CHARLOTTE, NC — Rumored drama and tension between former President Bill Clinton and the Obama administration has long been an object of fascination among the country’s political chattering classes, so much so that Mr. Clinton’s speech at the Democratic National Convention tonight was widely hyped as a potential obstacle for the Obama campaign. However, despite reports the Obama campaign didn’t see the text of Mr. Clinton’s remarks and feared he might wander off message, the DNC distributed advance copies of Mr. Clinton’s speech and, though he made many ad libs, Mr. Clinton effusively praised the President and aggressively attacked Mitt Romney’s positions on healthcare, debt reduction and job creation.

Early on in his speech, Mr. Clinton directly addressed the source of reports of his strained relationship with Mr. Obama–fallout from the 2008 Democratic primary between Mr. Obama and his wife, Hillary Clinton. Mr. Clinton dismissed the idea there was any lingering ill will from that race by pointing out President Obama appointed Ms. Clinton and several of her supporters to positions in his administration.

“President Obama appointed several members of his cabinet, even though they supported Hillary in the primary,” he said to thunderous applause from the audience. “Heck, he even appointed Hillary!” Read More