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Obama makes history, McCain chooses Palin

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, left, takes the stage with his wife Michelle, right, and their children Malia, second right, and Sasha at Invesco Field in Denver on Thursday. PHOTO: AP

After a week of Clinton dramas, US Senator Barack Obama had the stage to himself and distilled his message down to one word, uttered with a roar: “Enough!”

Enough to Republican scare tactics and the politics of division, he declared as he made history by accepting the Democratic Party nomination and so becoming the first African-American with a real shot at the White House.

It was a rare flash of anger from the calm and professorial Obama and drew appreciation from some Democrats who backed his primary rival Senator Hillary Clinton and wanted more steel from the Illinois senator against Republican John McCain.

“He did what he had to do, in terms of balancing policy and inspiration,” said Denver resident Chris Leding, 50, part of an 80,000-strong crowd in the Invesco Field stadium.

“Leaders have to inspire, but what he really showed tonight was, he’s ready for the fight,” she said.

Obama’s acceptance address coincided with the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, which looked forward to the day that a person would be judged by their character rather than their skin color.

Obama was quiet and conversational for much of the 43-minute speech. He also decried those who equate criticism of administration policy with disloyalty to the nation.

Fallen US soldiers have not served a Republican US, or a Democratic US, “they have served the United States of America,” he said, drawing the night’s biggest roar.

There were no balloons raining down from the ceiling but confetti exploded into the air to dance in the night sky with the glow of the post-speech fireworks.

Meanwhile, McCain has chosen Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate, a senior McCain campaign official said yesterday.

McCain was to introduce Palin at an event later yesterday in Dayton, Ohio.

Palin, 44, is a relatively surprising pick, but one aimed at appealing to women voters who might have been disillusioned by Obama’s decision to pick Biden as his No. 2 instead of Clinton.

“She will be his partner in reforming Washington,” said the senior McCain official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“This is a bold choice of a strong conservative who is a reformer and will be greeted by the delegates in St Paul with enthusiasm,” Republican strategist Scott Reed said.

McCain is preparing to accept his party’s nomination for president at the Republican convention in St Paul, Minnesota, next week.

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