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| Clinton urges party to back Obama | Clinton urges party to back Obama |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Hillary Clinton has called on Democrats to unite behind Barack Obama as the party's presidential candidate, saying she was his "proud supporter". | Hillary Clinton has called on Democrats to unite behind Barack Obama as the party's presidential candidate, saying she was his "proud supporter". |
| Speaking at the party's nominating convention, Mrs Clinton said they could not afford to lose to the Republicans. | Speaking at the party's nominating convention, Mrs Clinton said they could not afford to lose to the Republicans. |
| "Whether you voted for me or voted for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose." | |
| Mr Obama, who beat Mrs Clinton in the primary race, will formally accept the party's nomination on Thursday night. | Mr Obama, who beat Mrs Clinton in the primary race, will formally accept the party's nomination on Thursday night. |
| He will stand against Republican John McCain in the presidential election on 4 November. | |
| Mrs Clinton, who was given a standing ovation as she took the stage, thanked those who supported her through her campaign but said Mr Obama was now "my candidate". | |
| The party could not afford "to see another Republican in the White House squander the promise of our country and the hopes of our people", she said. | |
| "We are on the same team and none of us can sit on the sidelines," she said. | |
| She described Mr McCain as "my colleague and my friend" but went on to attack his record and links with President George W Bush. | |
| "We don't need four more years of the last eight years," she said. | |
| 'Deep faith' | |
| Giving the convention's keynote speech beforehand, ex-Virginia Governor Mark Warner said Mr Obama was the leader the US needed in the "race for the future". | Giving the convention's keynote speech beforehand, ex-Virginia Governor Mark Warner said Mr Obama was the leader the US needed in the "race for the future". |
| "We need a president who understands the world today, the future we seek, and the change we need," he said. We need a President who understands the world today, the future we seek, and the change we need Mark WarnerFormer Governor of Virginia Key excerpts: Mark Warner | "We need a president who understands the world today, the future we seek, and the change we need," he said. We need a President who understands the world today, the future we seek, and the change we need Mark WarnerFormer Governor of Virginia Key excerpts: Mark Warner |
| "We need Barack Obama as the next president of the United States." | "We need Barack Obama as the next president of the United States." |
| He also attacked Republican presidential contender John McCain as promising "more of the same" as the Bush administration. | He also attacked Republican presidential contender John McCain as promising "more of the same" as the Bush administration. |
| Mr Warner is running for a Senate seat in Virginia, targeted as an important swing state by the Democrats in the 4 November elections. | Mr Warner is running for a Senate seat in Virginia, targeted as an important swing state by the Democrats in the 4 November elections. |
| He commented on the daunting prospect of speaking after the last convention keynote speaker - Mr Obama in 2004 - and before Mrs Clinton in 2008, but said Americans should let hope replace fear. | He commented on the daunting prospect of speaking after the last convention keynote speaker - Mr Obama in 2004 - and before Mrs Clinton in 2008, but said Americans should let hope replace fear. |
| "Tonight, looking out at all of you, and with a deep faith in the character and resolve of the American people, I am more confident than ever that we will win that race and make the future ours," he concluded. | "Tonight, looking out at all of you, and with a deep faith in the character and resolve of the American people, I am more confident than ever that we will win that race and make the future ours," he concluded. |
| Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean sought earlier to dampen criticism that the convention so far had been too soft on Mr McCain, saying there was still "plenty of time" for tough-talking. | Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean sought earlier to dampen criticism that the convention so far had been too soft on Mr McCain, saying there was still "plenty of time" for tough-talking. |
| He also played down suggestions of a rift between supporters of Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton, saying there was "not a unity problem". | |
| Personal tensions | Personal tensions |
| Mrs Clinton had already thrown her political weight behind Mr Obama and dismissed suggestions that the party is divided. class="lp" href="Title Link URL">HAVE YOUR SAYObama and Clinton agreed on 90% of issues and are both miles above McCainpetit_ minou, New Jersey, US class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5269">Send us your comments | |
| But opinion polls had indicated that despite her repeated statements of support for Mr Obama, many of her supporters said they would rather vote for Mr McCain than for her former rival. | |
| The BBC's Jamie Coomarasamy, in Denver, says Her many supporters seem divided between those who are, however reluctantly, supporting Mr Obama and those who say they may vote for Senator McCain. | |
| Terry McAuliffe, who was the chairman of Mrs Clinton's campaign, told the BBC: "Every single night we need to be laying out why John McCain's bad for America.Some Democrats feel the party needs to focus its attack on Mr McCain | Terry McAuliffe, who was the chairman of Mrs Clinton's campaign, told the BBC: "Every single night we need to be laying out why John McCain's bad for America.Some Democrats feel the party needs to focus its attack on Mr McCain |
| "Bush is the worst president in our nation's history. We need to remind people every single day, and John McCain is nothing but Bush's third term." | "Bush is the worst president in our nation's history. We need to remind people every single day, and John McCain is nothing but Bush's third term." |
| A poll from CNN/Opinion Research Corp suggests that American voters are evenly divided between Mr Obama and Mr McCain, at 47% each. | A poll from CNN/Opinion Research Corp suggests that American voters are evenly divided between Mr Obama and Mr McCain, at 47% each. |
| Mr McCain is due to be nominated next week at the Republican Party's convention in Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota. | Mr McCain is due to be nominated next week at the Republican Party's convention in Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota. |
| He campaigned in Arizona on Tuesday, telling veterans that Mr Obama's opposition to the Iraq war and preference for multilateral diplomacy could undermine US leadership in the world. | He campaigned in Arizona on Tuesday, telling veterans that Mr Obama's opposition to the Iraq war and preference for multilateral diplomacy could undermine US leadership in the world. |
| On the attack | On the attack |
| While the first night of the convention was devoted to fleshing out the life story of Barack Obama, Tuesday was billed as "Renewing America's Promise" and featured political heavyweights, including state governors and prominent House and Senate leaders. | |
| Iowa Governor Chet Culver used his time on the convention floor to suggest big oil firms were backing Mr McCain, "bankrolling his campaign and gambling with our future". | Iowa Governor Chet Culver used his time on the convention floor to suggest big oil firms were backing Mr McCain, "bankrolling his campaign and gambling with our future". |
| Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, a Clinton supporter, also attacked Mr McCain's energy policy, suggesting he was more interested in giving tax cuts to oil firms than in safeguarding the environment. CONVENTION AGENDA Tuesday: Hillary Clinton speech; keynote speech by former Virginia governor Mark WarnerWednesday: Speeches by Bill Clinton and Joe Biden; vote to confirm Barack Obama as party's candidateThursday: Barack Obama to accept nomination with speech in stadium Convention programmeVoters' views on the conventionConvention diary | Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, a Clinton supporter, also attacked Mr McCain's energy policy, suggesting he was more interested in giving tax cuts to oil firms than in safeguarding the environment. CONVENTION AGENDA Tuesday: Hillary Clinton speech; keynote speech by former Virginia governor Mark WarnerWednesday: Speeches by Bill Clinton and Joe Biden; vote to confirm Barack Obama as party's candidateThursday: Barack Obama to accept nomination with speech in stadium Convention programmeVoters' views on the conventionConvention diary |
| Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy said: "John McCain offers four more years of the same Bush-Cheney policies that have failed us." | Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy said: "John McCain offers four more years of the same Bush-Cheney policies that have failed us." |
| Mrs Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, takes the stage on Wednesday night, when Mr Obama is to be formally nominated. | Mrs Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, takes the stage on Wednesday night, when Mr Obama is to be formally nominated. |
| Democratic officials are said to have brokered a deal between the Obama and Clinton camps for the nomination that is meant to appease die-hard Clinton supporters. | Democratic officials are said to have brokered a deal between the Obama and Clinton camps for the nomination that is meant to appease die-hard Clinton supporters. |
| Some states would be allowed to cast votes for both Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton on Wednesday before the roll call is ended with the unanimous nomination of Barack Obama. | Some states would be allowed to cast votes for both Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton on Wednesday before the roll call is ended with the unanimous nomination of Barack Obama. |
| The first African-American to be nominated as a US presidential candidate, he makes his appearance on the closing night of the conference, when he is to address a crowd of an expected 80,000 people at a sports stadium. | The first African-American to be nominated as a US presidential candidate, he makes his appearance on the closing night of the conference, when he is to address a crowd of an expected 80,000 people at a sports stadium. |
| After being attacked as a "celebrity" by the McCain campaign, the Democrats used the opening night of the convention to try to show the Illinois senator as a family man with normal concerns. | After being attacked as a "celebrity" by the McCain campaign, the Democrats used the opening night of the convention to try to show the Illinois senator as a family man with normal concerns. |
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