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| Democratic convention calls for Obama re-election | Democratic convention calls for Obama re-election |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| US First Lady Michelle Obama is headlining the first night of the Democratic Party convention, urging voters to re-elect her husband. | |
| She is addressing a packed convention centre in Charlotte, North Carolina, following a string of fiery speeches. | |
| Former President Bill Clinton is Wednesday's highlight, with President Obama to close the event on Thursday. | |
| Republican nominee Mitt Romney is expected to spend the week preparing for a series of debates with Mr Obama. | Republican nominee Mitt Romney is expected to spend the week preparing for a series of debates with Mr Obama. |
| A recent opinion poll shows Mr Obama maintains a thin lead over Mr Romney. | A recent opinion poll shows Mr Obama maintains a thin lead over Mr Romney. |
| But an ABC News/Washington Post poll released as the convention got under way showed Mr Obama with the lowest pre-convention favourability for an incumbent president since the 1980s. | But an ABC News/Washington Post poll released as the convention got under way showed Mr Obama with the lowest pre-convention favourability for an incumbent president since the 1980s. |
| With November's election looming, the president will aim to recapture the political spotlight over the next few days, after last week's Republican convention. | With November's election looming, the president will aim to recapture the political spotlight over the next few days, after last week's Republican convention. |
| Mr Obama is expected to answer Republican attacks that his economic policies have failed, and present himself to voters as an experienced and caring alternative to Mr Romney. | Mr Obama is expected to answer Republican attacks that his economic policies have failed, and present himself to voters as an experienced and caring alternative to Mr Romney. |
| First lady's address | First lady's address |
| The chair of the Democratic National Committee, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, brought the gala into session with a strike of the gavel at 17:00 EDT (21:00 GMT). | The chair of the Democratic National Committee, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, brought the gala into session with a strike of the gavel at 17:00 EDT (21:00 GMT). |
| Shortly after the convention opened, delegates cheered their backing for the party's new platform in a open voice vote. | Shortly after the convention opened, delegates cheered their backing for the party's new platform in a open voice vote. |
| Among the changes found in the text of the party's 2012 platform was the removal of language from the Middle East section referring to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. | Among the changes found in the text of the party's 2012 platform was the removal of language from the Middle East section referring to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. |
| Mark Mardell @BBCMarkMardell | |
| #DNC2012 Michelle - an extremely skillful speech that weaved the personal and political into one piece href="http://twitter.com/BBCNewsUS" target="_blank">@BBCNewsUS | |
| href="http://twitter.com/BBCMarkMardell/status/243183105593204736" title="View this Tweet on Twitter">4 minutes ago href="https://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=243183105593204736" title="Favourite on Twitter" class="wi_favourite"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/retweet?tweet_id=243183105593204736" title="Retweet on Twitter" class="wi_retweet"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=243183105593204736" title="Reply on Twitter" class="wi_reply"> | |
| href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23DNC2012" target="_blank">#DNC2012 There's a danger the convention will give Michelle the nomination - and there would be no stopping her href="http://twitter.com/BBCNewsUS" target="_blank">@BBCNewsUS | |
| href="http://twitter.com/BBCMarkMardell/status/243182362689667072" title="View this Tweet on Twitter">7 minutes ago href="https://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=243182362689667072" title="Favourite on Twitter" class="wi_favourite"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/retweet?tweet_id=243182362689667072" title="Retweet on Twitter" class="wi_retweet"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=243182362689667072" title="Reply on Twitter" class="wi_reply"> | |
| href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23DNC2012" target="_blank">#DNC2012 Michelle -he just keeps getting up and moving forward…with patience and wisdom, and courage and grace. href="http://twitter.com/BBCNewsUS" target="_blank">@BBCNewsUS | |
| href="http://twitter.com/BBCMarkMardell/status/243181696630022144" title="View this Tweet on Twitter">9 minutes ago href="https://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=243181696630022144" title="Favourite on Twitter" class="wi_favourite"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/retweet?tweet_id=243181696630022144" title="Retweet on Twitter" class="wi_retweet"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=243181696630022144" title="Reply on Twitter" class="wi_reply"> | |
| #DNC2012 A highly political speech -RNC made the case for compassionate Mitt, but Michelle links caring Barack to politics href="http://twitter.com/BBCNewsUS" target="_blank">@BBCNewsUS | |
| href="http://twitter.com/BBCMarkMardell/status/243181094369910784" title="View this Tweet on Twitter">12 minutes ago href="https://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=243181094369910784" title="Favourite on Twitter" class="wi_favourite"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/retweet?tweet_id=243181094369910784" title="Retweet on Twitter" class="wi_retweet"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=243181094369910784" title="Reply on Twitter" class="wi_reply"> | |
| href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23DNC2012" target="_blank">#DNC2012 For B, success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives. href="http://twitter.com/BBCNewsUS" target="_blank">@BBCNewsUS | |
| href="http://twitter.com/BBCMarkMardell/status/243180706925273088" title="View this Tweet on Twitter">13 minutes ago href="https://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=243180706925273088" title="Favourite on Twitter" class="wi_favourite"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/retweet?tweet_id=243180706925273088" title="Retweet on Twitter" class="wi_retweet"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=243180706925273088" title="Reply on Twitter" class="wi_reply"> | |
| Content from Twitter. Learn more about content from Twitter. | Content from Twitter. Learn more about content from Twitter. |
| That message was replaced with a passage referring to the party's "unshakeable commitment to Israel's security" and Mr Obama's "steadfast opposition to any attempt to delegitimize Israel". | That message was replaced with a passage referring to the party's "unshakeable commitment to Israel's security" and Mr Obama's "steadfast opposition to any attempt to delegitimize Israel". |
| The change prompted criticism from Republicans and Mitt Romney, who accuse Mr Obama of "selling out" a key US ally. | The change prompted criticism from Republicans and Mitt Romney, who accuse Mr Obama of "selling out" a key US ally. |
| Tuesday's first session saw a series of Democratic governors, members of Congress, mayors and electoral candidates speak in support of Mr Obama and his policies, most notably his much-criticised healthcare reform law. | Tuesday's first session saw a series of Democratic governors, members of Congress, mayors and electoral candidates speak in support of Mr Obama and his policies, most notably his much-criticised healthcare reform law. |
| A video tribute to the late Senator Edward Kennedy included clips from his 1994 Senate debate with Mr Romney, and independent Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee argued that his former party - the Republicans - had lost their way and had forfeited the label of conservative. | A video tribute to the late Senator Edward Kennedy included clips from his 1994 Senate debate with Mr Romney, and independent Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee argued that his former party - the Republicans - had lost their way and had forfeited the label of conservative. |
| Former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said the next president would set the tone for the next 40 years. | Former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said the next president would set the tone for the next 40 years. |
| "It will be the president's leadership that determines how we as a nation meet the challenges that face the middle class. It is the president's values that shape a future in which the middle class has hope," he said. | "It will be the president's leadership that determines how we as a nation meet the challenges that face the middle class. It is the president's values that shape a future in which the middle class has hope," he said. |
| Mrs Obama's address at the end of Tuesday's session is focussing on the president's character and praises his attributes as a father and husband. | |
| Her remarks will inevitably be compared and contrasted with those by would-be first lady Ann Romney, who gave a glowing tribute to her husband last week to the Republican convention in Tampa, Florida. | Her remarks will inevitably be compared and contrasted with those by would-be first lady Ann Romney, who gave a glowing tribute to her husband last week to the Republican convention in Tampa, Florida. |
| The Democratic convention is seeking to highlight the party's diversity, with young black and Hispanic party members delivering speeches. | |
| Julian Castro, the Latino Mayor of San Antonio, Texas, gave the keynote address immediately before Mrs Obama. | |
| No shows | No shows |
| But a number of the country's top Democratic figures are not attending. | |
| Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is missing a Democratic convention for the first time in more than 40 years on account of ethical guidelines preventing cabinet heads from participating in political activities. | Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is missing a Democratic convention for the first time in more than 40 years on account of ethical guidelines preventing cabinet heads from participating in political activities. |
| Nor will California Governor Jerry Brown and former Vice-President Al Gore be present, both citing personal commitments. | Nor will California Governor Jerry Brown and former Vice-President Al Gore be present, both citing personal commitments. |
| A number of Democratic congressional candidates and incumbents have also declined to attend, as they are engaged in tough battles for election in November. | A number of Democratic congressional candidates and incumbents have also declined to attend, as they are engaged in tough battles for election in November. |
| The Democratic gathering will see Mr Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden formally re-nominated as the party's presidential and vice-presidential candidates on Wednesday. | The Democratic gathering will see Mr Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden formally re-nominated as the party's presidential and vice-presidential candidates on Wednesday. |
| Later that evening, there will be speeches from Elizabeth Warren, who is fighting Republican incumbent Scott Brown in a high-profile race for a Massachusetts Senate seat, and former President Clinton. | Later that evening, there will be speeches from Elizabeth Warren, who is fighting Republican incumbent Scott Brown in a high-profile race for a Massachusetts Senate seat, and former President Clinton. |
| The convention culminates on Thursday with speeches from Mr Obama and Mr Biden. | The convention culminates on Thursday with speeches from Mr Obama and Mr Biden. |
| Obama stadium speech | Obama stadium speech |
| The gala also offers the Democrats the chance to make a high-profile pitch to voters in North Carolina, a state that narrowly voted for Mr Obama in 2008, but is now firmly up for grabs. | The gala also offers the Democrats the chance to make a high-profile pitch to voters in North Carolina, a state that narrowly voted for Mr Obama in 2008, but is now firmly up for grabs. |
| As they did four years ago, the Democrats will take the event outside the convention centre for the president's prime-time speech, taking over a 74,000-seater stadium in Charlotte for the final night of speeches. | As they did four years ago, the Democrats will take the event outside the convention centre for the president's prime-time speech, taking over a 74,000-seater stadium in Charlotte for the final night of speeches. |
| Organisers are working to ensure a full house for Mr Obama's speech. But organisers are concerned that thunderstorms forecast to hit Charlotte during the convention could keep people away. | Organisers are working to ensure a full house for Mr Obama's speech. But organisers are concerned that thunderstorms forecast to hit Charlotte during the convention could keep people away. |
| Meanwhile, Republicans were quick to seize on a remark Mr Obama made on Monday, in which he told a local Colorado news station that he would give himself an "incomplete" grade on the economy. | Meanwhile, Republicans were quick to seize on a remark Mr Obama made on Monday, in which he told a local Colorado news station that he would give himself an "incomplete" grade on the economy. |
| Vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan told CBS News that the US should be "bouncing out of" the recent recession. "We're not creating jobs at near the pace we could," he said. | Vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan told CBS News that the US should be "bouncing out of" the recent recession. "We're not creating jobs at near the pace we could," he said. |
| A Gallup opinion poll on Monday suggested the convention had given the Republicans only the slightest of boosts, with 40% saying they were now more likely to vote for Mr Romney but 38% of respondents describing themselves as less likely to. | A Gallup opinion poll on Monday suggested the convention had given the Republicans only the slightest of boosts, with 40% saying they were now more likely to vote for Mr Romney but 38% of respondents describing themselves as less likely to. |
| Mr Obama maintained a lead over Mr Romney of one percentage point - as he had done before the event. | Mr Obama maintained a lead over Mr Romney of one percentage point - as he had done before the event. |