The New York Times offers this report, which begins: “Harold M. Ickes is a founder of an organization created to help defeat President Bush this fall, a group that he emphasizes operates wholly independently of the campaign of Senator John Kerry and the Democratic National Committee. But that has not stopped him from courting some of the Democrats’ wealthiest donors here at the Four Seasons, a nexus of party operatives, Kerry campaign officials and friendly celebrities gathered for the party’s convention this week. In a luxurious suite where guests nibble on chocolate ganache tarts and sip espresso, he asks them to give and give more.”