Obama's speech, a preview

By GottaLaff

Via Kos, here is the speech. Now I do not, I repeat, do not, have to liveblog it. I can watch it with you and we can make witty and pithy comments together. Maybe we could even follow along! Somebody find me a bouncing ball. An excerpt:

And because of what you said -- because you decided that change must come to Washington; because you believed that this year must be different than all the rest; because you chose to listen not to your doubts or your fears but to your greatest hopes and highest aspirations, tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another -- a journey that will bring a new and better day to America. Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States.

Update: Andrea Mitchell says Hillary will speak BEFORE Obama does (he speaks at 10 pm Eastern), before his big victory, and she won't concede, but will praise him.

Howard Fineman:

A lot of Hillary's aids wanted her to quit a month ago. He'd only offer her Veep if he's guaranteed that she won't take it, per someone very close to both Clintons. The ceremony, the politics, the egos of this, would be for Obama to hint of an offer, ONLY if he's given that guarantee. Why? Ego, props, 17 million votes, a candidacy that came this close. She stuck with it, there's a lot of pride and emotion here, and the Clinton people want her to be offered the job, and the Obama people say, only if she agrees in advance not to take it. The Clinton people are also saying that Obama "better not pick another woman." The sources are very close to the Clinton camp.

Bill Clinton, although angry and upset, is dying to redeem himself with campaigning if Obama asks him. Fineman thinks he'd say yes. "That's the last time you'd see me in this kind of role" doesn't mean he won't be in this new kind of role.

UPDATE: Obama's at 2109.