Sept. 6, 2012

Last night, former U.S. President Bill Clinton nominated President Barack Obama as the Democratic Party’s candidate for president of the United States at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. The nomination came after a rousing speech in which the former president made an impassioned plea on behalf of Obama and his unique vision for the restoration of the American middle class.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton (courtesy of the Democratic National Committee)

Clinton delivered a point-by-point rebuttal of the arguments made against the president’s record by Republicans who convened last week in Tampa–from the Great Recession and auto bailout to health care and immigration reform. “President Obama started with a much weaker economy than I did,” stated Mr. Clinton. “No president, not me, not any of my predecessors, could have repaired all of the damage he found in just four years. . . . Is the president satisfied? Of course not, but are we better off than we were when he took office?” asked the former president. “The answer is yes.”

U.S. President Barack Obama (courtesy of The White House)

Clinton then saluted Obama’s efforts to facilitate bipartisan political cooperation, noting that he had appointed Republicans to Cabinet positions and former political rivals Joseph R. Biden, Jr., as vice president and Clinton’s own wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, as secretary of state.

The first night of the convention on September 4 was dominated by First Lady Michelle Obama, who honored her husband as well as flag and country, reiterating her unstinting support for America’s military families. Mrs. Obama then told the story of her working-class parents’ struggle to provide her and her brother with educations and discussed President Obama’s childhood struggles as the son of a single white mother.

Additional World Book articles:

• The Big Three Roll Again (a special report)
• Economic Crisis: The Banking Meltdown (a special report)
• Economic Crisis: The Government Jumps In (a special report)
• Economic Crisis – Then and Now (a special report)
• Health Care Reform – What’s in It for You? (a special report)