Obama Claims Historic Nomination

By Chris Cillizza and Alec MacGillis
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, August 28, 2008 4:57 PM

DENVER - Sen. Barack Obama tonight made history as the first African American presidential nominee with a stirring, substance-heavy speech in which he directly challenged Republican John McCain's judgment on matters of foreign policy and national security while drawing deeply on his own personal story to cast himself as the American Dream come true.

"Tonight I say to the American people --, to Democrats and Republicans and Independents across this great land -- enough," said Obama to a crowd at Invesco Field that was estimated at more than 70,000. "This moment - this election - is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive."

The optics of the event - the first national party convention to be held outdoors since John F. Kennedy accepted the Democratic nomination at the Los Angeles Coliseum in 1960 -- were breathtaking. Television screens filled with images of Obama supporters dancing in the aisles to the tunes of Stevie Wonder and Sheryl Crow; a blazing orange sun set on an arid Colorado night as Obama prepared to take the stage. The speech ended with fireworks and confetti, as Obama, his runningmate, Sen. Joe Biden, and their families stood together waving to the crowd of delegates and supporters, at the climax of the Democratic National Convention.

Gone were the conflicts between supporters of Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, tensions that threatened to derail the convention earlier this week. Obama effusively praised both Clinton ("a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and to yours") and former President Bill Clinton ("who made the case for change as only he can make it") in the opening moments of his address.

While Obama clearly reveled in the massive and enthusiastic crowd, the Illinois senator's speech quickly took on a workmanlike tone as he sought to rebut a series of Republican attacks - from his alleged lack of specific policy proposals to the idea that his short resume in elected office made him unfit to serve as commander-in-chief. "Let me spell out exactly what this change would mean if I am president," said Obama.

"If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next commander-in-chief, that's a debate I'm ready to have," Obama insisted.

He went on to bash McCain on a series of foreign policy matters - from the war in Iraq to the inability of U.S. forces to capture Osama bin-Laden in Afghanistan - as reflective of an outdated U.S. approach to its role in the world. "We need a president who can face the threats of the future, not keep grasping at the ideas of the past," said Obama.

"John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin-Laden to the gates of hell -- but he won't even go to the cave where he lives," Obama said.

Obama argued that McCain is drastically out of step with the needs and concerns of average voters. He riffed through a laundry list of policies, from tax policy to healthcare, on which he claimed McCain was wrong, The Illinois senator concluded: "It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it."

Obama's decision to devote a substantial part of his acceptance speech to challenging the idea that the GOP is the only party that can keep the country safe suggests that Democrats are readying themselves for a general election campaign centered on national security issues..

"One of the things we have to do to change our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism," said Obama. "I've got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first."

McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds dismissed Obama's critique of McCain and insisted that the Obama speech would have little lasting impact. "Tonight, Americans witnessed a misleading speech that was so fundamentally at odds with the meager record of Barack Obama," said Bounds. "The fact remains: Barack Obama is still not ready to be president."

Obama's speech - given the historic nature of his candidacy and the expectations he himself set with past addresses - was among the most highly anticipated events in modern political history.

By 1 p.m. - nearly nine hours before Obama took the stage - the crowd at Invesco Field had begun to build. Within hours, a carnival-type atmosphere had taken hold.

The ceremonies kicked off with Olympics gold medalist gymnast Shawn Johnson -- a native Iowan, the state that started Obama's run to the nomination -- reading the pledge of allegiance. This was followed by Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson belting out the national anthem.

As the sun began to set, many in the huge crowd covered themselves with baseball caps, T-shirts hanging over their heads and settled in for another three and a half hours before Obama is scheduled to take the stage.

DNC Chairman Howard Dean took over after the Rocky Mountain state lawmakers spoke, introducing himself to the crowd and immediately criticizing McCain for his gaffe about the number of houses he owned and tying him to President Bush.

"I know exactly how many houses I own. ... John McCain is a yes man," Dean said.

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, who was one of the vice presidential finalists, devoted a significant portion of his speech -- a few minutes after 8 p.m. on the east coast -- to the importance of personal faith. Kaine quoted from the book of Matthew, adding: "Faith is more of words than doctrine. It is about action."

Kaine also took a few jabs at McCain, one of the first speakers of the night to do so. Referencing McCain's inability to remember how many houses he owned, Kaine joked: "Maybe for John McCain the American Dream means seven houses and, if that's your America, than John McCain is your candidate."

Looming over tonight's proceedings was the possibility that McCain would reveal his vice presidential pick this evening - a scenario that grew more and more remote as the night wore on.

Dan Pfeiffer, communications director for Obama, told reporters this morning that if McCain announced tonight it would amount to "political malpractice" as the vice presidential choice would be swamped by the wall-to-wall coverage of the historic nomination of Obama as the first African American to lead a major-party fall ticket.

The speculation in recent hours has centered on two men: Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. Pawlenty cancelled a series of scheduled appearances in Denver today to return to Minnesota, stoking talk that he would be the pick.

Pawlenty has been the tortoise in this race -- never really emerging as the buzz candidate but never falling too far off the lead pack either. His combination of Midwestern roots, conservative credentials (particularly on the abortion issue) and a longtime friendship with McCain appear to make him the safest choice available.

McCain is expected to formally unveil his running mate tomorrow at a rally in Dayton, Ohio. The event will comes just 72 hours before the scheduled start of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota.