Not heard in Charlotte: TARP, stimulus, climate

Three topics are noticeably missing from the Democrats' meeting: Climate change, economic stimulus and the massive bank bailout.

The second and third items remain politically toxic while climate change has receded as a priority for President Barack Obama as the economy has lagged. All three were central elements of either Obama's last campaign or his first years in office.

But at the Democratic National Convention, they haven't been mentioned, even as they complement some of the president's top policy goals: shoring up the economy, reversing a financial crisis and achieving energy independence.

Gun control gets no mention and fighting poverty get short shrift, too.

- The Associated Press