Democrats prepare for Bill Clinton speech

The former US president Bill Clinton will face a major test when he takes the rostrum at the Democratic convention.

Bill Clinton watches his wife, senator Hillary Clinton, conclude her speech last night, as she praises former rival Barack Obama.

The former US president Bill Clinton's mythic political skills will face a major test when he takes the rostrum at the Democratic convention today. He is expected to look past his disappointment, some say anger, to speak in support of Barack Obama, the man who ended his wife Hillary Clinton's run for the White House. Mrs Clinton passed the same test yesterday with a soaring rhetorical paean to her own historic run to be America's first woman commander in chief and a convincing call for her still-angry backers to unify behind Mr Obama, whose victory would make him the first black US president.

While Mr Clinton's speech on the third night of the convention will only be a courtesy accorded former presidents, Mr Obama needs his support desperately. And there were fears Mr Clinton, one of the finest political orators of a generation, would overshadow Mr Obama's vice-presidential running mate, senator Joe Biden, who closes today's session. Bill Clinton, who showed flashes of anger over what he felt were unfair attacks on his wife during the Democratic primaries, has given Mr Obama only tepid support since Mrs Clinton conceded defeat to Mr Obama in the hard-fought battle for the party's nomination in June.

Last night the former first lady skewered Republican candidate John McCain and drew thunderous applause as she coined what could become the most powerful political slogan of the fall campaign: "No way, no how, no McCain." Ms Clinton set aside her defeat and issued full-throated support for Mr Obama, tamping down the bitterness of the long and hard fought battle for the Democratic nomination. She held back nothing in an inspired address that also served to launch whatever lies ahead in her political career. * AP