Calling the general election "the most important race of our generation," former Virginia Governor Mark Warner issued a rallying cry to Democrats nationwide tonight with his keynote address at the national convention.

"This election is not about liberal versus conservative, or right versus left. It’s about the future versus the past," said Warner.

Warner's message was clear: presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain is old hat, while Democratic rival Barack Obama is the candidate of the future. Throughout his campaign, Obama has repeatedly insisted that a vote for McCain is on par with a vote for President George W. Bush and would invite more of the same for the next four years.

Quoting President Thomas Jefferson, who was also once governor of Virginia, Warner said: "I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past."

Warner called on voters to abandon "yesterday's vision" in favor of a future led by Obama.

Earlier, New York Governor David Paterson took the stage, calling for Americans to make what he called "the right choice" as they head to the polls in November.

Speaking before the Democratic National Convention, the governor spoke about the promise of America and how it has diminished under the current administration. He urged voters to put aside contentious issues and focus on the one thing that matters most.

“There is only one question in this race: which candidate offers the change we need to restore the promise of America? Is it John McCain? He claims that, under President Bush, we made ‘great progress economically,’” said Paterson. “In 2007, he voted with the Bush Administration 95 percent of the time. Only one candidate in the race offers the change we need to restore the promise of America: a person of integrity, honesty, and love for his country, Barack Obama.”

Later tonight, all eyes will be on New York Senator Hillary Clinton as she takes the stage in Denver. Clinton's prime-time address is directed at the 18 million voters who supported her during the hard-fought Democratic primary. Obama needs their votes to win the White House.

The New York senator and her daughter Chelsea ran through tonight's speech earlier this afternoon on the convention stage.

New York delegates who spoke with NY1 said they are looking forward to Clinton's speech.

"Hopefully, out of this, there will be hundreds of women who will take a stand and say, 'yes, I can,'" said Staten Island delegate Belinda Dixon.

"I just think that's what our policy is all about, inclusion and honoring that inclusion," said Eerie County delegate Len Lenihan, "and having the leaders of our party step up to the plate and pave that road for other women to get to the top and be in public service and be in public life. I just think it's a tremendous tribute."

Clinton's camp is working on the logistics of placing her name in the state-by-state roll call. She would then call for unanimous backing for Obama from the convention floor after the New York delegation has spoken.

The latest poll numbers show Obama losing ground to McCain in some key swing states. According to the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, eight weeks ago Obama was ahead in Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, but that lead has dwindled.

In Florida, McCain leads by four percentage points. Last month he trailed by two points and in June Obama led by four points.

Obama leads in Pennsylvania by seven percentage points. That remains unchanged from late July, but still down from a 12-point lead in June.

This means the election could once again come down to Ohio where the two candidates are now in a virtual tie. Obama had a six-point lead in June.

Quinnipiac surveyed more than a thousand likely voters in each state between August 17th and August 24th. The margin of error ranges from 2.8 to three percentage points.

Earlier this morning, Michelle Paterson, New York's first lady, and Carolyn Kennedy addressed the New York delegation – on the 88th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

The convention kicked off yesterday with an emotional call to arms from ailing Democratic elder statesman Ted Kennedy, who made a surprise appearance following a video tribute in his honor.

Kennedy's nephew, Robert Kennedy Jr. told NY1 that despite his uncle's illness, his work is far from finished.

"Teddy intends to be back in the Senate in January," said Kennedy Jr. "He intends to continue fighting the battles that he's fighting, particularly for universal healthcare. He wants to leave that as his legacy."

Following Kennedy's speech, Barack Obama's wife, Michelle Obama, delivered a prime-time address about family values, while declaring her husband will be an extraordinary president. She also pledged that her husband would end the war, boost the economy, and implement universal health care.

Barack Obama later addressed the convention via satellite from the campaign trail in Missouri to thank his wife and daughters. He's set to speak on Thursday when he accepts his party's nomination.

As the party continues in Denver, Obama continues to tour the heartland. In Kansas City, Missouri today he spoke to American Airlines workers and addressed their economic concerns.

"The airlines are getting clobbered," he said. "They're having a tough time because of rising fuel prices, because of the same things that are creating a tough time for individual families that are trying to fill up their gas tank or buy groceries."

As he looks ahead to his party's own convention, McCain spent some time in his home state of Arizona Tuesday where he spoke to an audience of military veterans and attacked Obama's high-profile speech in Berlin and his ability to lead.

"He was a picture of confidence, but in some ways confidence itself and confidence in one's country are not the same,” said McCain.

Cindy McCain meanwhile is in the war-torn country of Georgia. She visited displaced Georgians at a refugee center. John McCain has been a strong supporter of Georgia in its recent conflict against Russia.

McCain’s supporters have also been at the convention, including one of his former Republican rivals, Mitt Romney, who is reportedly being considered for McCain's running mate. Romney said he was at the convention to tout GOP politics and he blasted Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden.

"I can tell you that I thought Joe Biden as a selection for Barack Obama was designed, of course, to bring foreign policy experience to Barack Obama's team and his ticket. I think it brings experience. But if you look at Joe Biden's record with some 30 years in foreign policy experience, there's about 30 years of being generally being wrong on foreign policy issues."

Former mayor and former GOP presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani was also among those in attendance. Giuliani was in town to speak on behalf of the Republican Party, who have questioned Obama's ability to lead. Giuliani said it's not a good sign when Obama's political ally was also once his foe.

“Unlike Senator Clinton, I have no kind of ambiguity about my candidate,” said Giuliani. “She said her candidate is unprepared to be president. I announced when I was running that if I wasn't running I would support John McCain, so I'm very enthusiastic.”

With the GOP convention next week, Giuliani says he's not sure who McCain has chosen as his running mate, but Giuliani insists he is not a candidate.

NY1 will provide live coverage and reports from the Democratic National Convention. The station has team coverage from the Pepsi Center in Denver, to bring you the very latest from the gathering. Each night at 7 p.m., "Inside City Hall" will be live from Denver, and will have a wrap-up of the day’s events at 11:15 p.m.