Gerard Baker: comment | Across the Pond: blog | Democrat Convention: pictures | Andrew Sullivan: analysis

Barack Obama will tonight stride out in front of a exultant 75,000-strong crowd in Denver – and millions of television viewers – knowing that he finally has the stage to himself.

A week which began in a crowded convention centre with Democrats tripping over the clutter and carnage from the battle for the nomination, has proceeded through a cathartic show of unity towards this culmination in the open air of the mile high Invesco Field stadium.

But the path has been uphill and largely cleared for him by the Clintons who at first reluctantly, then generously, have handed him the leadership of a party they have dominated for 16 years. In doing so, they have restored some of their own lustre while excusing themselves from any blame should Mr Obama trip over himself on the road to the White House.

Indeed, Mr Obama's acceptance speech in a stadium 5,280 feet above sea level is already causing high anxiety among campaign aides.

When he made the decision to switch the venue from the Pepsi Centre, where the first three days of the convention were held, to Invesco Field, home of the Denver Broncos, Mr Obama had not yet suffered the relentless and mocking attempts by John McCain to paint him as a feckless celebrity with a Messiah complex.

The white columns of his stage set tonight, reminiscent of a Classical temple, have already been scorned by opponents as an example of the same hubris that caused the downfall of many an Ancient Greek hero.

Confetti and fireworks will be shot into the air at the end of Mr Obama’s speech and, while his aides have sought to play down the “rock star theme”, Stevie Wonder and the Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson have been asked to warm up the crowd.

In the hours before his arrival at the stadium, campaign workers are making last-minute changes, testing camera angles and the surrounding seating to make Mr Obama's appear less like a lofty figure preaching to the masses. The intention is to project him in an intimate setting as he delivers a speech focusing on bread and butter economic issues.

Mr Obama's address falls on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech, adding further historical charge to the nomination of a candidate seeking to become America's first black president.

But, anxious to make the huge event appear for the benefit of his crowd, and not himself, Mr Obama made a surprise appearance at the convention on Wednesday night, saying: “We’re going to be moving to Mile High Stadium tomorrow, and I want to let you know why. We want to open up this convention to make sure that everybody that wants to come can join in the party and join in the effort to take America back.”

Mr Obama's aides have taken comfort from the apparent difficultly Mr McCain has had in filling a 10,000 seat basketball stadium in Ohio where he will announce his choice of running mate tomorrow. It was evidence, say Democratic strategists, of an "enthusiasm gap" between the two candidates' support.

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