The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware • Page 1

OLD RIVAL FOR HENS SPORTS Readers share their stories of Biden encounters LIFE ii ii. it I mit oriel www.delawareonline.com 750 FINAL EDITION FRIDAY Aug. 29, 2008 democratic National convention COMPLETE COVERAGE AT DEUWAREONLJNLCOM DENVER niiiii'f1 ft 1 LMJ vyj iviAiu uzzj OBAMA RALLIES 84,000 AS FIRST BLACK MAJOR-PARTY NOMINEE ft Vv APRON EDMONDS Sen. Barack Obama tells the Democratic National Convention at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver that "its time for Republicans to face their own failure. It's time for us to change America." if Americans can do 'better than these last eight years' 1 Lobbying, financial dealings in Biden family face scrutiny By JEFF MONTGOMERY The News Journal When Sen.

Joe Biden's son Hunter needed investors to help buy a New York-based hedge fund. LA King Jr. delivered his "I have a dream" speech to civil rights activists gathered at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The men and women who gathered there could've heard many things. They could've heard words of anger and discord.

They could've been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred," Obama said. "But what the people heard instead, people of every creed and color, from every walk of life, is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one." The nation is again "at one of those defining moments," Obama said. "A moment when our nation is at war, our economy is See OBAMA A6 Staff and wire reports DENVER Sen. Barack Obama urged Americans to reverse the legacy of inertia and despair created by the Bush administration as he accepted the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday before 84,000 at Invesco Field and tens of millions more watching on television.

Describing a nation at a pivotal point in time, Obama delivered one of the most anticipated speeches of his generation. The first black man or woman to accept a major party's presidential nod did so on the anniversary of another defining moment in American history. Forty -five years earlier, Martin Luther mmmfi 1, n.v i' si the first financier to step forward was a Chicago lobbying firm and one of the senator's top campaign contributors. After the first attempt to buy the fund soured, one of Joe Biden's top advisers, who co-owns a lobbying and communications firm, jumped in to provide public relations help, and was later identified in court papers as a new investor. Both deals came to light only after one of the parties who describes himself as a longtime acquaintance of the Bidens -filed a fraud lawsuit against Hunter and James Biden, the senator's younger brother and a partner in the hedge fund.

APCMRIS CARLSON Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Joe Biden says, "We're here for the millions of Americans who have been knocked down." Biden and his uncle are accused of hedge fund fraud DELAWAREONLINLCCM More on the Web: See and hear excerpts of Barack Obama giving his history-making acceptance speech Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention. MCCAIN'S CHOICE? Tim Pawlenty (left) cancels appearances, media interviews. A12 CONVENTION MINNER'S BEAU'S A HIT CORE CALLS PARTY SURPRISE IN DENVER FOR CHANCE Group of friends Barack Obama's Speech fuels talk Former vice pres- gathers in Bear sister visits gov- of attorney gen- ident Electing to watch history ernor, Delaware eral filling dad's McCain would be unfold. A6 delegates.

A6 Senate seat A7 like recycling. A9 The case, still working its way through New York's courts, illustrates an often-mentioned vulnerability of Joe Biden after 36 years in the Senate; See BIDEN A7 Strap yourself in for some heavy holiday traffic in Del. With lane of Bay Bridge closed, beach-goers urged to use 1-95, then Del. 1 PA. win 40 ft-UI I I i del: that beach traffic from Baltimore take Interstate 95 north to Del.

1 to avoid the construction delays -meaning extra slow going for the already-busy beach routes. "Given that 1-95 on the weekends, or pretty much any day of the week, is jam-packed, this won't make it any easier," said Darrel Cole, Delaware Department of Transportation spokesman. "There's going to be a lot of traffic on the roads, and not only Delaware, but Maryland and Pennsylvania and See HOLIDAY A15 By SUMMER HARLOW The News Journal Labor Day beach traffic could be far worse than normal this year -Maryland and Washington, D.C, beach-goers are being urged to detour through Delaware to avoid a holiday-weekend lane closure on the Bay Bridge. One lane of the eastbound span of the bridge which carried 350.000 vehicles last Labor Day will be closed through Saturday so crews can repair corroded bolts in the con- EXPECT DELAYS Last year, 412,406 vehicles traveled through the 1-95 Newark toll plaza during the four-day Labor Day weekend. At the Biddle's Corner toll plaza on Del.

249,808 vehicles -about 100,000 fewer than the Bay Bridge carried during the same period came through. crete barrier that were discovered alter a fatal crash Aug. 10. Maryland Transportation Authority officials are recommending V. Repairs being, made 4 I ii i i iif Bridge SMUU advertise end-of-summer sales hoping Shops in Rehoboth Beach as Labor Day weekend gets under way.

for a large tourist turnout The News Journal J. Uk News Journal Ca A Gannett newspaper 130th year, No. 103 INDEX B6 DearAbby E4 Movies 55hours Scoreboard TODAY'S FORECAST lii? HIGH LOW Business C5 nfdener 35 Check out The News Journal's new gardening Web site CI Qassified Dl Editorial A20 Obituaries B4 Sports Comics A4 Stock market B8 E5 Letters A20 People Details on A4 oi4ooisroo5 Crossword E4 Lotteries B3 Police report B3 TV listings E2 ricn 2008 Hcndf TO RCC0H0 ciyic ca-u S2000 ODYSSEY EIOOEE ELEMENT PILOT avceSSs This offer has never been made to tte general public. Sate, Ends Sept. 2 martinhondAc".