The Times issued a formal apology to its online readers Wednesday afternoon and print readers Thursday.
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But when the president finally got around to saying he would pass the baton to Hillary Clinton-and got a long hug from his would-be successor-he created a photo-op moment that rocked the Democrats here in Philadelphia. “We apologize for missing the mark”.
“With a feathery touch but clear political intent, Hillary Rodham Clinton responded today to the critics of her four-year stint as First Lady by drawing on the imagery of strong women from an earlier era who battled withering criticism in their day”.
The Democrats’ historic handoff to Hillary Clinton has arrived with affection from one ex-president and an endorsement from an outgoing one.
Obama also slammed Trump’s vision for America, as set out in his speech at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland the previous week. Obama may be popular as a man, and still a great speaker, but his presidency has left America more polarised than ever, more receptive than ever to a Donald Trump-type demagogue. And she has the judgment, the experience, and the temperament to meet the threat from terrorism.
“There are pockets of America that never recovered from factory closures, men who took pride in hard work and providing for their families who now feel forgotten”, Obama said.
The base-boosting strategy has some Democrats anxious Clinton is ceding too much ground to her opponent.
Given her historically low levels of support from white men, the former secretary of State is counting on a huge gender advantage with women, including with younger females and some moderate Republicans.
Ms. Clinton has fought and clawed and climbed her way to becoming the first woman ever to become the presidential nominee of a major political party in this country.
Before Clinton’s closing address, another star-studded lineup of celebrities and Democratic Party heavyweights spoke, including New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.
“America’s never been about what one person says he’ll do for us – it’s about what can be achieved by us together”, he said.
The White House has released two excerpts from President Obama’s speech.
But Sanders, meeting with New England delegates, said, “As of yesterday, I guess, officially our campaign ended”.
“I get it that some people just don’t know what to make of me so let me tell you”, she said.
Seeking to offset possible weariness with a politician who has been in the spotlight for decades, he said of Clinton: “She’s been there for us, even if we haven’t always noticed”.
Clinton delivers her acceptance speech to Democratic National Convention delegates Thursday night.
Even though DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Clinton ally, resigned on Sunday, angry Sanders supporters throughout the week disrupted the convention and undermined efforts by Mrs Clinton and Mr Sanders to present a united front.
Taking aim at Trump’s campaign promise to “Make America Great Again”, Obama said: “America is already great”. So I was pleasantly surprised to see him take a traditional spousal role, talking about their courtship and family life and charging that Republicans have unfairly caricatured his wife.
“You may remember we were rivals… she was tough, she was doing everything I was doing but just like Ginger Rogers, it was backwards and in heels”, he said at the Democratic national convention, at which he was joined by Clinton herself.
Clinton’s campaign hopes Sanders’ supporters refrain from protesting her running mate Kaine when he takes the stage Wednesday night.
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The convention closes Thursday night with an address from Clinton.
