With President Clinton now 2000 miles away in New York state, the Democratic Convention is focussed tightly on giving the maximum boost to the Gore-Lieberman ticket winning the White House next November.
The Kennedy family has been rousing the thousands of delegates and supporters to campaign hard for the Vice-President and his running mate.
Four members of the family addressed the convention, recalling that it was from Los Angeles 40 years ago that Jack Kennedy went forth to defeat the Republicans.
Mr Gore flew here yesterday from Michigan where he had been joined briefly by Mr Clinton for a symbolic passing of the torch. Mr Gore was welcomed at Burbank airport by Mr Lieberman who was to make his acceptance address at the convention last night.
Mr Gore was to be nominated unopposed by the delegates from the 50 states after a keynote speech by his eldest daughter, Ms Karenna Gore-Schiff, aimed at introducing the personal side of her father to the delegates and to US voters, many of whom see him as stiff and lacking Mr Clinton's appeal.
Mr Gore told reporters in Detroit yesterday morning that he was feeling nervous about this big moment for his daughter. "I've got more butterflies than about my own speech," he said.
Observers in Los Angeles say that the convention had gone flat after the excitement of Monday night when the President and Mrs Hillary Clinton gave rousing speeches which excited the delegates but made them nostalgic for the Clinton presidency and uncertain if Mr Gore can hold on to the White House.
Senator Edward Kennedy and his niece, Ms Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, tried to recall some of the excitement of an earlier era.
She was welcomed to the stage to the strains of the music from Camelot but appeared nervous and found it difficult to make the right pauses for applause.
Senator Kennedy surprised some observers by being less combative in his speech than at previous conventions and by pointing out that he has been able to work with Republicans in the Senate to get important legislation approved.
But he strongly supported Mr Gore.
His niece received loud applause when she said she was constantly told by people that they were inspired to serve in public life by her father.
One of these was Mr Lieberman.
"I take great pride in knowing that one of those he inspired to enter public life is the next vice-president of the United States - Joe Lieberman," Ms Kennedy Schlossberg said.
Mr Lieberman arrived to find that he had a problem with African-American Democrats who were unhappy with what they saw as his negative stances on affirmative action and support for public schools.
But he worked to re-assure the party's Black Caucus that he had been misrepresented on both issues and that he is in favour of affirmative action which is aimed at correcting previous discrimination against minority groups.
Mr Lieberman, who is Orthodox Jewish, reminded his black audience that in 1963 he had marched on Washington with the Rev Martin Luther King and had also done the dangerous work of helping to register black voters in Mississippi during the civil rights period. Ms Maxine Waters, a black Congresswoman from California who had earlier said she would find it difficult to campaign for Mr Lieberman said after meeting with him that he had "done enough" and that she was now "comfortable in campaigning for him".
The Rev Jesse Jackson roused the convention with a fiery speech attacking the Republican candidate, Governor George Bush, for his refusal to condemn the flying of the Confederate flag and for not giving leadership on anti-hate crimes legislation.
He also criticised his brother, Mr Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida. "I say there is a lesson here: stay out of the Bushes," Mr Jackson shouted, bringing the delegates to their feet.
Mr Bill Bradley who contested the party nomination in the primary campaign earlier this year also declared his full support for his former opponent.
Meanwhile Irish-American Democrats held a party in the Jonathan Club which was attended by the of the Vice-President's daughters, Kristin and Sarah Gore, the Education Secretary, Mr Richard Riley, the Irish ambassador, Mr Sean O hUiginn, members of a small Irish delegation from Dublin, and some members of Congress.