The Barack Obama campaign kicked off the Democratic National Convention on Monday showcasing historic diversity among its delegates and vowing to have momentum, unity and a compelling narrative to show why Americans should make the Democrat their president.
With talk of the Illinois senator slipping in polls, Democratic strategists and campaign officials insisted Obama, who this week will become the first African-American major-party presidential nominee, has the experience to bring people together and will prove competitive in key battleground states.
Officials said the party’s appeal to a broad range of Democrats is reflected in the convention delegates: Half are female; 25 percent are African-American; 12 percent are Latino; 5 percent are Asian-American; 5 percent are American Indian; and 6 percent are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
“This is the most inclusive convention in our party’s history,” said Alice Travis Germond, the secretary of the Democratic National Committee, at the first daily news briefing at the Colorado Convention Center. “Every single diversity number has gone up across every single group that we’re proud to have as members of our Democratic family.”
David Plouffe, Obama’s campaign manager, said the campaign has a “big job” in Denver to show that the party is united behind Obama.
“Elections are about choices and contrasts,” Plouffe said. “(Presumptive GOP nominee) John McCain offers more of the same. Barack Obama offers the change that America needs.”
Plouffe talked about how the campaign is focused on battleground states in the Midwest such as Iowa and Indiana and in the West such as Colorado and New Mexico. He called Iowa “critical,” praised the organization’s ground game there and said Obama has a “real appeal” in the West.
Plouffe said Obama is focused on places such as Missouri and North Carolina, where he plans to be back on the air with commercials soon.
Plouffe acknowledged that McCain is “trying to win Pennsylvania” but said the Obama camp spent seven weeks there before a primary loss to Hillary Rodham Clinton.
