Indeed, Clinton provided some of the night’s sharpest lines of attack on McCain. “It makes sense that George Bush and John McCain will be together next week in the Twin Cities,” she said, referring to the site of the Republican National Convention, “because these days they’re awfully hard to tell apart.”

Introduced by her daughter, Chelsea, who called her “my hero,” Clinton was met with a long, loud standing ovation. She sprinkled her opening remarks with personal touches, delighting the crowd by thanking “my supporters, my champions — my sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits,” a reference to her signature sartorial style. “You never gave in, you never gave up, and together we made history,” she said.

Former President Bill Clinton became teary at several points during his wife’s speech, and even Clinton — who has been so steady this week — seemed to grow misty a couple of times as she profusely thanked her supporters and recalled some of the Americans she met along the trail.

Obama listened to the speech on TV at a convention-watching party elsewhere. Michelle Obama sat with her brother, Craig; Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., Obama’s running mate; and former President Jimmy Carter. Bill Clinton sat in his own row.

Clinton advisers said she wanted to cement her image as a heroine of women and working-class and middle-class Americans, three groups that Obama is struggling to win over. They added she may start her own effort on behalf of female women’s concerns, tapping millions of supporters and donors and perhaps using her political action committee, HillPac, as a vehicle.

... contd.