This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/7582729.stm
The article has changed 17 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 8 | Version 9 |
|---|---|
| Democrats set for Clinton moment | Democrats set for Clinton moment |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Barack Obama's former rival Hillary Clinton is due to take centre stage at the Democratic Party's nominating convention in Denver, Colorado. | |
| The party hopes Mrs Clinton, who lost a race for the nomination to Mr Obama, can convince her followers to back him. | The party hopes Mrs Clinton, who lost a race for the nomination to Mr Obama, can convince her followers to back him. |
| Senator Obama will formally accept the party's nomination on Thursday night. | Senator Obama will formally accept the party's nomination on Thursday night. |
| Giving the convention's keynote speech, ex-Virginia Governor Mark Warner said Mr Obama was the leader needed to lead the US in the "race for the future". | Giving the convention's keynote speech, ex-Virginia Governor Mark Warner said Mr Obama was the leader needed to lead the US 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," he said. |
| "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.Mark Warner said the US needed to grasp the future for all Americans | He also attacked Republican presidential contender John McCain as promising "more of the same" as the Bush administration.Mark Warner said the US needed to grasp the future for all Americans |
| 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" and her speech would demonstrate that. | He also played down suggestions of a rift between supporters of Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton, saying there was "not a unity problem" and her speech would demonstrate that. |
| Personal tensions | Personal tensions |
| Mrs Clinton has already thrown her political weight behind Mr Obama and dismissed suggestions that the party is divided. | Mrs Clinton has already thrown her political weight behind Mr Obama and dismissed suggestions that the party is divided. |
| "Let there be no mistake about it, we are united," Mrs Clinton said ahead of the convention. | "Let there be no mistake about it, we are united," Mrs Clinton said ahead of the convention. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYObama and Clinton agreed on 90% of issues and are both miles above McCainpetit_ minou, New Jersey, USSend us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYObama and Clinton agreed on 90% of issues and are both miles above McCainpetit_ minou, New Jersey, USSend us your comments |
| But opinion polls indicate that despite her repeated statements of support for Mr Obama, many of her supporters are saying they would rather vote for Mr McCain than for her former rival. | But opinion polls indicate that despite her repeated statements of support for Mr Obama, many of her supporters are saying they would rather vote for Mr McCain than for her former rival. |
| The BBC's Jamie Coomarasamy, in Denver, says even though Mrs Clinton is not the keynote speaker for the convention, for many Democrats her speech will be its centrepiece. | The BBC's Jamie Coomarasamy, in Denver, says even though Mrs Clinton is not the keynote speaker for the convention, for many Democrats her speech will be its centrepiece. |
| Her many supporters seem divided between those who are, however reluctantly, supporting Mr Obama and those who say they may vote for Senator McCain, our correspondent says, with opinion polls suggesting the latter group could be large enough to influence the result of the vote. | Her many supporters seem divided between those who are, however reluctantly, supporting Mr Obama and those who say they may vote for Senator McCain, our correspondent says, with opinion polls suggesting the latter group could be large enough to influence the result of the vote. |
| Although personal tensions still simmer in the background, Mrs Clinton is expected to give a strong endorsement of her former rival and to turn the focus to attacking Mr McCain by drawing links between him and President George W Bush, our correspondent adds. | Although personal tensions still simmer in the background, Mrs Clinton is expected to give a strong endorsement of her former rival and to turn the focus to attacking Mr McCain by drawing links between him and President George W Bush, our correspondent adds. |
| Terry McAuliffe, who was the chairman of Mrs Clinton's campaign, told the BBC he expected her to hit Mr McCain hard in her speech. | Terry McAuliffe, who was the chairman of Mrs Clinton's campaign, told the BBC he expected her to hit Mr McCain hard in her speech. |
| "Every single night we need to be laying out why John McCain's bad for America," he said.Some Democrats feel the party needs to focus its attack on Mr McCain | "Every single night we need to be laying out why John McCain's bad for America," he said.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 is billed as "Renewing America's Promise" and features political heavyweights, including state governors and prominent House and Senate leaders. | While the first night of the convention was devoted to fleshing out the life story of Barack Obama, Tuesday is billed as "Renewing America's Promise" and features 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. |
What is your reaction to the first day of the Democratic Convention? You can send us your views using the form below: | What is your reaction to the first day of the Democratic Convention? You can send us your views using the form below: |