The president is set to give his remarks about 9 p.m.
Late Thursday, ABC7 learned that primetime speech will outline his economic vision for the future.
Former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords began day three of the convention on an emotional note by leading delegates with the pledge of allegiance.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin will be among the last speakers before the president takes the stage.
Sen. Durbin has a Barack Obama win streak under way. He introduced the state senator to the nation at the 2004 convention in Boston and four years later in Denver as the Democratic presidential candidate.
Will lightning strike again in Charlotte as Durbin speaks before the president accepts re-nomination?
"I hope that I bring him the same good fortune after this introduction as he's had in previous times," said Durbin.
On Thursday morning, Illinois delegates buzzed about Obama having to follow former President Bill Clinton's speech on Wednesday night.
"Where Bill Clinton, as usual, went point by point in dissecting the flawed Republican positions," said Ill. Rep. Mike Madigan, Illinois Democratic chairman.
Democrats are echoing Clinton's premise that the country is better off economically than during the last days of the Bush administration and the country is more secure, they say.
"Four years ago, we had 100,000 troops in Iraq. They're home now. We were afraid of the next Al Qaeda,Taliban, Bil Laden strike. They are diminished now," said Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rainbow Push Coalition.
The expectation is that the president will spend much if not most of his time addressing the future.
"People want to know what we're going to do for the next four years, and that's where he's got to be specific and spell it out," said Il Sen. John Cullerton (D -Illinois).
"America is moving in the right direction," said Sen. Durbin. "We are creating jobs, businesses are expanding, home prices are coming up and we've got to continue along those lines."
