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Five OMG Moments at the DNC

Anyone can turn on a TV, scan their newsfeeds or fire up a laptop to get a sense of the important topics being discussed at the Democratic National Convention. ...
Mother shares heartbreaking story about insurance coverage struggles for 2-year-old at DNC

(CNN) — Anyone can turn on a TV, scan their newsfeeds or fire up a laptop to get a sense of the important topics being discussed at the Democratic National Convention. This article is not about those important topics.

This is for those other moments — the ones that make us SMH or LOL or unfollow certain people on Twitter. These are the moments that prompt us to show our phones to the person next to us, eyes wide with disbelief and mischief. It’s not news.

1. Tweet love

Twitter enthusiastically embraced the first night of the Democratic National Convention, with #DNC2012 tweets surpassing 2.1 million before first lady Michelle Obama even stepped onstage.

The total number of #GOP2012 tweets topped 4 million over the course of that convention, according to figures provided by Twitter.

The first lady’s speech drove more tweets per minute than any Republican National Convention speaker, including presidential candidate Mitt Romney — 28,003 to 14,289.

Nearly every person who had a visible role Tuesday night trended on Twitter at some point, from San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland to Michelle Obama’s brother, Craig Robinson, and Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth, who has been locked in an ugly race for a U.S. House seat in Illinois.

Twitter user @tbogg put it like this, “Tammy Duckworth lost her legs while piloting a Black Hawk helicopter in Iraq. Paul Ryan once drove the Weinermobile. #DNC”

2. #sexyface

Kal Penn, better known for his “Harold & Kumar” movies than his role at the White House, gave the only response of the night to Clint Eastwood’s #emptychair when he thanked the “invisible man in the chair” for giving the order to take out Osama bin Laden and “who’s cool with all of us getting gay-married.”

He also encouraged viewers to get out and vote, even if they had to do so “without their pants on.” Finally, he wondered aloud what his trending hashtag would be at the conclusion of his speech and humbly suggested, #sexyface. Twitter happily obliged. Until the Bieblers caught wind of it.

3. Cute kids

The adorable 2-year-old Zoe Lihn and her family brought the convention to tears when they shared their personal story about Zoe’s congenital heart defect and insurance coverage struggles. Under the Affordable Care Act, mom Stacey Lihn says they no longer have to worry about coverage for Zoe’s third surgery.

“If Mitt Romney becomes president she will hit her lifetime cap and may not receive her heart transplant,” Stacey Lihn told the crowd as her two girls and their father stood close by. As mom was speaking, a child started crying. Zoe’s big sis Emerson though seemed to love the stage and the applause.

@allisonrose711 tweeted, “Okay, so yeah. Stacy Lihn and her RIDICULOUSLY ADORABLE sick child is a pretty damn good defense of the ACA. Also, heartbreaking.”

Tracy Olson posted on Facebook, “Stacey Lihn, mother of daughter Zoe on how #ObamaCare has given their family and their daughter a fighting chance Speaks @ DNC2012:

” ‘Governor Romney says people like me were the most excited about President Obama the day we voted for him. But that’s not true. Not even close.

” ‘For me, there was the day the Affordable Care Act passed and I no longer had to worry about Zoe getting the care she needed.’ “

In another version of adorable, while Castro was speaking, Buzzfeed caught his daughter backstage perfecting her hair flip. She’s really good.

And the Obama campaign released this photo of the president and his daughters watching the first lady’s speech.

4. And animals

It’s real. Cat lovers for Obama. Lauren Mackevich snapped a photo of a cat lovers button for sale in Charlotte and wishes she was the woman pictured.

And while we’re on the subject of pets, animal lovers are showing more support for Obama than Romney. The Facebook pages Pet Lovers for Obama has 40,000 fans, while Pet Lovers for Romney has eight fans. Perhaps they have a bone to pick? The page Dogs Against Romney has more than 85,000 fans.

5. Pointing fingers

Instagram users have already uploaded nearly twice as many photos tagged #DNC2012 as #RNC2012. Included among the sand sculptures, crazy hats and buttons users, @Cenita01 uploaded a perfect miniature portrait of POTUS on her fingernail.

Cenita Scott said via e-mail she is a “passionate manicurist” who flew in from Illinois for the convention. She says her celebrity clients include the first lady. “I understand the power of your hands and feet,” Scott wrote. “So I ensure I impart love and positive influence with each client I work with.”

6 OMG moments at the RNC

CNN’s Kat Kinsman contributed to this report.

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