Obama: I'm ready to beat John McCain

August 29, CNN

DENVER, Colorado (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama laid out his plan to lead the country into an era of change as he accepted the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday night, securing his place in history as the first African-American to lead a major party ticket.

"Change happens because the American people demand it -- because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time. America, this is one of those moments," he told supporters at the Democratic National Convention. "I believe that as hard as it will be, the change we need is coming."

Obama pitted himself against John McCain, repeatedly countering attacks from his Republican rival while casting the election as a choice between change and failure, as he addressed tens of thousands of cheering people and millions of primetime TV viewers.

In addition to slamming McCain on Iraq, energy policy and health care, Obama said his rival for the White House is out of touch with the concerns of the average American.

"He said that our economy has made 'great progress' under this president. He said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. And when one of his chief advisers -- the man who wrote his economic plan -- was talking about the anxiety Americans are feeling, he said that we were just suffering from a 'mental recession,' and that we've become, and I quote, 'a nation of whiners,' " Obama said, eliciting boos from the crowd.

Read more this news quote

photo by AP