Masterful Bill Gets Convention on Track

Clinton camp's back-handed Obama-bashing, second-guessing mark jittery DNC

(NEWSER) - A former John McCain strategist described the odd mood in Denver perfectly, Maureen Dowd writes in the New York Times: “Submerged hate.” That would explain the uneasy proceedings, which have been marked more by Clintonian drama than anything else. At a recent new conference, Dowd observes, “Hillary looked as if she were straining at the bit to announce her 2012 exploratory committee.” More»

Neither side is feeling the love as convention kicks off

(NEWSER) - Months after Hillary Clinton announced her support for Barack Obama, tensions between the two camps have flared again, Politico reports, and behind-the-scenes sniping in Denver is intense. Bill Clinton is unhappy with his speech assignment—Wednesday night's theme, securing America's future, leaves him little room to revisit the successes of his own presidency—while Obama aides say Clinton associates still act like the former first couple has leverage. More»

Former Va. governor could give Obama boost in the state

(AP) - Mark Warner, Virginia's former governor and current Democratic Senate candidate, has been named the keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention, a plum spot that springboarded Barack Obama himself to national prominence. Warner's selection ends speculation that Hillary Clinton, who will also speak that night, would land the position. More»

(NEWSER) - Bill Clinton has accepted an offer from the Barack Obama campaign to speak at the Democratic convention, MSNBC reports. Clinton reportedly will speak in a prime spot—on Wednesday evening just ahead of the vice-presidential candidate. The Obama camp rushed the offer into place to soothe tensions over the latest Obama-Clinton dust-up, in which Hillary suggested she may allow her name to be put up for nomination at the convention, MSNBC says. More»

Hillary's camp offers support in exchange for aid on debt

(NEWSER) - Under the eye of one of Washington's most powerful lawyers, Barack Obama is negotiating with Hillary Clinton over a tangle of issues, from how to retire her campaign debt to what role she will play in this summer's convention. The Democratic party is slowly recovering from its bruising primary fight with the aid of Robert Barnett, who brokered book deals for Obama and both Clintons, the New York Times reports. More»