Bill Clinton says he'll do 'whatever I'm asked' for Obama
After a two-hour meeting, Clinton and Barack Obama say they had a 'great conversation.' The former president will campaign soon in Florida, where Hillary Clinton has also pushed for Obama.
NEW YORK — At a lunch meeting today with Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton said he would do "a substantial number of things" to campaign for Obama this fall. Any bruised feelings from Obama's primary campaign against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton appeared to be in the past as the smiling Democratic presidential candidate and the former president talked to reporters outside Clinton's Harlem office before the pair went inside for a private lunch.
Clinton said he would do "whatever I'm asked to do" for Obama.
"We're putting him to work," Obama said.
Asked what he thought about Obama's race against Republican presidential nominee John McCain, Clinton said, "I predict that Sen. Obama will win and win handily."
"There you go," said a smiling Obama. "You can take it from the president of the United States. He knows a little something about politics."
The two men talked for two hours, according to a Clinton aide.
In a joint statement, the pair said they had a "great conversation. . . . They discussed the campaign briefly, but mostly talked about how the world has changed since Sept. 11, 2001.
"Sen. Obama praised the work of the Clinton Foundation around the world and President Clinton applauded Sen. Obama's historic campaign which has inspired millions around the country," they said..
Obama has had a sometimes difficult relationship with both Clintons. Bill Clinton campaigned frequently and fiercely for his wife during her unsuccessful bid for the presidential nomination. Some in the Obama camp viewed Bill Clinton as having been too harsh, especially when he minimized the significance of Obama's South Carolina primary victory.The former president will both raise money and campaign for Obama, according to the Clinton aide, who confirmed that Bill Clinton will go to Florida for Obama on Sept. 29. Hillary Clinton campaigned there this week.
The latest Quinnipiac University swing state polls released today show that McCain leads Obama in Florida, 50% to 43%. That is an improvement for McCain from Aug. 26, when he was ahead 47% to 43%.
According to the polls posted on the university website, McCain outpointed Obama with women. About 24% of those who backed Hillary Clinton in the state's invalid primary said they now support McCain, up from 14% last month.
