Their political fates now entwined, President Barack Obama will implore voters Wednesday to elect Hillary Clinton to the White House, appealing to the women, minorities and young people who powered his rise and are now crucial to hers.
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“I am more optimistic about the future of America than ever before”, Obama told cheering delegates at the Wells Fargo Center. “Hillary Clinton understands this is not reality television, this is reality!”
“You know, nothing truly prepares you for the demands of the Oval Office”. “But Hillary’s been in the room”.
“Even in the middle of crisis”, he added, “she listens to people, and keeps her cool, and treats everybody with respect. And no matter how daunting the odds; no matter how much people try to knock her down, she never, ever quits”, he said. She gave Obama a bear hug, held his hand and waved.
Obama’s address Wednesday night at the Democratic convention is a moment steeped in symbolism, the passing of the baton from a barrier-breaking president to a candidate trying to make history herself.
“Change is never easy, never quick”, Obama conceded.
But, he went on, “Whatever our differences may be, I have come here to say we must put them aside for the good of our country”.
“Four more years!” someone yelled from the rafters of the arena, which was rocking.
He would not have endorsed Clinton if he did not know she must be our next president.
She used her prime-time speech to blast Trump as someone whose message is based on generating fear and division, using a reference to Ronald Reagan to drive home the point.
“It’s fair to say this is not your typical election”.
“Everybody knows she is smart”, Biden said. And we can’t afford to make that choice. By contrast, many prominent Republicans were absent from the party convention that nominated Trump for the White House last week.
“We’ve been consumed with crisis after crisis after crisis”, he said. I know how they felt.
When he first mentioned Donald Trump’s name, the crowd booed. He said, “The Donald is not really a plans guy, he’s not really a facts guy either”.
At times, Obama’s speech felt as a farewell to his presidency. Wednesday night’s Democratic lineup was aimed at emphasizing Clinton’s own national security credentials. But come January, I want to say these two words: “Madam President”, Giffords said.
“Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing”. I am very concerned about many other Sanders supporters who are insisting they are not going to vote for Clinton. “We say: ‘We’ll fix it together”‘. “Never has a party been so disconnected from what is happening in our world”, he said.
Democrats are getting a reminder of the loneliness of being president.
Those voters largely supported Sanders, drawn to his call for a political revolution, and some have staged acts of protest during the convention.
Kaine also picked up the traditional attacking role of the presidential ticket’s No. 2. “And I promise you, our strength, our greatness, does not depend on Donald Trump”.
‘And that’s another bet that Donald Trump will lose. Kaine said before imitating Trump’s signature tenor.
Bloomberg urged others to join him in supporting Clinton “not out of party loyalty, but out of love for country”.
I believe it’s the duty of all American citizens to make our voices heard by voting in this election. He tore into Trump, mocking his pledges to build a wall along the Mexican border, asking why he has not released his tax returns and slamming his business record, including the now-defunct Trump University.
Noting that his son, Nat, deployed with the US Marines this week, Kaine quickly slammed Trump for raising the possibility that his administration wouldn’t always defend North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies. He just pocketed their money and walked away.
Vice President Joe Biden will deliver his valedictory, and Clinton’s running mate, Virginia Sen.
I’m a New Yorker, and New Yorkers know a con when we see one!
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“There’s only one person in this election who will help you, there’s only one person in this race who will be there for you”, he declared. “His cynicism is unbounded”. “A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons”.
