CHARLOTTE: Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz Officially Opens The 2012 DNC

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz just opened the Democratic National Convention. I'm sitting in the upper tier of the Time-Warner Arena, just above the ring of luxury boxes now being used by the broadcast and cable networks. Only about half of the delegates seem to be down on the floor so far and before the stage lit up the various states entertained themselves with an improvised chanting contest of sorts. I'd say Texas won. The DJ (and there is one) had been a playing mix of soul oldies and disco, including tracks by Luther Vandross, the Emotions, and the Spinners. I'll probably head out of here during the delegate tally reporting and join the watching party hosted up the street by the National Stonewall Democrats.