Former President Bill Clinton attends the Starkey Hearing Foundation's 'So The World May Hear Awards Gala' 2011 at River Centre on July 24, 2011 in St. Paul, Minnesota.
It took longer for Obama's relationship with Bill Clinton to soften as the two men found common ground in the pressures of the presidency.
Clinton's willingness to be a good soldier for the Obama campaign could end up paying political dividends for his wife, who is frequently talked about in party circles as a potential presidential candidate in 2016 despite her repeated denials. Hillary Clinton has benefited enormously from her partnership with Obama, with her popularity skyrocketing during her time in his Cabinet.
Democrats say the overt signs of unity between the Clintons and Obama put the president at a distinct advantage over Romney. The former Massachusetts governor must soothe the wounds from his GOP primary fight and figure out whether the last Republican president, George W. Bush, will have a role in the 2012 race.
"It makes absolutely clear that, to the extent that there were different wings of the Democratic Party, there is now one wing of the Democratic Party," said Chris Lehane, a Clinton backer. "And it's the president's party."
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Associated Press writer Julie Pace contributed to this report.
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