Obama passes baton of hope to Hillary

Urges people to back Democratic nominee; Kaine, Biden mock Republican rival

their feet, shouting slogans, waving signs. When Obama finished, Clinton, the nominee and his onetime secretary of state, emerged from the wings in a surprise appearance, and they hugged, and hugged for a long time.

Clinton continues to struggle with a high un-favourability rating of around 58%, a record she shares with Republican candidate Donald Trump, and has failed to shake off controversies dogging her campaign.

But Democrats expect addresses by the president, by First Lady Michelle Obama, who spoke on the first day of the convention, and by vice president Joe Biden and his wife Jill, who spoke on Wednesday, will help.

“He (Obama) bridged that gap today,” said Bob Jones, a delegate from Maryland, referring to the disconnect some in the party, and independents, have felt from their nominee.

Obama’s speech was to be the high point of the day, during which Clinton’s running mate Tim Kaine accepted the nomination and other speakers pitched for the nominee.

Vice-president Joe Biden was among them, speaking just before Kaine. And it became clear from his speech what he and Obama intended to do — speak a bit about Donald Trump.

Referring to a phrase Trump made famous in his reality TV show, The Apprentice, Biden asked, “How can there be pleasure in saying, ‘You’re fired’?

“He’s trying to say he cares about the middle class? Give me a break,” Biden said, following up with a word he has himself made famous. “That’s a bunch of malarkey.”