Bill Clinton

Ending weeks of speculation about a rift between the former president and the Illinois senator, Clinton not only urged those who supported his wife’s presidential campaign to now get behind Obama, but he also lavishly praised and enthusiastically endorsed Barack Obama in what was one of the most rousing speeches given at the Democratic convention thus far.

After taking to the podium and receiving a full three and a half minute plus ovation, Clinton quickly outlined the problems of the country saying:

Our nation is in trouble on two fronts. The American dream is under siege at home, and America's leadership in the world has been weakened. Middle-class and low-income Americans are hurting, with incomes declining, job losses, poverty, and inequality rising, mortgage foreclosures and credit card debt increasing, health care coverage disappearing, and a very big spike in the cost of food, utilities, and gasoline.

And our position in the world has been weakened by too much unilateralism and too little cooperation... by a perilous dependence on imported oil, by a refusal to lead on global warming, by a growing indebtedness and a dependence on foreign lenders, by a severely burdened military, by a backsliding on global nonproliferation and arms control agreements, and by a failure to consistently use the power of diplomacy, from the Middle East to Africa to Latin America to Central and Eastern Europe.

Drawing upon his own eight years worth of experience in the White House, the former commander in chief then gave Barack Obama his most ringing endorsement of the evening when he said:

Clearly, the job of the next president is to rebuild the American dream and to restore American leadership in the world.

And here's what I have to say about that. 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.

Former president Clinton’s speech hit a high note, when he spoke about the need for America to focus on restoring growth at home as part of the effort to rebuild America’s reputation around the globe.

“People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power,” Clinton said bringing the enthusiastic audience to its feet for an extended rally.

On the heels of Hillary Clinton’s well received speech on Tuesday night, the Clintons have now done what many expected of them in terms of helping to heal the divide in the democratic party after a bruising nominating campaign.

Now it remains to be seen if those who voted for Hillary Clinton in the primaries will now shift their support to Barack Obama. Latest surveys still show as many as 30% of Hillary Clinton supporters unwilling to back Obama, while the latest Gallup Daily Tracking Poll show John McCain taking a two point lead over Obama for the first time since he sealed the nomination in June.