WASHINGTON, Nov 5: Standing before a crowd of more than 125,000 people who had waited for hours at Chicago’s Grant Park, President-elect Barack Obama personified the fruition of late civil rights leader Dr Martin Luther King’s dream .

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer,” Mr Obama said.

“The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you: We as a people will get there.” After the speech he was joined on stage by vice president-elect Joseph Biden and their families. Speaking about the enormity of task ahead Mr Obama said: “We know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime — two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.” “Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.”

“ But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it’s been done in America for 221 years — block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.”

About the challenges ahead for his administration, Mr Obama said: “There’s new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.”

“The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there”, he asserted.