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Obama passes torch to Clinton, warns election a test of democracy

Clinton Cash exposes the sky-high speaking fees paid to Bill and Hillary Clinton as well as the billions in donations the Clinton Foundation raked in from foreign donors and shows how this incredible amount of money rolled in just as Hillary Clinton handed out favors when she was Obama’s Secretary of State. “I’m a New Yorker and I know a con when I see one”.

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Obama took aim at Trump’s campaign slogan and promise to “Make America Great Again”. “And I promise you, our strength, our greatness, does not depend on Donald Trump”, he said. “You fell for my brilliant wife and partner Michelle, who’s made me a better father and a better man; who’s gone on to inspire our nation as First Lady; and who somehow hasn’t aged a day”, Obama said.

American flags waved in the stands of the packed convention hall and the crowd broke into chants of “U-S-A!” drowning out scattered calls of “No more war”.

He endorsed 68-year-old Clinton, who had served as the secretary of state under his presidency, for having a first- hand knowledge of the challenges that come with the job and contrasted it with the lack of experience of the Republican nominee – a non-politician.

Former Reagan administration official Doug Elmets announced he was casting his first vote for a Democrat in November, and urged other Republicans who “believe loyalty to our country is more important than loyalty to party” to do the same.

Trump’s “cynicism and undoubtedly his lack of empathy and compassion can be summed up in that phrase he is most proud of making famous: ‘You’re fired'”. “Think about that. Think about everything you learned as a child no matter where you were raised. That’s a bunch of malarkey!”

Mrs Clinton’s vice-presidential running mate Tim Kaine made a folksy appeal to more centrist voters, deriding a “slick-talking, empty-promising, self-promoting one-man wrecking crew!”

Now in the twilight of his second term, Mr Obama faces ever-dwindling opportunities to address the nation, mold his legacy and influence the 2016 race.

But on Wednesday, he had a prime-time chance, appearing before thousands of delegates and tens of millions of viewers at home.

After a quarter-century just behind the men in charge, Clinton on Thursday gets her turn alone with the American public for what is likely the most important speech of her career.

Even as a pessimistic attitude pervades the presidential campaign, Obama attempted to harness the optimism that propelled him into office eight years ago.

Trump earlier Thursday said “a lot of lies are being told” about him in the speeches at the Democratic National Convention this week.

Obama listed what he described as a series of advances during his two terms in office, such as recovery from economic recession, the Obamacare health care reform and the 2011 killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

He also acknowledged that many Democrats remain wary of their party’s nominee.

Clinton’s four-day convention began with efforts to shore up liberals who backed Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary and it ended with an outstretched hand to Republicans and independents unnerved by Trump.

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“Thank you for this incredible journey”, he said before his long exit from the stage.

President Barack Obama speaks at the Democratic National Convention