Bill Clinton gave a rousing speech at the Democratic Convention last night, defending Barack Obama's leadership as the president was nominated for a second term.
Countering Mitt Romney's criticisms of Obama, he insisted that a vote for the Republicans would plunge the country back into a recession.
No one, even Obama, could fix the economic mess the Republicans left in just four years, he argued.
He told the crowd: "If you want a you're-on-your-own, winner-take-all society, you should support the Republican ticket.
"If you want a country of shared prosperity and shared responsibility - a we're-all-in-this-together society - you should vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden."
Clinton's attack on Ryan received the loudest applause
In the signature "folksy" rhetoric that has seen Clinton dubbed 'The Natural', the former president mixed serious argument with human asides.
After Michelle Obama's resounding speech on the same platform on Tuesday, Clinton said he wanted to vote in "a man who had the good sense to marry Michelle Obama."
Invoking the American Dream, Clinton said a vote for Obama would be a vote for a man who is "cool on the outside but burns for America on the inside". He claimed Obama has now "laid the foundation for a more modern, more well-balanced economy."
Clinton's still got it: Obama arrived on stage a day ahead of schedule to acknowledge the former president's support
Naming both Ryan and Romney in his attack, Clinton acknowledged that Paul Ryan "had some brass," in particular over Medicare, in lines which were given the loudest applause from the audience.
The GOP vice presidential candidate had criticised Obama for cutting $716 billion from Medicare, when his own budget proposal included those same cuts, Clinton insisted.
"When congressman Ryan looked into the TV camera and attacked President Obama's 'biggest coldest power play' in raiding Medicare, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry," Clinton added.
Clinton was praised for making the speech all about Obama, rather than using the opportunity to turn the spotlight on himself
Although some criticised Clinton's speech for being long (3258 words) and dull for its detailed fact-and-figures approach to countering Romney's complaints, it was clear the former president had lost none of his charisma.
After Clinton's speech ended Obama made a surprise appearance on the stage, ahead of his anticipated acceptance of the nomination on Thursday.
The former leader and the president shared a brief hug, in a show of support that was particularly powerful as the relationship between the two has reportedly been strained since Obama ran against Hillary in the 2008 election.
Obama is due to formally accept the nomination on Thursday.