Obama wins nomination and Clintons' support

By Steve Holland

DENVER (Reuters) - To shouts of "Yes we can," Democrats nominated Barack Obama on Wednesday as their presidential candidate in a historic first for a black American, backed by his ex-rivals Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Obama made his first appearance at the Democratic National Convention, stepping out on stage after his vice presidential running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, attacked Republican John McCain as he accepted the nomination as No. 2 on the ticket.

"I think the convention has gone pretty well so far. What do you think?" Obama said to cheering delegates after hugging Biden and his wife Jill on stage.

Former President Bill Clinton, who has been slow to warm to Obama after his wife lost a bruising primary battle, worked to encourage party unity by giving Obama an unwavering seal of approval in a speech to a packed convention hall.

Delegates cheered Clinton's appearance for so long that he asked them to sit down.

"My fellow Democrats, I say to you: Barack Obama is ready to lead America and to restore American leadership in the world," the former president told flag-waving delegates who interrupted him repeatedly with roars of approval.

"Barack Obama is ready to be president of the United States," he said.

Biden laid down withering fire on McCain that some Democrats have said has been lacking. He specifically cited McCain's opposition to Obama's demand for setting a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq and said even the Bush administration and the Iraqi government were on the verge of setting a date to bring troops home.

"John McCain was wrong, and Barack Obama was right," Biden said.

As they passed the torch to Obama, the Clintons were in the spotlight.

In an earlier, emotional show of unity, Sen. Hillary Clinton strode onto the floor of the party's national convention during a roll call of the states and formally asked Democratic delegates to suspend their count and approve Obama's nomination by acclamation.

"With eyes firmly fixed on the future, in the spirit of unity, with the goal of victory, with faith in our party and our country, let's declare together in one voice right here, right now, that Barack Obama is our candidate and he will be our president," she said to raucous cheers.

Her request was quickly accepted by the convention's presiding official, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California.

When Pelosi pounded a gavel to declare Obama the nominee, delegates held hands together up high, danced and swayed back and forth to the song "Love Train" in celebration.

"Yes we can," the crowd chanted. "Obama!"