Democrats primed for spectacular finale

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

DENVER, Colorado (AFP) — Barack Obama will Thursday summon Americans to join his crusade for political change as he claims his place in history in a dazzling finale to the Democratic convention.

The Illinois senator will formally accept his nomination as the first African-American from a major party to run for the White House before more than 70,000 people crammed into an open-air stadium in Colorado.

"We want to open up this convention to make sure that everybody who wants to come can join in the party, and join in the effort to take America back," Obama said Wednesday.

Historic echoes will be everywhere: the speech will be taking place on the 45th anniversary of the day when civil rights champion Martin Luther King envisaged a future of racial equality...