2004 Democratic National Convention
September opened with the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. On the convention's first night, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro delivered the keynote address, the first Hispanic-American to do so. He discussed the communitarian spirit of the United States and reflected on how his mother "fought hard for civil rights so that instead of a mop, I could hold this microphone." The speech was compared to Barack Obama's keynote address at the 
, and garnered speculation that he would seek higher political office. First Lady Michelle Obama also spoke that night, discussing her husband on a personal level. On the second day, a ruckus ensued as Democrats moved to re-include "God" and support of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital in the party's official platform after removal of the items drew criticism leading up to the convention. That night, women's health advocate Sandra Fluke and Massachusetts U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren each spoke before former President Bill Clinton took the stage to deliver a lengthy, policy-filled speech. In it, Clinton defended Obama's economic policies, arguing that no previous president, including himself, could have fostered complete recovery this soon in the same economic climate. He concluded that the election was ultimately a choice between the "winner-take-all, you're-on-your-own society" of the Republicans and the "we're-all-in-this-together society" of Obama. On the final night, Vice president Joe Biden spoke before President Obama addressed the convention to officially accept the party's nomination. In his acceptance speech, Obama asked voters to allow his administration to "finish what we started", arguing "it will take more than a few years for us to solve challenges that have built up over decades" and Republicans offer only policies that have previously failed. 
On the campaign trail, September 2012