Democrats rally behind Obama at convention
Speakers at the Democratic National Convention, including both Clintons and VP pick Joe Biden, praised the Illinois senator.
Published Aug. 29, 2008
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. addressed a crowd of thousands on Aug. 28, 1963, dreaming for a land where his children would "not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
Last night, on the 45th anniversary of King's speech, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., accepted the Democratic nomination for president at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.
The Republican Party will hold their convention Sept. 1-4 in St. Paul, Minn. This year is the fourth time the parties have held back-to-back conventions.
Obama is the first black candidate to be on a major party's ticket for president.
"America, we are better than these last eight years," Obama said in his acceptance speech on Thursday. "We are a better country than this."
The convention, which began Monday and finished with Obama's speech, included addresses from several major Democrats.
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., addressed the convention on Tuesday night, claiming Obama as her candidate.
"Whether you voted for me or voted for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose," Clinton said. "We are on the same team and none of us can afford to sit on the sidelines."
Rick Puig, Young Democrats of Missouri president and member of the DNC Rules Committee, said Clinton had much emotion and strength in her speech.
"Clinton's speech was a catalyst for the unification of the Democratic Party," Puig said. "It was an absolute total success."
Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., accepted the nomination for vice president Wednesday night at the convention.
"Let me make this pledge to you right here and now," Biden said in a jab at current Vice President Dick Cheney. "No longer will you hear the eight most dreaded words in the English language, 'The vice president's office is on the phone.'"
Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he is honored to be chosen as Obama's running mate.
"I watched how Barack touched people, how he inspired them," Biden said. "And I realized he had tapped into the oldest belief in America: We don't have to accept the situation we cannot bear; we have the power to change it."
Puig said Biden's speech was "a total grand slam."
"I think he was introduced to America in a compelling and heartfelt way and he is a very strong addition to the ticket," Puig said.
Obama addressed a crowd of nearly 70,000 at Invesco Field on Thursday.
"We are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look just like the last eight," Obama said. "On Nov. 4, we must stand up and say: 'Eight is enough.'"
Obama went on to outline his plans for the economy, health care and the armed forces.
"As commander in chief, I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm's way with a clear mission," he said.
Puig said Obama's address to the convention would be the most important speech of Obama's life.
"You've taken Barack Obama out of the convention hall and put him into a stadium," Puig said. "It's emblematic of his campaign, reaching out to all people from the bottom up."
Despite the spotlight being on Obama this past week, he has been slipping in the polls during the past couple months.
Obama led McCain by 2.9 points on Thursday, according to the Real Clear Politics polling average, which takes into account many major opinion polls. He led McCain by 6.5 points on June 28.
In Missouri, McCain has led Obama by an average of 7 points since July 29.
Puig said the polls should not be trusted.
"The polls are garbage," Puig said. "They're under-sampling the newly registered voters who are so important in this election."
Puig said his group is working hard for Obama by registering and persuading potential voters.