Democratic National Convention

Ex-Mich. Gov. Jennifer Granholm: "In Romney’s World, Cars Get the Elevator, Workers Get the Shaft"

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Among the more attention-grabbing speeches on the closing night of the Democratic National Convention Thursday was a rousing address by former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm. “How did [Romney] make that fortune? And at whose expense?” Granholm told the crowd. “You know, too often, he made it at the expense of middle-class Americans. Year after year, it was profit before people.” [includes rush transcript]

Accepting Democratic Nomination, Obama Pledges to Revive U.S. Economy While Protecting the Environment

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Accepting his party’s nomination, President Obama brought the Democratic National Convention to a close Thursday with a vow to fix the nation’s economic problems while protecting the environment. Calling the 2012 election a pivotal moment in the battle against climate change, Obama criticized Republicans who say global warming is a hoax, but also gave support for natural gas drilling and “clean coal.” [includes rush transcript]

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As DNC Pushes Through Jerusalem Vote, Critics Ask Why GOP is Dictating the Democrats’ Platform

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Controversy erupted at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday when party leaders forced through a platform change to reinstate references to God and the view that Jerusalem is Israel’s undivided capital. The language in question was included in 2008, but was left out when delegates approved their 2012 platform earlier this week. At the reported behest of President Obama, DNC chair and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa presided over a voice vote to reinstate the references through a two-thirds majority. Villaraigosa appeared prepared to automatically accept the change, but those voting “no” were so loud that he ended up holding the vote three times. We’re joined by James Zogby, the president of the Arab American Institute and a superdelegate at the Democratic National Convention. We also hear from New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler; Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress; and Michigan Democratic delegate Ismael Ahmed. [includes rush transcript]

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Lilly Ledbetter, Namesake of Fair Pay Act: From Discrimination Victim to Champion of Wage Equality

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The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is named for a female employee of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company who was paid 40 percent less than male colleagues doing the same job for 19 years. Ledbetter lost her gender pay discrimination lawsuit against Goodyear after the Supreme Court ruled she did not file a complaint on time. One day after addressing the Democratic National Convention, Ledbetter joins us to discuss her journey from victim of workplace discrimination to namesake of the first bill President Obama signed into law. [includes rush transcript]

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Sandra Fluke Takes Fight for Women’s Health to DNC After Being Insulted for Contraception Advocacy

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Sandra Fluke became famous after Republicans barred her from testifying at a congressional hearing in favor of insurance coverage for contraception. Right-wing talk radio host Rush Limbaugh blasted Fluke on his program, calling her a “slut” and saying she should be required to post sex videos online. The episode prompted President Obama to personally call Fluke to offer words of encouragement. Six months later, Fluke took center stage Wednesday night at the Democratic National Convention with a prime-time address. Fluke joins us to discuss the fight for reproductive rights, her support for Obama’s re-election, and her future plans as a women’s health activist. [includes rush transcript]

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Black and Latino Southern Voters May Hold Key to 2012 Election as Region Hosts Dems, GOP Conventions

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With the Democratic National Convention taking place in North Carolina — and last week’s Republican National Convention in Florida — we look at the political landscape of the South. The region is home to half of the country’s African-American population, and Latino voter registration has doubled since 2008. Analysts say nearly one-third of the total Electoral College votes needed to be elected president come from Southern states — and that share will likely grow in the future. We’re joined by two guests: Chris Kromm, executive director of the Institute for Southern Studies, and Kevin Alexander Gray, a civil rights activist and community organizer in Columbia, South Carolina. [includes rush transcript]

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At DNC, Ex-Presidential Hopefuls Jesse Jackson and Dennis Kucinich on 2012 Race, Obama’s First Term

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Many of the opening night speeches at the Democratic National Convention laid the foundation for a convention designed to remind voters what they liked about Obama when they first supported him in 2008. On the convention floor Tuesday night, w…

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It’s Party Time: Corporations, Donors with Billions at Stake Fund Lavish Events at DNC

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The celebratory mood in Charlotte was on display Tuesday night as thousands of delegates kicked off the Democratic National Convention and millions watched on TV. But the political party continues beyond what the public sees on prime-time broadcasts or even inside the convention center. There are exclusive events underway that range from corporate-sponsored parties hosted by the powerful Democratic Governors Association to a Super-O-Rama party hosted by the the three top Democratic super PACs, where the recommended contribution starts at $25,000. We’re joined by the Sunlight Foundation’s Liz Bartolomeo, who has been keeping an eye on the hundreds of events reserved for big donors and powerful figures. [includes rush transcript]

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Undocumented Activists Arrested Outside DNC After Cross-Country Journey for Immigration Reform

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One of the first acts of civil disobedience at the Democratic National Convention took place Tuesday just outside the Time Warner Cable Center when a group of 10 undocumented activists rode into uptown Charlotte aboard the “No Papers, No Fear – Ride for Justice” bus and blocked traffic. The activists have been riding aboard the “UndocuBus” protesting the Obama administration’s immigration policies for the past six weeks. They took part in Tuesday’s protest knowing they could face deportation if arrested. Democracy Now! was there when the activists left the bus and marched to the site of the Democratic National Convention. We then spoke to Tania Unzueta, whose father, mother and sister were arrested during the action and possibly face deportation. [includes rush transcript]

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Why Did the Dems Choose Charlotte? Examining Obama’s Close Ties to Utility Giant Duke Energy

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Duke Energy, the nation’s largest utility, has played a major role in bringing the Democratic National Convention to Charlotte, North Carolina. Duke has a lot riding on future policies governing coal, nuclear energy and climate change, regardless of who wins November’s election. The company has partly been successful in fighting off federal regulations thanks to its ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, reportedly sponsoring ALEC’s meetings and bankrolling its attacks on clean energy legislation. We discuss Duke Energy’s growing political influence with Monica Embrey, the North Carolina organizer for Greenpeace USA; and Beth Henry, a local activist in Charlotte raising awareness about Duke Energy and its ties to the Democratic National Convention. [includes rush transcript]

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Diverse Causes Join Forces in Charlotte to Kick Off Week of Protests at DNC

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On Sunday, ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, more than 1,000 people gathered for a March on Wall Street South. Before the march kicked off, speakers from organizations around the country gathered in Charlotte’s Frazier Park. We hear some of their voices. [includes rush transcript]

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Bright Lights of Charlotte’s DNC Cast Shadow Over City’s Poor and Marginalized

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In the shadow of the world headquarters of Bank of America and the media frenzy surrounding the Democratic National Convention, we look at a side of Charlotte you will not see this week in the network coverage — the city’s poor. We’re joined by Charlotte Observer reporter Fred Clasen-Kelly, who has written on poverty, homelessness and race relations in the city. [includes rush transcript]

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Baldemar Velásquez Draws on Years of Farm Worker Organizing to Continue Struggle in Anti-Union South

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Baldemar Velásquez, founder and president of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee of the AFL-CIO, has been organizing migrant workers since he worked with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s. An Ohio delegate at the Democratic National Convention, Velásquez has been working to organize migrant farm workers in North Carolina — more than 90 percent of whom are undocumented. On Monday, Velásquez was part of a Southern Workers Assembly here in Charlotte that brought together farm laborers along with others who work in the manufacturing and service industries. Their challenge is significant: The South is the least unionized region in the United States, and union density in North Carolina is just 2 percent. [includes rush transcript]

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L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa & GOP Latino Leader Mario Lopez on Immigration Reform in 2012 Race

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The new Republican platform has adopted Mitt Romney’s call for the so-called self-deportation of undocumented immigrants. Democracy Now! senior producer Mike Burke talks immigration reform with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa during a stop at the Republican National Convention. Villaraigosa is the chair of next week’s Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. We also hear from Mario Lopez, president of the Hispanic Leadership Fund and former member of the Republican National Committee’s Hispanic Advisory Board. [includes rush transcript]

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