{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-572d6a42.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-f4d0de30.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='Opening speeches including Senate Leader Harry Reid at the Democrat convention' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54bfdad8eafeecae146437' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54bfdad8eafeecae146437' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nOpening speeches including Senate Leader Harry Reid at the Democrat convention\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eDemocrats launched US President Barack Obama on his uncertain bid for re-election as they opened their national convention in Charlotte, North Carolina on Tuesday night.Among the speakers were Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid,...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eDemocrats launched US President Barack Obama on his uncertain bid for re-election as they opened their national convention in Charlotte, North Carolina on Tuesday night.\u003cbr/\u003eAmong the speakers were Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and Actor Kal Penn. \u003cbr/\u003eThey looked to help Obama recapture the hearts of Americans once drawn to his message of hope and change, but now growing weary after years of economic downturn.\u003cbr/\u003eThe nationally televised, three-day convention  will seek to counter attacks made at last week's Republican convention and cast rival Mitt Romney, a wealthy businessman and former Massachusetts governor, as distant, privileged and out-of-touch with ordinary Americans.\u003cbr/\u003eSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid was the first to take aim at Romney, stating that \"never in modern American history has a presidential candidate tried so hard to hide himself from the people he hopes to serve.\"\u003cbr/\u003eCalling on Romney to release several more years of his tax returns, Reid told the convention that \"when you look at the one tax return he has released, it's obvious why there's been only one.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"We learned that he pays a lower tax rate than middle-class families. We learned he chose Swiss bank accounts and Cayman Island tax shelters over American institutions. And we can only imagine what new secrets would be revealed if he showed the American people a dozen years of tax returns, like his father did.\"\u003cbr/\u003eWomen were also prominently featured at the convention, including Tammy Duckworth, a captain who was injured when the helicopter she co-piloted was hit in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003eIn her second bid for Congress, the Democrat and former assistant secretary at Veterans Affairs hopes to wrest a northern Illinois seat from Republican Representative Joe Walsh, an outspoken tea party freshman.\u003cbr/\u003ePolls show Obama and Romney locked in a tight race ahead of the November vote. Romney is seen as the better candidate for improving the economy, the biggest issue in the race. \u003cbr/\u003eBut Obama is seen as more likable and better able to connect with the concerns of middle-class Americans.\u003cbr/\u003eCandidates traditionally get a bounce in the polls from political conventions, though there is little sign that Romney improved his standing after the Republican convention in Tampa, Florida. \u003cbr/\u003eOnce dramatic events for selecting candidates and debating issues, political conventions are now carefully scripted shows put on by the parties with little spontaneity - making them less compelling television programming.\u003cbr/\u003eTuesday's other major speaker during prime television time was San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, who delivered the high-profile keynote address. \u003cbr/\u003eA rising star in the party, Castro is of Mexican-American descent and his selection highlights the importance given to Hispanic voters in the race.\u003cbr/\u003eOther convention highlights include Wednesday's roll call votes formally nominating Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, and a speech by Bill Clinton, the popular former president. \u003cbr/\u003eThe climax will be Obama's acceptance speech at a 74,000-seat football stadium on Thursday.\u003cbr/\u003eThat speech will seek to recapture the grandeur of Obama's acceptance address in a Colorado stadium four years ago. \u003cbr/\u003eAt the time, the United States was in the midst of a devastating financial crisis while unpopular wars were dragging on in Iraq and Afghanistan. \u003cbr/\u003eObama - young, magnetic and eloquent - captured the imagination of many Americans as the first black nominee of a major party.\u003cbr/\u003eHe promised a fresh start after eight years of George W. Bush's presidency and new hope for the economy.\u003cbr/\u003eObama did withdraw U.S. combat troops from Iraq and the United States emerged from the recession. But economic growth has been tepid and unemployment is high at 8.3 percent. \u003cbr/\u003eThe election will allow voters to choose between contrasting visions of the role of government. Romney's Republicans, increasingly guided by the anti-tax tea party movement, want to minimise the role of government, which it sees as an obstacle to enterprise and liberty. \u003cbr/\u003eObama's Democrats see government as a potential force for good, helping the downtrodden and providing the education and infrastructure needed to help the country prosper.\u003cbr/\u003e1. Mid of Democratic Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid\u003cbr/\u003e2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Harry Reid, Senator and Democratic Majority Leader:\u003cbr/\u003e\"Never in modern American history has a presidential candidate tried so hard to hide himself from the people he hopes to serve. When you look at the one tax return he has released, it's obvious why there's been only one. We learned that he pays a lower tax rate than middle-class families. We learned he chose Swiss bank accounts and Cayman Island tax shelters over American institutions. And we can only imagine what new secrets would be revealed if he showed the American people a dozen years of tax returns, like his father did.\"\u003cbr/\u003e3. Cutaway of Vice President Joe Biden\u003cbr/\u003e4. Zoom in to women of the US House of Representatives on stage\u003cbr/\u003e5. Pan of Women of the House of Representatives\u003cbr/\u003e6. UPSOUND: (English) Carolyn Maloney, Democratic Congresswoman:\u003cbr/\u003e\"Where are the women?\"\u003cbr/\u003e7. Various of women in the audience cheering and waving\u003cbr/\u003e8. Various of Tammy Duckworth, Candidate for House of Representative from Illinois\u003cbr/\u003e9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tammy Duckworth, Candidate for House of Representative from Illinois:\u003cbr/\u003e\"When it comes to our men and women in harm's way, we have a clear choice on November 6th. Last week, Mitt Romney had a chance to show his support for the brave men and women he is seeking to command. But he chose to criticise President Obama instead of even uttering the word \"Afghanistan.\" Barack Obama will never ignore our troops. He will fight for them.\"\u003cbr/\u003e10. Mid of Rahm Emanuel, the Mayor of Chicago\u003cbr/\u003e11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rahm Emanuel, Mayor of Chicago:\u003cbr/\u003e\"Now, one thing I know with absolute certainty, having served two great presidents, is that in the next four years, an unforeseen crisis, challenge or conflict is gonna to show up and seize this country. Whose leadership, whose judgment, whose values do you want in the White House when that crisis lands like a thud on the Oval Office desk? A person who said in four words, 'Let Detroit go bankrupt,' or a president who had another four words, 'Not on my watch'?\"\u003cbr/\u003e12. Mid of Actor/Producer and White House Staffer Kal Penn\u003cbr/\u003e13. SOUNDBITE: (English) Kal Penn, Actor/ Producer and White House Staffer:\u003cbr/\u003e\"I've worked on a lot of fun movies, but my favourite job was having a boss who gave the order to take out bin Laden and who's cool about all of us getting gay married, so thank you invisible man in the chair for that.\"\u003cbr/\u003e14. Mid of twins Joaquin Castro (purple tie) and Julian Castro (blue tie)\u003cbr/\u003e15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Julian Castro, Mayor of San Antonio, Texas:\u003cbr/\u003e\"Like many of you, I watched last week's Republican convention and they told a few stories of individual success. We all celebrate individual success. But the question is, how do we multiply that success? The answer is President Barack Obama.\"\u003cbr/\u003e16. Various of convention goers\u003cbr/\u003e17. 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