Barack Obama summoned the charisma and oratory that catapulted him to the White House eight years ago, to enthuse the country to rally behind Hillary Clinton on Wednesday night. Her victory in the November presidential election is essential, not only for the completion of the agenda that he has set in motion, but also for the protection of American values and democracy, Mr. Obama said at the Democratic National Convention (DNC).

After being in office for eight years, Mr. Obama’s popularity remains high at 49 per cent approval ratings. Health care, gay rights, climate change, gun control, immigration reforms – Mr. Obama pushed the promises he made before the convention in 2008. Sometimes making progress, sometimes failing. “Change is never easy, and never quick; that we wouldn’t meet all of our challenges in one term, or one presidency, or even in one lifetime.…Yes, we’ve still got more work to do,” Mr. Obama said.

Against African-American President

In an election that Mr. Trump and other GOP leaders frame as the last opportunity to overturn the legacy of the first African-American President of America, the stakes are high for all supporters of Mr. Obama and him personally. The GOP derides the prospects of a Clinton presidency as a third term for Mr. Obama; for the Democrats and Mr. Obama’s supporters that is a promise and even a lifeline. Mr. Obama’s endorsement of Ms. Clinton hinged on that premise of continuity.

“America, you’ve vindicated that hope these past eight years. And now I’m ready to pass the baton,” he said, concluding a 75-minute speech which reenacted the slogans and sentiments from 2008 that elected the first African-American President of the U.S. He called the country to rally behind who could be its first woman president – Hillary Clinton.

Crowd says “Yes, we can”

“And tonight, I ask you to do for Hillary Clinton what you did for me.” “Yes, we can,” the crowd chanted. “…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,” said Mr. Obama.

But there is more at stake than his legacy, Mr. Obama warned, comparing the politics of the Republican candidate Mr. Trump to fascism and Islamism. “…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,” the President said, as several delegates kept their ‘No TPP’ placards up throughout hit speech. “….anyone who threatens our values, whether fascists or communists or jihadists or homegrown demagogues, will always fail in the end,” Mr. Obama said.

Scathing attack

“We don’t look to be ruled,” Mr. Obama said, in his most scathing attack on Mr. Trump, naming him several times. “He’s betting that if he scares enough people, he might score just enough votes to win this election,” the President said. “America isn’t about “yes, he will.” It’s about “yes, we can.”

“Don’t boo, vote,” Mr. Obama said when the audience booed at the mention of Mr. Trump. Democratic strategists are concerned that the youth and the African-American voters may not be as enthusiastic as they were for Mr. Obama and the President specifically addressed the supporters of Bernie Sanders. “So if you agree that there’s too much inequality in our economy and too much money in our politics, we all need to be as vocal and as organized and as persistent as Bernie Sanders supporters have been during this election. We all need to get out and vote for Democrats up and down the ticket, and then hold them accountable until they get the job done.” “not just for a President, but for mayors, and sheriffs, and state’s attorneys, and state legislators.”

A riot during the Olympic torch relay on Thursday cast a shadow over the Rio Games starting in just over a week, marking a new low in a ritual that was meant to unite Brazil.The torch is nearing the end of a 300-city relay that will end with the lighting of the Olympic flame in the Maracana stadium at the opening ceremony on August 5.But while organisers portray the epic journey as a chance to ignite public enthusiasm, repeated security incidents have turned the torch into a symbol of the organizational glitches and social discontent overshadowing South America’s first Olympics.

‘Torch put out’

In Angra dos Reis, a coastal resort south of Rio, crowds angry over lack of public transport and nearly bankrupt Rio state’s late payment of salaries fought with police at the torch parade late on Wednesday. Video broadcast on Globo television and amateur footage shared on social media showed a dense crowd cheering while someone shouted “the torch has been put out!” The torch bearer, accompanied by police, is seen retreating to a bus, with the relay apparently halted. In other scenes, police fire rubber bullets and tear gas as the crowd runs and gathers again to confront officers.

This came after repeated attempts in other cities to douse the torch with fire extinguishers or buckets of water.Highlight reels of other torch mishaps have gone viral online, including runners falling over, a police motorbike crashing into the parade, a man attempting to seize the torch, and political protests.In June, a rare, captive jaguar — the same animal chosen for Brazil’s Olympic mascot — was shot dead after escaping handlers at a torch ceremony.

Athletes arrive

There was better news for Rio organisers in the arrival overnight of Jamaica’s Olympic sprint superstar Usain Bolt, who hopes to defend his multiple gold medals.A more controversial set of arrivals were expected later in the day, with some 70 Russian athletes due to fly in at around 6:00 pm (2100 GMT), their team slashed by bans in a scandal over state-sponsored doping.Rio organisers were also still racing to complete emergency repairs to the athletes’ Village, where some 19,000 team members will live. — AFP