No raining on the Obamas' parade in Charlotte

photo NANCY PIERCE

First Lady Michelle Obama is getting high marks for her speech Tuesday night in Charlotte.

Michelle Obama brought the sweet, former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland brought the salty and a big first night for Democrats in Charlotte could portend strong reviews for the city. And, yes, the First Lady's husband will be sharing the same stage Thursday, now that the president's speech has been moved from Bank of America Stadium.

Day Two at Time Warner Cable Arena starts at 5 p.m., and almost everyone on both sides of the political aisle expects a rousing performance by former president Bill Clinton in the prime-time speech Wednesday.

It will take at least that long for the buzz to die down from the First Lady?s heartfelt remarks about her husband and his role in the country?s recovery. (Not to mention her trademark fashion and vaunted right to bare arms.) Delegates roared their approval from the moment she appeared to the strains of Stevie Wonder?s 1970 hit ?Signed, Sealed, Delivered I?m Yours.?

Noted Republican pundit Joe Scarborough told his MSNBC audience this morning that the speeches in Charlotte on Tuesday eclipsed the performances from the entire week of Republican National Convention events in Tampa.

The First Lady?s signature line: ?I have seen firsthand that being president doesn?t change who you are ? it reveals who you are.?

While she made a couple of subtle swipes at her husband?s rival, Mitt Romney, saying you don?t slam the door shut on others after achieving success, the First Lady largely offered an optimistic, intimate tone.

Not so for earlier speakers such as Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland.

The latter said of Romney, ?If Mitt was Santa Claus, he would fire the reindeer and outsource the elves.?

DNC organizers beamed while walking the convention floor Tuesday night. Part of their giddiness came from handing off formal convention duties to the national convention committee, but they also said initial reviews for the city have been positive and security hiccups mild.

Erik Spanberg covers government, sports business, hospitality and airlines for the Charlotte Business Journal.

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