf. Former U.S. treasurer Rosario Marin became so impassioned in decrying Palin's opponents -- "Shame on them! Shame on all of them!" -- that she forgot to introduce the next speaker, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.).

Blackburn, by contrast, gave a wonkish account of what Palin had done as governor, saying she had overseen "24,000 employees and a $10 billion budget. How many men who put their name on the line to run for office have done that?"

-- Juliet Eilperin

GOP TARGETS

Biden Lines Them Up And Then Takes Aim

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden attacked a series of Republicans on Wednesday, taking on not only John McCain but also McCain campaign manager Rick Davis, President Bush and former senator Fred Thompson.

"I don't think I would run into a single Floridian who would walk up to me and say, 'Joe, the economy is doing great' . . . unless I bumped into John or maybe Fred," Biden told a crowd of several hundred at a community center here, as he referred to speeches Tuesday night at the Republican National Convention.