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Barack Obama officially nominated |
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Written by Dr. Garth A. Rose
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Monday, 01 September 2008 |
 At approximately 6.45 pm on Wednesday, August 26, history was official made at the Democratic National Convention in Denver Colorado when the first African American, Barack Obama, was by acclamation, nominated as the candidate of the Democratic Party to seek the presidency of the United States of America in the general elections to be held on November 4. Like a member of the Mississippi delegation to the convention, with tears streaming down his face said, “This is an unbelievable moment. Although we knew Obama won the nomination from June, he was only the ‘presumptive’ nominee. Now he is officially nominated as the first Black to run for the U.S. presidency by a major political party.”
Tears flowed freely from the eyes of several Black, Hispanic and White delegates on the huge convention floor, and one could really feel the poignancy of the historic occasion, when Obama was finally nominated.
There was a sense of drama building in the convention center as the alphabetical roll call among the states present, including Florida and Michigan – states that fought to have all their delegates vote at the convention, began the nomination process. Both Senator Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton’s names were on the ballot. It was anticipated that Senator Clinton would be entering the center to place her delegates with Obama’s nomination. Officially 2,220 delegates votes were required to officially nominate Obama and with the delegate count reaching just over 1,400 for Obama and 400 for Clinton, and the state of New York called upon to state their nomination, Senator Clinton entered the hall, to loud applause, joining her state’s delegates including New York Governor Patterson. After being introduced Clinton asked to abort the roll call and declared "With eyes firmly fixed on the future, and in the spirit of unity with the goal of victory, with faith in our party and our country, let's declare together with one voice right here, right now that Barack Obama is our candidate and he will be our president."
Immediately, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California who had taken the convention’s podium asked the crowd of 4,400 delegates if there was a second to Clinton’s motion. The crowd responded that they so seconded. Pelosi again asked for those in favor of the motion to say “Aye,” and a resounding shout of “Aye!” went up, and Barack Obama was officially nominated with Pelosi declaring, “The motion is adopted.”
The convention center then took on an air of festivity with delegates hugging each other, shaking hands, high fiveing and many seen openly crying as the Television cameras in the center swept the crowd, while others danced to the sounds of the popular song “Love Train” booming in the center from loud speakers.
Prior to the commencement of the roll call Clinton had released her delegates Wednesday afternoon, allowing those who had been pledged to her to vote for whomever they wanted to in the official roll call. Earlier on Wednesday she said she believed that as Democrats and as Americans the delegates would leave Denver united.
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