Barack Obama delivered a forceful plea Tuesday for Hillary Clinton to succeed him as president, praising the character of his former secretary of state whose horizon brightened after the FBI recommended no charges be filed over her e-mail scandal.
Obama, returning to a swing state that helped elect him in 2008, laid out a passionate, compelling case declaring he is “ready to pass the baton” to Clinton and urging voters to make her the nation’s first female commander in chief.
“I’m here today because I believe in Hillary Clinton,” Obama told a fired-up crowd at a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, pumping his fist and leading chants of “Hillary! Hillary!“
“There has never been any man or woman more qualified for this office. Ever!“
But Obama’s debut appearance on the 2016 campaign trail, while it showcased his trademark oratory and communication skills, was overshadowed by the extraordinary announcement hours earlier in Washington.
The FBI’s assessment, which found that Clinton was “extremely careless” in sending classified information via her personal e-mail account, was far from the complete exoneration she had hoped for as she rallied Democrats in her showdown with Republican Donald Trump.
Clinton and Obama flew together to North Carolina aboard Air Force One for the first in a series of high-profile rallies that the candidate hopes will energize voters — particularly minorities who remain enamored with the outgoing president, in crucial battleground states where the November election will be decided.
Neither made any mention of the FBI’s bombshell decision to recommend that Justice Department prosecutors file no criminal charges in the Clinton e-mail investigation.
FBI Director James Comey said that after an exhaustive probe, carried out with no political agenda, investigators found no evidence of “intentional misconduct” by Clinton or her close aides.
Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said the campaign was “pleased” by the FBI’s recommendation.
Comey’s conclusion that Clinton sent and received information that was deemed classified, and in some cases top secret, contradicts her repeated assertion that she never sent classified information through her personal e-mail account or homebrew server.
While not as legally damaging as prosecution would be, Comey’s judgment is far from the all-clear that the Clinton team would have hoped for.
And the FBI accusations of carelessness fueled Trump’s narrative that the Clintons have operated above the law for years.
“She was guilty, and it turned out that we’re not going to press charges. It’s really amazing,” Trump said in North Carolina, where he held a competing rally in Raleigh.
“Today is the best evidence ever that we’ve seen that our system is absolutely, totally rigged,” he said, adding that Clinton “is laughing at the stupidity of our system.”

Source: Arab News