Democratic convention live updates Tuesday: First Lady and the “Latino Obama” take stage tonight
Julián Castro and Michelle Obama are set to speak on Tuesday at the DNC.
Tonight, First Lady Michelle Obama and San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro will take the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina to convince voters that President Barack Obama deserves another term. We’re bringing you the latest on the DNC with live updates below.
The convention will also be live streamed on the DNC website, and, as Media Bistro notes, actor and former White House staffer Kal Penn will host a web series on Thursday evening at 8 p.m. EDT. The program will include actor Zach Braff, actress Fran Drescher, and singer Marc Anthony as guests.
In addition to Julián Castro, Latino Democrats speaking tonight include Charles Gonzalez, Xavier Becerra, Nydia Velázquez, Ken Salazar, and Joaquín Castro.
11:39 p.m. Julian Castro’s daughter is more camera-ready than her mom and becomes an instant online sensation.
Check out this GIF via Elspeth Reeve.
11:10 p.m: First Lady Michelle Obama closes out the evening
The first family watches Michelle Obama deliver her address to the DNC.
First Lady Michelle Obama took the stage at the end of the evening on Tuesday to ask the nation to support her husband for his second bid for the White House. She focused on her husband’s human side, saying that he is still the same man that he was when she first met him:
You see, even though back then Barack was a Senator and a presidential candidate…to me, he was still the guy who’d picked me up for our dates in a car that was so rusted out, I could actually see the pavement going by through a hole in the passenger side door…he was the guy whose proudest possession was a coffee table he’d found in a dumpster, and whose only pair of decent shoes was half a size too small.
Read her entire speech here. Watch it here.
Here’s what a few viewers had to say on Twitter:
Implicit message: we may be president and first lady, but we’re like you. We are you.
— jodikantor (@jodikantor) September 5, 2012
The kind of speech that would shake any man to his core, knowing he has a woman by his side that supportive. What a fantastic FIRST LADY.
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) September 5, 2012
I’ve never heard such a well delivered speech by a first lady ever
— Anderson Cooper (@andersoncooper) September 5, 2012
I want to be like Michelle Obama when I grow up. #dnc2012
— Dr. Jill Biden (@JillBidenVeep) September 5, 2012
(Photo: Flickr/White House)
10:32 p.m.: Julián Castro delivers keynote address
“San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro, the Democratic convention’s keynote speaker, offered a vigorous defense of President Obama’s record and vision of active government and slammed Republican Mitt Romney as a candidate who ‘doesn’t get it.’”
Here are some reactions to Castro’s speech on Twitter:
Tender moment when @juliancastro thanks mom & says more proud of u. Echoes of @marcorubio speech last week. #DNC2012 #DNC2012Latino #Latism
— Viviana Hurtado (@vivianahurtado) September 5, 2012
History is being made right now! Joaquin Castro introducing first Hispanic keynote speaker at DNC @juliancastro #dnc2012
— Eva Longoria (@EvaLongoria) September 5, 2012
Julian Castro talks Dreamers: ‘the only place they’ve ever called home: America’ #DNC2012
— Mariana Atencio (@marianaatencio) September 5, 2012
Julian Castro looks like the Latino Jimmy Fallon.
— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) September 5, 2012
10:00 p.m.: Jordan Fabian discusses Julián Castro on ABC News/Yahoo livestream
9:35 p.m.: Kal Penn addresses DREAM Act
Actor Kal Penn, now famous for his role in the “Harold & Kumar” films, addressed the DNC on Tuesday. He discussed the fondness he developed for President Obama while working as his White House outreach coordinator, citing the moment in which the DREAM Act failed to pass through congress.
President Obama, he said, was deeply troubled when the act did not pass, and vowed to work harder to help undocumented youth.
9:19 p.m.: Rahm Emanuel addresses DNC
(Photo: Facebook/Rahm Emanuel)
Mayor of Chicago and former White House Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel spoke in favor of the president at the DNC on Tuesday:
“On that first day, I said, “Mr. President, which crisis do you want to tackle first?” He looked at me, with that look he usually reserved for his chief of staff, “Rahm, we were sent here to tackle all of them, not choose between them.” There was no blueprint or how-to manual for fixing a global financial meltdown, an auto crisis, two wars and a great recession, all at the same time. Believe me, if it existed, I would have found it. Each crisis was so deep and so dangerous; any one of them would have defined another presidency. We faced a once-in-a-generation moment in American history.”
9:14 p.m.: From Univision’s Chicago Reporter/Producer Paula Gomez:
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius talks about what she considers are the main benefits of Obamacare. She says “that is what change looks like”.
— Paula Gomez (@PaulaGomez) September 5, 2012
8:45 p.m.: Tammy Duckworth, U.S. House Candidate from Illinois, Iraq vet, and double-amputee, endorses Obama
Standing on two-prosthetic legs after losing the bottom half of her body while serving as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot in Iraq, Tammy Duckworth sung the praises of President Barack Obama.
“Obama will never ignore our troops. He will fight for them. That’s why he is my choice on November 6th,” Duckworth said in her DNC address
(Photo: Facebook/Tammy Duckworth)
Tammy Duckworth standing tall on her prosthetic legs twitter.com/thegarance/sta…
— Garance Franke-Ruta (@thegarance) September 5, 2012
8:00 p.m.: León Krauze on ABC News/Yahoo live stream commentary
Univision’s León Krauze talks to ABC News hosts about the Latino vote and gives a shout-out to our ABC/Univision partnership.
7:48 p.m.: Ken Salazar, 12th generation Mexican-American, spices up speech with more convention Spanish
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar isn’t straying from the Latino convention speech model. At the Republican National Convention, many Latinos took the stage, and nearly all of them dropped in a little Español. Wearing his iconic cowboy hat, Salazar also cited the words of his father in his convention speech.
“My father used to tell me, ‘Dime con quién andas, y te diré quién eres.’ [Tell me who you walk with, and I’ll tell you who you are]. Barack Obama walks with us,” Salazar said.
(Photo: Facebook/Ken Salazar)
7:20 p.m.: Charlie Gonzalez: Romney embraces racial profiling laws
US Congressman from Texas and Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Charlie Gonzalez described Romney’s immigration stance in stark terms on Tuesday.
“When it comes to our country’s immigration policies, the truth is that Mitt Romney has embraced the racial profiling policies of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and Sheriff Joe Arpaio,” Gonzalez said during his prepared remarks. “The truth is he would separate families that have been here for generations. The truth is he has embraced distrust and division at the expense of American values,” he added.
6:53 p.m.: This young Latina coordinates more than 10,000 volunteers at the DNC
By INGRID ROJAS
“More than 10,000 volunteers make the Democratic National Convention possible and Laura de Castro, a Colombian-American, is in charge of coordinating those efforts.”
For the full story, go here.
6:03: Excerpts from Julián Castro’s speech
San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro will take the stage tonight to deliver a keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. Here’s a taste of what Castro will say tonight:
“My grandmother didn’t live to see us begin our lives in public service….But she probably would’ve thought it extraordinary that just two generations after she arrived in San Antonio, one grandson would be the mayor and the other would be on his way - the good people of San Antonio willing-to the United States Congress!
“My family’s story isn’t special. What’s special is the America that makes our story possible.…Ours is a nation like no other-a place where great journeys can be made in a single generation…no matter who you are or where you come from, the path is always forward.”
“Texas may be the one place where people actually still have bootstraps…and we expect folks to pull themselves up by them. But we also recognize there are some things we can’t do alone.”
“Now, like many of you, I watched last week’s Republican Convention. They told a few stories of individual success…we all celebrate individual success. But the question is, how do we multiply that success. The answer is President Barack Obama.”
“Mitt Romney, quite simply, doesn’t get it. A few months ago he visited a university in Ohio and gave the students there a little entrepreneurial advice..Start a business,’ he said. But how? ‘Borrow money if you have to from your parents,’ he told them. Gee — why didn’t I think of that?…..We all understand that freedom isn’t free. What Romney and Ryan don’t understand is that neither is opportunity. We have to invest in it.”
“Republicans tell us that if the most prosperous among us do even better, that somehow the rest of us will too. Folks…we’ve heard that before…First they called it ‘trickle-down.’ Then ‘supply side.’ Now it’s ‘Romney/Ryan.’ Or is it ‘Ryan/Romney’? Either way, their theory has been tested. It failed. Our economy failed. The middle class paid the price. Your family paid the price. Mitt Romney just doesn’t get it.”
“Four years ago, America stood on the brink of a Depression. Despite incredible odds and united Republican opposition, our President took action. And now we’ve seen 4.5 million new jobs.…He knows better than anyone that there’s more hard work to do. But we’re making progress. And now we need to make a choice. It’s a choice…between a country where the middle class pays more, so that millionaires can pay less…
“Or a country where everybody pays their fair share. It’s a choice between a nation that slashes funding for our schools and guts Pell grants…Or a nation that invests more in education. It’s a choice between a politician who rewards companies that ship American jobs overseas…Or a leader who brings jobs back home.
“This is the choice before us. And to me, to my generation, and for all the generations that will come after us, our choice is clear. Our choice is a man who’s always chosen us.…A man who already is our President — Barack Obama.”
(Photo: Facebook/Julian Castro)
5:38 p.m.: Watch the convention live
5:23 p.m.: Five things to know about Castro
The Washington Post has a helpful primer on Julián Castro.
The Post reports that he’s an adamant supporter of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), he wants to raise taxes to fund full-day pre-Kindergarten programs, he’s started a decade-long civic improvement and development plan for San Antonio based on community input, the city kept a balanced budget and its AAA credit rating under his leadership during the economic downturn, and he believes government spending helps grow the economy.
Go here for more information.
4:45 p.m.: Obama leads by seven points among registered voters
A new CNN poll has Obama and Romney tied at 48 percent among likely voters, but Obama has pulled ahead with registered voters by a margin of 52-45 percent.
For full poll results, go here.
4:35 p.m.: Latinos and the enthusiasm gap
The Democratic party is facing an “enthusiasm” gap among some select voting blocs, including Latinos, and tonight’s convention lineup is an attempt to ramp up support for Obama among women, Latinos, African-Americans, and young people, notes NBC News.
As we’ve written, both San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro and Rep. Xavier Becerra will speak this evening in an attempt to draw in Latinos, who are expected to factor heavily in several key swing states, including Florida.
NBC News reports that in the Aug. 2012 NBC/WSJ poll, just 52% of voters under 35 and only 49% of Latinos expressed high interest in the upcoming election, which was down about 20 points for both groups at this same point in 2008.
Read more here.
3:45 p.m.: The untapped potential of the Latino vote
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Latino voters will play their most influential role ever in this election, but there is a nagging sense of the community’s untapped political potential.
Leaders of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) said Tuesday they expect Latino turnout to significantly increase in this election. The organization is standing by its estimate that 12.2 million Latinos will vote in November, up 26 percent from 2008, executive director Arturo Vargas said at a media briefing.
Read more here.
12:18 p.m.: More Latino delegates than ever
Last week, Republicans showcased their party’s Latino talent, asking Hispanic leaders such as Ted Cruz, Susana Martinez, Luis Fortuño and Marco Rubio to take the stage. While Democrats lack the GOP’s high number of Latino governors, DNC leaders point to the record number of Latino delegates which they say exemplifies their party’s diversity.
“The Democratic National Convention this year boasts a record number of Latino delegates — about 800, more than any such event for either party,” the Huffington Post’s Elise Foley reports.
This morning, Univision’s Maria Elena Salinas tweeted that 13 percent of the party’s 6,000 delegates are Hispanic.
11:30 a.m.: Immigration in the party platform
By EMILY DERUY
Democrats unveiled an immigration party platform that looks very different from the one adopted by Republicans last week in Tampa. While the Republican plan opposes “any form of amnesty” and calls for an end to lawsuits against states with tough immigration laws, the Democratic plan touts the deferred action program and the emphasis on deporting criminals over undocumented young people. The Democratic plan also highlights the fact that the Obama administration has challenged state laws it does not like, such as Arizona’s controversial immigration law, in court.
The plan advocates comprehensive immigration reform that requires immigrants to “…get right with the law, learn English, and pay taxes in order to get on a path to earn citizenship.”
It also acknowledges that “…Americans know that today, our immigration system is badly broken — separating families, undermining honest employers and workers, burdening law enforcement, and leaving millions of people working and living in the shadows.”
“President Obama and the Democrats fought for the DREAM Act,” reads the platform, which blames Republicans for blocking reforms, pandering to the far right, and using immigration as a “political wedge.”
11:22 a.m.: Why Charlotte?
Univision’s Jordan Fabian and Ingrid Rojas tackle the question of “Why Charlotte?” What makes the city so appealing? And who objects the the choice?
“The Tar Heel State was one of a handful of traditionally-Republican enclaves that Obama won as part of his successful 2008 campaign (by only 14,000 votes). The state is home to a large African-American population and a small, but rapidly growing Latino community. Obama needs both groups to turn out on the fall in order to win reelection,” Fabian and Rojas write.
Read more here.
11:15 a.m.: Obama combats Romney’s post-convention bounce
“Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney received a modest bounce among Latino voters in the aftermath of his party’s convention in Tampa.
President Obama now leads Romney 64-30 percent compared to 65-26 percent at this time last week, according to a Latino Decisions/impreMedia tracking poll.”
Read more here.
10:43 a.m.: Is the “Latino Obama” ready for the national stage?
San Antonio Mayor Julían Castro has been tapped to give the keynote address at the Democratic convention on Tuesday. As Univision’s Jordan Fabian writes, few have missed his similarities between Castro and President Obama.
“As a little-known Illinois state senator who was running for U.S. Senate in 2004, Obama gave the keynote address at the Democratic convention in Boston, launching his national political career. Castro made direct comparison to that event in an Obama campaign video announcing his selection in late July.
“Being the keynote speaker at the convention this year is an honor I don’t take lightly,” Castro said. “I know I’ve got some big shoes to fill. Two conventions ago, the keynote speaker was a guy named Barack Obama.”
Click here to read Fabian’s entire profile of the Democrat’s new rising star.
(Photo: Flickr/vard)
