Obama Makes History as Dem Nominee
By Heather Sells
CBN News Reporter
Augsut 28, 2008
CBNNews.com - DENVER - Barack Obama officially made history Wednesday night as the first black man to become the presidential nominee for a major political party.
Thousands of national convention delegates cheered Obama's improbable triumph, as his formal rival stopped the party's roll call short and called for him to be declared the nominee.
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The move was seen as another show of unity in a party that was bitterly divided during the primary race. Sen. Hillary Clinton had received hundreds of delegate votes before the sudden end to party procedure.
"I move that Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois be selected by this convention by acclamation as the nominee of the Democratic Party for president of the United States," the New York senator announced from the convention floor.
A few hours later, Bill Clinton joined his wife in the effort to restore unity to the Democratic party. The former President was one of Barack Obama's biggest critics on the campaign trail.
But tonight, he took a completely different tone.
"Barack Obama is ready to honor the oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States," Clinton said. "Barack Obama is ready to be President of the United States."
Clinton's speech was critical to the theme of party unity and the delegates knew it.
"He's a Democrat first and foremost and he's an American and he knows we gotta bring this country together," Steve Wukela, a South Carolina delegate, said.
During the primaries, Bill Clinton tried to raise doubts about whether Obama had the experience to lead the country. He dismissed the first-term Illinois senator as totally unqualified.
But tonight, he argued forcefully that Obama is prepared to meet the country's domestic and foreign challenges.
"Barack Obama is ready to lead America and restore American leadership in the world," he said.
Bill Clinton was scheduled to depart Denver Thursday morning, hours before Obama gives his acceptance speech.
Aides say this was standard practice for Clinton, and not a snub. Clinton did likewise at the 2000 and 2004 conventions.
To end the evening, Sen. Joe Biden, now officially the Democrats' vice presidential nominee, delivered the keynote address, echoing Clinton's remarks on Obama's readiness to lead.
And in a surprise close, Sen. Barack Obama made his first live appearance at the convention Wednesday night, one day before he is scheduled ot make his acceptance speech.
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