Obama appeals for Hillary, slams Trump at Democratic Convention

Philadelphia, July 28  US President Barack Obama on Wednesday night made a fervent appeal for Hillary Clinton, casting the Democratic nominee as a custodian of his legacy while rejecting Republicans' message as fostering anger and hate.

Obama, during his address at the second-day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) here, said his former secretary of state is a better qualified candidate than even he or her husband, former President Bill Clinton, CNN reported.

"I can say with confidence 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," Obama said to a roaring crowd at the DNC.

"This is not your typical election...It's not just a choice between parties or policies; the usual debates between left and right. This is a more fundamental choice -- about who we are as a people, and whether we stay true to this great American experiment in self-government," the President said.

Her rival, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, meanwhile, is merely ginning up fear to secure votes, Obama noted.

"Donald Trump calls it 'a divided crime scene' that only he can fix," Obama said of the Republican nominee's descriptions of the state of the country. 

"He's just offering slogans, and he's offering fear. He's betting that if he scares enough people, he might score just enough votes to win this election," CNN quoted the President as saying.

"Does anyone really believe that a guy who's spent his 70 years on this Earth showing no regard for working people is suddenly going to be your champion? Your voice?...If so, you should vote for him," NBC News quoted Obama as saying.

Obama said the message at last week's Republican convention in Cleveland "wasn't particularly Republican -- and it sure wasn't conservative."

The President also praised former presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders for his efforts to end the role of money in politics and to promote a progressive agenda.

During his speech, Obama also recalled the moment in 2004 that catapulted him to national prominence, kick-starting his path to the White House and he insisted the country was better off now than when he first entered office in 2009

"Through every victory and every setback, I've insisted that 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...So tonight, I'm here to tell you that, yes, we still have more work to do," CNN reported citing Obama as saying.

He also mentioned his accomplishments over his two terms as president including Osama bin Laden's killing, legalisation of gay marriage, an improved economy and diplomatic deals with Iran and Cuba, NBC News added.