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DENVER -- Barack Obama stepped triumphantly into history Wednesday night, the first black American to win a major party presidential nomination, as thousands of Democrats transformed their convention hall into a joyful, shouting celebration.
"I think the convention's gone pretty well so far, what do you think," said the Democrats' man of the hour in a jubilant late-night visit to the hall.
The crowd thundered its approval, and he and running mate Joseph Biden basked in the cheers.
Obama implored the delegates to help him "take back America" in the fall campaign against Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona.
Earlier, former rival Hillary Rodham Clinton asked the convention to interrupt its roll call of the states and make its verdict unanimous "in the spirit of unity, with the goal of victory." And they did, with a roar.
Competing chants of "Obama" and "Yes we can" surged up from the convention floor as the outcome was announced.
Obama, the son of a black Kenyan father and a white American mother, is now one victory from becoming president of a nation where, just decades ago, many blacks were denied the vote.
But even as he won the nomination, there was open talk in the convention city that Obama's race remained a stumbling block to winning the White House.
"A lot of white workers ... and quite frankly a lot of union members believe he's the wrong race," AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka told a breakfast meeting of Michigan delegates.
Obama will face McCain, who will accept the Republican nomination next week in St. Paul, Minn.
The polls show a close race ahead with McCain, a former Vietnam prisoner of war a few days shy of his 72nd birthday, and Obama was hoping Democrats would leave their convention united despite the hard feelings remaining from a bruising primary campaign that stretched over 18 months.
Former President Bill Clinton did his part, delivering a strong pitch for the man who defeated his wife for the nomination.
"Everything I've learned in eight years as president and the work I've done since, in America and across the globe, has convinced me that Barack Obama is the man for this job," he said, to loud cheers.
Michelle Obama, watching from her seat in the balcony, stood and applauded as the former president praised her man.
And Obama, delighting the crowd with his appearance on stage, praised both Clintons as well as his wife for their prime time speeches this week.
"If I'm not mistaken, Hillary Clinton rocked the house last night!" he shouted. |
