Special Report: U.S. presidential election 2008
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U.S. Democratic presidential candidate
Senator Barack Obama (R) speaks as U.S. Democratic vice presidential
candidate Joe Biden looks on beside at the 2008 Democratic National
Convention in Denver, Colorado of the United States Aug. 27, 2008. Barack
Obama was announced the winner of the Democratic presidential nominee
after the routine roll call and Joe Biden accepted the nomination as the
Democratic vice presidential candidate on Wednesday at the national
convention in Denver. (Xinhua/Zhang Yan) Photo
Gallery>>> |
DENVER, the United States, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Barack
Obama, who surprised the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night in
Denver, Colorado, after Joe Biden accepted the nomination as his vice
presidential candidate.
Obama, who was expected to show up at the convention
to deliver his acceptance speech, came out from the sideline of the stage as
Biden and his wife were leaving, and stirring high heat among thousands of
Democrats at present.
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U.S. Democratic vice presidential
candidate Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) addresses the 2008 Democratic National
Convention in Denver, Colorado, Aug. 27, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>> |
He applauded for Biden's nomination, saying he is
proud to have him as the running mate.
Obama also expressed gratitude to his former rival,
Hillary Rodham Clinton, for calling voters to support him and reminding people
to "put country first."
After voting by voice earlier the night, Nancy
Pelosi, House Speaker, announced said that since there is no objection to the
nomination of Biden and no second candidate, the Delaware Senator won the
nomination.
"Yes, yes, I accept your nomination to run and serve
alongside our next President of the United States of America, Barack Obama,"
Biden said in his acceptance speech.
He highlighted his experience in foreign and national
security policies, saying he found after visits to Georgia, Iraq, Pakistan and
Afghanistan "this administration's policy has been an abject failure," so
"America cannot afford four more years of this."
Biden stepped aside and offered applause to Obama,
who is expected to make a change, transform the country's economy and bring down
the cost of health care, among others.
The 65-year-old Senator who has been co-working with
Republican presidential candidate John McCain for decades, did not wait to
launch attacks at his "old friend."
By comparing McCain's policies in the Iraq and
Afghanistan wars as well as the Iran nuclear issue with Obama's, he noted that
the Democratic presidential hopeful's judgment is trustable.
Obama has been criticized by McCain's campaign for
lacking experience in politics, especially in foreign and defense affairs.
Biden, the current chairman of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee is considered as a "valuable asset" to compensate for
Obama's shortcoming.