Five men have accepted the Democratic presidential nomination since 1988, but only Bill Clinton has been a central figure at each of the last six Democratic conventions.
In fact, Clinton's appearances at Democratic national conventions provide a fascinating view of the 42nd president's career arc. He was a late-night punchline after his inauspicious debut on the national stage in 1988. Four years later, he was a political rock star as the "Man from Hope" who would bring his party back to the White House. In recent years, he's emerged as the Democratic Party's most prominent and popular champion as well as a fierce defender of his administration's record.
In advance of Clinton's appearance at the 2012 convention, USA TODAY takes a look back at his previous six convention speeches. In this mashup, you'll see key moments (such as the "in closing" line that drew cheers in 1988) but this is not a highlight reel. Rather it's a supercut of recurrent themes, moments that thread together six speeches over 20 years and images that will remind you just how long Bill Clinton has been a dominant figure in American politics.
