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Saturday, August 09, 2008 3:00 AM Wilson political observer expects Clintons to toe Democratic party line From staff and wire reports Bill and Hillary Clinton are now both expected to speak during the Democratic convention in Denver later this month, party officials said Friday. Officials confirmed anonymously that the former president will give a speech on the third night of the Aug. 25-28 convention, before an address by the as-yet-to-be-named running mate for Barack Obama, the party’s likely presidential nominee. Sen. Clinton is scheduled to speak on the second night. Political observers had wondered what role the former president would play at the gathering since his wife ended her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in early June after a sometimes bitter primary contest. But a Wilson man who knows both the Clintons well expects them to ask her supporters to rally behind Obama. “I’d be extremely surprised if there was any turmoil at the convention caused by Sen. Clinton or President Clinton,” said Dewey Sheffield, a friend and supporter of the couple. In a telephone interview Friday, Sheffield said he is aware that some of Clinton’s supporters hold out hope of a last-minute switch at the convention. They have even referred to themselves as PUMA — or “Party Unity, My A--,” Sheffield said. But he does not expected the Clintons to be involved. “They’re both too smart for that,” he said. “She ran a good race; she lost, now it’s time to put on a happy face and keep on going. That’s what you do in politics.” Amid reports that some Clinton backers hope to raise her profile at the convention or even continue to push her candidacy, Clinton and Obama were publicly trying to ease the strained relations that exist between some of their supporters. Flying home to Chicago, Obama told reporters that he had talked separately this week to Clinton and her husband, and that they were enthusiastic about having a smooth convention. “As is true in all conventions, we’re still working out the mechanics, the coordination,” Obama said. One such issue is whether there will be a convention roll call on Clinton’s nomination, he said. “I’m letting our respective teams work out details,” he said. Asked if that meant he wouldn’t object to her name being placed in nomination and a vote taken, Obama said: “I didn’t say that. I said that they’re working it out.” Clinton has not said whether she will seek a formal vote on her bid for the nomination. During the online chat on her Web site, she wrote that she and Obama will ensure Democrats are “fully unified.” Clinton is expected to deliver a prime-time address to delegates on Aug. 26, the second night of the convention. With the delegate roll call planned for the next evening, Obama is set to accept the nomination with a speech on the convention’s fourth and final night. “We will ensure that the voices of everyone who participated in this historic process are respected and our party is fully unified heading into the November election,” Clinton wrote. “While no decisions have been made yet, I will make sure that we keep you up-to-date and involved with all of the convention activity.” Obama was asked whether allowing Clinton’s name to be placed in nomination might lead to a catharsis for the party. “I don’t think we’re looking for catharsis. I think what we’re looking for is energy and excitement,” he said. Clinton insisted during the Web chat that she was sincerely behind Obama after someone asked whether she truly was supporting him or was “just saying what you have to?” Another questioner wanted to know if there was any possibility her name would be placed in nomination, arguing that doing so “would at least give your supporters a voice in the choice for the party’s nominee.” She was noncommittal. Someone else posted a note saying he hopes Clinton becomes Obama’s running mate. In her response, Clinton repeated that she will do whatever Obama asks of her, but it is his decision “and I am going to respect the privacy of that process by not discussing it.” The Clintons’ stance toward Obama’s candidacy is being closely scrutinized as the convention nears — particularly after remarks by Bill Clinton earlier this week during a trip to Africa. Asked whether Obama was prepared to become president, the former president replied, “You can argue that nobody is ready to be president,” and said he himself learned a lot in his first year on the job. The remark was widely viewed as tepid and unenthusiastic, particularly in light of Republican candidate John McCain’s frequent criticism that Obama is not ready to be president. |
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