President Obama says, “America is already great. America is already strong.”
Democratic candidate joins president on stage in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA — His own legacy on the line, President Barack Obama implored Americans to elect Hillary Clinton to the White House, casting her as a candidate who believes in the optimism that powers the nation’s democracy and warning against the “deeply pessimistic vision” of Republican Donald Trump.
“America is already great. America is already strong,” he declared to cheering delegates Wednesday night at the Democratic convention. “And I promise you, our strength, our greatness, does not depend on Donald Trump.”
The president described Clinton as “fit” and “ready to be the next commander in chief,” saying she is more prepared than any predecessor to occupy the Oval Office.
“There has never been a man or a woman, not me, not Bill, nobody, more qualified than Hillary Clinton to serve as president of the United States of America,” Obama said as former President Bill Clinton looked on from his box.
For Democrats, the night was steeped in symbolism, the passing of the baton from a barrierbreaking president to a candidate trying to make history herself. It culminated with Clinton making a surprise appearance on stage to greet Obama with a long embrace, an almost unimaginable image eight years ago when they battled for the Democratic nomination.
Obama urged Americans to summon the hopefulness of that White House campaign, before recession deepened and new terror threats shook voters’ sense of security. He robustly vouched for Clinton’s readiness to finish the job he started, saying “no matter how daunting the odds, no matter how much people try to knock her down, she never, ever quits.”
Earlier Wednesday, Clinton’s running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, introduced himself to the nation as a formidable foil to Trump in his own right. With folksy charm, he ridiculed Trump’s list of promises and imitated one of the GOP candidate’s favorite phrases.
“Believe me!” he said mockingly, as the audience boomed back, “No!”
Obama’s vigorous support for Clinton is driven in part by deep concern that Republican Trump might win in November and unravel his two terms in office. He warned repeatedly Wednesday that the billionaire businessman is unprepared for the challenges that would await him in the Oval Office.
Three prominent California Democrats who spoke at the convention Wednesday joined the attack against Donald Trump. “Trump says global warming is a hoax,” Gov. Jerry Brown declared. “I say Trump is a fraud.”
Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom accused Trump of replacing “the sunny optimism of Ronald Reagan” with “cynical bigotry.”
Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s broadside against Trump didn’t go over well with Bernie Sanders supporters, many of whom chanted “No more wars” as he talked about Clinton’s determination to eliminate Islamic State. But the chants died down when Panetta said that Trump’s foreign policy experience comes “from watching TV and running the Miss Universe Pageant.”
“If only it were funny,” Panetta added. “It is deadly serious.”
Wednesday night’s Democratic lineup was aimed at emphasizing Clinton’s own national security credentials. It was a significant shift in tone after two nights spent reintroducing Clinton to voters as a champion for children and families, and relishing in her historic nomination as the first woman to lead a major political party into the general election.
The convention’s third night was also a time for Democrats to celebrate Obama’s legacy. Vice President Joe Biden, who decided against running for president this year after the death of his son, called it a “bittersweet moment.”
A son of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Biden appealed directly to the working class white voters who have been drawn to Trump’s populism, warning them against falling for false promises and exploitation of Americans’ anxieties.
“This guy doesn’t have a clue about the middle class,” he declared.
Though Obama has six months left in office, his address Wednesday had the feeling of a political transition. He was emotional as he thanked Americans for sustaining him through difficult stretches.