DNC

DENVER -- The Democratic National Rules Committee hearings that decided the distribution of delegates from Michigan and Florida between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were the height of a contentious primary season, but the chairman of those hearings is talking about party unity at the Democratic National Convention.

James Roosevelt Jr. lauded Clinton's Tuesday night speech Wednesday and said that delegates will have her in mind when they vote Wednesday.

Roosevelt, who is also a Massachusetts superdelegate, told PolitickerMA.com that he was very impressed by Clinton's speech.

"I think she gave a fantastic speech," he said, "but moreover, she described what Democrats stand for and how Barack Obama represents that."

Responding to U.S. Rep. Barney Frank's criticism Thursday morning, Mitt Romney's staff swung back by calling Frank's comments divisive and touting the former governor's record in Massachusetts.

"It shouldn't surprise anyone that bitterly divisive Democrats like Barney Frank don't have anything good to say about Republicans," said Eric Fehrnstrom, a spokesman for Romney. "Fair-minded people look at Mitt Romney and see a strong leader, a man of character and integrity who was elected as governor at a time of job loss and recession and who managed to balance the budget all four years without raising taxes and get the Massachusetts economy moving again."

U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Newton)U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Newton) sharply criticized Mitt Romney Thursday, characterizing the former governor as the "most intellectually inconsistent politician."

Frank's remarks came on a conference call with reporters as part of coordinated campaign by the Democratic National Committee to discredit politicians believed to be on presumptive Republican nominee John McCain's vice presidential short list. The DNC has launched TheNextChenney.com as part of this effort, and the Romney section of the site went live Thursday.

Gov. Deval Patrick (D-Milton)The Democratic National Committee announced Tuesday that Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano will head its platform drafting committee this summer. Michael Yaki, a lawyer and former aide to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), will serve as national platform director and Karen Kornbluh, who is on leave from her position U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) Senate policy director, will be the principle author of the platform.

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D-Milton) will serve as one of three chairs of the full platform committee when it meets on August 9 in Pittsburgh, Penn.