In front of more than 85,000 at Invesco Field in Denver, Barack Obama formally accepted the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.
Obama took the stage to a standing ovation and numerous camera flashes. The Illinois senator repeatedly thanked the capacity crowd, which began chanting “Yes we can!” before launching into his nearly hour long speech.
“With profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for presidency of the United States,” Obama said. The acceptance was greeted with a brief, but raucous applause.
Next, Obama thanked Hillary Clinton, calling her an “inspiration” to his daughters. He also thanked former president Bill Clinton, Senator Ted Kennedy and “the next Vice President” Joe Biden, calling him “one of the finest statesman of our time.”
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The acceptance speech was given 45 years to the day of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Keeping with his message of hope and change, Obama articulated a dream of his own for the country often referred to as the melting pot.
He chastised the failure of the US government after Hurricane Katrina and many of current president George Bush’s policies.
“This moment, this election is our chance to keep in the 21st century the American promise alive. Next week, the same party who brought you George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. We love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight.“
“On November 4th, we must stand up and say ‘eight is enough.’”
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The crowd responded with an “eight is enough” chant.
While chiding George Bush, Obama also praised John McCain for his military service, but was also quick to point out that McCain has sided with Bush the majority of the time, despite bucking the GOP on occasion.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready to take a ten percent chance on change,” Obama said, pointing out that McCain voted with Bush 90% of the time.
Obama also accused McCain of buying into the Republican philosophy of giving more to the rich and hoping wealth trickles down.
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“Out of work? You’re on your own. Born in poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. It’s time for them to own their failure. It’s time for us to change America!” he exclaimed to another standing ovation.
Obama also spoke of “the American promise”—providing children with a decent education, investing in sciences and roads and that government should work “for us, not against us.”
I am my brother’s keeper; I am my sister’s keeper. That’s the promise we need to keep. That’s the change we need right now.
“Change means a tax code that doesn’t reward the lobbyist who wrote, but the citizens that deserve it. I will stop giving tax breaks who ship jobs overseas and I will give it to companies that create jobs here in America.“
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“I’ll eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses and start ups.”
“I will cut taxes for 95% of all working families. In an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle class.“
“For the sake of our economy, security and future of the planet, In 10 years, we will finally be over our dependence of foreign oil in the Middle East…now is the time to end this addiction.”
Obama also pledged to help auto companies making cleaner cars and that Americans will be able to afford said vehicles with a $150 billion dollar investment into the industry.
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“America now is not the time for small plans. Now is the time to offer every child a world class education, that’s what it’ll take to compete in the global economy. I will not settle for an America where every kid doesn’t have that chance,” he said. He also pledged to invest in early childhood education and higher pay for teachers while simultaneously raising standards.
He also echoed Senator Clinton’s pledge to insure every American.
Pointing to John F. Kennedy’s call for “intellectual and moral strength,” Obama called on Democrats to realize that money alone is not enough.
“Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility. That’s the essence of America’s promise.”
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Obama did not limit his speech to domestic policies, chastising his Republican rival over the Iraq war, noting again that not going to Afghanistan was the biggest error in the “war on terror.”
“McCain likes to say he’ll follow [Osama] bin Laden to the gates of hell, but he won’t even follow him to the cave that he lives.“
“We are the party of [Franklin] Roosevelt; we are the party of Kennedy. Don’t tell me that Democrats can’t keep us safe,” he said, addressing the charge that Democrats are soft on national security. “As commander-in-chief, I won’t hesitate to defend this country, but I’ll only send them in harm’s way with a clear mission.”
With a new call for unity, he noted that Republicans, Democrats and Independents did not fight and die for a “red America or blue America, but a United States of America,” reminiscent of his now famous 2004 Democratic convention speech.
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Obama urged both parties to put aside their old beliefs to come to a consensus on hot button issues like gun control, abortion and gay marriage.
After highlighting his policy positions, he placed the challenge back on the shoulders of the American people.
“Change doesn’t come from Washington, change comes to Washington… I believe as hard as it will be, the change we need is coming. I’ve seen it.“
Recognizing the date, Obama also mentioned the “I Have a Dream” speech and the hundreds of thousands who took to Washington, DC to hear the words of Dr. King.
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“People from every creed and color heard that in America, our destiny is inexplicably linked. We cannot walk alone. We cannot turn back.”
“God bless the United States of America,” he concluded, waving at the crowd before being joined on stage by his wife and daughters.
