Bill Clinton Endorses Obama Amid Announcement He’ll Play “Big” Campaign Role

What a difference a few (political) days makes. Several days ago Reuters reported that former President Bill Clinton smilingly — and pointedly — didn’t answer when pressed by reporters whether he’d endorse Democratic presumptive Presidential nominee Barack Obama. But things happen and change in politics.

Perhaps the Reuters report raised some eyebrows (and perhaps some voices) in Democratic party elite circles: today it was announced Bill Clinton supported Obama.

But if came in a weird way: through a spokesman. And varying journalists saw exactly what Bill Clinton Bill Clinton’s spokesman said differently.

For instance, the Boston Globe (like many) saw it as an endorsement:

Former President Bill Clinton, who has been noticeably reticent in his backing for Barack Obama, is finally voicing his endorsement.

The Associated Press is reporting today that Clinton, through spokesman Matt McKenna, is saying that he is “committed to doing whatever he can and is asked to do to ensure Senator Obama is the next president.”

The Washington Post’s The Trail made it sound a lot less like Clinton saying it than his spokespeople saying it for him — as if Bill Clinton was doing the political equivalent of be forced to take two teaspoons of nasty-tasting cough syrup:

Former Pres. Bill Clinton has not made any public statements supporting Sen. Barack Obama since the end of the Democratic nomination battle — making him one of the last prominent Democrats in the country not to declare his hearty desire to campaign for the presumptive nominee. Still, Clinton officials say his support is obvious.

And, indeed, the fact that Clinton did not himself make any announcement suggests he still is angry over the primary campaign and the way he was portrayed by the Obama camp as playing the race card. The only problem for Bill Clinton: many blogs, columnists and reporters reached the same conclusion, and they weren’t being assigned or supervised by David Axelrod.

Bill Clinton’s endorsement/backing (choose your word) was immediately followed by the Obama campaign touting the former President’s big upcoming role in the general election campaign. Writes L.A. Times’ Top of the Ticket’s Andrew Malcolm:

A campaign spokesman for Sen. Barack Obama today told a reporter that ex-President Bill Clinton will play a “big role” in the upcoming general election campaign.

This could be the usual unity hoo-haa leading up to Friday’s joint Obama-Hillary Clinton appearance in, of all places, Unity, N.H. This, after their joint appearance in Washington Thursday before many of her top fundraisers.

Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki did not reveal to Bloomberg reporter Kristin Jensen how the campaign might use the former president.

“A unified Democratic Party is going to be a powerful force for change this year, and we’re confident President Clinton will play a big role in that,” Psaki said.

Malcolm wonders how it’s going to happen that the American public will suddenly see a joyous Bill Clinton campaigning for Obama.

Most likely: Clinton will go through the motions but be as joyful as someone undergoing a root canal.

Without anesthetic.

As his toenails are being pulled out.

Malcolm again:

Bill Clinton has been largely silent since the primaries’ end, mentioning Obama only in passing in a recent Miami speech. Hillary Clinton said all the right things in her “I-give-up” speech and has held conference calls urging supporters to switch to the freshman Illinois senator.

But a number of Clinton’s longtime supporters like Haim Saban have opted out of the “Now we’re helping Obama” effort.

And Bill is gonna have to be a whole lot more disciplined out there on the wild rodeo speaking stumps mouthing the message of his wife’s vanquisher than he was speaking on behalf of his own spouse.

Malcolm also raises the question of how the Obama crowd will control Bill Clinton, who this year seemed to have a penchant for sucking up all the media air and becoming a big — not always positive — news story.

True, Bill Clinton can be out there, giving speeches for the Obama campaign and forcing himself to smile.

But will it be change you can believe in?