US Democrats kick off 2012 National Convention
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E-mail Xinhua, September 5, 2012
U.S. Democratic Party on Tuesday kicked off its 2012 National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, where President Barack Obama will accept the party's presidential nomination later this week.
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Barack Obama addresses the previous national convention of the Democratic Party. [File photo] |
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Chair of the Democratic National Committee, called the conference to order, saying "Over the next three days, we will hold the most open and accessible political convention in history."
Democrats hope the three-day convention would generate a renewed enthusiasm for Obama's re-election bid and help him win the battleground swing state of North Carolina.
Organizers of the convention said nearly 6,000 delegates would attend the three-day convention, among which half would be woman voters. More Latinos are also expected to appear at the venues.
Recent polls show that the Democratic incumbent's healthcare reform and less stringent immigration policy give him an edge over his Republican rival Mitt Romney among women and Latino constituents in the swing states, including North Carolina.
Julian Castro, Mayor of San Antonio, Texas will become the first Latino to deliver the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night.
The choice of Castro also shows Democrats are looking to solidify Obama's huge advantage over Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney among Hispanics and boost the influential voting bloc's turnout.
Following Castro, First Lady Michelle Obama will give a prime- time speech late Tuesday night to woo women and minority supporters for her husband.
Security is tight in Charlotte, as thousands of police officers have been put on high alert for the big moment on Thursday when Obama formally accepts the party's presidential nomination. Both supporters and protesters of Obama have also prepared themselves for the event.
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