Democrats get down to convention business

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 4 (UPI) -- The Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., got down to business Tuesday, as Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz opened the gathering.

"During our national convention, we will clearly demonstrate why we need to keep Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the White House," said Florida's Wasserman Schultz, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee.

She said the election, for Democrats, is about "coming together to build one economy, not from the top down but from the middle class out and from the bottom up ... [and] changing our country for the better."

Wasserman Schultz also noted the Charlotte convention has the largest number of delegates assembled ever for a DNC.

A fact sheet on the convention's Web site indicated nearly 6,000 delegates would be in Charlotte.