CHARLOTTE, NC -
First it was the Republicans' turn and they took full advantage. They crammed four days' worth of convention into three and people are still talking about the Clint Eastwood speech.
Tuesday is the Democrats' first opportunity to strike back. Delegates are arriving at the Charlotte Convention Center and for the most part they seem to be an impatient bunch.
They have come to renominate the president but their man has been taking it on the chin on the economy and jobs. Those issues can break a presidency. Just ask George Herbert Walker Bush.
In fact, the man who orchestrated that political upset - William Jefferson Clinton - will try to craft a counter argument about why this case is different. That web will be spun on Wednesday. Tuesday night belongs to the First Lady.
Democrats scheduled their convention for three days so when you only get three swings of the bat and you are competing with the start of the NFL season on Wednesday, you have to make those swings count.
Game on.
Presidential race's effect on Indiana
Delegates will renominate President Obama on Wednesday and he will accept the nomination on Thursday, but every state has some stock in his success.
James Carville is a longtime Democratic strategist who masterminded the "It's the economy stupid" strategy that resulted in challenger Bill Clinton winning the White House in 1992. He understands the coat tails effect a presidential campaign can have.
"I think it's close. I would rather be us than them, but it's close. I am a little nervous," Carville said.
He believes the presidential race will have an effect on Indiana's race for the U.S. Senate.
"I think (Democrat Joe) Donnelly can do well. I think he will run ahead of the President a little bit. He's got (Republican Richard) Mourdock, who is pretty far out there and that is a seat at play right now. People will be watching it closely," Carville said.
On the convention floor, most of the focus at present is on the President as expected, but NBC's Chuck Todd is watching the Indiana Senate race that could have an effect on who ultimately controls the U.S. Senate.
"There are some Democrats making the argument that Donnelly has a chance to pull an upset over the Tea Party candidate, Mr. Mourdoch, and that only if national money went in there and maybe Mr. Obama went in there, but if you look at the numbers, you don't see how the President gets over 47 percent. He gets to 47 percent. I don't see how he gets to 50 percent," Todd said.
Stars come out
There always seems to be a rather finicky flirtation between world of politics and the world of Hollywood. Indiana got a little dose of that Tuesday. Indiana State Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker announced that delegates would be treated to a special guest speaker, actress Ashley Judd.
Judd, who happens to be a Tennessee delegate, was right next door with her delegation Tuesday morning, but decided she did not have time to stop and see Indiana's delegates after all, but she did have time to talk with the media about being asked to announce Tennessee's roll call vote later this week.
"I cannot believe I get to do the roll call. I love being an American and, to me, it is an absolute honor and privilege to participate in our political process. Whether it's being involved in the civic level, county or going door-to-door to make sure voters are registered or to be here at the convention for the bird's eye view of it all. I remember in 2008, walking by all of the delegates waving and now here I am amongst them. It is really a thrill," Judd said.
Academy Award-winning actor Jeff Bridges is participating in a much different way. He is not a delegate but he is offering up his music for Democrats to enjoy. And delegates can't get enough of Carville, known as the "Ragin' Cajun," who has been almost trapped by folks who wanted to get their pictures taken with him.
Singer James Taylor also welcomed Democrats with a musical performance.
From the Associated Press:
Obama hopes he doesn't cry during wife's speech
President Barack Obama says he'll try not to let his daughters see him cry tonight as he watches the first lady's speech at the Democratic National Convention.
Obama calls Michelle Obama "the star of the Obama family" and says he gets "all misty" whenever she speaks.
The president made the comments before a mostly African-American crowd at a campaign stop at Norfolk State University in Virginia a day before he plans to join the convention in Charlotte.
The first lady will make her case to millions of Americans on Tuesday when she headlines the convention's first night of speakers. She plans to draw a contrast between her husband and Republican Mitt Romney, telling middle-class voters that Obama understands their economic struggles because he has struggled too.
Vice President Joe Biden has arrived in Charlotte, N.C., for his Democratic Party's national convention.
Biden and his wife, Jill, landed Tuesday afternoon. They did not speak to reporters. The vice president is set to accept his party's nomination for a second term on Thursday evening. He planned no public events before then.
His wife, on the other hand, has a busier schedule. Jill Biden was scheduled to visit various breakfasts and lunches with delegates.
Analyst James Carville is a popular figure at the convention.
NBC correspondent Chuck Todd.
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