John McCain formally nominated as Republican presidential candidate

St. Paul: Arizona senator, John McCain was formally nominated as the Republican presidential candidate on Wednesday at the Republican National Convention taking place in St. Paul, Minnesota.

By a roll call vote Wednesday, the Arizona senator clinched his party's nod. The late-night vote was conducted after vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin addressed the Convention.

McCain is scheduled to accept the nomination in a speech Thursday night.

He heads into a competitive fall campaign against Democratic nominee Barack Obama for the November 4 presidential election.

If elected, the 72-year-old McCain would be the oldest
first-term president.