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Organizers said in a conference call with reporters that they will encourage those who can no longer attend to go to watch parties in their area and to participate in the call, which President Obama will do Thursday. There are no plans for the president to address them in person.

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx spoke yesterday at the Democratic National Convention, welcoming attendees to North Carolina’s largest city. Two hours later, the Charlotte Atheists and Agnostics, a local affiliate of American Atheists, held a convention protest, at which they reiterated their demand for absolute “separation of religion and government.” So what does that have to do with Foxx, Charlotte’s first Democrat mayor in 22 years? Well, back in May, Foxx proclaimed “A Day of Reason,” in a bow to the city’s atheists and agnostics. And he “commend(ed) its observance to all citizens.” Sounding very much like the speakers ranting against...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The chief meteorologist at a Charlotte television station is questioning the decision by Democrats to move President Obama’s acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention to a smaller venue because of the weather. “Thursday night will likely be the best weather of the entire week,” Brad Panovich of WCNC-NBC TV wrote on Twitter in reference to when Obama’s speech was planned to take place at the outside Bank of America stadium, which can accommodate 70,000 people. The Democratic National Committee on Wednesday announced that the weather is forcing them to relocate Obama’s speech to the Time Warner...

Live 7-day National Weather Forecast for "Uptown" Charlotte.

The DNC is underway in Charlotte, and its message could not be clearer. “You didn’t build that” business of yours, unions built America, and you, dear American, belong to the government. We all do. This video is a clip from a longer piece that was shown on the floor of the DNC today.

Mormon Democrats gather for first-ever national meeting in Charlotte during DNC Above, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who belongs to the LDS Church, speaks to the first national meeting of LDS Democrats on Tuesday in Charlotte. Reid mentioned that several presidential candidates in the United States have been Mormons, starting with Joseph Smith, the founder and first president of the LDS Church, who ran in 1844 with "a very progressive" platform.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A vagina costume lay abandoned in a sad, pink heap 20 yards from the stage at a Planned Parenthood rally in Charlotte Tuesday. The pink-clad crowd of women didn't come close to filling its unlikely venue in the plaza of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.The numbers stayed stubbornly low throughout a relatively star-studded event emceed by comedian and voiceover star of "Archer," Aisha Tyler, who introduced Newark Mayor Cory Booker, "House M.D." actress Lisa Edelstein, and the most famous woman ever to be incapable of a trip to the CVS— Sandra Fluke. Downtown Charlotte (Uptown to the...

Press dwells in depths away from bright lightsBy Mark Washburn Posted: Tuesday, Sep. 04, 2012 CHARLOTTE, N.C. In the vast cavern of the Charlotte Convention Center, deep beneath College Street, dozens of curtained cubicles hold the working press. Estimated at 15,000, media people outnumber delegates about 3-to-1. They are a purposeful lot, largely staring into screens like victims of mass hypnosis. Their chests are festooned with bouquets of colorful badges, levels of access translating into rank. It is a far cry from the mezzanine of Time Warner Cable Arena, two blocks north, where the glamour media bask in the bright...

Duke CEO Rogers rides political, corporate intrigue into DNCBy Bruce Henderson The Charlotte Observer Posted: Tuesday, Sep. 04, 2012 **SNIP** Craig Holman of watchdog group Public Citizen was more blunt about Rogers and his company’s involvement: “It is highly, highly improper,” he said, in light of the scope of government business on the utility’s plate. “The conventions are not supposed to be financed by Duke Energy.” In addition to the state investigations into the Duke-Progress merger, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission still has the merger open on its docket. Before the merger, Progress had asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to...

Speakers Platform: A lone voice in a lonely fieldBy Lawrence Toppman The Charlotte Observer Posted: Tuesday, Sep. 04, 2012 CHARLOTTE, N.C. Like Saint Francis preaching to the birds, Chris Kite extended his arms to the air and sent his words to the skies at 1 p.m. Tuesday from the corner of Brevard and Stonewall Streets. He was the third orator of the afternoon approved by the city to address a public crowd – which consisted entirely of me – from the Speaker’s Platform. To listen, you had to cross a phalanx of police offers next to their bicycles, entering via...

Immigrants arrested after blocking streetBy Ely Portillo The Charlotte Observer Posted: Tuesday, Sep. 04, 2012 CHARLOTTE, N.C. Ten undocumented immigrants were arrested Tuesday afternoon after sitting down in an uptown intersection and refusing police orders to disperse. The activists are part of the “Undocubus,” a group of about 50 undocumented immigrants traveling from Phoenix to Charlotte to argue for immigration reform during the Democratic National Convention. “We are demanding from the President to stop the deportations and separation of families,” said Gerrardo Torres, of Chicago. He said he was not afraid of arrest, “Because I have the support of my...

Police briefly detain woman seen videotaping buildings near Bank of America stadiumBy Joseph Marusak The Charlotte Observer Posted: Tuesday, Sep. 04, 2012 **SNIP** When police approached, she walked away and spoke to a man at the parking deck. By 10:30 a.m., authorities had handcuffed the suspect – a tall blonde woman who appeared to be in her 30s or 40s – and were questioning her. They released her about 45 minutes later. **SNIP** The name of the woman was unavailable. She carried no identification and wouldn’t say who she was, Sharp said. It’s unclear whether authorities now know who she...

The full schedule: http://www.demconvention.com/schedule-tues/ Notable speeches from 7-8: Jimmy Carter (video); Key Salazar; Kennedy Family Tribute Video; Joe Kennedy Notable Speeches From 8-9: Nancy Keenan, President NARAL; Lincoln Chafee; Progress for People Video: Health Care Notable Speeches 9-10: Kathleen Sebelius; Rahm Emanuel; Lilly Ledbetter; Deval Patrick Notable Speeches 10-11: Martin O’Malley; Michelle Obama

Rain washes out DNC opening festivitiesBy Cecelia Hanley Updated: Sep 03, 2012 11:02 PM EDT CHARLOTTE, NC (RNN) – Mother Nature likes messing with the political process. The Republicans had Hurricane Isaac that postponed their festivities in Tampa, and late afternoon summer thunderstorm cut short CarolinaFest2012 for the Democrats. As native North Carolinian James Taylor sang "You've Got a Friend," the skies opened up and people ran for cover under awnings, hotel drive ups, parking garages and covered restaurant patios. Many lingered to see if the concert would continue after a rain delay, but organizers canceled the event. Earlier in...

Monday night protest blocks uptown streetsBy Meghan Cooke, Caroline McMillan and Ely Portillo The Charlotte Observer Posted: Tuesday, Sep. 04, 2012 **SNIP** A large force of bicycle-riding officers quickly surrounded the protesters, keeping them on the streets but preventing them from walking down some residential roads on the northeast side of uptown. More officers carrying batons and zip-tie handcuffs also walked with the march. **SNIP** “This is what a police state looks like!” they yelled. “Police everywhere, justice nowhere!” At times they broke into obscenities: “---- the police!”

GREENVILLE, N.C. – As Democrats head to Charlotte to nominate President Obama for a second term, Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan made an appearance on the other side of the state to hammer home the message that Americans are not better off than they were four years ago. “We’re gonna hear a lot of words from Charlotte this week. But here’s the kind of words we’re not gonna hear We’re not gonna hear evidence and facts about how people are better off,” Ryan told a crowd of over 2,000 people at East Carolina University. “You see, the president cannot...

Protesters disrupt Labor Day paradeBy Lindsay Ruebens Posted: Monday, Sep. 03, 2012 CHARLOTTE, N.C. In the midst of a family-friendly event, about a dozen people from the Occupy Wall Street movement snuck their way into an uptown Labor Day parade between the postal worker’s union and a group supporting the election of Gary Henderson for district court judge. They chanted, “Left wing, right wing, stop that chatter! Corporations own the government, your votes don’t matter!” Many of them carried signs written on the back of pizza boxes, and one read, “Obama is a F------ Traitor.”

You don't have to travel to Charlotte for the Democratic National Convention this week to be in on the action. The convention will have its own dedicated livestream hosted by Kal Penn. In addition to covering all the major events, the livestream will feature lots of exclusive content that you won't find on TV, including a special Q&A with the First Lady on Thursday. RSVP to watch -- and, if you have a question, you can submit it now. The convention in Charlotte will be the most open and accessible in history and, no matter where you are, you can...