Creative Loafing Charlotte

Lots of PR, plus some inspiration, on Day 1 of the DNC

• by Mike Cooper
So far, this year's DNC hasn't been the revolution of 1968.
• Tags: News, Democratic National Convention 2012, News, DNC 2012, Democratic National Convention, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Anthony Foxx, Bev Perdue, Julian Castro, Deval Patrick, Cory Booker, Charlotte, EpiCentre

Obama versus Romney: Who might have a better iPod playlist?

• by Kimberly Lawson
In which an editor and a reporter debate over the musical choices of the candidates.
• Tags: Democratic National Convention 2012, Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, DNC, DNC 2012, Democratic National Convention, Charlotte, Mike Cooper, music, Mark Kemp, playlist, Outkast, Stevie Wonder, Kid Rock, Arcade Fire, Elvis Costello

Politics for breakfast

• by Mike Cooper
State politicians warm up at morning delegation gathering.
• Tags: News, Democratic National Convention 2012, News, DNC, Democratic National Convention, Bev Perdue, Mel Watt, David Price, Brad Miller, G.K. Butterfield, Mike McIntyre, Barack Obama, Charlotte

Hip Hop Caucus town hall targets voter-ID laws

• by Erin Tracy-Blackwood
Civil-rights leaders explained how voters could fight against the discriminatory legislation
• Tags: News, Democratic National Convention 2012, black, vote, Hip Hop Caucus, BET, DNC, DNC 2012, Democratic National Convention, Kevin Powell, Election Protection Coalition, Charlotte School of Law, Grammy, poet, Bluz, Erin Tracy-Blackwood, Barack Obama, president, voter-ID, laws, Ohio, Lawyers Committee of Civil Rights, The War on Voting, urban, harassment, polls, Kevin Powell, Rev. Lennox Yearwood

N.C. delegates had a glitter-tastic party

• by Joanne Spataro
From a marching band to Janice Covington, the first openly transgender delegate at the DNC, Sunday night's party was as fabulous as it gets.
• Tags: News, Democratic National Convention Photos, Janice Covington, Democratic National Convention, Brenda Pollard, CODEPINK, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Livingstone College Marching Blue Bear Band, DNC, DNC 2012, Joanne Spataro, Charlotte, protest

The who and what at the DNC

• by Mike Cooper
Look for rising stars, the next presidential candidate, and whether Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx will shine
• Tags: Democratic National Convention 2012, Barack Obama, DNC, DNC 2012, Democratic National Convention, Michael A. Cooper Jr., Charlotte, North Carolina, Democrats, convention, politics, congressman, Brad Miller, Heath Shuler, Mike McIntyre, Fayetteville, Wilmington, Lary Kissell, Gov. Bev. Perdue Charlotte mayor, Pat McCrory, Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton, Mike Easley, John Edwards, Mel Watt, David Price, G.K. Butterfield, state, U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Washington, liberal, economic, banks, Mitt Romney, Mayor Anthony Foxx, 2016, harvey Gantt, Gov. Jim Hunt, Jesse Helms, South, Kleenex, Walter Dalton, North Carolinians, Vice President Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State, Maryland Gov. Maritn O'Malley, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, Elizabeth Warren Massachusetts, senate

An interview with Harvey Gantt

As part of our Creative Conversations series leading up to the DNC, we talked to the man who ran against Jesse Helms

• by Mike Cooper
• Tags: DNC News, Jesse Helms, Harvey Gantt, politics, North Carolina, election, North Carolina, Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, Election 2012

Money talks during political conventions

Why different rules still make for the same game

• by Ryan Grim
• Tags: DNC CL + HuffPost, Democratic National Convention, DNC 2012, funding, convention, Barack Obama, lobbyists, Huffington Post, Campaign Finance Institute, Center for Responsive Politics, fundraising, money, Democratic Convention Host Committee

No more Mr. Nice Guy, Mr. President

And the partnership with Huffington Post continues

• by Mark Kemp
• Tags: Editor's Notes, Huffington Post, DNC 2012, Democratic National Convention, Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, Barack Obama, election, Charlotte

Charlotte haz catz

• by Ana McKenzie
A kitty video produced by the host committee went viral, which made me wonder: Have our presidents been mostly cat or dog people?
• Tags: News, Democratic National Convention 2012, DNC, DNC 2012, Democratic National Convention, Charlotte, Charlotte in 2012, cats, dogs, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Woodrow Wilson, William Taft, Andrew Johnson, James Buchanan, Martin Van Buren, John Quincy Adams, George Washington, President's Pet Museum, Ana McKenzie, Fernando

Arianna Huffington to speak at The PPL during the DNC

• by Ana McKenzie
And you can watch from home
• Tags: News, Democratic National Convention 2012, DNC, DNC2012, Democratic National Convention, Arianna Huffington, Elon James White, This Week in Blackness, Julie Samuels, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Paul Geller, Grooveshark, Thom Duncan, SlowFood Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, Barack Obama, convention, Ana McKenzie, The PPL

DNC 2012 Notebook: What makes a convention speaker 'electric’?

• by Mary C. Curtis
Time Warner Cable Arena has gotten quite the facelift for the DNC
• Tags: News, Democratic National Convention 2012, Republicans, Tampa, Democrats, Time Warner Cable Arena, Steve Kerrigan, press, Wednesday, Theo LeCompte, DNCC, DNC, DNC 2012, Democratic National Convention, Democratic National Convention Committee, Bank of America Stadium, September, Charlotte, North Carolina, Obama, President Obama, Barack Obama, Todd Akin, Missouri, Sandra Fluke, Rush Limbaugh, Nancy Keenan, Carolina Kennedy, Lily Ledbetter, Barbara Mikulski, Cecile Richards, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Harvard Law School, Charles Ogletree, Mayor Anthony Foxx, CMS, Ericka Ellis-Stewart, Dr. Heath Morrison, Jim Hunt, Robert Balfanz, Mayor's Youth Press Corps, legacy program, credentials, speech, Mary C. Curtis

Cover Story

Exploiting the DNC

Charlotte struts her stuff for a piece of the political pie

• by Ana McKenzie, Joanne Spataro, and John Grooms
• Tags: DNC News, DNC, Democratic National Convention, DNC 2012, diversity, Event Fantasies, Wadsworth Estate, Aisha Thomas, Amber Serenico, GOP, Republican, Barack Obama, Democrats, delegate, party, Charlotte 714, David Benham, Jason Benham, Malcolm Bailey, convention, Barack2012.org, Krystal Harrell, Darlene Murphy, Create Exposure, DNC Host Committee, Laurel Green, Councilman John Autry, Occupy, Occupy Charlotte, Eastland Mall, Charlotte City Council, agenda, Cover Story

A donkey of a different color

History can tell us why Tar Heel Democrats are in danger of losing big in November

• by Mike Cooper
• Tags: DNC News, North Carolina, Democratic National Convention, DNC, DNC 2012, history, Barack Obama, #ncpol, politics, Pat McCrory, Walter Dalton, W. Kerr Scott, Beverly Perdue, governor, election, John Locke Foundation, John Hood, Democrat, Nancy Pelosi, Michael Bitzer, John Edwards, Jesse Helms, Frank Porter Graham, Gary Pearce

Weekly horoscope (July 26-Aug. 1)

Plus, the horoscopes for Obama, Biden and Romney

• by Vivian Carol
• Tags: Stargazer, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Joe Biden, horoscope, Stargazer, zodiac, astrology, Vivian Carol

Too dumb to vote?

Maybe a quiz would help

• by John Grooms
• Tags: Boomer with Attitude, vote, election, Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, John Grooms, news, American, politics, Jim Pendergraph, congress, Obamacare, ignoramuses

Cover Story

Not just Black History: America I Am

Gantt Center exhibit expands the American narrative

• by Emiene Wright
• Tags: Cover story, Tavis Smiley, African American, black, history, Harvey Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, art, museum, exhibit, Doors of No Return, Democratic National Convention, National Constitution Center, Barack Obama, Raymond Ross, Ryan Schaub, America I Am, W.E.B. Du Bois, Fath Ruffins, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Cornel West, Howard Dodson, Schomburg Center, Thelma Golden, Studio Museum of Harlem, Carlton Farmer, Arts and Exhibitions International, David Taylor, Charlotte, Cover Story

Baby blue: Meet Cleveland County delegate Nick Carpenter

Come September, he will tackle the DNC — and his first semester in college

• by Joanne Spataro
• Tags: DNC News, Nick Carpenter, DNC, Democratic National Convention, politics, delegate, news, Cleveland County, Beverly Perdue, Gardner-Webb University, 10th Congressional District, Barack Obama, Jon Stewart

Grey matter

Popular novel prompts questions

• by Dan Savage
• Tags: Savage Love, Fifty Shades of Grey, E.L. James, Dan Savage, sex, advice, relationship, Charlotte, gay, Barack Obama, BDSM

Gaston representative sticks his foot in his Facebook mouth

• by Ana McKenzie
John A. Torbett needs a lesson in tolerance. Or at least a proofreader.
• Tags: News, John A. Torbett, Barack Obama, Gaston, Muslim, bigot, president, POTUS, Facebook