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)
(MUSIC)
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(MUSIC)
B. OBAMA: Thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you so much. Thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you so much. Thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you so much.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you. Thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you very much.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you so much, everybody. Thank you. Thank you so much.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you, everybody.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
B. OBAMA: To — thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
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
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
Final Word from HRC Conference Call Today
Obama’s Great Gesture … Hillary’s Opportunity?
While the Evil Empire reconstitutes itself B-Rock has been on vacay and Hillary’s getting all the right headlines — to run an insurgency in Denver. Always a fan of chaos, I wonder if the dreaded, bitter PUMAs really have it in them. Will I be voting for Hillary Clinton this November? Read more



