Faintly, through the fog of sleep, I think I heard a metallic "ding"--the sound that alerts me my Treo has received a test message.

When I checked it in morning's light, I learned the Obama campaign had sent me a message at 4:13am telling me Joe Biden is the VP nominee. My e-mail box showed a message from CNN shortly before 1am with the same message.

Whiz bang, new age, hi tech, geek kid technology notwithstanding, it was still reporters with shoe leather, phones, sources, and persistency that got the info first.