Former President Bill Clinton last night formally nominated President Barack Obama for a second term, saying that “he inherited a deeply damaged economy, he put a floor under the crash,’’ and launched “the long hard road to recovery.’’

Clinton, who presided over an economic expansion from 1993 through 2000 and left a budget surplus to his Republican successor George W. Bush, took direct aim at Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, saying the former Massachusetts governor was a champion of the “you’re on our own, winner-take-all society.’’

“In Tampa, the Republican argument against the President’s re-election was pretty simple: We left him a total mess, he hasn’t finished cleaning it up yet, so fire him and put us back in,’’ Clinton said.

As Clinton finished, Obama pulled a surprise by joining the former president on the stage.

In an almost sorrowful tone, Clinton chided the Republicans for eschewing cooperation with Obama, saying the conservative Republican lawmakers prefer conflict with the president. By contrast, Clinton said, while he often disagreed with Republicans, he often preferred to work with them.

“One of the main reasons America should re-elect President Obama is that he is still committed to cooperation,’’ Clinton said.

The thousands of delegates stood and cheered throughout Clinton’s speech. “Like Tony the Tiger, it’s Great! Bill speaks, everyone listens, including Republicans,” said Marcia Knox, a Dayton delegate and regional director of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Ohio Council 8.

Nan Whaley, a Dayton city commissioner and delegate, said that Clinton “even reminds us of the value of working together. We can make America better.’’

Former Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin, vice-chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, said that “President Clinton was in his element among the people being energized to nominate President Obama for a second term. President Clinton laid a great foundation for President Obama to be re-elected for a second term.”

Controversy over Jerusalem in Democratic platform

On an evening in which every speech was tightly scripted, a controversy erupted on the floor that involved former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, chairman of the platform committee. Strickland rose on the floor and asked the delegates to add a section to the platform asserting that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.

Strickland told the delegates that Obama “recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and our party platform should as well.’’ But the U.S. has never officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital, preferring a vague formula that leaves Jerusalem’s status up to final negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian state.

Three times the delegates voice voted and each time they appeared evenly divided. After the third vote, Democratic officials declared that the platform addition had been approved.

After the platform amendment was declared passed, Strickland was quickly ushered out, not stopping to answer questions by reporters giving chase.

Sen. Bob Carey of Pennsylvania, who describes himself as strongly pro-Israel, said he didn’t know where the amendment came from, “but I want to know. It came as news to me and news to some fairly high-ranking Democrats and I wish someone had given a lot of us a heads up about it.”

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said in a statement that “made the important move to re-affirm our belief that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel,’’ adding that “support for Israel should transcend partisan politics and never be turned into a partisan issue.’’

Andrea Saul, a Romney spokeswoman, said that Romney “has consistently stated his belief that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.’’ She said Obama “has repeatedly refused to say the same himself. Now is the time for President Obama to state in unequivocal terms whether or not he believes Jerusalem is Israel’s capital.’’