"the first Latino to deliver the keynote address at a Democratic convention"

As is traditional, first lady Michelle Obama will be the featured speaker on the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte on Thursday.

But the buzz in the political sphere and in the city is all about San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro, who has the distinction of being the first Latino to deliver the keynote address at a Democratic convention.
Outside of Texas, however, Castro is essentially unknown.

He talked to All Things Considered's Audie Cornish, yesterday. He was at the NPR broadcast box at the Time Warner Cable Arena, which overlooks the delegate floor.

"I'm very excited but also a little bit nervous," he said. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't."

This is a big stage and Castro, with his youth and charisma, has been compared to President Obama. If you remember, back in 2004, when the president was just a senatorial candidate from Illinois, he delivered a powerhouse performance at the convention in Boston. The speech catapulted him from obscurity to the national spotlight and eventually the presidential nomination just four years later.

"President Obama is someone of a unique talent and I'm the mayor of a city," Castro told Audie, downplaying the comparisons. "I'm just here to try to do my best and be myself. I don't think that I'm in the same league with the president.

Above:  San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, left, and his twin brother State Rep. Joaquin Castro give an interview during preparations for the Democratic National Convention at Time Warner Cable Arena on Monday.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/