DNC Crowd Loves Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton wrap, a few hours late...

After all the media speculation about how badly the bitter primary campaign damaged Bill Clinton's legacy, his reception from the crowd tonight showed no signs of residual tension.

Clinton acknowledged the hard-fought primary right off the bat:

What a year we Democrats have had. The primary began with an all-star lineup and came down to two remarkable Americans locked in a hard-fought contest to the very end. The campaign generated so much heat it increased global warming.

In the end, my candidate didn't win. But I'm very proud of the campaign she ran: She never quit on the people she stood up for, on the changes she pushed for, on the future she wants for all our children. And I'm grateful for the chance Chelsea and I had to tell Americans about the person we know and love.

But he quickly added this:

Hillary told us in no uncertain terms that she'll do everything she can to elect Barack Obama.

That makes two of us. Actually that makes 18 million of us - because, like Hillary, I want all of you who supported her to vote for Barack Obama in November.

Clinton applauded Obama's choice of Joe Biden as his running-mate, saying "I love Joe Biden" and telling the delegates that Obama "hit it out of the park" with his choice. Clinton said that the combination ensured Obama's readiness, in a clear response to the McCain campaign's attack line that Obama is "not ready to lead" -- as well as his wife's contention during the primary that she would be "ready on day one" for the Presidency and Obama would not:

With Joe Biden's experience and wisdom, supporting Barack Obama's proven understanding, insight, and good instincts, America will have the national security leadership we need.

Barack Obama is ready to lead America and restore American leadership in the world. Ready to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. Barack Obama is ready to be President of the United States.

Clinton gave the crowd lots of red meat, ripping into McCain and the Republicans with a heavy focus on the economic issues that propelled Clinton himself to the Presidency in 1992 under the James Carville slogan "it's the economy, stupid."

Now, in spite of all the evidence, their candidate is promising more of the same: More tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans that will swell the deficit, increase inequality, and weaken the economy. More Band-Aids for health care that will enrich insurance companies, impoverish families and increase the number of uninsured. More going it alone in the world, instead of building the shared responsibilities and shared opportunities necessary to advance our security and restore our influence.

He closed with a final push for party unity, drawing a link between Obama's hopeful message and his own first Presidential campaign, when his campaign branded him "The Man from Hope."

Barack Obama will lead us away from division and fear of the last eight years back to unity and hope. If, like me, you still believe America must always be a place called Hope, then join Hillary, Chelsea and me in making Sen. Barack Obama the next president of the United States.

Clinton is famous for his ability to make a crowd fall in love with him, and he lived up to that rep tonight. The audience was eating out of his hand. Party elder statesman mantle: retaken.

-- Evie Stone

12:58 AM ET | 08-28-2008 | permalink

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