The former president took centerstage to make the case for his wife as she seeks to be the leader of the free world.
It was a historic night Tuesday as Hillary Clinton shattered the glass ceiling and became the first woman from a major political party to secure a presidential nomination.
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Former President Bill Clinton was on hand to deliver the keynote address in support of his wife at the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
“In the spring of 1971, I met a girl, she had big blonde hair, big glasses, wore no make-up,” Bill said at the top of his speech as he told how he pursued Hillary while they were students at Yale.
“I married my best friend. I was still in awe after more than four years of being around her at how smart and strong and loving and caring she was and really hoped that her choosing me and rejecting my advice to pursue her own career was a decision she would never regret," he said.
His speech struck a sour note with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, who said: “I got to say the top of the speech I found shocking and weird.”
CBS News Anchor Scott Pelley had a different take, saying: “He did very well last night. One of the things he came out to do was humanize his wife, as he said, not the cartoon version you often hear but the real person.”
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The former president ended with a rousing defense of her record of public service.
“Hillary is uniquely qualified to seize the opportunities and reduce the risk we face and she is still the best darn change maker I have ever known,” he said. “This woman has never been satisfied with the status quo ... She always wants to move the ball forward. That is just who she is."
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