US Elections: Bill and Barack Smooth Out Their Differences

Those who feared that Bill Clinton wanted no part of the hugs, back slaps, protestations of party unity and general love accompanying his wife's campaign appearance with Barack Obama can now relax.

Bill and Barack -- who spent ample time during the 16-month Democratic primary contest sniping at one another -- are on speaking terms once more, the Obama campaign said today.

"Senator Obama had a terrific conversation with President Clinton and is honored to have his support in this campaign," a statement from the Obama campaign said today.

"He has always believed that Bill Clinton is one of this nation's great leaders and most brilliant minds, and looks forward to seeing him on the campaign trail and receiving his counsel in the months to come."

Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna said the former president renewed his offer ? expressed in a one-sentence statement last week ? to do whatever he can to ensure Obama wins the presidency.

"President Clinton continues to be impressed by Senator Obama and the campaign he has run, and looks forward to campaigning for and with him in the months to come," McKenna said.

"The president believes that Senator Obama has been a great inspiration for millions of people around the country and he knows that he will bring the change America needs as our next president."

Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said the senator called Clinton after Obama landed in Missouri this morning, and they spoke for about 20 minutes. Gibbs said Obama asked Clinton to campaign with him and on his own.

The warmly worded exchange follows intense speculation that the former president remains furious at Obama -- not just for beating his wife to the party nomination but for sullying Clinton's reputation as the only two-term Democratic president in the last 40 years.

Clinton's reaction to his wife's losing battle for the nomination exposed a ferocious temper. On the campaign trail, the former president regularly got into shouting matches with reporters. He was recorded calling one journalist a "scumbag".

Clinton was said to be angry and hurt that he was accused of trying to use race to help his wife and hurt Obama's candidacy.

He also took offense at Obama's tendency on the campaign trail to lump his presidency together with the Republican administrations of Ronald Reagan and the first George Bush.

In the month since Obama clinched the nomination, the former president has remained relatively silent -- even as his wife tries to rally her supporters around the Democratic nominee.

Hillary Clinton on a number of occasions has saluted Obama's skills as a campaigner, and implored her camp of women followers to support his candidacy.

Last Friday, she held her first campaign appearance with Obama at the appropriately named town of Unity in New Hampshire.

The former president, however, skipped that rally. Until today's statement, he confined his comments on Obama's win to a one-line statement issued by a press aide.