Bill Clinton 'committed' to Obama, spokesman says
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/06/24/art.clintonsob.gi.jpg caption="Bill Clinton has not formally endorsed Obama yet."](CNN) - Former President Bill Clinton is committed to helping Sen. Barack Obama get elected to the Oval Office, a Clinton spokesman said Tuesday.
The comments are the first from Bill Clinton's office to offer support to the presumptive Democratic nominee since the party's prolonged primary race ended two weeks ago.
Watch: Where is Bill Clinton?
"President Clinton is obviously committed to doing whatever he can and is asked to do to ensure Senator Obama is the next president of the United States," Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna said.
The former president was sharply critical of Obama on the campaign trail earlier this year, and has yet to publicly endorse the Illinois senator, even though his wife officially pulled out of the race June 7.
The comments come three days before both Obama and Hillary Clinton are set to appear together in Unity, New Hampshire, to show their support of a unified Democratic Party. The former president is not slated to attend that event.
Watch: Should Bill stump for Obama?
UPDATE: Responding to the statement, the Republican National Committee notes the former president has been highly critical of Obama, specifically in an interview with PBS' Charlie Rose shortly before the Iowa caucuses when he suggested voting for Obama is a "roll of the dice."
"I mean when is the last time we elected a president based on one year of service in the Senate before he started running?" Clinton said then. "He would have been a senator longer by the time he’s inaugurated, but essentially once you start running for president full-time you don’t have time to do much else.”
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LOL
"As you all can see Obama is the Presumptive nominee. It's not official until we have a showdown in Denver."
talk about delusional.
Stop the drama - vote obama.
get ready for a landslide victory in november clinton sheep - and enjoy and reap the benefits for years after despite your refusal to get behind the senator from Illinois. And keep crying - cause that will help.
OBAMA DID NOTHING BUT BASH PRESIDENT CLINTON. BILL SHOULD STAY OUT OF IT NOW. LET OBAMA WIN IT/LOSE IT ON HIS OWN.
Obama is well on his way to fooling people into giving him the presidency because he is young and black and we all need to atone for the sins of forefathers who were not even in this country at the time of slavery. Not even Obama's forefathers were here in the days of slavery.
Such irony.
Bill will help him because he's dedicated to getting Democrats a majority in the Senate and in the White House. Once we focus on what's important, we can forget the crap that came out of the primaries. The country can not afford a John McCain presidency. We are suffering!
It's all about Bill.
Even when Bill was campainging for his wife, it was all about Bill. Part of it is attributable to the fact his over inflated ego and partly because he has the stature of a former President. But that's also what gets him into trouble.
I have never seen Bill Clinton at a microphone speaking in support of someone other than himself, speaking sensibly and believably on behalf of a candidate, and then answer delicate questions without losing his temper. That's when he becomes a campaign liability.
Maybe he can support Barack Obama by simply saying, "I'm voting for Barack Obama. You heard it right from the horse's mouth. I, Bill Clinton, am voting for Barack Obama."
That might also send a message to Hillary's supporters that Clintons will vote for Obama. Wouldn't that be refreshing to know which candidate they support by their vote.
I'll believe it when I see him helping Obama campaign. Clinton said Obama's campaign sends out sleaze bags to do their dirty work would that include Sen. Clinton, who would be campaigning on obama's behalf.
I will take this, my grain of salt, and my good memory of all the horrible things Bill Clinton said in the recent months and sit here and see how it pans out. Maybe if we can keep him from TALKING...
Too bad Obama supporters are all such HATERS! Way to unify the party!!!
Hillary 2012! McCain 08!
Bill can give speeches for Obama, but I don't know if anyone will listen to him anymore. He seemed like such a nice guy, but after he said that his wife's bid was victim to a "cover-up", his nice-guy facade was just one big fairy-tale.
Bill you are no fool.
Only fools support Obama.
You and Hillary are just true democrats loyal to your party.
I am not loyal to the party.
I am loyal to my principles and ideals- freedom, justice, equality, fair play, right to vote, fair and unbiased elections.
Dobson needs to crawl back to whatever dirty hole he came from. Let's TAX the church heavily so these religioius nut jobs stay out of politics and the state.
The word "FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY" should be inscribed on every church and bible of every religion in America.
Religion after all is for the primtive....
Thank you Bill Clinton.
Bill who?
It's OK Bill, take your time to recover from the hectic primaries. There are still months of G.E. to be had and you need to be at your best.
Clinton is a member of the Trilateral Commision and the Bilderberg Group. He's worried about himself and furthering those groups causes of controlling the world.
The only thing Clinton is committed to is $$$$$$$ and Power. Just watch and see.
CNN) — Former President Bill Clinton is committed to helping Sen. Barack Obama get elected to the Oval Office,...........BILL CLINTON is and always has been a TRUE DEMOCRAT
Art ............ DONT DO IT BILL. Obama dosent deserve your help.........
NO WE DONIT need your help ........you are an BIG TIME IDIOT!!!!!
Lisa, there will be NO showdown in Denver. Both Hillary and Bill Clinton are behind Obama 100 percent. Do to anythink else but support him would ruin both of their names, political careers and their reputations. They both know when to give it up for the best of the democratic party. They now want all of Hillary's supporters to back Senator Obama 100%.
Hm, believe it when I see it. In the meantime - what're they doing?
Don't do it Bill....
Yes, the support of Bill Clinton will indeed help Obama. Obama, please don't put Hillary on the ticket, it can only hurt you! The Clintons will bring 8 more years of scandal to the white house.
Did you hear that speech SEn McBush give today...who write this stuff or can't ne read neither
One must leave bible distortion to the professionals.... hahahaha!!!!
Obviously it is good for his and his wifes political future to endorse Obama. To do all they can for the party, and to negotiate the paying of her debt. I sure wish the McCain supporters would quit writing on these boards as Hillary supporters who hate Obama. No one is that stupid. It is to bad the McCain/republican blind supporters have nothing to work with other then blind hate. Maybe in the future they will just look to the best for the country and not just vote republican everytime just because their dad told them to.
McCain is still going to win Florida.
i hope bill gets enough rest, and possibly some meds, before he gets out there supporting obama. he was a disaster for hillary a lot of the time!