Democratic National Convention day 3: Barack Obama implores America to chose Hillary Clinton and 'hope' over Donald Trump and 'fear'

This is Hillary Clinton's convention, but to win the White House she needs to be daubed in the magic of Barack Obama. That much was clear tonight, Ruth Sherlock writes. 

He is different from other politicians; inspiring and, even eight years on, insistent in the audacity of hope.

Through soaring oratory, Mr Obama has, again and again, appealed to his supporters' best instincts, and in so doing has instilled in them a feeling of dignity and pride. 

The crowd was jubilant as he appeared on stage. "Best president ever!"  "We love you!" 

And when the address - one of an ever decreasing number that he will make before stepping down - came to an end, there was fear. They were like children being left by their parent at school for the first time. "Never leave!" someone cried out. 

Though Mrs Clinton has been in electoral politics for longer than he, never has she generated such passion for her leadership.

On stage, she can come seem false and scripted, her voice a little rasping. Even her campaign staff look coy when asked, and then, in her defence, say she is a whole other human being in private. 

That may well be the case, but it will not win her the 2016 election. 

For that, she needs Barack Obama. Where the former first lady is mistrusted by many within her party, he is their anchor and their guide. 

And tonight Americans were told one thing: if you don't want to vote for Hillary, for Hillary, then do it for Obama. Mr Obama knows Mrs Clinton is the only chance he has at ensuring the survival of the change he started to make. 

Speaking tonight he whipped the crowd into a frenzy of love for him and his policies and then tried to transpose that warmth to Mrs Clinton. She even appeared on stage in the final moments of the night - a break with convention, but one that allowed her to be physically anointed in the popularity of Barack Obama. How long she will be able to wear the mantle of support remains to be seen. 

Both Joe Biden and Barack Obama hit on what has become a key plank of the Democratic platform for 2016: America is already great.

Here's Mr Trump's response:

Barack Obama asked the American people to "do for Hillary Clinton what you did for me", painting a portrait of the America he believes in and making a compelling case for why Mrs Clinton represents it better, and is more fit to lead it, than Donald Trump.

"We are not a fragile or frightful people. Our power doesn’t come from some self-declared saviour promising that he alone can restore order," he said. "We don’t look to be ruled."

Contending that Mr Trump was praying on fear and had shown "no regard" for the welfare of ordinary American, the president said Mrs Clinton had been "in the arena" fighting to make the country a better place.

“There has never been a man or a woman, not me, not Bill, nobody more qualified than Hillary Clinton to serve as president,” he said.

As with other major addresses Mr Obama has offered, this speech was filled with references to the values he said defined America.

"We don’t fear the future. We shape it, embrace it, as one people, stronger together than we are on our own," he said. "That’s what Hillary Clinton understands – this fighter, this stateswoman, this mother and grandmother, this public servant, this patriot – that’s the America she’s fighting for."

It was also something of a valedictory address- one of the biggest platforms Mr Obama will stand on before his presidency comes to a close in January. My time in this office hasn’t fixed everything," he conceded, "as much as we’ve done, there’s still so much I want to do. But for all the tough lessons I’ve had to learn; for all the places I’ve fallen short; I’ve told Hillary, and I’ll tell you what’s picked me back up, every single time: It’s been you. The American people."

After Barack Obama reached deep into his bag of rhetorical tricks and, at times, his emotions on her behalf, Hillary Clinton took the stage for a hug and a wave to the adoring crowd.

Mr Obama on Mrs Clinton's former rival:

"We all need to be as vocal and as organised and as persistent as Bernie Sanders' supporters have been."

"If you’re serious about our democracy, you can’t afford to stay home just because she might not align with you on every issue."

Here's what Mr Obama has to say about his former secretary of state:

"Even in the midst of crisis, she listens to people and she keeps her cool and she listens to everybody with respect... no matter how much people try to knock her down, she never ever quits. That is the Hillary I know."

"There has never been a man or a woman - not me, not Bill, not anybody - more qualified to serve as president of the United States".

"Hillary Clinton is respected around the world. Not just by leaders, but by the people they serve. People outside of the United States do not understand what's going on in this election. They really don't. Because they know Hillary, they've seen her work."

“The America I know is full of courage, and optimism, and ingenuity.  The America I know is decent and generous.  Sure, we have real anxieties – about paying the bills, protecting our kids, caring for a sick parent.  We get frustrated with political gridlock, worry about racial divisions; are shocked and saddened by the madness of Orlando or Nice.  There are pockets of America that never recovered from factory closures; men who took pride in hard work and providing for their families who now feel forgotten.  Parents who wonder whether their kids will have the same opportunities we have.   

“All that is real; we’re challenged to do better; to be better.  But as I’ve travelled this country, through all 50 states; as I’ve rejoiced with you and mourned with you, what I’ve also seen, more than anything, is what is right with America.  I see people working hard and starting businesses; people teaching kids and serving our country.  I see a younger generation full of energy and new ideas, unconstrained by what is, and ready to seize what ought to be.”

Barack Obama turned back the clock to 2004, when he addressed the Democratic National Convention for the first time.

"Twelve years ago tonight, I addressed this convention for the very first time. You met my two little girls, Malia and Sasha, now two amazing young women who just fill me with pride. You met my brilliant wife and partner Michelle, who has made me a better partner and a better man, who has gone on to inspire our nation as first lady, and who somehow hasn't aged a day. I know, the same cannot be said for me," he said.

Mr Obama said he arrived at that convention full of hope, but had only grown more hopeful since then.

"How could I not be after all that we've achieved together?" he asked.

He then went on to list his signature achievements - passing Obamacare, saving the auto industry and turning the economy around.

Now, he is making the case that America must move forward, rather than turn back.

Barack Obama is about to take the stage. We know he can give a great speech under normal circumstances.

This time around, after the rave reviews his wife's speech won on Monday night, he has some added motivation.

Tim Kaine, Mrs Clinton's relatively unknown running mate, attempted to introduce himself to the American people on Wednesday night with his convention address.

He was up against it from the start, however, following shortly after Joe Biden's powerhouse address and the polished arguments of Michael Bloomberg.

The Virginia senator delivered a mini biography detailing his upbringing in Kansas City and how he built a family with his wife, Anne.

"I never expected to be here," he says after "humbly" accepting the nomination. "But let me tell you how it happened..." he went on, detailing his potted family history.

He did, however, flex his fluent Spanish skills, which got big cheers in the hall.

Mr Kaine directly appealed to disillusioned Republicans who may be tempted to cross the floor. "If you are looking for the party of Lincoln, we've got a home for you right here in the Democratic family," he said.

He also attempted to reach out to Bernie Sanders supporters. "We all should feel the Bern and we all should not want to get burned by the other guy," he said.

Mr Kaine warmed up later in the speech and showed some spark when he moved on to attack - and impersonate - Mr Trump, who he says follows every promise with the two words "bulieve me". "There's nothing suspicious in my tax returns. Bulieve me," he joked, in Trump's voice. 

"Folks, you cannot believe one word that comes out of Donald Trump's mouth," he says, triggering a slightly awkward chant of "not one word! not one word!" from the crowd.

"Hillary Clinton is lista (ready)," he says in his closing words - again stressing his appeal to Spanish speaking voters.

Tim Kaine, the mild-mannered Virginia senator, is taking the stage for the biggest speech of his career.

He may face some opposition from supporters of Bernie Sanders, who pushed for a more left-wing nominee.

He'll now have an opportunity to convince them, and the 30 million people watching around the country, that Hillary Clinton made the right choice in selecting him as her running mate.

Ruth Sherlock tries to explain the magic of "Uncle Joe":

You can see tonight why Joe Biden is such a popular politician. The vice president has an unparalleled talent for stripping away political rhetoric and creating an intimacy with the audience.

Seemingly oblivious that he is standing on a podium being watched by tens of millions of pairs of eyes worldwide, his cadence and tone is as if he were talking to a close friend in his living room. He speaks quietly at times, passionately at others. He is conversational. He calmly asks his audience "not to cheer or boo" for a moment, so they could focus on the substance of his words. 

He is known in American politics as "Uncle Joe". Mention the vice president to a politician or a normal person on the street and their expression softens.  Most of these people have never met Mr Biden. They know just as little about how he is behind closed doors as they than they do most other senior officials. But somehow, they react as if they were being reminded of an old friend.

The former mayor of New York and billionaire businessman thanks the crowd for welcoming an "outsider" to deliver "an unconventional convention speech".

He states it is "imperative that Mrs Clinton is elected over Mr Trump".

Mr Bloomberg, who flirted with a presidential run himself in the spring, followed up Joe Biden's attack on Mr Trump with an eloquent essay of his own on why it would be dangerous for America to elect the Republican candidate.

He says Democrats, Republicans and independents - America - must come together to block this "dangerous demagogue".

In a slight to Mr Trump he said he too has become a billionaire businessman: "And I didn't do it with a million-dollar cheque from my father."

"I'm a New Yorker and I know a con when I see one," he adds. "The richest thing about Donald Trump is his hypocrisy."

"The bottom line is Donald Trump is a risky, reckless and radical choice and we can't afford to make that choice."

He finishes by calling for America to elect a "sane, competent" person.

After a stirring video tribute to his career, Vice President Joe Biden took the stage in Philadelphia to thunderous applause, the theme song to Rocky playing in the background.

One of the most popular figures in American politics, Mr Biden gave an impassioned address using the examples of ordinary people he called the "heart and soul of this country".

Before praising Mrs Clinton, he praised Barack Obama, who he called "one of the finest presidents we have ever had".

Of Mrs Clinton, he said: "Hillary understood that for years millions of people went to bed staring at the ceiling thinking, 'what if I get cancer, or he has a heart attack. We'll lose everything, what will we do then?' I know Hillary Clinton."

There were touching moments in the speech- Bill Clinton was visibly emotional as he stood to honour the memory of Beau Biden, the son Mr Biden lost to cancer last year.

But Mr Biden really started rolling when he turned to Donald Trump.

Some excerpts:

"His cynicism is unbounded. His lack of empathy and compassion can be summed up in the phrase I suspect he's proud of and he made famous: 'You're fired!' I mean think about that.... How can there be pleasure in saying 'you're fired?'

"He has no clue about  what makes America great. Actually, he has no clue. Period."

"We cannot elect a man who exploits our fears and vices and other terrors... a man who embraces the methods of our enemies... it betrays our values."

As Mr Biden approached the end of the speech his eyes welled with tears as he gave an off-the-cuff riff on American values.

"C'mon," he said as he concluded, clenching his fists and pounding the podium. "We're America".

The former secretary of defence and director of the CIA has stressed Mrs Clinton's experience and temperament to be Commander-in-Chief.

He said there was "no greater responsibility than the decision to send our troops into harms way" before stating that Mrs Clinton was the only candidate to take on that responsibility.

He said she showed her leadership during the bin Laden raid, saying there had been some uncertainty in the room over whether to launch the operation. "Hillary was clear - we have to go after bin Laden," he said

He went on to state that Mrs Clinton had laid out a "comprehensive plan" to defeat Isil and keep America safe.

He said Mr Trump gets his foreign policy experience from watching TV and running a Miss Universe contest. "If only it were funny," he said, as chants of "no more war" rang our around the hall.

He says that out of concern for our children and grandchildren, "Donald Trump cannot become our commander-in-chief". "We cannot afford an erratic finger on our nuclear weapons," he added.

President Barack Obama is on his way to Philadelphia. He will deliver tonight's keynote address.

Retired Admiral John Hutson, who served with John McCain, is offering a searing attack on Donald Trump's claim that he is the law and order candidate.

He mentioned Mr Trump's suggestion that Russia should hack Hillary Clinton's emails, saying: "That's not law and order, it's criminal intent".

Then he turned to Mr Trump's suggestion that Mr McCain is not a war hero because he was captured.

Donald Trump is taking questions. So far, he has been sticking to the script:

David Lawler is at the designated protest area near the Wells Fargo Center, where on Monday hundreds of Bernie Sanders supporters gathered.

This evening there are only perhaps 30 demonstrators milling around, co-ordinating Uber rides to get closer to the arena.

The Bernie t-shirts and placards remain, but the chants and marches have died out.

We have seen the Sanders insurgency in Philadelphia slowly deflate over the past 48 hours, but it's unclear if the result will be unity or apathy.

Christine Leinonen, whose son Christopher was one of the victims of the massacre at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, has given an emotional tribute to his life, and a plea for "common sense" gun legislation.

She said it took five minutes for church bells in Orlando to ring 49 times, once for each of the victims of the attack.

"The weapon that murdered my son fires 30 rounds per minute. One minute for a gun to fire so many shots, five minutes for a bell to honour so many lives," she said.

Ms Leinonen left the stage to a standing ovation.

Ruth Sherlockhas been speaking to politicians about Hillary Clinton as the first woman presidential candidate and what it means:

Yvette Clarke, a congresswoman from New York is speaking at the convention today. She is going to speak about "the power that women have brought to the floor in terms of leadership".

Ms Clarke is attending the event with her mother, Una Clarke, who was, in 1990, the first foreign born woman to be elected to the New York city council. 

Speaking of the struggle she went through to win her seat Mrs Clarke, who was born in Jamaica said:  "You have to show people that you are as good a representative as any they ever had before". Mrs Clarke said she had known Mrs Clinton for a long, working with her at the Children's Defense Fund:  "She gave a lot of pro-bono work and was committed to it," she said. "It's out of her history and the work she's done that I stick with her."

Daniel Feldman, who served as a senior adviser to Mrs Clinton during her time as secretary of state and now in the campaign, said the former first lady will create more opportunities for women and minorities in government.

"There have been many policy enclaves which seem too clubby," he said. "I think there will be far more opportunities for women and others who have not traditionally held power."

He said it was "important to make sure that the organs of government look like America. I think we all benefit when more women are involved."

Meanwhile, there are still a lot of Bernie supporters in downtown Philadelphia:

Harry Reid is speaking at his final Democratic National Convention as a senator, and the Senate's Democratic leader is blasting Republicans and Donald Trump for wanting to - in his words - "tear down the pillars of middle-class security."

The retiring Nevada lawmaker has some harsh words for the Senate's Republican leader, Kentucky's Mitch McConnell.

Mr Reid says Mr McConnell and the GOP have slandered the country's first black president, whipped up fear of Muslims and sown hatred of Latinos.

Mr Reid says parents are right to worry about their kids hearing what comes out of Mr Trump's mouth. He says Mr Trump learned it from watching Republicans.

Movie director James Cameron is calling Donald Trump "a madman," and "incredibly reckless, incredibly dangerous" when it comes to global warming.

The director of Titanic and Avatar has made a short film - airing Wednesday night at the Democratic convention - about how climate change is harming the United States.

The film shows wildfires, heat waves and the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy - and then segues to Mr Trump calling man-made global warming a hoax.

Cameron tells reporters that attacking Mr Trump on his rejection of mainstream climate change science is a winning strategy for Democrats.

He calls Mr Trump's positions "incredibly reckless, incredibly dangerous" and later refers to Mr Trump as "a madman saying we're going to tear up" the landmark climate change agreement negotiated in Paris.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson says Hillary Clinton can be trusted to fight for issues such as a fair Supreme Court, gun control and progressive policies.

The former presidential candidate says Clinton understands the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement and the shooting deaths of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Alton Sterling.

Jackson also is congratulating Bernie Sanders for energising the campaign with "ideas and hope."

In Jackson's words: "The Bern must never grow cold."

Still, he says, "It's healing time. It's hope time. It's Hillary time."

Mr Obama was set to hail Mrs Clinton as uniquely qualified to be the next commander-in-chief, according to excerpts of his speech.

"You know, nothing truly prepares you for the demands of the Oval Office. But Hillary's been in the room."

"I can say with confidence there has never been a man or a woman more qualified than Hillary Clinton to serve as president of the United States of America."

He went on to say that no matter how many times people attempted to knock Mrs Clinton down, "she never, ever quits".

He will say that the American he knows is "full of courage and optimism and ingenuity."

Americans have "real anxieties," including paying their bills, protecting their children, frustrations with political gridlock and racial divisions, he will say.

But he says during his travels as president, what he's "seen, more than anything, is what is right with America." That includes people working hard and "a younger generation full of energy and new ideas."

Michael Moore, the Left-wing film director, has suggested Mr Trump should be tried for treason.

President Barack Obama went through six drafts of the convention speech he is due to give tonight.

White House officials told the AP work on the speech started in June and Obama got a first draft on July 18.

Officials said Obama stayed up until 3.30am on Monday revising it.

The White House officials who provided reporters with details about the speech spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the address publicly before Obama gives it.

Harry Reid, the top senate Democrat, urged the CIA to give Mr Trump dummy intelligence briefings because he was too "dangerous" to have access to sensitive information.

“Fake it, pretend you’re doing a briefing, but you can’t give the guy any information," he told the Huffington Post.

Bill O'Reilly, the Fox News presenter has created controversy by claiming the slaves who built the White House "were well-fed and had decent lodgings".

Donald Trump has claimed electing Hillary Clinton would "set women back a long way".

The Republican warned women to "be careful what you wish for".

Mr Trump has said he would "cherish" women if he becomes president. 

Mr Trump also claimed Vladimir Putin had used a racial slur to describe President Barack Obama.

During his inflammatory press conference at a golf course in Florida Mr Trump said: "I was shocked to hear him mention the 'N' word. There's a total lack of respect for President Obama."

Mr Trump made the claim despite also saying that he did not himself know Mr Putin.

Tim Kaine, the senator from the key battleground state of Virginia, has been formally nominated by voice vote at the Democratic National Convention.

He will take the stage later tonight with the challenge to prove his Left-wing credentials to Bernie Sanders supporters. There were still a few boos from the Sanders camp as the motion was passed - but far fewer than the protests on Monday and Tuesday.

All anyone can talk about in Philadelphia is politics.

"We've had Bernie people and Hillary people in here this week, we've had delegates too, but everyone seems to be trying really hard to get along," the manager says.

"We had fights in here during the primaries though. We had to kick people out for arguing about the election."

Just a few minutes earlier a middle aged supporter of Mrs Clinton had given a young fan of Mr Sanders a seemingly unwelcome lecture about how she had been young and idealistic once, but now knew better than to vote for a candidate with "crazy" proposals.

Philadelphia is a town known for civic debate- not far up the cobbled street from here the founding fathers held the series of gatherings that led to the Declaration of Independence, signed 240 years ago this month.

Bands of Sanders supporters have been gathering outside of Independence Hall this week. Others have given up the cause, and come indoors for a cup of coffee and a discussion of what might have been.

Facing a backlash from the left, Tim Kaine is facing pressure to affirm his liberal credentials in his first prime-time speech as Hillary Clinton's running mate, AP reports.

Kaine spoke earlier on Wednesday to the Democratic National Committee as supporters of Clinton's one-time Democratic rival Bernie Sanders warned that he had yet to forcefully oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

Kaine, a former Virginia governor, was introduced by Clinton last weekend in Miami, where he switched easily between English and Spanish and spoke of his time as a Catholic missionary in Honduras, his work as a civil rights lawyer and an education-focused governor who managed a state through tough times.

Addressing his home state delegation Wednesday morning, the Virginia senator called the campaign "a civil rights election," panning Republican Donald Trump for mocking disabled people and using "demeaning and offensive language" about women.

"The next president is going to be the one celebrating 100 years of women getting the right to vote," Kaine said. "Is it too much to ask that it be a woman rather than somebody who offends women every time he opens his mouth?"

President Barack Obama has admitted for the first time that Donald Trump could succeed him and advised Hillary Clinton to "run scared" as she prepared to become the first female nominee of a major US political party.

Mr Obama had previously maintained Mr Trump would never reach the White House but, as the billionaire led in polls, he said it was now "possible" the Republican nominee may win.

Mr Obama said: "It is the nature of democracy that until the votes are cast, and the American people have their say, we don't know [who will win]. I have seen all kinds of crazy stuff happen and I think everybody that goes into campaigns not running scared can end up losing."

Mr Obama, who was due to address the convention tonight, went on to attack Mr Trump for having a lack of "basic knowledge about the world," including not understanding what a nuclear triad was, or the difference between Sunni and Shia. He added: "What I think is scary is a president who doesn't know their stuff and doesn't seem to have an interest in learning what they don't know."

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Donald Trump has called on Russia to hack into Hillary Clinton's email, in an unprecedented request for a rival power to influence a presidential election though cyber attacks.

Mr Trump was discussing the recent leak of damaging Democratic National Committee (DNC) emails, which President Barack Obama has said was almost certainly the result of a hack carried out by Russia.

The Republican nominee said he did not know if Russia was behind that attack, but that he would like to see the Kremlin turn its attention to the 30,000 messages Mrs Clinton deleted prior to the FBI investigation into her use of a private server while secretary of state.

"Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press," he said.

Mr Trump, who was giving a press conference in Florida, said it gave him "no pause" to essentially sanction Russian cyber hacking on an American official.

"Hey you know what gives me more pause? That a person in our government - Crooked Hillary Clinton - that a person in our government would delete or get rid of 30,000 emails," he said.

"Now, if Russia or China or any other country has those emails, I mean to be honest with you I'd love to see them."

Hillary Clinton's campaign lashed out at Mr Trump, describing his comments as a "national security issue."

"This has to be the first time that a major presidential candidate has actively encouraged a foreign power to conduct espionage against his political opponent," said top Clinton advisor Jake Sullivan.

"This has gone from being a matter of curiosity, and a matter of politics, to being a national security issue."