philadelphia<u+2014>against the backdrop of independence hall in america<u+2019>s founding city, the first african-american u.s. president handed the baton to a woman he hopes will be elected the country<u+2019>s first female president on tuesday. barack obama used the last campaign appearance of his presidency as a rhetorical transfer of power to hillary clinton during a nighttime rally in philadelphia that drew more than 30,000 people. the event included a blockbuster lineup of speakers, from the current president, first lady michelle obama, former president bill clinton and daughter chelsea clinton. <u+201c>she will work, and she will deliver,<u+201d> mr. obama said, introducing mrs. clinton, eight years after his historic election to the white house. <u+201c>but she will need your help.<u+201d> to punctuate his message, mr. obama made a point to forego protocol that dictates the president speak last, deferring that role to mrs. clinton. the president defended his former rival for the 2008 democratic nomination against what he described as <u+201c>viscous, crazy attacks<u+201d> during the campaign, and said there has been a <u+201c>double standard applied to her.<u+201d> mr. obama was introduced by his wife, who has been a star surrogate for mrs. clinton, at time eclipsing her husband. <u+201c>in just a few hours we have the power to make her our next president,<u+201d> mrs. obama said of mrs. clinton as she thanked americans for giving her, her husband and their daughters the opportunity to serve as the country<u+2019>s first family. the image of the obamas and clintons one by one taking to the stage on the eve of election day was the capstone of nearly a decade of an unlikely, and at times rocky, political bond between the two families. it also underscored the uniqueness of the 2016 election, with two first ladies and two presidents<u+2014>among them also a potential future female president and a potential future first gentleman<u+2014>standing shoulder-to shoulder. mr. obama urged his supporters not to stay home, but to turn out on tuesday to elect <u+201c>the next president of the united states who happens to be a woman.<u+201d> <u+201c>we now have the chance to elect the 45th president<u+2026>who will finish the job,<u+201d> he said. write to carol e. lee at carol.lee@wsj.com
in last rally of presidency, barack obama passes the torch to hillary clinton  - wsj
carol e. lee