Opening Night in Denver

And then the real-life issues for a nation with a lot of urgent problems on its plate: energy, war, the economy.

Tonight is opening night, and it’s big theatre here in Denver’s enormous Pepsi Center, where the Jumbotron panels are ablaze with light over my shoulder and Michelle Obama will step to the podium later this evening. There’s a tribute to ailing Senator Ted Kennedy coming, too. And beneath it all, a fight to change the direction of this country on a host of fronts.

This hour, On Point: Live from Denver, we’re getting down to business with the Democrats.

You can join the conversation. On the issues that matter to you, what do you hope for, long for, fear from the Democrats? What’s the change you see in Barack Obama? Tell us what you think.Guests:

Joining us at our broadcast booth in the Pepsi Center is Ron Brownstein, political director for Atlantic Media, publishers of The Atlantic, National Journal, and The Hotline. He's the author of “The Second Civil War: How Extreme Partisanship has Paralyzed Washington and Polarized America.” You can read an excerpt at NationalJournal.com.

Also with us is Gerald Seib, assistant managing editor at The Wall Street Journal. He writes the Capital Journal column and is co-author, with John Harwood, of “Pennsylvania Avenue: Profiles in Backroom Power.” You can read an excerpt at NPR.org.

And we’re also joined by Bert Johnson, State Representative from Michigan’s 5th District, which includes northeast Detroit. He has been an Obama supporter from the very beginning.

Later in the hour we'll hear from Laura Washington, columnist for The Chicago Sun-Times.