Obama urges America not to give up on him

7 Sep 2012, 7:49 pm   -   Source: AAP

Barack Obama has accepted the Democratic Party's presidential nomination for a second time, and sketched an agenda to create jobs and cut the US deficit.

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Barack Obama has urged wavering supporters not to give up on their dreams of change - or on him - as he accepted the Democratic Party's nomination for president in what promises to be a tough race against Republican Mitt Romney.

Obama used his nationally televised speech on Thursday closing out the Democratic National Convention to try to recapture the excitement that powered his first run for the presidency.

With just two months before election day, Obama needs to win over undecided voters, especially those who had been swayed by his inspiring message of hope and change in 2008, but have grown disillusioned after years of economic weakness and persistent political bickering.

"The election four years ago wasn't about me. It was about you," he said. "My fellow citizens, you were the change."

He said the American people were the ones responsible for accomplishments on his watch, such as overhauling health care, changing immigration policies and ending the ban in gays in the military.

If they turned away now, he warned, "you buy into the cynicism that the change we fought for isn't possible." Change, he said, "will not happen".

Obama built on the message Democrats delivered throughout the convention: that America is on the road to recovery while Romney would revive failed policies, cutting taxes for the rich and slashing programs that give regular Americans a chance for a more prosperous future.

"If you reject the notion that this nation's promise is reserved for the few, your voice must be heard in this election," he said.

Republicans, who nominated Romney last week, argue that America's high 8.3 per cent unemployment rate is proof that Obama's policies have failed and that the president's spendthrift, big-government policies have hurt business and caused the federal deficit to soar.

Obama's speech marked the climax of the three-day convention. First lady Michelle Obama highlighted the first day, talking about her husband's humble roots and compassion.

Bill Clinton, the popular former president who led the United States during years of prosperity, gave a rousing speech on Wednesday, vouching for Obama's economic policies and urging Americans not to turn back to Republicans.

Preceding Obama was Vice President Joe Biden, who was formally re-nominated on Thursday. Biden proclaimed in his acceptance speech that "America has turned the corner" after experiencing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Obama didn't go that far in his own remarks, but he said "We are not going back, we are moving forward, America."

Obama acknowledged "my own failings", without elaborating. But he cited progress toward recovery. "We're getting back to basics and doing what America has always done best: We're making things again." He outlined a goal of creating one million manufacturing jobs in four years.

Though the economy has dominated the convention, Democrats have also discussed national security issues, where Obama does well in polls. They highlighted his carrying out his promise to pull US combat forces from Iraq and, especially, his order that led to the killing of terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.

Obama noted that both Romney and his vice presidential running mate Paul Ryan have little foreign policy experience. "They want to take us back to an era of blustering and blundering that cost America so dearly," he said.

He said Romney was "stuck in a Cold War time warp" for describing Russia - not al-Qaeda - as America's No. 1 enemy.

Recalling the stir Romney caused in London by questioning British preparations for the Olympics, Obama said: "You might not be ready for diplomacy with Beijing if you can't visit the Olympics without insulting our closest ally."

After the defence of his policies and foreign policy jibes, came the soaring rhetoric that years-ago propelled Obama's rapid rise from local politician in Illinois to America's first black president.

"America, I never said this journey would be easy, and I won't promise that now," he said, concluding his speech.

"Yes, our path is harder - but it leads to a better place. Yes, our road is longer - but we travel it together. We don't turn back. We leave no one behind. We pull each other up. We draw strength from our victories, and we learn from our mistakes, but we keep our eyes fixed on that distant horizon, knowing that providence is with us, and that we are surely blessed to be citizens of the greatest nation on earth."

Obama needed to fire up not only undecided voters, but also his party's base as he tries to fatten his campaign coffers. Republicans have a strong lead in fund-raising, a striking reversal from 2008 when Obama held an overwhelming advantage over John McCain. Independent groups seeking Romney's election are pouring tens of millions of dollars into television advertising, far exceeding what Obama's supporters can afford.

Citing a chance of thunderstorms, convention organisers scrapped plans for Obama to speak to an enormous crowd in a 74,000-seat outdoor stadium and decided to shoehorn the event into the convention arena, which accommodates 15,000.

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