Live blogging from MI- What a night!

[MiaCulpa]

Live blogging from here in MI: http://www.michiganmessenger.com/magFront.do

BARACK OBAMA: (in progress, Todd broke to take a photo of Edwards and Obama; mention of George Bush brings a boo from the crowd)
I haven't being John much, I forgot just how good he is
I want to thank John for coming to Grand Rapids Mich.
...I want to thank John for everything he's done to make us One America.
I want to thank your wife Elizbeth for her passion and commitment...(photo break)
"John Edwards and I believe in a different America.
Hillary Clinton believes in a different America.
That is why we are going to take Washington by storm in November.
We believe no matter where you come from opportunity should be yours if you are willing to Reach for it and work for it.
If you live in the U.S. of A.,
you should never be hungry or homeless."

you should never have to want. That is what we are fighting for
poverty is not the issue that is always talked about in the media
and it doesn't poll well
John Edwards talked about it because it was right
and it is still right
it is worth debating
the fight I waged then, the fight John is waging now is a fight I will bring into the White House
it has not even begun under this white house
I want to make sure he will have a partner in that effort (reducing poverty by half in ten years) because it will be a goal I will set
we can do this
if you want to work, you can find work
and if you do work you will never want
we can start by ending the tax breaks we give to companies that ship jobs overseas
and invest them in companies that create jobs here

we can refuse to give more tax breaks tot eh wealthy few who don't need it and aren't even asking for it
the next tax break will put money in the pockets of working families who need it most

(Obama stops speech here; some one has fainted in the audience and calls for an EMT)

We can make sure that every child no matter where they come from gets a world class education
I wont just talk about how great teachers are, we will reward them with better salaries and

7:00 pm --


6:44 pm --

JOHN EDWARDS: "During the course of this presidential campaign I have gotten to know the candidates very well
we have all been out speaking about the issues near and dear to our hearts
I want to take a minute to say something about your friend and mine Hillary Clinton
in the past few weeks I have gotten to know sen. Clinton very well
we have talked about the things we care about and you all care about
she believes America can be a better place and we need change
I wanna tell you I know this hard to understand sometimes
it is very hard to get up every day and do what she has done,
when the odds turn agains you
what she has shown is strength and character
what drives her is what each and everyone of us should care about
A woman made of steel
she is a leader not because of her husband but what she has done
for standing up and speaking up
when this nomination battle is over and it will be over soon
brothers and sisters we must come together as democrats and stand up together
and we are a stronger party because Hillary Clinton is a Democrat
we are going to have a stronger presidential nominee in the fall because of her work
now what brought us here?"

(Crowd breaks into chanting O-Ba-Ma)
There are service men and women in Iraq who can come home now
today
that we can have good jobs that fill our empty factories
when we finally make two Americas one America
this is why you are here
here because of the hope you carry in your heart to make this country better
American people are on the outside of that wall
inside that wall are the corporations and lobbyists and the system that works to protect them

whenthere ceo gets a golden parachute and their job gets shipped overseas and you know all about that here in Michigan
Our job come january of next year is to tear that wall down
there is anotehr wall that divides us
a moralshame of the 37 million who wake up in poverty
there are mothers out there working two jobs everyday to try to keep their kids from going to bed hungry
this is not OK
and for 8 long long long years this wall has gotten taller

--- pictures will be coming shortly --
we have a wall in our education
their education is our education
we are going to fix that
how about health care right
big drug companies... they are getting their way
they love that wall
well its gonna be gone as soon as we create real and meaningful universal health care
a wall that has divided our image in th world
all the world sees now is a bullet
a beacon of hope is behind the wall
that wall have to come down for the sake of our ideals
we can change it
yes we can (Crowd chants, "Yes we can!")
The reason I am here tonight is because the Democratic voters in America have made their choice and so have I
there is one man who knows and understands this is a time for bold leadership
knows how to make the lasting change from the ground up
that it is time to create one america
and that man is Barack Obama
(standing ovation, crowd chants, "O-ba-ma!")
This is not gonna be easy.
it's gonna be the fight of our lives.

We know it is about something different than the terrible politics of th past that divide us.
This campaign is about you. Not us Edwards.
One America where mainstream is strong.
One America where the men and women who work the late shift they will be honored for that work.
One America where no child goes to bed hungry when we finally end the shame of 37 million in poverty.
One America with one public education system
One America that rebuilds our moral authority in the world with our souls
We will take care of veterans
and we are gong to get this part of the war right.
we will never stand by
(while men and women who served have to wait for health insurance)
Not in our America.

We've been in this kind of place before
times of war
deep depression;
We came together
and we went to work to make sure we made a better future for our children
this is our moment
this is our time.
if you want that
join me in helping me send Barack Obama to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
when all of us believe is in this America that we love so much
no matter who you are.
that one America is not only possible it will be achieved under President Barack Obama.