BARACK Obama is ready to lead America and is "the man" to be the next President of the United States, former president Bill Clinton said today.
Mr Clinton said the often bitter primary battle between his wife Hillary and Mr Obama for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination "created so much heat it increased global warming".
But he said the contest had strengthened the Illinois sena
tor and he was "ready to be President of the United States".
In a prime-time speech at the party's national convention in Denver, Colorado, Mr Clinton laid out a series of reasons why he was now backing Mr Obama and said America was in trouble on two fronts.
"The American dream is under siege at home and America's leadership in the world has been weakened," he said.
"Everything I learned in my eight years as president, and in the work I have done since in America and across the globe, has convinced me that Barack Obama is the man for this job."
His remarks echoed those of his wife's on Tuesday night when she enthusiastically threw her weight behind Mr Obama's presidential bid and projected a strong image of party unity.
At points both funny and nostalgic, Mr Clinton's speech went further and answered the key question, raised by his wife's primary season campaign and taken up by the Republicans, of whether Mr Obama was ready to be America's commander-in-chief.
And his answer was clear: "Barack Obama is ready to lead America and to restore American leadership in the world."
Mr Clinton said Republicans had called him "too young and too inexperienced to be commander in chief" when he ran for the presidency aged 45 in 1992 – the same criticisms which Republicans have used against Mr Obama.
"It didn't work in 1992 because we were on the right side of history," he said.
"And it will not work in 2008 because Barack Obama is on the right side of history."
He went on: "Barack Obama will lead us away from the division and fear of the last eight years, back to unity and hope.
"So if, like me, you believe America must always be a place called Hope then join Hillary, and Chelsea and me in making Barack Obama the next president of the United States."
Mr Clinton said Mr Obama "has a remarkable ability to inspire people, to raise our hopes and rally us to high purpose".
"He has the intelligence and curiosity every successful president needs," he said.
"His policies on the economy, on taxes, on healthcare, on energy are far superior to the Republican alternative.
"He has shown a clear grasp of foreign policy and national security challenges, and a firm commitment to rebuild our badly strained military.
"His family heritage and his life experiences have given him a unique capacity to lead our increasingly diverse nation in an evermore interdependent world.
"The long, hard primary tested and strengthened him and in his first presidential decision, the selection of a running mate, he hit it out of the park.
"With Joe Biden's experience and wisdom supporting Barack Obama's proven understanding, instincts and insight, America will have the national security leadership we need."
Tensions between the Clinton and Obama camps have come to the fore in recent weeks partly because Mr Clinton is reported to be furious at suggestions that he played the race card during the primary season as Mr Obama sought to become America's first black president.
"What a year we Democrats have had," Mr Clinton said.
"The primary began with an all-star line-up and came down to two remarkable Americans locked in a hard-fought contest right to the very end.
"That campaign generated so much heat it increased global warming now in the end my candidate didn't win, but I'm really proud of the campaign she ran.
"I'm proud that she never quit on the people she stood up for, on the changes she pushed for, on the future she wanted for all our children.
"Last night Hillary told us in no uncertain terms that she is going to do everything she can to elect Barack Obama. That makes two of us."
To loud cheers from the floor of the party's national convention in Denver, Colorado, he went on: "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."
Earlier, the former president was greeted by roars of applause which lasted more than five minutes as he walked on to the convention stage.
He even urged the crowd, including more than 4,000 delegates, to stop cheering and said: "Will y'all sit down, we've got to get on with the show here.
"I love this, and I thank you, but we have important work to do tonight.
"I'm here first to support Barack Obama, and second, I'm here to warm up the crowd for (vice presidential nominee) Joe Biden."
Mr Clinton also criticised the Republican John McCain.
"The choice is clear," he said.
"The Republicans in a few days will elect a good man who has served our country heroically and who suffered terribly in a Vietnamese prison camp.
"He loves his country every bit as much as we do.
"But on the two great questions of this election – how to rebuild the American dream and how to restore America's leadership in the world – he still embraces the extreme philosophy that has defined his party for more than 25 years."
He said Mr McCain offered "more of the same" of the failed policies of the last eight years of President George Bush's administration.
