Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., right, and Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., stand on stage at the Democratic National Convention in Denver on Wednesday.

DENVER -- So many Americans thought this moment would never come.

On the trail, they would see Barack Obama in some small-town diner, and they would lean in close, to tell of a Birmingham childhood fractured by race. Sometimes as his "change" caravan passed by, they would stand, fists in the air, in silence.

They wore their sense of history on T-shirts -- Martin Luther King and Barack Obama, joined as historical bookends, the dreamer and the dream.

Today, as Obama stands before some 80,000 people in a football stadium as the first black nominee of a major political party, King will loom large. It was 45 years ago today that the Baptist minister made his most famous speech, "I Have a Dream,"and tonight, Obama will make one of his own, laying out a vision of America based on change.

The vote to nominate Obama for the White House was unanimous after Sen. Hillary Clinton, of New York, waded onto the convention floor amid a standing ovation and stopped a roll call of states. She urged Obama's unanimous selection "in the spirit of unity, with the goal of victory."

Delegates roared their affirmation and the longest, most contentious Democratic primary fight in more than a generation came to a congenial, albeit painstakingly negotiated, halt.

Hours later, Bill Clinton did his part for party peace by wrapping Obama in an unqualified embrace.

"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 said.

Democrats are hopeful that, after Obama's speech Thursday, the party is ready to emerge from the convention with the bitter Obama-Clinton primary fight truly behind it and concentrate on defeating McCain, who has pulled even with Obama in recent polls.

The speakers on the podium directed plenty of venom McCain's way throughout the day.

"A candidate who once campaigned on the promise of a campaign of ideas, not insults, now has nothing left but personal attacks," said Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, the 2004 Democratic nominee, who considered McCain as his running mate. "Barack Obama will end this politics of distortion and division. He will be a president who seeks not to perfect the lies of swift-boating, but to end them once and for all."

Obama dropped in on his own party at the Democratic convention a day early Wednesday to praise his wife, his former rival, and former President Clinton for going to bat for him.

"I think Michelle Obama kicked it off pretty well, don't you think?" Obama said, as delegates at the Pepsi Center roared.

As his wife clapped and smiled and mouthed, "I love you," Obama joined his running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, on the platform.

"If I'm not mistaken, Hillary Clinton rocked the house down last night!" Obama said.

He also praised former President Clinton, who spoke earlier Wednesday night, as someone who reminds us about "what it's like when you've got a president who actually puts people first. Thank you, President Clinton."

Obama told the crowd he was proud to have "the whole Biden family on this journey with me to take America back."

After his appearance, Obama made a late-night visit to Invesco Field to check out the stage where he will deliver his speech. He arrived with his wife, Michelle, and staff members.

Obama aides said he had substantially finished the speech he will deliver on tonight, but would probably continue to edit it right up until he delivers it.