It’s official. Senator Barack Obama, from the State of Illinois, has formally accepted the nomination by the Democratic Party as candidate for President of the United States of America. On the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr‘s I Have A Dream speech, Obama delivered a thundering speech (wherein he formally accepted his party’s nomination and explained to the crowd,the country as a whole and the world how he plans to bring change to the US) at Invesco Field in Denver, CO to close out the Democratic National Convention last night. Here are a few pics of Obama delivering his speech and a pic of Obama with his wife Michelle and his running mate Joe Biden (with his wife Jill) as they stepped forward together, into history, on the way to the campaign trail:

Barack Obama accepted the Democratic Party presidential nomination on Thursday, declaring that the “American promise has been threatened” by eight years under President Bush and that John McCain represented a continuation of policies that undermined the nation’s economy and imperiled its standing around the world. The speech by Senator Obama, in front of an audience of nearly 80,000 people on a warm night in a football stadium refashioned into a vast political stage for television viewers, left little doubt how he intended to press his campaign against Mr. McCain this fall. In cutting language, and to cheers that echoed across the stadium, he linked Mr. McCain to what he described as the “failed presidency of George W. Bush” and — reflecting what has been a central theme of his campaign since he entered the race — “the broken politics in Washington.” “America, we are better than these last eight years,” he said. “We are a better country than this.” But Mr. Obama went beyond attacking Mr. McCain by linking him to Mr. Bush and his policies. In the course of a 42-minute speech that ended with a booming display of fireworks and a shower of confetti, he offered searing and far-reaching attacks on his presumptive Republican opponent, repeatedly portraying him as the face of the old way of politics and failed Republican policies. He said Mr. McCain was out of touch with the problems of everyday Americans. “It’s not because John McCain doesn’t care,” he said. “It’s because John McCain doesn’t get it.” And he went so far as to attack the presumed strength of Mr. McCain’s campaign, national security. “You know, John McCain likes to say that he’ll follow bin Laden to the gates of hell, but he won’t even follow him to the cave where he lives,” he said. The speech loomed as arguably Mr. Obama’s most important of the campaign to date. It was an opportunity to present himself to Americans just now beginning to tune in on this campaign, to make the case against Mr. McCain and to offer what many Democrats say he has failed to offer to date: an idea of what he stands for, beyond a promise of change. To that end, he emphasized what he described as concrete steps he would take to address the anxieties of working-class Americans, promising tax cuts for the middle class and pledging to wean the country from dependence on Middle East oil within 10 years to address high fuel prices. With the speech, Mr. Obama closed out his party’s convention here and prepared for a quick shift of public attention to the Republicans as Mr. McCain moved to name his running mate and his party got ready for its convention in St. Paul on Monday. He delivered it in a most unconventional setting, becoming the third nominee of a major party in the nation’s history to leave the site of his convention to give his acceptance speech at a stadium. In this case, it was Invesco Field, set against the Rockies and about a mile from the arena where he had been nominated the night before. His aides chose the stadium to signal a break from typical politics and to permit thousands of his supporters from across the country to hear him speak. And it came on a night that offered — by the coincidence of scheduling — a reminder of the historic nature of the Obama candidacy: 45 years to the day after the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech on the Mall in Washington. Mr. Obama is the first African-American to be nominated for the White House by a major party, a fact that, for all its significance, has been barely mentioned over the course of this four-day gathering. Even in invoking the anniversary of the King speech, Mr. Obama only alluded to race. But he quoted a famous phrase from Dr. King’s address to reinforce a central theme of his own speech. “America, we cannot turn back,” Mr. Obama said. “Not with so much work to be done.”

Wow. I must admit, hearing Obama‘s speech gave me chills … and it had a strong significance for me. When Dr. King spoke of his Dream 45 years ago, it occurred to me that he was speaking of just this moment in time … when our country can finally realize that all men are created equal. I don’t know about y’all but I can deffo feel the winds of change blowin’ … and it’s about time. I remember when Governor Bill Clinton accepted his nomination for President of the United States back in 1992 … I could feel it then that he was going to win the presidency and put our country back on course. I got that same feelin’ this time, y’all … and it’s an amazing feeling … it’s called Hope.

After the jump, watch the entirety of Barack Obama‘s acceptance speech in case you missed it last night or want to hear it again …

With just days to go before the Democratic National Party convenes in Denver, CO for the 2008 Democratic National Convention (where the party will formally select its candidate for President of the United States of America) the presumptive nominee, Senator Barack Obama, has announced that he has chosen Senator Joseph Biden to be his Vice Presidential nominee. For weeks now, there has been speculation that Biden (known and respected for his foreign relations expertise) might be Obama‘s choice and late yesterday we learned that that speculation was correct. For the Dems, it’s gonna be Obama/Biden in the 2008 Presidential election come November:

Senator Barack Obama introduced Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. as his running mate on Saturday, a choice that strengthens the Democratic ticket’s credentials on foreign policy heading into the general election against Senator John McCain. In Mr. Biden, Mr. Obama selected a six-term senator best known for his expertise on foreign affairs — Mr. Biden spent last weekend in Georgia as that nation engaged in a tense confrontation with Russia — and his skills at political combat. Mr. Obama passed over other candidates, including Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana and Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who might have brought him a state or reinforced the message of change that has been central to his candidacy. He also bypassed Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, his main challenger in the primaries. It was perhaps the most critical decision Mr. Obama has made as his party’s presumptive nominee … Mr. Biden is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is familiar with foreign leaders and diplomats around the world. Although he initially voted to authorize the war in Iraq — Mr. Obama opposed it from the start — Mr. Biden became a persistent critic of President Bush’s policies in Iraq. Mr. Obama’s acquaintance with Mr. Biden is in no small part a result of the fact that the two serve together on that committee, aides said. Mr. Biden, who sought the Democratic presidential nomination himself this year before pulling out after performing poorly in the first contest, in Iowa, has shown himself to be a tough political brawler, a characteristic that many Democrats say Mr. Obama has not displayed against Mr. McCain. That is something that presidential candidates typically look for in a running mate. Mr. Biden seems likely to fill in other gaps in Mr. Obama’s political appeal that became increasingly clear during the primary season and going into the fall. He is a Roman Catholic, a group with which Mr. Obama had trouble during the Democratic primaries; he has a blue-collar background, potentially giving him appeal among working-class voters, another bloc in which Mr. Obama ran poorly in the primaries; and he was born in Pennsylvania, a battleground state that could be vital to both parties. Mr. Obama announced his choice in text and e-mail messages that began streaming out of his Chicago headquarters at 3 a.m., hours after news of his decision began leaking out. “Barack has chosen Senator Joe Biden to be our VP nominee,” read the text message. “Watch the first Obama-Biden rally live at 3pm ET on www.BarackObama.com. Spread the word!” His e-mail announcement began: “Friend — I have some important news that I want to make official. I’ve chosen Joe Biden to be my running mate.”

With this choice, Obama chooses a running mate who is well seasoned and who brings to the ticket sort of knowledge and expertise that will help Barack Obama lead our country forward in a new direction away from the failures of the current administration. This is a very exciting time for the Democrats, the campaign is getting more solidified and very soon, things can be full steam ahead into November. I’m really looking forward to the upcoming Democratic National Convention … and I’m very much looking forward to watching the Obama/Biden ticket bring much needed change to the good o’l U S of A.

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Here is a great vid of Usher paying a visit to the Campaign for Change Headquarters in Detroit, MI:

I think Usher makes a great point about the importance of voting and how integral community barbershops are to helping spread the word about politics in neighborhoods, especially in areas like Detroit. It’s a great vid.

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Earlier this week the McCain campaign released a campaign commercial which likened his Democratic rival for the Presidency of the United States of the America, Senator Barack Obama, to celebrities like Paris Hilton and Britney Spears … but it turns out that Sen. Obama is more like Superman or Batman, especially when you consider that the man has made into a sorta superhero in his own comic book:

It’s a year of superheroes in Hollywood, with the big-budget epics of Batman, Iron Man and the Hulk, but a big-budget production out of Washington, D.C., is carving a niche in the animation trend. Presumptive nominees John McCain and Barack Obama will star this fall in their own comic books put out by IDW Publishing, a San Diego-based publisher better known for telling the stories of robots (The Transformers) and vampires (30 Days of Night). Don’t expect Captain America-versus-Superman hijinks or super-villains threatening the electoral process. Trading sound bites for word balloons, the books purport to tell McCain and Obama’s life stories, independently researched and illustrated by a veteran team of writers and artists. “We’re not doing anything that is sensational here,” said IDW special projects editor Scott Dunbier, adding that neither campaign was involved in the development of the books. “We’re sticking to the facts.” On Oct. 8, the books will be released in comic book shops and go on sale online and for reading on cell phones. Comic book biographies have been written before — Marvel Comics had a best-seller in 1982 with a biography of Pope John Paul II. But Dunbier said the company is breaking new ground getting out fully researched comics on two candidates before Election Day. Dunbier said the nontraditional style of storytelling and visuals in comics may reach some voters more effectively than other types of media can. “We’re not in the business of doing textbooks, but I think comic books really do have the great potential to inform and teach and do more than just standard superhero comics,” he said.

I think this is a pretty cool idea … and I suppose it’s very democratic of the comic book company to create comics for both Obama and McCain. The US really could use a hero like Barack Obama :)

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Barack Obama and the Democratic National Convention Committee announced today that they are planning to break with tradition and are moving the final day (ie. the nomination day) of the Democratic National Convention from inside the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO (where the week-long convention is going to be held next month) to the wide open space at the Invesco Field football stadium (home of the Denver Broncos) in an effort to accommodate up to 75,000 supporters who wish to see Senator Obama officially accept the nomination of the Democratic Party. Basically, it’s gonna be a big-ass party, y’all:

A sea of 75,000 people swarmed around Senator Barack Obama at a rally in Portland, Ore. in May — the largest crowd of his campaign. And Mr. Obama is planning a repeat performance at the Democratic National Convention in August, when he will open his speech accepting the Democratic nomination to the public, holding it at a football stadium that can accommodate more than three times the number of people as the main convention site. The Democratic National Convention Committee and the Obama campaign announced on Monday that they would break with tradition and move the final day of convention activities, including the acceptance speech, from the Pepsi Center in Denver to Invesco Field, home of the Denver Broncos, which can hold more than 75,000. The Pepsi Center seats about 20,000. “The Democratic Party is nominating a true change candidate this August, and it is only fitting that we make some big changes in how we put on the Convention,” Howard Dean, the Democratic National Committee chairman, said in a statement. “By bringing the last night of the Convention out to the people, we will be able to showcase Barack Obama’s positive, people-centered vision for our country in a big way.” The D.N.C.C. said a portion of the tickets to the final night of the convention on Aug. 28 will be made available to Colorado residents. Details about how to sign up for one of the “community credentials” will be released in the coming weeks. Tommy Vietor, a spokesman for the Obama campaign, said that Mr. Obama “has made it a priority to open up the political process” and bring in new voters. “That was the thinking behind Senator Obama accepting the Democratic nomination at Denver’s Invesco Field,” he said. To be sure, there is some symbolic value in the switch as well. In 1960 John F. Kennedy chose to leave the convention hall to give his acceptance speech at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in front of tens of thousands of supporters. And, in another nod to history, the last night of this year’s Democratic convention coincides with the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream Speech.”

Brills! I love it. It really feels like things are coming along nicely in the Obama campaign. All symbolism aside, the campaign has been doing an excellent job of hitting all the perfect points along the way — right from the very beginning. I think it says a lot about the candidate that he is making such a public show of including as many people in the process as possible. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it up until election day, Barack Obama is my candidate … he will bring indescribable yet positive change to the way our country is run. I really wish there was a way I could be in Denver, CO for this historic night. It sounds like it’s going to be an amazing experience … and the start of a new beginning for the United States of America :)

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Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama came together in a very public show of unity in the very small town of Unity, NH (where, during the primary season in New Hampshire, Clinton won 107 votes and Obama won 107 votes) yesterday to show the Democratic party and the country as a whole that they are now on the same team … the team that intends to win back the White House come November. Here are a few photos from yesterday’s unity rally in Unity, NH:

Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton came to this tiny town of Unity on Friday for their first public appearance after a bitter primary fight. Less certain was whether Unity would come to them. “We had a spirited dialogue,” acknowledged Mrs. Clinton, speaking first before a crowd of roughly 3,000, many laughing. She was referring to the presidential nomination campaign, not the extended time the former rivals spent together Friday en route to the premiere of what the Obama campaign hopes will be a long-running buddy movie, at least through November. “That was the nicest way I could think of phrasing it,” Mrs. Clinton added, to more laughter. Unity was both the venue and the watchword of the heavily choreographed event, held on the grounds of an old elementary school, adjoined by fields of wildflowers. Event organizers were hoping to evoke the feel of a latter-day Woodstock — only with better weather, more portable toilets and no skinny-dipping. It was left to the main acts, Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton, to supply the peace and love. “Unity is not only a beautiful place, as we can see, it’s a wonderful feeling, isn’t it?” Mrs. Clinton said while Mr. Obama sat on a stool, nodding in agreement. A few minutes later, Mr. Obama said of his vanquished rival, “I know firsthand how good she is, how tough she is, how passionate she is, how committed she is.” Woodstock or no, Unity at least provided the ultimate festival for students of political body language. Mr. Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, and Mrs. Clinton appeared arm in arm, waving to a cheering crowd. U2′s “Beautiful Day” blared over loudspeakers, sputtering out for a few nervous seconds before recovering. Mr. Obama’s too-long blue tie went nicely with Mrs. Clinton’s blue pantsuit … The Unity spirit was every bit in keeping with that of recent days. Mrs. Clinton returned Tuesday to the Senate and spoke of her commitment to campaign for Mr. Obama. The two held a joint fund-raiser in Washington on Thursday night, and later in the evening, Mr. Obama’s ever-present “body man,” Reggie Love, was seen dining in Georgetown with his Clinton counterpart, Huma Abedin, and two other people. On Friday, Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama arrived simultaneously at an airport in Washington, where they exchanged a kiss and smiled as they stepped onto a chartered plane. They chatted through the 70-minute flight, sitting side by side, and continued the conversation during a 60-minute bus ride to Unity. As has been well chronicled, this remote town near the Vermont border was chosen not just for its Hollywood name, but also for the perfect split of votes cast in the New Hampshire primary — 107 for each candidate. “Divine intervention,” explained Jeanne Shaheen, a former New Hampshire governor and now a Democratic candidate for the United States Senate. Less well known is that the town of Unity was nearly torn asunder by a land dispute in the 18th century. Then called Buckingham, it was rechristened Unity in 1764 after the conflict was resolved. Democrats were seeking a similar rapprochement Friday, and both principals were very much with the program. “I hope you’ll work as hard for Senator Obama as many of you did for me,” Mrs. Clinton said, directing her remarks to her supporters, some of them with Hillary T-shirts and placards. Mr. Obama said, “Hillary and I may have started with separate goals in this campaign, but we made history together” … “We have to make it a priority in our lives to elect Barack Obama the next president of the United States,” Mrs. Clinton told her supporters, including many who came with their own checks for Mr. Obama’s campaign. “This was a hard-fought campaign,” she said. “That’s what made it so exciting and intense and why people’s passions ran so high on both sides. But we are a family, and we have an opportunity now to really demonstrate clearly we do know what’s at stake, and we will do whatever it takes to win back this White House.” Mr. Obama responded in a similar spirit. “For 16 months, Senator Clinton and I have shared the stage as rivals,” he said. “But, today, I couldn’t be happier and more honored and more moved that we’re sharing this stage as allies.” He largely stuck to his standard stump speech, sprinkled heavily with “Hillarys” and “Unitys.” “Thank you, Senator Hillary Clinton; thank you, New Hampshire,” he said, and the candidates rejoined at the podium for more synchronized waving. After a few seconds, Mrs. Clinton disappeared down some back steps, leaving Mr. Obama on stage by himself.

Finally … the day I’ve longed for has finally come at last. I make it no secret that I am rooting and will work for a Democratic Party win in November and altho I was on Team Hillary during the primary portion of the campaign, I am wholeheartedly on Team Obama. I feel it is imperative that the Democrats win back the Presidency in the coming election and I can’t even convey how THRILLED I am that we are on the verge of electing our first President of color. I honestly wasn’t sure I’d ever see such a possibility in my lifetime (I always hoped) but now we are on the verge of that reality. It’s a very exciting time for the United States … I look forward to bearing witness to history when Barack Obama becomes our next President in November :)

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The day that Senator Hillary Clinton never wanted to see finally arrived today … ending her bid for the White House, Hillary appeared at one final rally in Washington DC this morning to formally endorse and pledge her support to Senator Barack Obama as the Democratic Party nominee for President of the United States of America:

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton formally threw her support behind Senator Barack Obama on Saturday, clearing the way for Mr. Obama to head into the general election with a plan to challenge Senator John McCain in typically Republicans states. Mrs. Clinton, speaking here to an audience of advisers and supporters who had been invited to attend from across the country, used the final rally of her presidential campaign to end her barrier-breaking bid for the presidency and endorse Mr. Obama. She pledged that she would do what it takes to help Mr. Obama win the White House. In her last rally as a presidential candidate, Mrs. Clinton expressed deep gratitude to the voters. who had cast ballots for her. She suspended her campaign, rather than officially ending it. That’s a technicality that will allow her to raise money to retire her debt and to control the delegates she won. It is not an indication that she has any intention of resuming it. Mr. Obama stayed away because he understood this was her moment. Mrs. Clinton offered nothing less than a full-throated endorsement for and embrace of Mr. Obama and his candidacy. She has said many times that she would work her heart out for the nominee, and aides said she knew that now was the time to begin to show it. In a letter on her Web site, Mrs. Clinton expressed her support for Mr. Obama in this way: “Over the course of the last 16 months, I have been privileged and touched to witness the incredible dedication and sacrifice of so many people working for our campaign. Every minute you put into helping us win, every dollar you gave to keep up the fight meant more to me than I can ever possibly tell you.” Mrs. Clinton continued, saying: I “extend my congratulations to Senator Obama and my support for his candidacy. This has been a long and hard-fought campaign, but as I have always said, my differences with Senator Obama are small compared to the differences we have with Senator McCain and the Republicans.” If it was an end for Mrs. Clinton, it was a new beginning for Mr. Obama. Aides said he would take advantage of the nearly nationwide reach of his expansive get-out-the-vote operation that he built during the long Democratic nomination battle — as well as his considerable financial resources — to try to force Mr. McCain to compete in states which are usually reliably Republican … With Mrs. Clinton now out of the race, Mr. Obama wants to define the faltering economy as the paramount issue facing the country, a task made easier by ever-rising gasoline prices and the sharp rise in unemployment reported by the government on Friday. Mr. McCain, by contrast, has been emphasizing national security more than any other issue and has made it clear that he would like to fight the election primarily on that ground. Mr. Obama has moved in recent days to transform his primary organization into a general election machine, hiring staff members, sending organizers into important states and preparing a television advertisement campaign to present his views and his biography to millions of Americans who followed the Democratic contest from a distance. In one telling example, he is moving to hire Aaron Pickrell, the chief political strategist of Gov. Ted Strickland of Ohio — who helped steer Mrs. Clinton to victory in that state’s primary — to run his effort against Mr. McCain there. In another, aides said, he has tapped Dan Carroll, an opposition researcher who gained fame digging up information on the records of opponents for Bill Clinton in 1992, to help gather information about Mr. McCain. That is the latest evidence that for all the talk on both sides about a new kind of politics, the general election campaign is likely to be bloody. Mr. Obama’s campaign is likely to hire Patti Solis Doyle, who was Mrs. Clinton’s longtime associate and campaign manager until a shake-up in February, the first of what Mr. Obama’s aides said would be a number of hires from the Clinton campaign.Click HERE to watch video of Hillary suspending her campaign, click HERE for her endorsement of Barack Obama. At last, the brightest and best from both the Clinton and Obama campaigns will be working together to ensure that the Democrats win the White House in November. It is such an exciting time right now … we move full speed ahead into the general election. It is such a relief that one Democratic nominee has finally been decided upon … united together, we will win. Woot! Woot! [Source]

Senator Hillary Clinton has made the official announcement that she is ready to end her campaign for the Democratic Party nomination for the Presidency of the United States of America and fully intends to endorse the presumptive nominee and her primary campaign opponent Senator Barack Obama. The Clinton campaign sent an email to all of its supporters early this morning to inform them of this announcement, here is the full text of that email:

I wanted you to be one of the first to know: on Saturday, I will hold an event in Washington D.C. to thank everyone who has supported my campaign. Over the course of the last 16 months, I have been privileged and touched to witness the incredible dedication and sacrifice of so many people working for our campaign. Every minute you put into helping us win, every dollar you gave to keep up the fight meant more to me than I can ever possibly tell you.On Saturday, I will extend my congratulations to Senator Obama and my support for his candidacy. This has been a long and hard-fought campaign, but as I have always said, my differences with Senator Obama are small compared to the differences we have with Senator McCain and the Republicans.I have said throughout the campaign that I would strongly support Senator Obama if he were the Democratic Party’s nominee, and I intend to deliver on that promise.When I decided to run for president, I knew exactly why I was getting into this race: to work hard every day for the millions of Americans who need a voice in the White House.I made you — and everyone who supported me — a promise: to stand up for our shared values and to never back down. I’m going to keep that promise today, tomorrow, and for the rest of my life.I will be speaking on Saturday about how together we can rally the party behind Senator Obama. The stakes are too high and the task before us too important to do otherwise.I know as I continue my lifelong work for a stronger America and a better world, I will turn to you for the support, the strength, and the commitment that you have shown me in the past 16 months. And I will always keep faith with the issues and causes that are important to you.In the past few days, you have shown that support once again with hundreds of thousands of messages to the campaign, and again, I am touched by your thoughtfulness and kindness.I can never possibly express my gratitude, so let me say simply, thank you.Sincerely,Hillary Rodham ClintonThe New York Times explains Clinton‘s plans for her endorsement and how the Democratic Party is planning to unify and move forward from this point on:Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton will endorse Senator Barack Obama on Saturday, bringing a close to her 17-month campaign for the White House, aides said. Her decision came after Democrats urged her Wednesday to leave the race and allow the party to coalesce around Mr. Obama. Howard Wolfson, one of Mrs. Clinton’s chief strategists, and other aides said she would express support for Mr. Obama and party unity at an event in Washington that day. One adviser said Mrs. Clinton would concede defeat, congratulate Mr. Obama and proclaim him the party’s nominee, while pledging to do what was needed to assure his victory in November. Her decision came after a day of conversations with supporters on Capitol Hill about her future now that Mr. Obama had clinched the nomination. Mrs. Clinton had, in a speech after Tuesday night’s primaries, suggested she wanted to wait before deciding about her future, but in conversations Wednesday, her aides said, she was urged to step aside. “We pledged to support her to the end,” Representative Charles B. Rangel, a New York Democrat who has been a patron of Mrs. Clinton since she first ran for the Senate, said in an interview. “Our problem is not being able to determine when the hell the end is.” Mrs. Clinton’s decision came as some of her most prominent supporters — including former Vice President Walter F. Mondale — announced they were now backing Mr. Obama. “I was for Hillary — I wasn’t against Obama, who I think is very talented,” Mr. Mondale said. “I’m glad we made a decision and I hope we can unite our party and move forward.” One of Mrs. Clinton’s aides said they were told that except for her senior advisers, there was no reason to report to work after Friday, and that they were invited to Mrs. Clinton’s house for a farewell celebration. The announcement from Mrs. Clinton was moved to Saturday to accommodate more supporters who wanted to attend, aides said. “Senator Clinton will be hosting an event in Washington, D.C., to thank her supporters and express her support for Senator Obama and party unity,” Mr. Wolfson said. Mr. Obama, not waiting for a formal concession from Mrs. Clinton, announced a three-member vice-presidential selection committee that will include Caroline Kennedy, who has become a close personal adviser since endorsing him four months ago. With some Democrats promoting Mrs. Clinton as Mr. Obama’s No. 2, his aides said they would move slowly in the search, allowing passions from the bruising primary battles to cool. “Now that the interfamily squabble is done,” Mr. Obama said Wednesday evening at a Manhattan fund-raiser, “all of us can focus on what needs to be done in November.” Earlier Wednesday, Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton crossed paths briefly in Washington. As he left the Capitol, Mr. Obama told reporters, “We’re going to have a conversation in the coming weeks.” … Aides to Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton said that at least some of Mrs. Clinton’s fund-raisers would move to join the Obama campaign. Still, with the realization of defeat still settling in, it appeared that most of her major financial backers were holding back until they got a clearer signal from Mrs. Clinton of her intentions. “I’m being aggressively courted by folks in the Obama campaign,” said Mark Aronchick, a Philadelphia lawyer, who is a national finance co-chairman. “I’ve told them all, ‘Everybody relax. Take a deep breath. There’s time enough here.’” On Thursday, Mr. Obama planned to head to the southwestern tip of Virginia, in Appalachia, to begin courting voters in a state that traditionally goes Republican but could be a battleground in the fall. Then, he intends to take a few days to strategize privately about the general-election campaign.I am very much looking forward to the unification of the Democratic Party so that we can all work together and ensure that we take back the White House. I echo Mondale‘s sentiments, I was for Hillary Clinton and always believed she would make an outstanding President and was never against Barack Obama. Now that he has emerged as the Democratic nominee, I fully endorse his campaign and plan to do whatever I can to help him become the next President of the United States. This election is very important, y’all. It is vital that we make a serious change in leadership or our country is going to suffer further. I have no doubt in my mind that Barack Obama will be able to bring us the change that our country desperately needs.

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