It’s Official: Barack Obama Clinches Nomination

Democrats Wednesday officially nominated Barack Obama to be their candidate for president, making him the first African-American to lead a major party ticket.

Sen. Hillary Clinton motioned to cut the roll call short saying, “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.”

“Is there a second?” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California asked the crowd of more than 4,400 delegates.

Delegates then affirmed Obama as their choice with cheers, officially capping a long and hard-fought battle between Obama and Clinton.

Clinton released her delegates earlier in the day, freeing them to vote for Obama if they wanted to do so.

The roll call vote got the third night of the Democratic National Convention off to an energetic start.

(via CNN)

In other news, it looks like Barack and Biden have the upper hand in some major swing states. (via Time)