Text size:

ON THE TRAIL

July 18, 2008

Former President Bill Clinton said yesterday he is eager to campaign for Barack Obama whenever the Democrat needs him, but has not given any thought to whether he wants to speak at the party convention in Denver next month. "I told him that whenever he wanted me to do it, I was ready, and so it's basically on their timetable," Clinton said. "He's got a lot of things to do between now and the convention, of which this is simply one, so I'll do whatever I'm asked to do, whenever I can do it." Relations between Clinton and Obama have only just begun to thaw since Obama defeated the former president's wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, in the bruising Democratic primary that ended last month. Just weeks ago, Obama called the former president to ask for his help in winning the White House. Clinton's comments came at a news conference for his foundation's work.

Mayor Michael Bloom-berg is planning to host a party for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton to ease her transition from her tough fight on the presidential campaign trail. The billionaire mayor, who had toyed with the idea of his own independent presidential run, met with Clinton in Washington yesterday and made the offer, a spokesman said. Clinton spent 18 months on a grueling race that came up short against Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. Bloomberg did not endorse any candidate during the primary, and has still not said whom he is supporting in the presidential race. The event for Clinton, who is still raising money to pay down her $10 million campaign debt, will not be a fundraiser, Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines said. A Bloomberg spokesman did not immediately comment.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain says he is receiving Social Security checks, but he says the system needs to be fixed if future generations are to enjoy the same benefits. The Arizona senator is a month shy of his 72nd birthday and would be the oldest president elected. Last week, McCain said the system for funding Social Security is "a disgrace" because it forces young workers to pay into a program that is unlikely to benefit them in its current form. Social Security benefits are projected to exceed the plan's tax revenues in about nine years. The program's trustees have said the Social Security Trust Fund will be depleted by 2041 unless the system is changed.