Transcript: Barack Obama Acceptance Speech in Denver
Full Transcript includes Dick Durbin Introduction and Transcription of Audio from Obama Bio Video. Thanks to CNN, it can be found here. What follows is the portion which is only Obama’s speech.
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(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
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B. OBAMA: Thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you.
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B. OBAMA: Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you.
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B. OBAMA: Thank you so much. Thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you so much. Thank you.
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B. OBAMA: Thank you.
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B. OBAMA: Thank you so much.
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B. OBAMA: Thank you. Thank you.
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B. OBAMA: Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you.
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B. OBAMA: Thank you very much.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you.
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B. OBAMA: Thank you.
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B. OBAMA: Thank you so much, everybody. Thank you. Thank you so much.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you, everybody.
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B. OBAMA: Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: To — thank you.
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B. OBAMA: Thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Thank you, everybody.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
To — to Chairman Dean and my great friend Dick Durbin, and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation, with profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for presidency of the United States.
(APPLAUSE)
Let me — let me express — let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied me on this journey, and especially the one who traveled the farthest, a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and to yours, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
(APPLAUSE)
To President Clinton, to President Bill Clinton, who made last night the case for change as only he can make it…
(APPLAUSE)
… to Ted Kennedy, who embodies the spirit of service…
(APPLAUSE)
… and to the next vice president of the United States, Joe Biden, I thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
I am grateful to finish this journey with one of the finest statesmen of our time, a man at ease with everyone from world leaders to the conductors on the Amtrak train he still takes home every night.
To the love of my life, our next first lady, Michelle Obama…
(APPLAUSE)
… and to Malia and Sasha, I love you so much, and I am so proud of you.
(APPLAUSE) Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story, of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren’t well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.
It is that promise that’s always set this country apart, that through hard work and sacrifice each of us can pursue our individual dreams, but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams, as well. That’s why I stand here tonight. Because for 232 years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women — students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors — found the courage to keep it alive.
We meet at one of those defining moments, a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more.
Tonight, more Americans are out of work and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes and even more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can’t afford to drive, credit cards, bills you can’t afford to pay, and tuition that’s beyond your reach.
These challenges are not all of government’s making. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush. Read more
Video: Sen. Barack Obama’s Full Speech to Denver Convention
Democratic National Convention: News Coverage – Ohio and National
Filed under: Barack Obama, Democratic National Convention, Presidential Campaign 2008
From the Columbus Dispatch
- Black Ohio Delegates Full of Pride
- ‘We are a better country than this’
- Obama attempts to offer specifics and inspiration
- Ohioans salute Tubbs Jones
- Corporations convene to treat Ohio delegates
- Arrested reporter got start in Athens
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer
From the New York Times
- Obama takes aim at McCain, Bush with a forceful call to change America
- In speech bringing lofty words down to earth
- Politics, spectacle and history under an open sky
- The Godfather
- On the small screen, intimacy and welcome silence for Obama’s Big Rally
- Editorial: Mr. Obama’s Party
- Op-Ed, David Brooks: A speech to the delegates
- Op-Ed, Paul Krugman: Feeling no pain
From the Washington Post
- Obama, accepting nomination, draws sharp contrast with McCain
- The message that the party wanted to hear
- A new day for King’s dreams
- Op-Ed, Tom Shales: A big moment for the small screen
- Op-Ed, Charles Krauthammer: The Perfect Stranger
- Op-Ed, Eugene Robinson: So many miles from Selma
- Op-Ed, E.J. Dionne: Rekindling the flame
- Editorial: The message from Denver
Full Text: Sen. Barack Obama Speech Accepting Nomination Democratic National Convention, Denver 2008
Filed under: Barack Obama, Democratic National Convention, Presidential Campaign 2008
Remarks of Senator Barack Obama
“The American Promise”
Democratic Convention
Thursday, August 28th, 2008
Denver, Colorado
As Prepared for Delivery
To Chairman Dean and my great friend Dick Durbin; and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation;
With profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.
Let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied me on this journey, and especially the one who traveled the farthest — a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and to yours — Hillary Rodham Clinton. To President Clinton, who last night made the case for change as only he can make it; to Ted Kennedy, who embodies the spirit of service; and to the next Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, I thank you. I am grateful to finish this journey with one of the finest statesmen of our time, a man at ease with everyone from world leaders to the conductors on the Amtrak train he still takes home every night. Read more
Full Text: Congressman John Lewis Speech DNC
Filed under: Democratic National Convention, Presidential Campaign 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 05:15 PM
On this day 45 years ago, a son of America, a citizen of the world, a peaceful warrior, Martin Luther King Jr., stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and said, “I have a dream today, a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.”
He recalled that, “when the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence,” they issued a call for justice. And they founded our democracy on a mandate for freedom, equality and human dignity. Read more
Video: Al Gore Speech Democratic National Convention
Filed under: Democratic National Convention, Presidential Campaign 2008
Transcript: Al Gore Speech Democratic National Convention
Filed under: Democratic National Convention, Presidential Campaign 2008
(CNN) — Former Vice President Al Gore spoke Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention events at Invesco Field in Denver, Colorado.
Al Gore: One of the greatest gifts of our democracy is the opportunity it offers us every four years to change course.
It’s not a guarantee; it’s only an opportunity.
The question facing us, simply put, is will we seize this opportunity for change?
That’s why I came here tonight: to tell you why I feel so strongly that we must seize this opportunity to elect Barack Obama president of the United States of America.
Eight years ago, some said there was not much difference between the nominees of the two major parties and it didn’t really matter who became president. Our nation was enjoying peace and prosperity, and some assumed we would continue both, no matter the outcome.
But here we all are in 2008, and I doubt anyone would argue now that election didn’t matter. Read more
Thursday a.m. – Marc Dann and state planes, Dispatch Convention Coverage, Male Enhancement, McCain to announce in Dayton
Filed under: Democratic National Convention, John McCain, Marc Dann, Presidential Campaign 2008, State of Ohio Govt, U.S. Congress
Ohio News
- Obama, McCain planning Ohio visits at key time – Columbus Dispatch
- Historic night in Denver – Columbus Dispatch
- Analysis, Jack Torry: Obama’s speech must be meaty – Columbus Dispatch
- Race Issue looms large for unions – Columbus Dispatch
- Clinton: Dream dies hard – Columbus Dispatch
- Dann accused of misusing state planes – Columbus Dispatch
- Special election will fill Tubbs Jones seat – Columbus Dispatch
- Green Party sues to get on ballot – Columbus Dispatch
- Male Enhancement carnival barker gets 25 years – Cincinnati Enquirer
- Editorial: Settle It – Columbus Dispatch
- Editorial: Stacked Deck – Columbus Dispatch
- McCain to reveal VP choice at Dayton Rally – Cleveland Plain Dealer
Video: Sen. Joe Biden Acceptance Speech, Democratic National Convention
Transcript-Full Text: Sen. Joe Biden Acceptance Speech, Democratic National Convention
The prepared remarks of Sen. Joseph Biden in Denver at the Democratic convention.
Beau, I love you. I am so proud of you. Proud of the son you are. Proud of
the father you’ve become. And I’m so proud of my son Hunter, my daughter
Ashley, and my wife Jill, the only one who leaves me breathless and speechless
at the same time.
It is an honor to share this stage tonight with President Clinton. And
last night, it was moving to watch Hillary, one of the great leaders of our
party, a woman who has made history and will continue to make history: my
colleague and my friend, Senator Hillary Clinton.
And I am honored to represent our first state-my state-Delaware.
Since I’ve never been called a man of few words, let me say this as simply
as I can: Yes. Yes, I accept your nomination to run and serve alongside our
next President of the United States of America, Barack Obama.
Let me make this pledge to you right here and now. For every American who
is trying to do the right thing, for all those people in government who are
honoring their pledge to uphold the law and respect our Constitution, no
longer will the eight most dreaded words in the English language be: “The vice
president’s office is on the phone.” Read more
Video: Sen. John Kerry Speech Democratic National Convention
Filed under: Democratic National Convention, Presidential Campaign 2008
Full Text: John Kerry Speech Democratic National Convention
Filed under: Democratic National Convention, Presidential Campaign 2008
Remarks as prepared for delivery to the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.:
Thank you so much. Four years ago, you gave me the honor of fighting our fight. I was proud to stand with you then, and I am proud to stand with you now, to help elect Barack Obama as President of the United States.
In 2004, we came so close to victory. We are even closer now, and let me tell you, this time we’re going to win. Today, the call for change is more powerful than ever, and with more seats in Congress, with more people with more passion engaged in our politics, and with a President Obama, we stand on the brink of the greatest opportunity of our generation to move this country forward. Read more
Video: Bill Clinton Speech to Democratic Convention
Filed under: Democratic National Convention, Presidential Campaign 2008
Full Text: President Bill Clinton Speech to Democratic National Convention, Denver 2008
Filed under: Democratic National Convention, Presidential Campaign 2008
Remarks as prepared for delivery to the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday by former President Bill Clinton:
I am honored to be here tonight to support Barack Obama. And to warm up the crowd for Joe Biden, though as you’ll soon see, he doesn’t need any help from me. I love Joe Biden, and America will too.
What a year we Democrats have had. The primary began with an all-star line up and came down to two remarkable Americans locked in a hard fought contest to the very end. The campaign generated so much heat it increased global warming.
In the end, my candidate didn’t win. But I’m very proud of the campaign she ran: she never quit on the people she stood up for, on the changes she pushed for, on the future she wants for all our children. And I’m grateful for the chance Chelsea and I had to tell Americans about the person we know and love.
I’m not so grateful for the chance to speak in the wake of her magnificent address last night. But I’ll do my best.
Hillary told us in no uncertain terms that she’ll do everything she can to elect Barack Obama.
That makes two of us. Read more
Video: Hillary Clinton Speech at DNC
Filed under: Democratic National Convention, Presidential Campaign 2008
