Let me get this straight now. Obama's going to ride on Clinton's coattails into a second term. Is that right? Is that what we're talking about here? -John McLaughlin

Share |

Former U.S. President Clinton served two terms, 1993 to 2000. Now get this. Bill Clinton has been tapped by Barack Obama to nominate Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention four and a half weeks from now in Charlotte, North Carolina. President Clinton delivers the primetime address September 5, one night before President Obama himself takes the stage to accept his party nomination for a second presidential term. The nominating address at party conventions is a role usually reserved for the vice president. Instead, this year Vice President Joe Biden will speak the same night as President Obama, immediately preceding the Obama acceptance speech. So why Bill Clinton at all? Answer: Because Bill Clinton is popular. Sixty-six percent, a consensus of Americans, think highly of Bill Clinton. Democrats apparently believe that Clinton's nomination of Obama will remind them of what they enjoyed during Clinton's presidency - relative peace and prosperity. Clinton also has a special rapport with white, moderate, blue-collar voters, a demographic that Clinton himself hails from, and one that Mr. Obama has - what shall we say? - underemphasized.