Obama to Accept Nomination, Outline New Direction for the U.S.

In his acceptance speech, Biden, the fiery chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, cast himself as a champion of working-class families -- a key target group Obama has struggled to win over -- and laid out a sustained critique of McCain.

Time and again, Biden charged, Obama's judgment on foreign policy issues has been superior to McCain's. On domestic issues, he said, McCain would continue the policies of President Bush rather than embrace changes he said the country desperately needs.

"Again and again, on the most important national security issues of our time, John McCain was wrong and Barack Obama was proven right," Biden argued. "Folks, remember when the world used to trust us? When they looked to us for leadership? With Barack Obama as our president, they'll look to us again, they'll trust us again, and we'll be able to lead again."

In its response to the night's proceedings, McCain's campaign sought to turn Biden's words against Obama.

"Joe Biden is right: We need more than a good soldier. We need a leader with the experience and judgment to serve as commander in chief from Day One," said spokesman Ben Porritt. "That leader is John McCain."

The skirmishing continued Thursday, with Pawlenty leading the charge against Obama on the morning talk shows.

"The questions for Senator Obama are continuing to be, what have you done and what have you run?" the Minnesota governor said on ABC. "His accomplishments are nonexistent, or essentially nonexistent, and he hasn't run anything. He hasn't been an executive or been in charge of anything. . . . He has good oratory, but when you shut the TelePrompTer off, there's not much else there."

Asked on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program why Americans should vote Republican after eight years of record deficits, record debt, costly foreign wars, a major housing crisis and a slumping economy, Pawlenty said: "Senator McCain is not the continuation of President Bush, and his record reflects that. . . ." He described McCain as "a maverick" and "an independent" and cited differences on such issues spending, torture and prescription drugs from Canada. "He's been his own person."

Pawlenty ducked questions on his prospects of becoming McCain's running mate, saying only that there was speculation McCain would unveil his choice at a rally in Ohio Friday.

Plouffe said on NBC that Obama would use his acceptance speech to "talk to the people clearly about the challenges we face, where he wants to lead the country," and about "the clear choice in this election." He added: "If you like the last eight years -- on the economy, on health care, on Iraq -- John McCain is clearly your candidate, because he's going to keep us on that track. Barack Obama is going to take us in a fundamentally direction that's going to put the middle class first."

In an interview on ABC, Plouffe said Obama will tell Americans "how he's going to help them economically, on health care, on education, and how he's going to strengthen our relationship with the rest of the world and protect us from the threats that are around the world."

Among the speakers scheduled to precede Obama to the podium Thursday evening are Sen. Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, who will introduce him; Susan Eisenhower, the granddaughter of Republican president Dwight D. Eisenhower; former vice president Al Gore; New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine. The event also features lives performances by Jennifer Hudson, who will sing the national anthem, Sheryl Crow, Michael McDonald and will.i.am.