Former President Bill Clinton will formally nominate President Barack Obama for reelection during next month’s Democratic convention, according to a report Monday from the New York Times.
The announcement, which the Obama campaign is expected to officially reveal Monday, comes after several incidents that have placed the former and current occupant of the White House at odds.
In June, Clinton described Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s business credentials as “sterling,” a description that went against the Obama campaign’s attempt to question Romney’s years at Bain Capital.
Later that month, Clinton appeared to suggest that Obama should allow the Bush era tax cuts to extended for all Americans for a year. Clinton later tried to walk back his response, saying that he ultimately agrees with Obama’s decision to not extend the tax breaks for the wealthy.
The apparent tension between the two springs from the 2008 campaign, wherein Clinton backed his wife’s candidacy against then-Senator Obama. However, Clinton ultimately backed Obama and delivered a well-received speech during that year’s Democratic convention.
Responding to the report, Romney spokesperson Ryan Williams accused Obama of attempting to tie his record to the strong economic growth that took place under Clinton.
“It’s clear President Obama would love to run on President Clinton’s record in office,” Williams said. “But no amount of showmanship can paper over the differences between these two presidents. Americans deserve a president willing to run on his own record, not the record he wishes he had.”
The convention takes place September 3rd through 6th in Charlotte, North Carolina. Clinton will deliver his speech on the 5th, the night before Obama accepts the nomination.
