Former US President Bill Clinton has in the last 18 months become indispensable in a way for incumbent Barack Obama in ways many in his administration did not anticipate.
According to the Washington Post, Mr Clinton has become a roving, always on-call fixer who lends his political skills to help Mr Obama and the Democrats in tough situations.
Mr Clinton is campaigning and raising money in places where Mr Obama is less (or less than) welcome.
And, as was revealed on Friday, he has been an intermediary on sensitive, off-the-grid conversations with candidates such as Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.), whom he tried — on behalf of the White House — to talk out of running for the Senate. One of Mr Clinton’s lowest political moments as president was when his party lost both Houses of Congress in 1994. Now, with Mr Obama’s Democratic majority similarly imperilled, 44 is turning to 42 for help. The Republicans have taken notice, suggesting that Mr Clinton might play a bigger role this cycle than Mr Obama.
Mr Clinton’s relationship with Mr Obama was strained through much of the 2008 campaign, but things between them improved when Mr Obama appointed Hillary Rodham Clinton secretary of state.
Mr Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, a former Clinton aide and confidant, helped ease the tension. Mr Clinton and Mr Obama have appeared together at least 11 times since Mr Obama’s inauguration, including on Thursday, when the two lunched at the White House.
—ANI