Good morning! Hope you all got some sleep after staying up late to watch the first night of the Democratic National Convention yesterday in Charlotte, N.C. And what a first night it was!
The big event of the evening was First Lady Michelle Obama, who brought down the house with an impassioned speech that touched and energized the base. In her remarks, Mrs. Obama spoke of her personal struggle and success, from being raised by a father with MS to eventually becoming "mom-in-chief" through hard work and a little help from "the teachers who inspired [her] to the janitors who kept [her] school clean." She also spoke of her husband, of course, and how he was brought up with the same set of values that they are trying to pass on to their daughters, values that are reflected in political issues which for the president are also deeply personal.
Michelle Obama was not the only star of the evening, however. San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro made a very impressive debut in the national spotlight, becoming the first Latino to deliver a keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. Like the First Lady, Mayor Castro spoke of living the American dream, but his speech also came with a healthy dose of criticism for the Republican candidate Mitt Romney, who he argued would "dismantle" the middle class. For those loyal convention viewers, it was hard not to compare Mr. Castro's speech to that of an Illinois state senator named Barack Obama, who also brought delegates to their feet as a keynote speaker in 2004.
Round two of the DNC is tonight, and on deck is Bill Clinton. The first night's speakers set a high bar, but the former president is sure to deliver. And still to come tomorrow is President Obama's acceptance speech, which has been moved indoors due to concerns over inclement weather. RNC Chairman Reince Priebus took to twitter, where he mock-suggested that the move may be due to troubles filling the seats.
Ouch... burn.