served -- i have served in the senate with him for four years, i have been in this campaign with himormonths. i have stood on the stage and gone toe to toe with him in 22 debates. i have had a front row seat to his candidacy and i have seen his strength and determination and his grace and his grit. in his own life, barack obama has lived the american dream, as a community organizer in the state ant and a united states senator, he has dedicated himself to ensuring the dream is realized and in this campaign he has inspired so many to be in the democratic process. when i started this race, i intended to win back the white house and make sure we have a president who puts our country back on the path to peace, prosperity and progress. and that is exactly whatwe going to do by ensuring that barack obama walks through the doors of the oval office on january 20th, 2009. [ applause ] that we all know, in has been a tough fight. but the democratic party is a family. and now it's time to restore the ties that bind us together and to come together around the ideals we share, the values we cherish and th