Capping a run of speakers who aimed at young people, Caroline Kennedy tried to made the case that the youth enthusiasm that helped propel Barack Obama in 2008 should continue to this year's campaign.
"Back then, I was inspired by the promise of Barack Obama's presidency," she said. "Today, I'm inspired by his record."
Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords slowly made her way to the center of the stage Thursday to lead the convention hall in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Unsteady on her feet and in her speech, Giffords received by far the loudest ovation of the evening before blowing kisses to the crowd chanting "Gabby, Gabby, Gabby!" (Read more below and click her for continuous updates.)
Giffords is continuing to recover from a gunman's attack in January 2011 that killed six people and wounded a dozen others in Tucson, Ariz.
Actresses court young voters
Adding a dash of Hollywood to the convention, actresses Scarlett Johansson and Kerry Washington talked about getting more people involved in politics.
Johansson said that in 2008, less than half of eligible young voters cast ballots, even as President Obama rode a current of support from young people.
"Young America, why are we only speaking with half our voice when so many issues at stake here directly affect us?" Johansson said. "Earlier this week, Chelsea Clinton reminded us that we are the generation whose voices haven't been heard. Vote so that your voice is heard."
Some political observers have said that a lack of enthusiasm among voters could hurt Obama's chances in November. Washington told the viewing public that this election is too important to let that happen.
"The other side wants to take away our voice and render us invisible," she said. "But we are not invisible."
Actress Eva Longoria, also an Obama campaign co-chair, is expected to speak later this evening.
Wasserman Schultz speaks as a cancer survivor
In an emotional speech, Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz gave a personal defense of President Obama's signature healthcare law Thursday, describing her battle with breast cancer.
"I know what it's like to sit in that waiting room wondering how many more anniversaries you'll get with your husband or how many more birthdays you'll celebrate with your kids," she said. "I don't care how strong a woman you are, that moment is terrifying. And in America, no one should have to go through it without health insurance. No family should go broke just because a mom gets sick."
As a representative of South Florida, Schultz also focused on senior citizens and President Obama's plans for Medicare, saying the Republican Party would damage the program.
"Congressman Ryan says that he wants Medicare to be around for his grandkids," she said. "Well, if that's the case, he had better vote for Barack Obama."
Addressing voter identification
Rep. John Lewis of Georgia took on the Republican-led voter identification initiatives in a number of states, comparing them to the efforts made to keep blacks from voting in the civil rights era.
"I've seen this before. I've lived this before," he said. "Too many people struggled, suffered and died to make it possible for every American to exercise their right to vote."
Lewis told a story of first coming to Charlotte in 1961 as one of the original "freedom riders." One member tried to get a shoeshine in the city, and was arrested. Traveling on to Rock Hill, he and his seatmate were beaten for entering a white waiting room, Lewis said.
Since then, the country has changed, Lewis said, and showed its promise by electing Barack Obama.
"Brothers and sisters, do you want to go back?" Lewis asked "Or do you want to keep America moving forward?"
Harvey Gantt remembers Susan Burgess
In a brief speech, Former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt remembered Susan Burgess, the former mayor pro tem who laid the groundwork for bringing the Democratic National Convention to the city before dying of cancer in 2010.
"She fought for what she believed in, and she fought her own battle with cancer," Gantt said. "Sadly, she did not get the chance to see this convention convene. But I know she'd be very proud, and she is with us in spirit."
Gantt introduce a video in memorial of a number of Democratic leaders who have died in the past four years, including Elizabeth Edwards, Robert Byrd, Andy Griffith and Ted Kennedy.
Duke CEO Rogers addresses delegates
North Carolina politicians and Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers kicked off Thursday night's convention activities as rain-soaked delegates still streamed into Time Warner Cable Arena.
U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton and U.S. Reps. G.K Butterfield, David Price and Mel Watt painted President Barack Obama as a defender of the middle class and forward thinker.
With the longest speech, Hagan described the state's leaders that developed UNC Chapel Hill -- the country's first public university -- and Research Triangle Park. She also mentioned the four black men who sat-in at the Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro.
"Our country needs that same forward-looking leadership now more than ever," she said. "The solutions of yesterday won't get us where we need to go."
Dalton, who is running for governor against former Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory, also lumped his opponent in with the national ticket.
"This election is a choice between two directions -- forward and back," he said. "That's the choice before this country and this state."
Rogers did not get political in his speech, instead welcoming the convention to Charlotte and talkign about an "all of the above" energy policy that includes renewable energy and conservation.
"I'm not here tonight as a Democrat or a Republican, a policy pundit or an energy CEO," he said. "I'm here simply as a grandfather."
Rogers frequently uses the grandfather line in public appearances.
"Decades from now, when our grandchildren look back at the decisions we made as a country, will they think that we did the right thing?" Rogers said. "We want their answer to be, 'Yes.'"
--Andrew Dunn, Charlotte Observer
Source: http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/a_parade_of_speaker_warm_the_crowd_for_the_president
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