Barack Obama, the nation’s first black president, spoke at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday evening, the day after Hillary Clinton made history of her own, becoming America’s first woman major-party nominee.
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It was a sweet mercy that Democrats broke with tradition and kept the Virginia senator out of the closing spot on Wednesday night’s speaking list. He argued strongly in favor of Clinton, a former political rival who he defeated for the presidential nomination in 2008.
He warned that the billionaire businessman is unprepared for the challenges that would await him in the Oval Office.
At that point, Ms Clinton joined him on the stage, to huge cheers, where they smiled and hugged and waved. Then they waved to the thousands of enthusiastic delegates.
Obama was gracious about this victory – and rightly so, given he could’ve easily been the successor chosen to consolidate President Clinton’s considerable achievements had 2008 gone differently. “Even in the middle of crisis, she listens to people, and keeps her cool, and treats everybody with respect”. “She’s never forgotten just who she’s fighting for”.
The same can’t be said today; Obama and his fellow speakers had to walk precisely that line Wednesday night, and they did it deftly.
Tonight, I ask you to do for Hillary Clinton what you did for me.
After referencing his first address at a Democratic convention in Boston 12 years ago, Obama said, “While this nation has been tested by war and it’s been tested by recession and all manner of challenges, I stand before you again tonight after nearly two terms as your president to tell you I am more optimistic about the future of America than ever before”.
It was unprecedented, shocking, and put Republicans in a hard spot, as they desperately grapple to regain the White House, with the bombastic, unpredictable businessman at the top of the party’s ticket.
Mr Obama completed his speech with thanks to the American people for raising him up during the darkest nights, and he mentioned many of those who had sustained him over the course of two terms, as he pushed for change but sometimes found himself coming up short.
Instead, the Democrats attempted to recast the nation as hopeful and prospering, even as its citizens struggle with everyday life. “Not a clue”, Biden said, prompting the crowd to erupt in chants of “Not a clue”. “Donald Trump, who wants to be president of the United States, is asking one of our adversaries to engage in hacking or intelligence efforts against the United States of America to affect an election”, Panetta said. “That’s how democracy works”.
“So here’s the question”, Kaine said.
Delegates at the convention formally nominated Kaine as the party’s vice presidential candidate by voice vote on Wednesday. Offering a side-by-side comparison of the two candidates to illuminate the stark contrast between them, Obama detailed Donald Trump’s qualifications for the presidency.
Obama will also praise Clinton for having the experience and tenacity needed to be president.
He said: “I like his ability to reach people”.
He criticized Trump, at whose convention he said: “There were no serious solutions of pressing problems”.
In addition, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged the country to unite around Clinton.
“I was so young that first time in Boston”, Obama said.
In 2004, he was the obscure Senate candidate from IL whose words catapulted him to the center of American political consciousness.
All of Wednesday’s events at the Democrats’ national convention were aimed at contrasting the 68-year-old Clinton’s foreign policy skills with Trump’s “unsteady, unfit and risky approach”, Clinton campaign chair John Podesta said earlier.
“Our power doesn’t come from some self-declared savior promising that he alone can restore order as long as we do things his way”, Obama said.
Trump was referring to a private e-mail system Clinton kept while secretary of state from 2009-2013. “The sky will open, the light will come down, celestial choirs will be singing, and everyone will know we should do the right thing, and the world will be ideal”, she said, and added: “Maybe I’ve just lived a little long, but I have no illusions about how hard this is going to be”. “The America I know is decent and generous”.
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“We’ll be looking at that”, Trump said at a press conference. “We get frustrated with political gridlock, worry about racial divisions, are shocked and saddened by the madness of Orlando or Nice”.
