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Alex Spillius: Barack Obama to emulate John F Kennedy with Democratic nomination acceptance speech

[Alex Spillius has written articles published in The Daily Telegraph (Washington Correspondent) and The Sunday Telegraph.]

The Illinois senator's traditional, prime time end-of-convention speech is being switched to Invesco Field, the home of the Denver Broncos, from a smaller indoor sports arena hosting the rest of the Democratic national convention.

It will be the first time in 48 years that a nominee from either major party has moved to a bigger venue.

In 1960, Kennedy, then a 43-year-old senator, chose to speak at the similarly-sized Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles and told Americans that they stood on the verge of a "New Frontier".

Adding to the historic resonance of the occasion, Mr Obama, the first black presidential nominee, will on Aug 28 be speaking on the 45th anniversary of civil rights leader Martin Luther King's famous "I have a dream speech".

Throughout his stunning campaign Mr Obama, 46, has often been compared to Kennedy for his ability through his speeches to inspire audiences and raise their hopes of a better America. He and has been endorsed by the most prominent members of the Kennedy political clan...
Read entire article at Telegraph (UK)