Obama: I Will Be the Nominee

Barack Obama tonight marked the end of an "historic journey" by declaring that "I will be the Democratic nominee." The nation's first black major-party nominee praised Hillary Clinton for her own history-making campaign and for her "unyielding desire to improve the lives of ordinary Americans" before turning his focus on John McCain, CNN reports. After praising McCain's service, he lashed into his war policies, linked him to President Bush, and said it's time for the US to regain its place as a world leader. "America, this is our time," he said in a rousing finish.

"Because you chose to listen not to your doubts or your fears but to your greatest hopes and highest aspirations, tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another—a journey that will bring a new and better day to America. Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States." (More Barack Obama stories.)