John McCain

Check back next week to view my Convention Sketchpads from the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis.

Most California voters are not supporting a proposition that would ban gay marriage, and they're also down on the state's direction as a whole, according to a new poll released by the Public Policy Institute of California.

Only 40 percent of California votes support Proposition 8, while 54 percent oppose it, according to the PPIC's new survey on ballot measures and voter sentiment, released before the Labor Day weekend -- the traditional kickoff of fall campaign season.

While some Democrats had been turning to sites like eBay and Craigslist hoping to scoop up scalped tickets to see U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) speech tonight at INVESCO Field in front of an estimated crowd of over 75,000 people, Republicans are still giving away tickets for U.S. Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) Ohio rally tomorrow, where he had been expected to announce his vice presidential running mate.

The McCain campaign is working to build a crowd of 10,000 for the event in Dayton.

Check back tomorrow morning to view my sketchpad for day three of the Democratic National Convention, and go to my national blog to follow convention coverage by cartoonists from around the country.

DENVER - Addressing throngs of adoring Democratic delegate admirers, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised that the Obama-Biden ticket will win decisively this November with California Democrats leading the way.

At Monday's delegation breakfast at the Sheraton Denver, Pelosi (D-San Francisco) bathed in the adoration of the 441-member delegation who gave her a standing ovation while waving "Madam Speaker" signs.

"California will lead the way," Pelosi said. "Come election day California will give Barack Obama and Joe Biden the biggest victory in the history of our country."

SACRAMENTO -- A noisy crowd of both supporters and detractors greeted U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) Monday as he came to the Sheraton Hotel for a presidential fundraiser and luncheon.

McCain, who entered the hotel through a rear entrance, stopped the motorcade to get out and shake a few hands at the front of the hotel, but did not otherwise speak publicly at the event.

California Republicans painted an east/west divide Saturday in comparing the presumptive Democratic presidential ticket of U.S. Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden to that of presumptive Republican nominee and U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

"I think it's important for California to realize that we have two eastern senators on one ticket, and then you have Senator McCain, who is often referred to as California's third senator," said Bill Jones, chair of the state's delegation to the GOP convention and a former California Secretary of State, in a Saturday afternoon conference call with reporters.