Yesterday, Sen. Barack Obama claimed the Democratic presidential nomination following an impressive battle with Sen. Hillary Clinton.

A victory in the Montana Democratic primary, Sen. Obama captured the 2,118 delegates needed to secure the nomination at the party’s convention in August.  When the polls closed in Montana and South Dakota, the Obama campaign also snagged the endorsement of 26.5 superdelegates.

The Washington Post states the Obama nomination as, “an historic achievement that for the fist time will place an African American at the top of a major political party’s ticket.”

In his speech, Obama graciously thanks America for believing in change:

"You chose to listen not to your doubts or your fears, but to your greatest hopes and highest aspirations," Obama declared in his speech in St. Paul. "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. Because of you, tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for your president of the United States."