The Democrats kick off their three-day national convention today, in a night headlined by first lady Michelle Obama and keynote speaker Julian Castro.
Here’s what you need to know:
Whereas Ann Romney focused on her husband’s family life, Michelle Obama will focus on Obama’s presidency, hoping to shed lighton how and why he’s made his decisions. “She has such insight into the president as a person,” David Axelrod tells USA Today. What she won’t do: Attack Republicans. “She will be positive,” a source says.
San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro may not be a household name yet, but Democrats are betting he soon will be a star. Some are speculating that he could become governor of Texas or even, eventually, a presidential contender.
Castro’s speech will focus on his life story, growing up in a low-income household and being shaped by his activist mother. “Our story makes clear that the American dream is intergenerational,” he tells Politico.
Democrats have a lot of video segments on the docket, USA Today reports. Today’s biggest: An endorsement from Jimmy Carter, and a memorial to Ted Kennedy.
Democrats are still hammering the question Mitt Romney posed last week: Are you better off than you were four years ago? “Absolutely,” a campaign official tells the New York Times, recalling the chaos when Obama took office. “Does anyone want to go back to 2008? I don’t think so.”
Mother Nature might rain on Democrats’ parade: Thunderstorms and potential flooding are in Charlotte’s forecast, the Times reports. That could be a problem since Obama is set to accept the nomination in an open-air stadium, and umbrellas are off-limits.
via BlackMediaScoop
