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Philip Morris for President? 

Activists with INFACT, the national corporate watchdog organization, held a rally around the mock "Philip Morris for President?" campaign today at the Republican National Convention. The fiery campaign, which features a 12-foot cigarette dressed like Uncle Sam, exposes Philip Morris' unabashed corporate giving in this election cycle and challenges the tobacco giant's undue influence over public health policy. Republican National Convention banners with the Philip Morris and Kraft logos provided the backdrop for the rally along Walnut Street. As of June 30, Philip Morris was the Republican National Committee's largest single donor at $619,000. . .

"While at one time, the Conventions were a forum for public debate where citizen democracy asserted itself, they are now an outlet for the heavy-handed influence-peddling of corporations like Philip Morris."

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Corporate America fete Republicans at convention 

Corporate America is omnipresent in Philadelphia, literally writing the checks to fund most of the convention. Companies are treating it as a major marketing and lobbying opportunity -- holding lavish parties and fund-raising events -- and some are even displaying their wares on the fringes of the event.

Of the estimated $65 million cost of the convention, just $13.3 million came from the government and the rest from private sources, convention organisers said. . .

Philip Morris donated $250,000. . .

``It's an affront to democracy,'' said Ellen Miller, president of Public Campaign, a nonpartisan campaign reform organisation. ``The two-party system has become a large cash register, and the conventions typify that.'' . .

``How does it look? It looks like the corporations have their hands in everyone's pockets,'' Swayze said. ``It's pervasive throughout the political process in this country, but the grass-roots of both parties are interested in campaign reform.''

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• THE MONEY: Perks for Biggest Donors, and Pleas for More Cash 

The Republican Party is poised to collect a post-convention windfall from corporate interests. A core group of business donors -- oil, tobacco, guns, real estate and software -- now form the financial backbone of the modern Republican Party. . .

Three of the Republican National Committee's 10 largest donors, Philip Morris, the National Rifle Association and Microsoft, have contributed record sums to the Republican Party this year at a time when they face legal and legislative assaults led by the Democrats. . .

A spokesman for Philip Morris, the Republican committee's largest single donor at $619,000 as of June 30, said that the company supports Republicans because they are "people who share similar views on issues that are important," including the regulation of tobacco.

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KELLY: Prepare for a 'nice' time at the GOP convention 

I can't imagine what they're going to do with poor old Tom DeLay and Newt Gingrich and Bob Barr and all the other fellows in the party who still enjoy a bit of nasty now and then. I suppose they'll treat them like smokers, and shunt them outside, where they will stand around in a sad little huddle by the fire exit doors, saying things that are not nice, while the better people give them disapproving little looks as they walk by into the hall.

It's all very sad for those few of us who are still not as nice as we should be [This graph only]

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