Bill Clinton belatedly on board
Former President Bill Clinton, who has been noticeably reticent in his backing for Barack Obama, is finally voicing his endorsement.
The Associated Press is reporting today that Clinton, through spokesman Matt McKenna, is saying that he is "committed to doing whatever he can and is asked to do to ensure Senator Obama is the next president."
Obama's campaign didn't specify how Clinton might help the campaign, but noted he would factor into the race.
"A unified Democratic Party is going to be a powerful force for change this year and we're confident President Clinton will play a big role in that," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton, according to the AP report.
UPDATE: Obama told CNN today that he will need the help of both Clintons, and praised them. “They’re going to want to campaign actively on behalf of the Democratic ticket,” said Obama, “I am going to need them.”
He called Bill Clinton "one of the most intelligent, charismatic political leaders that we have seen in a generation and he has got a lot of wisdom to impart."
Obama said Hillary Clinton is "going to be a force to be reckoned with not only in the Senate, but hopefully if I'm successful in the White House she's going to be one of my key partners in making sure that we’re moving forward on issues like healthcare that she cares so deeply about."
Clinton is not scheduled at this point, however, to appear with his wife and Obama at their first joint rally of the general election campaign Friday in Unity, N.H.
The former president did appear with Hillary Clinton when she formally conceded the race and endorsed Obama on June 7, but did not speak.
Bill Clinton was a vociferous supporter of his wife, and he had his run-ins with the Obama camp, accusing it at one point of playing the race card against him. Hillary Clinton struggled for most of the campaign with how exactly to use her husband, who seemed to upstage her at times and be in the middle of controversies.
Bill Clinton is a true democrat but if I were in his position , I would not endorse a man that called him racist for stating an historical fact............along with sticking his middle finger up when saying Hillary's name in a speach and the "oh she's likeable enough" comment and soooo many more sexist and racist things the Obama's did. I give Bill credit for his commitment to the party. I will vote Republican for the first time in my life this year and any self respecting woman will do the same. Secretely I bet Bill and Hillary do hope McCain, the very liberal conservative, wins this year.
VOTE McCAIN by default 2008 and HILLARY 2012
The absence of a welcome place on this continent for British rule was the cause of the American Revolution and the Civil War. Today we are still faced with the lingering presence of residual British rule. The reason is that most revolutions and wars fail to replace the legal system, which is the cause of the revolution or war in the first place. The reason is that most legal systems are owned and operated by the legal profession and are rarely subject to the scrutiny of any other individual. To make the legal profession necessary, legal systems are intentionally made arbitrarily complex. Publishing the law in the form of a polychotomous key would eliminate the need for the legal profession, allow everyone to scrutinize the law and allow changes to the law which everyone could comprehend, utilize and appreciate. Were the law published in the form of a polychotomous key the need for war and revolution could be completely eliminated and would thereafter not exist in the first place. Until Barack Obama supports publication of the law in the form of a dynamic online polychotomous key then he is just another member of the legal profession with absolutely no value to me.
The news media never ceases to amaze me. When President Clinton was speaking out in support of Senator Clinton's presidential campaign, his every word was analyzed, criticized and rejected as "unhelpful" to her quest and inflammatory toward Obama. He was even accused of racism and the media knew that accusation was unjustified when they made it. Now, he does not speak and he's criticized for that!
The best thing President Clinton can do for himself, Obama and his campaign is stay as far away from it as possible. To do otherwise is to risk a comment that will be seized upon as detrimental to Obama's efforts and President Clinton will be accused of attempting to derail the campaign.
The Clinton's are forever in a "no win" situation with the news media and the best comment either one can make about Obama and his campaign is, "no comment" because the media has an unreasonable hostility toward them.
Of course he endorsed him now. Just after that picture of him holding hands with a young woman in Europe surfaced...
Thank you Mr. Clinton. Add his name to the long list of questionable characters who support Obama. Some slime like him had to stand up seeing that Kennedy is predisposed.
As a self respecting woman I will happily vote for the only candidate who is pro-choice and does not call his wife the "C" word - Barack Obama.
I'm glad that Bill is following his wife's lead in supporting Obama.
McCain is given far too much leeway as a supposed maverick by the press. He has changed into a raging conservative on every important issue. His presidency will be nothing more than a third Bush term. It would hurt women and children, and keep our troops in harms way. Anyone with an ounce of common sense will vote for Obama and kick the failed policy of the Republicans to the curb.
As a African American woman, I was appalled by the Obama's camp's (including Barack's) behavior during this campaign.
I agree with the first comment. Any self-respecting woman, of any color, who votes for Obama is a fool.
What the whatever is a "polychotomous key "? Posters like Mark Davis really give the internet, blogging and other interactive forums a bad name as a sometime haven for wingnuts, conspiracy theorists and twits of all description. And you women who wouldn't vote for Obama -- are you nuts? Would you really rather have a President who might further tip the balance on the Supreme Court or might "bomb, bomb. bomb, bomb bomb Iran"?
I agree with all the comments why Bill should stay out of Baracks corner.
First, Obama ran this amazing campaign and won. Why does he need Clintons?
MSM continues to use the Clinton's as lead stories. Why? They beat up on Hillary and Bill, the DNC never stood behind Clinton. What happened to the Democrats?
As an independent who looks behind the picture, and the $$ trail, I can't vote Obama after seeing his behavior during his campaign. I do remember the finger gesture, seen once on CNN and once on MSNBC. The republicans got us in this mess, let them get us out of it!
Cynthia and Jodi: Anyone who votes for McCain is a fool!
I'm a Black American...Clinton supporter (Senator Clinton and President Clinton) I'm just not one of the Black Americans who are ridiculously excited by Senator Obama's chance to be POTUS...that being said...President Clinton is (reticent) WOW...I wonder why
Jodi
You're a fool to vote for McCain over Barack. Check out McCain's position on women's issues and think again. Grow up! Jesus!!
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