Former President Bill Clinton told a fired up crowd at Alabama State University today that too many Americans don't share in the nation's prosperity, and Hillary Clinton can change that if voters put her in the White House.

"Everything she's ever done, she made better," Clinton said.

Clinton, struggling with hoarseness, spoke for about 20 minutes. He urged voters to show up for his wife on Super Tuesday.

Clinton said his wife is the most qualified candidate. He noted the historic importance that would come with being the first woman president.

But he said Hillary Clinton's most important quality is the ability to motivate change.

"You ought to support her because the president's job requires someone who gets up every day, on the great days and bad days and all days in between, and mobilizes us so we can all make something good happen," Clinton said.

The former first lady and Secretary of State faces Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in Tuesday's primary in Alabama.

Clinton has defeated Sanders in Iowa and Nevada and lost badly in New Hampshire heading into today's primary in South Carolina, where she got a big victory.

People line up outside the Hardy Student Center at Alabama State University to see former President Bill Clinton. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)

On Super Tuesday, a total of 12 states are having presidential primaries or caucuses.

The day has also been dubbed the SEC Primary because five states with universities in the Southeastern Conference will vote -- Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas.

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell introduced Clinton at ASU, saying he had always been a role model to her.

The former president touched on a number of topics, and occasionally jabbed at Republicans.

"I think sometimes that I'm useless in this election, because I looked at that Republican debate the other night, and I thought they were going to hit each other," Clinton said.

He said he did not agree with the Republican mantra to make America great again. He said America remains great but is not whole because of the barriers he said stand in the way of some.

Clinton chided Donald Trump for his pledge to build a wall on the Mexican border.

"Nobody has told him, apparently, that undocumented immigration from Mexico peaked in 2005," Clinton said.

He said the nation needs ladders to success, not walls.

Clinton called for police reform, saying "I'm sick of seeing young people shot."

"There's still a very high level of violence involving encounters with police that seem to disproportionately affect African Americans," he said.

He said reform would involve putting more police on the street and more in neighborhoods that represent them.

He said young Muslims hear Republicans "demonizing them for their religion." He said that's counterproductive against the need to enlist all Americans, including Muslims, in efforts to stop terrorism.

Clinton said nation needs sentencing reforms because too many people are in prison.

He said prescription drug abuse and heroin are "cutting a hole through America" and that Democrats and Republicans can work together on the problem.

"Why? Because the drugs are bipartisan killers," Clinton said.

After speaking, the former president stepped off the stage and waded into the friendly crowd, with camera phones clicking all around him.

Montgomery County Probate Judge Steven Reed warmed up the crowd, telling them all their enthusiasm won't matter if they don't vote. He named the Republican front-runners, saying a lack of turnout could put one of them in the White House, prompting chants of "No Trump" from the crowd.

Updated at 8:21 p.m. to add comment paragraph about Steven Reed. Updated at 8:59 p.m. to add Clinton comments about prison reform and drug abuse.

