Barack Obama became the first African-American major party nominee Wednesday, when his longtime opponent Hillary Clinton moved that the Democratic National Convention nominate him by acclamation shortly before 6 p.m. CST Wednesday.  In the end, Clinton was a good soldier by releasing her convention delegates and when the roll call vote was kicked to New York, she made the motion to put him over the top.  Democrats in Denver heard nomination speeches and conducted a proforma rollcall vote that never got to Texas.  Since Clinton had released her delegates, many voted for Obama. It was not a true roll call measure of the states. Even Arkansas, which cast 70 percent of its vote for Clinton in its primary, gave all of its votes to Obama.

Some of the larger states, such as California and Illinois, passed to give the opportunity for more states to participate in the roll call.  At the point that Obama had 1549 of the 2210 delegates votes needed, New Mexico yielded back to Illinois.  Illinois then yielded to New York as Sen. Clinton appeared on the floor with her delegation.  With the goal of victory, she suggested that the convention "declare in one voice, right here and now, that Barack Obama is our candidate and he will be our president."  She then moved that the convention suspend the rules and nominate him by acclamation.  After a few chants of Hill-a-ry, Hill-a-ry, the convention nominated Obama by voice vote. 

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