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Subscribe to RSSIf the Republican National Convention was all about presenting presidential hopeful Mitt Romney's softer side, the Democratic National Convention hopes to shore up key parts of President Barack Obama's voting coalition. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.
Updated 7:55 p.m. - CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Democrats set about showcasing their own diversity on the opening evening of their convention Tuesday in Charlotte, a week after Republicans put their rising women and Latino stars on display in Tampa.
First lady Michelle Obama will lead a gathering of voices meant to energize some of President Barack Obama's and the Democratic Party’s core voters and stymie Republican efforts to make inroads with those communities.
Slideshow: Democratic National Convention
San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro will deliver the keynote address as a prime-time counterpoint to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s speech to the Republican National Convention last week. And other slots will go to speakers meant to motivate young voters, women, and African-Americans to turn out to the polls in November.
Rep. Xavier Becerra talks about the role of Latino voters as well as the enthusiasm gap heading into the DNC.
The Obama campaign downplays the idea of an enthusiasm gap between its supporters and those of Republican nominee Mitt Romney. They also dismiss the notion of waning excitement from their own key constituencies now vs. four years ago. “No, hell no,” a top Obama campaign official said of the notion in previewing the night’s speeches. Polls, though, suggest that one of the enduring challenges for the president will be in making sure core Democratic groups turn out to the polls this fall.
Related: First Thoughts: The enthusiasm gap
Obama leads Romney by 10 points among women and by 35 points among Latinos, according to last August’s NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, the challenge for Democrats involves making sure those voters turn out to the polls.
That challenge is particularly evident in North Carolina, the home to this week’s convention and where Obama won by only 14,000 votes in 2008; a victory due in large part to high turnout from young voters and African Americans.
Robyn Beck / AFP - Getty Images
An advance team checks the stage hours before the start of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), September 4, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The president has staked much of his re-election effort on making the 2012 race into a "choice," rather than a referendum on his first term. He often admonishes audiences: “Don't boo – vote!”
Recommended: Over 800 Latino delegates ready to rally for Obama as Democratic convention begins today
But as Republicans push a time-tested attack on incumbents (“Are you better off today than you were four years ago?”) this week, tonight’s speakers will try to reverse any sense of disillusionment or disappointment.
To that end, the GOP trotted out a series of high-profile figures, like Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, and would-be first lady Ann Romney, to make the case against Obama, with an eye toward women and Latinos.
Many of Democrats’ speakers tonight are arranged to make the counterpoint to Republicans’ messaging last week.
NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro are in Charlotte, North Carolina for the Democratic National Convention. They preview tonight's speeches by First Lady Michelle Obama and San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro.
Michelle Obama, who enjoys stellar personal favorability ratings and has become a valuable campaign surrogate for her husband, will cap tonight’s speakers. The first lady’s remarks present a strong opportunity to speak directly to women and African-Americans.
"I am going to be at home and I'm going to be watching it with our girls and I am going to try not to let them see their daddy cry," President Obama said Tuesday in Virginia of his plans for tonight's speech. "Because when Michelle starts talking, I, I start getting all misty."
Michelle Obama, like Vice President Joe Biden later this week, will serve more as a “character witness” to the president than anything else.
Some of the Democrats’ other speakers this week will more directly challenge Romney on issues of importance to specific voting blocs.
Recommended: Some big-name Democrats will be skipping Charlotte
Kal Penn, the actor-turned-White House staffer who was featured in a promotional video for the convention released on Monday, will speak tonight in a play for young voters.
The overtures to women this evening will be even sharper. Lilly Ledbetter, the namesake figure behind a paycheck equality law Obama signed early in his term, will address delegates shortly before prime time tonight. Other women onstage tonight will include House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Florida congresswoman. Viewers early in the evening can also expect a tribute to the women of the House of Representatives.
For the first time, Democrats have included formal support for same-sex marriage rights in its party platform – a plank that's expected to be formally adopted. Chad Griffin of the Human Rights Campaign discusses.
Tuesday evening will also feature members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and other high-profile Latino leaders like Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, among others.
One of the most anticipated speeches will be the keynote from Castro, a figure regarded by Democrats as a rising star in the party who has drawn comparisons with Obama. A top Obama campaign official called Castro the “embodiment of the American dream,” and the campaign expects tonight’s speech to be a highlight of the night.
A number of African-American speakers – from highest-ranking African-American in the House, Rep. James Clyburn, S.C., to a rising Democratic star, California Attorney General Kamala Harris – will speak tonight.
Recommended: Obama courts labor voters in auto industry's footprint
High turnout among black voters in 2008, who were particularly energized to elect the nation’s first black president, helped put Obama over the top in states like Virginia and North Carolina and could help put the president over the top versus Romney in 2012.
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National Debt has gone over $$$16 TRILLION!!! according to the Treasury Dept.
where is the headline, MSNBC?
Every one of you now owes about $50,000 of the national debt, folks. Got a spouse and kids? Count them too. Each member of your family owes $50,000 of the United States debt. Who's bankrupt now?
President Carter endorses President Obummer.
LOL what a joke.
I would be more energized if I didnt have to work 3 jobs to live and pay for Obamas multi TRILLION dollar spending spree!
Pack your bags @!$%# - your fired!
Jimmy Carter no longer the worst president in history!
o'hussein takes that prize
According to the Democrats, Republicans are against women. Democrats just think they are shallow and stupid.
2016 Obama's America. Good Flick. Be there or be square.
CBS’ Scot Paulsen on "2016" movie!
The Right Politics This past week, “2016: The Movie” about President Barack Obama opened in the Chicago area, and I chose to get more of an education about Obama by seeing the movie. After the inundation of canned hype for the movie on conservative talk shows across the Chicago radio dial that sounded more like commercials than honest endorsements of the movie, I was skeptical of what I was going to see. While some talk show hosts sounded like they were genuinely impressed with the documentary and honestly endorsing the film, there were those who were obviously reading a commercial script which was not coming across as sincere to the regular listener – at least not to this often-skeptical listener. Perhaps, in future promotions of the film, it would be wise to have pre-recorded commercials done by the professional commercial-makers rather than having the likes of Mark Levin and Sean Hannity doing script after script to promote the movie. After all, the listeners aren’t stupid and resent any attempt at being conned. After many reads by the talk show hosts, the readings of the commercial script were no more enthusiastic than another Life-Lock commercial read – another commercial that ought to be professionally done. Yet, I’m glad I saw the hyped-film because it was more informative than I had thought it would be and included less propaganda than I had predicted. If anything, it was nearly too informative as there was an enormous amount of information condensed into the nearly one-hour-and-a-half documentary. Fact after fact is put forth which shows that President Obama definitely has many skeletons in the closet that have not been released prior to the nation’s trust in him with the Oval Office. To watch this movie and realize – or simply be reminded of – all that is unknown about President Obama is of concern. Much of the information has been ignored by the American media totally. When appropriately reminded as to what is still unknown about Obama to date, one has to ask: How can any logical-thinking person give a damn about Romney’s taxes while not asking any questions regarding our current president’s past? The man influences the entire globe, but liberal Americans want to know how much Mitt Romney paid in taxes in the past rather than learn about the man who they have entrusted with the country. Unbelievable. The movie undeniably links Obama to persons of suspicious-interest due to their past actions and statements, such as former radical activist and Chicago educator Bill Ayers. While the media and blinded-liberals cast such facts aside, the movie does not. No, this portion of the movie is not propaganda – it is the display of factual information about relationships between people that cannot be denied. Yet, the “left” does deny the facts that are right in front of them. Quite disturbing is the talk of the United States economy in the film. The current national debt which has increased two-fold during Obama’s presidency and the horrendous economy is suggested to be part of the plan to strip the nation of democracy – reasonable cause to make citizens totally dependent on the government. The “left” is aghast at this suggestion of the current economy. They actually believe that Obama is unintelligent enough to let this economy just happen. Ironically, it’s many of the people on the “right” who know Obama’s not stupid, and much of what has happened to the United States in the past four years is part of Obama’s plan. How could one so-highly educated and intelligent as Obama not know what he was doing when he incurred such debt? I left the movie thinking more strongly than I had in the past that the current debt and this economy was part of Obama’s plan all along. Increasingly making Americans dependent on the government is the plan. What’s more, he knew his blind followers would believe it was not the plan and, of course, was all Bush’s fault. He must be laughing at his blind followers all the way to the “new America ” they’re allowing him to create. My belief is that Obama continues to prey on his die-hard followers’ stupidity to accomplish his personal goals for America. The most disturbing part of the film to me was the interview with President Obama’s half-brother George Obama from Nairobi, Kenya . How can Obama claim to want to help people when he has done absolutely nothing for his own family? It makes me wonder if he really cares about anybody if he can’t find it in his heart to help his own family. As the closing credits started to role upward across the screen, the audience applauded. Me, I just walked out – reasonably upset. Those who have already decided to vote for Obama will probably not even see the movie. It’s sad but they probably don’t want to know the truth when it is laid out so clearly for them in this documentary. The independents who are still deciding who they are going to vote for ought to see this film. I’m quite confident that any undecided voter who sees this film will know who to vote for after viewing this documentary.
If you know you’re not going to support the “left” in this coming election, see the film out of interest if you like. But, fair warning, it’s disturbing – and quite frightening – to say the least.
About Scott Paulson Scott Paulsonwrites political news and commentary for CBS Local and Examiner.com and teaches English at a community college in the Chicago area. The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of CBS Local
Right, you are going to make a decision on a propaganda movie. Movies are made for money or propaganda period. Gees ...LMAO
Romney will protect your rights if you're a
gay, awoman, aHispanic, ablack, or a old white male.Mittens show us your returns!
Vulture/Voucher 2012
Who spends MILLIONS to seal there entire past?
Your boy Obama
Stay Classy BO
Don't care about Mitt's return, care more about G.E. paying in zero and getting back $156 million of taxpayers money. Immelt, CEO of G.E., Obummer side kick.
Diversity???
What's this racism - 27% compared to population percentage of less then 15%?
NEWS REPORT: Attending the convention are are 5,556 delegates and 407 alternates, according to DNC secretary Alice Germond. Of the delegates, 50% are women and 27% are African American.
No wonder that in some states 95% of African Americans voted for an idiot who is half black.
My, my such terrible language. We sure can tell who the republicans are... Thats ok, we were cussing last week at Romney. I am looking forward to every moment of the Democratic National convention. We won't be fooled by republican lying attacks, we know who the bad guys are. To see so many sour grapes,does my heart good...
Love to all.....OBAMA 2012
I hope you enjoy Obama's inspirational speech on Thursday! Too bad the effects of his speech will be short lived after the August Jobs report is expected to come out the next morning! I heard through the grapevine that the news will not be good! Oh yes, have you heard? The debt finally reached 16 trillion at the start of the Convention. One thing you won't be seeing at the Convention is the debt clock! Gee! Wonder why? Enjoy all the cheerleading! Too bad the effects will be short lived as reality sinks in!
Who spends MILLIONS to seal there entire past?
Your boy Obama
Stay Classy BO
Since they have no record to run on the goal is to dazzle them with B.S. and promise the fools what they couldn't deliver in the first term. A dumb populace is so easy to control.
Hope, enthusiasm, the 'Big Lie' that is the dem party. Hasn't worked out too well the past 3+ years under Barry.
Go Rommey!
Democrats aim to energize core sheep with first night of convention speeches.
is it just me or does it seem that there are no leaders and we just keep getting rid of the last one to get a new one.
Regulation. Yeah i am upset. had to buy a new gas tank for my boat. But there is new regulation now. the plastic has to be a certain plastic so when the sun gets on the tank, MOLECULES OF GAS DONT ESCAPE. My old tank was $60. The new one with the new and improved regulation was $167.39. What else has been regulated while we are not looking?
Obama/biden 2012!!!! forward not back!
Obama/biden 2012!!!! forward not back!
Listening to Paul Ryan lie at least 4 times during his acceptance speech, reading the lies posted here, reading the coarse language written here, seeing jokes that reference the First Lady's private parts.... One quick question, do you tell your clergy about this on Sunday? Just curious because as an independent I keep hearing how I should stay away from Democrats because they have no God but I can't quite understand how behavior like this people like you can claim to follow a decent God. I've read the bible and it's full of stuff like not bearing false witness and keeping your mind pure and stuff like that... But I'm sure not seeing any of that here. But you're telling us what God does and doesn't like.... But you don't do as your God commands, unless it fits what you want.
The Bible ALSO said to HELP the poor. But they have been used in a propaganda scheme similar to the one Hilter used...blame the Jews. So what you see are people USING the Church...to get what they want. They WILL be punished GREATLY for this. Ryan CLAIMS to be Catholic, but he is a follower of Ayn Rand, a bitter Russian ATHIEST who believes the middle class and poor are LEECHES on capitalism. But like ALL hypocrites, she HATED social security and medicare, BUT used BOTH before the end of her miserable life. Rands selfish ideas are OPPOSED to how Catholics are supposed to look at others less fortunate. Ryan is a liar and a hypocrite.
Democratic party founded by RACISTS, thats funny but oh so true.
So was the United States of America -- what's your point, Jimbo?
YAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWNNNNNNN, is Mrs Obama going to say something????
The lesson from last week's Republican convention is, it's not so much that Democrats blame everything on Bush.
It's that Republicans try to pretend Bush didn't exist.
He doesn't exist just like Obamas record and his past
Who spends MILLIONS to seal there entire past?
Your boy Obama
Stay Classy BO
tim,
The Republicans pretend ROMNEY doesn't exist. The only name they know is OBAMA.
See... look at Jimbo's comment above mine -- nothing about HIS candidate, but he mentioned OBAMA three times!
Bush isnt my candidate. Get your glasses checked Tommy
Seroiusly ... if all you have is the Bush arguement ... thn you and your moronic leader are in way over their heads!! Pretty lame!
I see the reichwing temples bulge, as they try to wish away the entire Bush years!
The whole Eastwood thing was terribly ironic - as Jon Stewart put it, Republicans can see a President Obama that nobody else can see.
But they can't see Bush at all.
The comments are coming fast and furious....
Obama is the one who needs to show us something and so far it is failure with a capital F he even gives himself an incomplete. how stupid. he didnt have the telepromter.
OUCH ... polls going downhill for Obama ... especially with women voters?? So ... he has the mayors from San Antonio (a ton of illegals and 65% Spanish speaking) LA ... (weirdos, drug addicts and a ton of illegals and spanish speaking) Newark (Is there anything good about Newark) Charlotte ( well.. you have to have to host mayor do a speech .. other wise it would be rude), Chicago (OMG ... the worst city in the country based on corruption, the city that is furthest in debt in the country, Minneapolis ( this is he only mayor that has any creibility at all)
Barry ... you are really grasping at straws? It seems as though many of the Dem heavyweights decided not to show?? They don't want to hitch their wagon to a losing scenario!! ONE AND DONE!!
Accordingto NBC News the Democrats plan on making women’s issues the main concern of their convention. Do the Democrats really think that American women are really that concerned with their vaginas? Do they really think we are that stupid? What good is a woman’s right to choose and
access to birth control if you don’t have a job, a roof over your head, and food in your belly? Other than women whodepend on the state to fulfill the role of husband for them, women’s issues are not the issue of the day. To quote James Carville, “It’s the economy stupid.”
Bash,
Where do you live??
Mars, apparently.
I don't think the Dems will be able to energize their base. I have better idea, though: offer each potential voter a free lobotomy.
To Democrats, it doesn't matter if you don't have a job and your savings accounts are worthless. It doesn't matter if corporations pay the highest tax rate in the world and they think rich people should work for only half their income. As long as they have different races speaking, that's all that matters.
Democratic National Convention Schedule
4:00 PM Opening Flag Burning Ceremony
4:05 PM Singing of “God Damn America” led by Rev. Jeremiah Wright
4:10 PM Pledge of Allegiance to Obama
4:14 PM Reading the 6 Commandments led by Charles Schummer
4:15 PM Ceremonial ‘I hate America’ led by Michele Obama
4:30 PM Tips on dodging sniper fire, Hillary Clinton
4:45 PM Al Sharpton leads Castrati Choir in singing ‘Great Balls of Fire’
4:49 PM Fund raising John Edwards
5:00 PM UFO Abduction Survival, Joe Biden
5:30 PM Eliot Spitzer speaks on ‘Family Values’ via Satellite
5:45 PM Tribute to all 57 states ‘Occupier Choir’
5:50 PM How I invented the Internet and Global Warming A.Gore
6:00 PM Joe Biden delivers 100,000 word speech featuring 23 minute question and 2 hour answer
8:30 PM Airing of grievances by the Clintons
9:00 PM Bill Clinton delivers rousing endorsement of Obama girl
9:00 PM Real Estate Tips – Barney Frank
9:15 PM Tribute Film to Freedom Fighters at Gitmo – Michael Moore
9:45 PM Personal Finance Seminar – Charlie Rangel
10:00 PM Denunciation of the N.R.A. – Barbara Boxer
10:15 PM Fund Raising Tips – George Clooney
10:30 PM Ceremonial waving of the white flag for Iraq & Afghanistan
11:00 PM Obama Energy Plan Symposium/Tire gauge demonstration
11:15 PM Free Governor Blagowitcz rally
11:20 PM How I killed Bin Laden – B. Hussein Obama
11:30 PM Obama accepts Tony and Latin Grammy Awards
11:45 PM Feeding of the Delegates with 5 Loaves and 2 Fish, Obama presiding
12:00 AM Official Nomination of Obama by Bill Mahre
12:01 AM Obama accepts nomination as Lord and Savior
12:05 AM Celestial Choir Sings
3:00 AM Biden delivers acceptance speech
Note: There is one omission in the list above, memorialrecognition of Obama’s surrogate son, Trayvon, will be in conjunction with the 12:05 AM event.
Option - Closing with a Declaration of War Against the Rich to be decided just before convention.
I love it!! Barry is toast ... just like Jimmy Carter!