Opinion: Clinton -- yes, Bill -- now also set to speak at Democratic convention

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With all the rumblings about renegade Democrats demanding that Hillary Clinton‘s name be placed in nomination as a sign of respect at the Democratic National Convention in Denver late this month, and the hasty joint assurances that the onetime bitter rivals would work something out, now comes word that Big Bill Clinton will be speaking the third day of the four-day gathering.

(See video below.)

The Times’ Peter Nicholas reports this morning that a senior Democrat familiar with the convention scheduling said Clinton had agreed and been scheduled for Aug. 27.

Sen. Clinton will speak the previous night.

Until now, no one knew whether the ex-president, the only Democrat in more than six decades to win two consecutive presidential terms, would even appear at the quadrennial party pep rally.

While saying the right words a few times in recent weeks about doing whatever he’s asked to help the Barack Obama campaign this fall, Clinton hasn’t been all that effusive or appeared enthusiastic about the freshman fellow who narrowly beat his wife out of the party nomination, forcing her to surrender in early June.

Bill Clinton did have some pretty rough things to say about Obama during the prolonged primary season, especially about his inexperience. In an ABC interview conducted in Africa over the weekend and broadcast Monday, reported here in The Ticket, Clinton even dodged a question about Obama’s readiness to take over the White House.

For his part, Obama said Thursday that he had spoken with Sen. Clinton’s husband this week and that ‘he’s been very supportive.’ Nicholas’ full story is available here.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Photo: Associated Press