Clinton rouses Democrats with arguments for Obama

Former president Bill Clinton turned the tables on a familiar Republican critique — that the country is worse off than in 2008 — by making a forceful argument that the reverse is true.

The present and past Democratic presidents embraced at the conclusion of the nearly 50-minute nominating speech.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The present and past Democratic presidents embraced at the conclusion of the nearly 50-minute nominating speech.

Former president Bill Clinton addressed delegates Wednesday night.

Jonathan Ernst/REUTERS

Former president Bill Clinton addressed delegates Wednesday night.

Former president Bill Clinton addressed the audience.

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images

Former president Bill Clinton addressed the audience.

President Obama made a surprise appearance on stage with former president Bill Clinton after his speech on Wednesday night.

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

President Obama made a surprise appearance on stage with former president Bill Clinton after his speech on Wednesday night.

Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren used her speech to make a case that the Democrats are the party of the middle class.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren used her speech to make a case that the Democrats are the party of the middle class.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino of Boston told convention delegates on Wednesday that Mitt Romney “made a lot of decisions that were bad for our state.”

Alex Wong/Getty Images

Mayor Thomas M. Menino of Boston told convention delegates on Wednesday that Mitt Romney “made a lot of decisions that were bad for our state.”

US Representative Emanuel Cleaver spoke during the second day of the convention.

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

US Representative Emanuel Cleaver spoke during the second day of the convention.

Linda Hackett of Dover, Del., cried as Representative Emanuel Cleaver spoke.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Linda Hackett of Dover, Del., cried as Representative Emanuel Cleaver spoke.

Gymnast and Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

Jim Young/REUTERS

Gymnast and Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

People cheered at Time Warner Cable Arena on Wednesday.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

People cheered at Time Warner Cable Arena on Wednesday.

Representative Nancy Pelosi addressed delegates.

Jessica Rinaldi/REUTERS

Representative Nancy Pelosi addressed delegates.

Maria Ehsan of Seattle held an American Flag during the second day of the Democratic National Convention.

Justin Sullivan/getty images

Maria Ehsan of Seattle held an American Flag during the second day of the Democratic National Convention.

Indiana delegate Nicole Yates held up a picture of President Obama.

Jae C. Hong/associated press

Indiana delegate Nicole Yates held up a picture of President Obama.

Joseph Block wore an Obama '08 yarmulke.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Joseph Block wore an Obama '08 yarmulke.

Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, addressed delegates.

Jason Reed/REUTERS

Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, addressed delegates.

Protestors demonstrated in front of the Bank of America headquarters in uptown Wednesday.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

Protestors demonstrated in front of the Bank of America headquarters in uptown Wednesday.

A female protester rode a float in a pond at Marshall Park.

John Adkisson/REUTERS

A female protester rode a float in a pond at Marshall Park.

Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, center, was greeted by other women in the US Senate.

Charlie Neibergall/associated press

Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, center, was greeted by other women in the US Senate.

A cardboard cutout of President Obama stuck out of James Long's shirt pocket.

Carolyn Kaster/Associated press

A cardboard cutout of President Obama stuck out of James Long's shirt pocket.

Delegates wore hats during the second session of the Democratic National Convention.

Jessica Rinaldi/REUTERS

Delegates wore hats during the second session of the Democratic National Convention.

Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren used her speech to make a case that the Democrats are the party of the middle class.

Elizabeth Warren pushes consumer agenda at Democratic convention

Warren delivered a populist attack against Wall Street in a speech intended to put the Democratic Party on the side of the middle class.

Under fire, Democrats revise plank on Jerusalem

Democrats scrambled to revise their party platform after Republicans pounced on the omission of support for Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state.

Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney unveiled his 2004 spending plan.

On Mass. economy, Mitt Romney’s record mixed

Romney inherited an economy in 2003 similar to the one President Obama found entering the White House in 2009. For both, progress was slow, and for many, disappointing.

Chelsea ex-housing chief may have misused $1.5 million

An audit of Chelsea Housing Authority highlights a series of questionable expenditures that suggest Michael E. McLaughlin was raiding federal funds set aside for low-income people.

Eighth-graders Kevaughn Little, 14 (left), and Carlos Barbosa, 13, helped Orchard Gardens ready for the beginning of classes.

Orchard Gardens basks in spotlight, but work remains

The Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School in Roxbury won praise in Governor Deval Patrick’s convention speech, but officials are striving for more improvement.

Yvonne Abraham

Ruling on prisoner’s sex-change a matter of principle

A federal judge made the right call, and a courageous one, in ordering state-funded sex-change surgery for convicted murderer Michelle Kosilek ­— born Robert.

BU task force faults hockey team’s star culture

After a university task force found a “culture of sexual entitlement,” hockey coach Jack Parker has lost his spot as BU executive athletic director, although he will still coach the team.

Tech Lab

Now is a terrible time to shop for gadgets

Sure, there are good products to be had at reasonable prices, but a whole crop of new devices will arrive soon, and any of them might make your current favorites obsolete.

Boston Globe ePaper

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Download 44 of the Globe sportswriter’s best columns and stories to your tablet, smartphone, or desktop.

Globe exclusives

Dan Shaughnessy

Red Sox need more Bill James?
From left: Lily Ahern, Jess Newham, Daniel Rothschild, and Sara Pendleton during last year’s Fashion’s Night Out in Boston.

Highlights for this year’s Fashion’s Night Out Boston

Developer Joseph F. Fallon said his proposed Fan Pier condos would offer buyers views of Boston Harbor and downtown. Construction is expected to be underway by mid-2013.

Developer to build condos at Fan Pier
Stephen Jones is curating the “Hats: An Anthology” exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum.

Stephen Jones brings hat collection to Salem

Brian McGrory

A fatal dose of irony in Belmont

Opinion | Colin S. Diver

Students will show academic integrity — if colleges support it
Kosilek in 1993, left, and in 1990, right.

Judge orders Mass. to pay for inmate’s sex-change surgery
At Clear Flour Bakery in Brookline, the bread options vary greatly, from “Miller’s Bread” to German Rye to loaves of whole wheat and multigrain varieties.

G Cover

Where has the white bread gone?
Salt and pepper calamari at Empire Asian.

Dining Out

A new Empire rises on the Waterfront
The centerpiece of Shanghai-based artist Jin Shan’s installation “My Dad Is Li Gang!’’ at Brown University.

Galleries

Chinese power as spectacle in installation by Jin Shan
Jenny Giang and Ian So, serve meals from the new Chicken & Rice Guys food truck.

Chicken and rice truck gets rolling

special section

Fall TV Preview

2012 NFL Preview

Roster breakdown

Tom Brady is back to lead the Patriots in his 13th season, even as many of the faces around him change.

Meet the 2012 Patriots

Bill Belichick has assembled one of the youngest rosters of his 13-year Patriots career as he seeks to return to the Super Bowl. Meet the players who make up his 2012 roster.

Sports

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Mariners 2, Red Sox 1

Boston Red Sox Cody Ross doubled to score Dustin Pedroia in the sixth inning in Seattle.

Red Sox offense stalls, team falls in Seattle

Much like the Red Sox, Seattle starter Kevin Millwood had gone 1-8 in his last nine starts. Unlike the Red Sox, Millwood recorded a win Wednesday night.

Metro

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Concord bottled water ban OK’d

Attorney General Martha Coakley’s office signed off on a bylaw that apparently makes Concord the first community in the nation to approve such a ban.

Columnists

Scot Lehigh

Speech! Speech! Democrats make their case

Horatio Alger, shown in 1852, rose to fame for his rags-to-riches stories.

juliette kayyem

Horatio Alger shaped America’s views of immigration — but in what way?

Edward L. Glaeser

Urban planning in Greater Boston needs to aim higher

Yvonne Abraham

Ruling on prisoner’s sex-change a matter of principle
Bill Belichick is entering his 13th season as head coach of the Patriots.

Christopher L. Gasper

It’s OK to question Bill Belichick

Brian McGrory

A fatal dose of irony in Belmont

jeff jacoby

Mainstream media needs to accept its liberal bias
A case containing the remains of Pfc. Shane W. Cantu, of Corunna, Mich., sits on a loader during prayer at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Thursday.

juliette kayyem

Afghan war still rages, yet soldiers get no play in Tampa
Neil Armstrong on the moon

James Carroll

After Armstrong’s small step forward, two steps back for America?

Christopher L. Gasper

Disappointing finish for Louis Oosthuizen

Dan Shaughnessy

Despite lack of big names, Deutsche Bank still interesting

joanna weiss

Honor American Dream-builders today — with healthcare, hours

Business

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Leadership in innovation has kept the United States in the top 10 for competitiveness, a study says, but political issues interfere. Above, a golf cart assembly line in Georgia.

Survey finds US competitive ranking down again

Despite its status as a global innovation powerhouse, the ability of the US to compete economically has fallen for the fourth straight year, according to the World Economic Forum.

Politics

Political Notebook

Mitt Romney, President Obama will both be in N.H. on Friday

President Obama’s first campaign stop after his acceptance speech will be in Portsmouth, N.H., on Friday, the same day Mitt Romney visits Nashua, N.H.

Nation & World

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Blaze at India fireworks factory kills at least 40

The massive blaze raged for hours in southern India, killing at least 40 workers and injuring 60 others, police said.

Arts

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Madonna does it her way at high-energy Garden show

As we have all surely learned by now, Madonna does not do half-measures.

Style

Auction items include a gold gem-set necklace by Miyé Matsukata for Janiyé.

Joan Sonnabend and the art of jewelry

Some people would pay a fortune to hang a piece by Pablo Picasso on their wall. Joan Sonnabend wanted to hang one around her neck.

“He reminds me that we are playing a long game here, and that change is hard, and change is slow, and it never happens all at once. But eventually we get there; we always do.”

Michelle Obama,  on President Obama

Magazine

The cover for the August 26 2012 issue

Did Beatrice Munyenyezi lie to get into this country?
The cover for the August 19 2012 issue

Can a Woburn company’s flying car someday be a fix for traffic?
The cover for the August 12 2012 issue

The man who nourished Boston’s literary scene
The cover for the August 5 2012 issue

Can GPS find you a mate?

Opinion

“A brighter Boston will not happen by accident. It will require us to plan something marvelous and embrace vision over fear — and not simply try to extend the status quo endlessly into the future.”

Edward L. Glaeser 

Ideas

“In order to be a good friend, even a very young child must be not only fun to spend time with, but capable of being emotionally mature in ways that can be difficult even for grown-ups.”

—Leon Neyfakh on childhood friendship