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Former president Bill Clinton, admitting "my candidate didn't win," gave his wholehearted backing to Barack Obama Wednesday night in a powerful endorsement delivered to the Democrat National Convention.

"Everything I learned in eight years as president … has convinced me that Barack Obama is the man for this job," Mr. Clinton said to a wildly waving sea of American flags.

"Barack Obama is ready to be president of the United States."

On foreign policy, an area where Republican presumptive nominee John McCain gets higher ratings in national polls, Mr. Clinton lauded Mr. Obama's "understanding, insight and good instincts."

At the end of a historic evening, Mr. Obama made a surprise appearance, sending the nearly 20,000 Democrats into a frenzy of cheers as he congratulated his running mate, Senator Joe Biden, and appeared with his family on stage. "I think this convention has gone pretty well so far," Mr. Obama said.

Mr. Clinton had heaped high praise, saying "Barack Obama knows that America cannot be strong abroad unless we are strong at home. People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power."

The former president had abandoned his elder statesman role to slug it out on behalf of his wife, Hillary Clinton, during the primaries and his chilly relations with Mr. Obama verged on open feuding. But he buried the hatchet last night with a magnanimous call for the party to rally behind the man who trounced his wife. Aides said the two men had talked several times in the past weeks.

"Barack Obama is ready to lead America and restore American leadership in the world," Mr. Clinton said, touching on a key issue for many Americans who despair of the nation's diminished reputation under the increasingly unpopular President George W. Bush.

Mr. Clinton likened Mr. Obama's presidential quest to his own bid for the job in 1992, when "Republicans said I was too young and too inexperienced to be commander in chief.

"Sound familiar?"

After Mr. Clinton's speech, the gloves came off and Mr. Biden blasted Mr. McCain, his long-time friend and Senate colleague.

In his new role as vice-presidential running mate to Mr. Obama and campaign attack dog, Mr. Biden cast aside the clubby niceties that usually cushion senatorial criticism. In its place was a toughly worded attack on what Democrats consider the disastrous foreign policy of President Bush and a full-frontal assault on Mr. McCain.

"Our country is less secure and more isolated than at any time in recent history," he said. "The Bush-McCain foreign policy has dug us into a very deep hole, with very few friends to help us climb out."

Mr. Biden said "John McCain is my friend … I mean it. … We've known each other for three decades, we've travelled the world together, it's a friendship that goes beyond politics … and the personal courage and heroism John demonstrated still amazes me." But then he slammed his old friend.

"Despite being complicit in [the Bush administration's] catastrophic foreign policy, John McCain says Barack isn't ready to protect our national security," he said.

He condemned the Bush administration's foreign "policy as an abject failure," adding "America cannot afford four more years of this,"

"Should we trust John McCain's judgment when he says there can be no timelines to drawdown our troops from Iraq — that we must stay indefinitely?" Mr. Biden asked. "Or should we listen to Barack Obama, who says shift responsibility to the Iraqis — and set a time to bring our combat troops home?"

"John McCain was wrong. Barack Obama was right."

Mr. Biden's speech heralded what is expected to be a bitter, toughly fought 10 weeks before the United States votes on Nov. 4.

Hours earlier, in a tumultuous, deafening, historic moment, Mr. Obama secured the Democratic nomination for president as thousands of party faithful stood and cheered the triumphant achievement of a man who may become the first black to reach the Oval Office.

"In the spirit of unity, with the goal of victory," let's make it unanimous, said his former opponent, Ms. Clinton, whose bid to return to the White House as the first female president was crushed by her erstwhile rival's stunning primary victories. The former first lady's call for unity during the formal roll-call vote averted the possibility of a damaging and unseemly rift marring the carefully orchestrated convention.

Shouts of "Yes we can" filled the packed arena. For many black Americans, last night's triumphant nomination transcended partisan politics. "Just the thought that he cared enough to run, to risk his life, that means a lot," said Marilynn Mayse from Dallas. "It's like I'm living my dream. Last night, I was sitting in there with some lady I don't even know, and we were both just crying." Today, Mr. Obama will accept the nomination in 65,000-seat outdoor Invesco Field football stadium, 45 years to the day since Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic "I have a dream" speech.

"This is a monumental moment in our nation's history," said Martin Luther King III, the civil rights icon's oldest son.

With reports from John Ibbitson and Siri Agrell