Hillary Clinton released her delegates earlier today and told them that they could vote their conscience, but she had voted for Barack Obama.

Later she urged the convention to nominate Obama by acclamation, which it did enthusiastically.

This is an open thread for discussing any of Wednesday’s speeches or other events at the convention. Bill Clinton and Joe Biden will be the prime-time highlights. (By the way, one of my neighbors has put her Biden for president yard sign back in front of her house. She is “fired up and ready to go,” as they say.)

After the jump I’ve posted the text of Governor Chet Culver’s remarks (as prepared) to the DNC yesterday. He focused on energy policy, which is certainly among my top 10 reasons for Americans to vote for Obama.

UDPATE: When Bill Kristol idiotically claimed last night that Hillary Clinton gave a weak endorsement of Obama, he noted that she hadn’t said Obama would be a good commander in chief.

Guess what? Today’s theme is national security, and Bill Clinton has already said,

“In Barack Obama, America will have the national security leadership we need. My fellow Democrats, I say to you Barack Obama is ready to lead America…”

Got that, Mr. Kristol?

http://www.denverpost.com/busi…

/ADVANCE/ DENVER, Aug. 26 PRNewswire-USNewswire — The following is a transcript of a speech, as prepared for delivery, by Chet Culver at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, August 26, 2008:

Scheduled for delivery: August 26, 2008 – 3:00-4:00 pm MT

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE ON DELIVERY

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin… )

The long journey to this historic convention began on a cold winter’s night in the great State of Iowa! So, I’m honored to join you, more than seven months and seven hundred miles from the site of that first contest, as we unite to make Barack Obama the next President of the United States.

This summer in Iowa, we saw the motivating power of hope and determination when our state was hit with one of the worst “natural disasters” in U.S. history. Despite three tornados and 500- year-flood levels, countless Americans rallied to help us. So, on behalf of every Iowan, I want to say thank you for assisting us in our time of need. We will get through this difficult challenge! We know the Iowa values of faith, hard work and common sense will guide us and strengthen us, as we rebuild an even better, safer and stronger state.

Today I stand proudly with Barack Obama and Joe Biden, no strangers to Iowa, who share our “heartland” values. When they are in the White House, our country will once again rise to meet the great challenges of our time.

And, at the top of that list of challenges is securing our energy future. For the last eight years, the big oil companies and their Washington lobbyists have literally written our national energy policies. They have made billions, while the rest of us are stuck paying the bill.

Now the oil companies are placing their bets on John McCain, bankrolling his campaign, and gambling with our future. McCain has voted against tax credits for renewable energy 11 times, and his only idea to solve our energy crisis is to keep doing what we’re doing, as we watch prices go up and up and up.

Barack Obama understands our need for change. Only Barack Obama has a detailed plan to give us the change we need: lower energy prices and more “green-collar jobs.” If anyone still doubts whether renewable energy can lower prices and create jobs, look no further than Iowa. We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in renewable energy, created more than 100,000 good-paying jobs and provided clean alternatives to overpriced, foreign oil.

Iowa is becoming the “renewable energy capital” of the United States, and other states, like Colorado, are doing the same. All around the country, entrepreneurs and innovators are joining state and local governments on exciting, cutting-edge projects. Just think how much we’ll do when we have a president who shares our vision.

Barack Obama’s clean energy plan will create 5 million new jobs. He will crack down on the special interests who intentionally “bid up” energy prices for their own profit. And he will set a national goal of producing 25 percent of our electricity from renewable sources by 2025.

In just more than two months, Americans will decide the most important election in a generation. Our choice is to stick with the status quo or to move our country forward. On energy, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

So, my fellow Democrats, let’s lock arms and work together. Let’s ensure that the journey that began in Iowa will continue on from Denver to Washington, D.C. Let’s put Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the White House and put our country on a path towards energy independence!

SOURCE 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee