India's friend Biden gets Vice Prez nomination

Denver: Sen. Joe Biden went on the attack Wednesday night moments after he accepted the nomination for Democratic vice presidential candidate.

"The American dream is slowly slipping away," Biden told delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado.

But Biden said he and presidential nominee Barack Obama would turn the tide and pledged to serve "every American who was trying to do the right thing."

In an emotional address that left Michelle Obama wiping tears from her eyes, Biden's son, Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, introduced his father and spoke of personal hardships he endured while serving in the Senate.

The younger Biden survived a car accident that killed his mother and sister.

Earlier in the evening, former President Clinton said that Barack Obama was "ready to be president" and urged his wife's supporters to vote for the newly anointed Democratic presidential nominee.

"Barack Obama is ready to lead America and to restore American leadership in the world," Clinton told delegates at the Democratic National Convention.

Like Republicans, the Clintons had criticised Obama's lack of foreign policy experience when Sen. Hillary Clinton ran against Obama in the primary campaign.

But on Wednesday, the former president said Obama was "right for this job."

Clinton attacked the Bush administration for what many speakers have said are failed policies at home and abroad.

Clinton also criticised Sen. John McCain, the Republican candidate, as someone who would continue the failed policies of the Bush administration with more tax cuts that will "swell the deficit, increase inequality, and weaken the economy."

"Clearly, the job of the next president is to rebuild the American dream and to restore American leadership in the world," Clinton said. "Everything I learned in my eight years as president, and in the work I have done since in America and across the globe, has convinced me that Barack Obama is the man for this job."

Clinton was one of the most anticipated speakers of the evening, themed "Securing America's Future." He was greeted by a rousing ovation when he appeared on stage to the tune of "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow," his 1992 campaign theme song.

PAGE_BREAK

Democrats on Wednesday officially nominated 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.

Also Wednesday night, Sen. Joe Biden will accept the nomination as vice president. As he accepts his nomination Biden will likely lead the attack on McCain's foreign policy. Biden is expected to outline why he believes McCain's and President Bush's world views have ignored the most dangerous threats facing the United States, said a Democratic source involved in crafting the speech for the six-term senator.

Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, widely is believed to have been chosen for the Democratic presidential ticket based on his foreign policy credentials.

Obama's perceived weakness compared to McCain on foreign policy and national security issues has been a concern to Democratic strategists, especially since Russia's conflict with Georgia intensified this month.

According to a new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll, 78 per cent of registered voters said they believe McCain can handle the responsibilities of commander in chief, while 58 per cent said they thought Obama could shoulder those responsibilities.

The poll, conducted Saturday and Sunday, also found that 60 per cent of voters said they believe McCain would better handle the issue of terrorism, whereas 36 per cent have more faith in Obama. A majority also said it believes McCain is more likely than Obama to be a strong and decisive leader.

Biden also will focus heavily on his personal biography and Senate experience during his speech, the source said.