In electrifying DNC speech, Obama rallies the party to elect Hillary Clinton

President Obama gave the strongest endorsement possible of Hillary Clinton during the Democratic National Convention, telling the cheering delegates that he could state "with confidence" 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."

"Nothing truly prepares you for the demands of the Oval Office," Obama said. "But Hillary's been in the room. She's been part of the decision, she knows what's at stake in decisions." He recalled the tough fight Clinton put up during the 2008 election, and said she was doing "everything I was doing, but just like Ginger Rogers, it was backwards in heels." When she served as his secretary of state, Obama was able to have a "front row seat to her intelligence, her judgment, her discipline."

After going through some of the highlights of his presidency ("delivering justice to Osama bin Laden," ensuring that "health care is not a privilege for a few, it is a right for everybody") Obama rejected Donald Trump's fear mongering. "He's not really a plans guy, not really a facts guys, either," he said. "He calls himself a business guy; I know plenty of business men and women who achieved remarkable success without leaving a trail of lawsuits and unpaid workers and people who feel like they've been cheated. Does anyone really believe that a guy who spent his 70 years on this earth showing no regard for working people is suddenly going to become your champion? Your voice?" Trump is suggesting that "America is weak," but "America is already great," Obama said. "America is already strong. I promise you, our strength, our greatness, does not depend on Donald Trump."

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The United States he knows is "full of courage and optimism," the president said, and he reminded people that "democracy isn't a spectator sport" and they must "get in the arena." Obama teared up at the end of his speech, and confessed that the "American people" have kept him going. "I see Americans of every party, every background, every faith, who believe that we are stronger together," he said, before calling on everyone to "reject cynicism and reject fear, to show the world we still believe in the promise of this great nation."