It's party time for DNC delegates

National media members talk about Charlotte during Observer brunch

Two members of the national media talked with the Observer's Gary Nielson about Charlotte and what they expect from the Democratic National Convention during a brunch at the Observer Sunday.

Bloomberg's Al Hunt spoke about how much the city has changed since the last time he visited. He thinks Charlotte is a "great convention town." He also seemed to be impressed by Mayor Anthony Foxx.



PBS' Judy Woodruff called Charlotte a "shining star in the South" and said that, in her experience, every convention provides some surprise.

Videos of Sunday's protest in uptown Charlotte

Charlotte Observer reporter Gary Nielson posted several videos of Sunday's Occupy Wall Street South protest in uptown Charlotte to his Twitter account.

Protesters march past the Duke Energy building in uptown Charlotte:

Protesters sit outside the Duke Energy building in uptown Charlotte:

A large police presence followed the protest as it moved through uptown Charlotte:

Steff York from Minneapolis is in town protesting banks:

 

But not all of the protesters in Sunday's march were concerned with banks. Bernardo Vasquez from Marietta, Ga., says immigration reform is what brought him to Sunday's protest:

 Elaine Brower from Staten Island said she came to protest war, not the banks:

Charlotte's Kelly Picarsic and her two children came to the protest focused on global warming:

Protesters stop in front of the Duke Energy building to speak about clean energy:

Follow the Observer's Democratic National Convention Twitter account, @dnc2012clt, for more news and information all week.

Sweaty complaints about Charlotte

With today's big event, the March on Wall Street South, not quite living up to expectations, the Twitter world latched onto the other "hot" news - Charlotte's weather. From delegates talking about the climatic adjustment to marchers chanting "beat the heat, take a seat," everyone noticed the unpleasant conditions. And they took to social media to talk about it.

Let's talk barbecue

The Democratic National Convention is bringing people from all over the world to Charlotte. They're here to talk about politicians, the economy, social issues and... barbecue?

Yep, you read that right. Though some might argue that the Queen City isn't a "barbecue town" like Lexington or Goldsboro, Twitter users are busy chatting about the delectable dish.

Smaller protest than expected

Although estimates of the number of protesters were lower than anticipated, the March on Wall Street South was still loud and clear. Hashtags #MOWSS, #occupyCLT, #occupyDNC, #resistDNC and #peoplespower gave an idea of the range of actions and reactions in the protest.

DNC Eve Panel for Journalists

Before the Democratic National Convention gets into full swing, the UNC School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Charlotte Observer partnered to sponsor a roundtable discussion for journalists covering the convention.

The event, "Red States and Purple States," contextualized current trends and issues in Southern politics. UNC J-School Dean Susan King described it as a "mini news hour" for some journo "wonks."

Special guests included Judy Woodruff, senior correspondent of PBS NewsHour, and Scott Keeter, director of survey research at the Pew Research Center. Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx and Democratic Congressman David Price also attended.

Panelists:
Hodding Carter, university professor of leadership and public policy
Peter Coclanis, Albert Ray Newsome Distinguished Professor of History; director, Global Research Institute
Kareem Crayton, associate professor of law
Jacquelyn Hall, Julia Cherry Spruill Professor of History; founder, Southern Oral History Program
Gene Nichol, Boyd Tinsley Distinguished Professor of Law; director, Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity
Jesse White, adjunct professor of government; former executive director, Southern Growth Policies Board