August 7, 2008
Posted: 08:57 PM ET
From CNN's Candy Crowley, Gloria Borger, Mark Preston and Rebecca Sinderbrand
Bill Clinton will speak at the Democratic convention later this month.
(CNN) — Multiple sources tell CNN that former President Bill Clinton will have a speaking role at the Democratic Convention, scheduled to take place in Denver later this month. The sources say he will speak Wednesday night, the night of the vice presidential nominee’s speech. Barack Obama will officially become the presidential nominee the next night. Candy Crowley also reports Obama and Bill Clinton spoke today. News of the former president's role leaked out as reports of tension between the Clinton and Obama camps over fundraising and convention planning issues, and the release of a YouTube clip showing Clinton telling supporters they should develop some sort of “strategy” to make sure their positions were represented at the Denver convention. Obama said Thursday that the controversy over whether the New York senator's delegates would be able to vote for her at the Democratic convention was a media creation.
“There hasn't been controversy other than what you guys are projecting right now,” he told reporters. Obama described conversations between the two campaigns over convention planning as “seamless.” “It has not been a problem,” he said. Earlier in the day, Hillary Clinton did not offer a clear answer when asked in a Web chat whether she might ask that her name be submitted for the presidential nomination when the Democratic Party meets in Denver at the end of the month. “I know that there have been a lot of questions on this subject. Senator [Barack] Obama and I share the goal of ensuring that the voices of everyone who participated in this historic process are respected,” she wrote. “I want to assure everyone we are working together with Senator Obama’s campaign and the DNC, and I am confident we will have a successful and unified Convention in Denver.” Asked later in the day whether he would be content if Clinton’s name were placed into nomination at the convention, Obama responded “I didn't say that. I said they are working it out, guys.” Hillary Clinton will campaign for Obama Friday in Nevada. Filed under: Barack Obama Bill Clinton
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