President Barack Obama and Bill Clinton

Make no bones about it, President Obama and President Bill Clinton can barely stand each other.

The body language when the two are together says it all. Clinton, the touchy feely type, rarely embraces Obama, while the President looks like he'd rather be on another planet when Clinton is speaking.

Now, however, Obama needs Clinton desperately.

Last week's economic figures make clear that the home run Team Obama had been expecting in the November election is not happening.

Worse still, Obama may get thrown out because of the economy and the peculiar inability he has to generate passion anything like what he did four years ago.

Enter Bill Clinton.

Back when he was railing against Obama on the campaign trail and being unfairly called a racist it looked like the big ol' southern dog was finished.

Now he is easily the most popular politician in America.

So popular that the Mitt Romney camp have been using him and his better economic record to skewer Obama, and the opinion polls show it is working.

That is bad news for Obama who now realizes he has to keep the big dog on the reservation.

So the current series of fundraisers in New York where they will appear together will be just the start.

Expect Clinton and Obama to be tied to the hip from Labor Day on, when the real battle starts.
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Clinton is the Democratic Ronald Reagan, the sunny figure who made the economy grow and made people feel better.

Obama's legacy is a lot less convincing than that -- half solving a desperate recession that hangs around like a bad flu that could turn to pneumonia.

Together, however, they can bring back those vital swing voters that Obama needs to win a re-election.

For Clinton there is the ever present issue of Hillary and what she needs to do.

No one is ruling her out as a candidate in four years.

But running in an open election against a Republican incumbent is an awful lot easier.

Which is why it is important for the Clintons that Obama is re-elected.

Obama remarked during his race against Hillary last time that she was "likable enough"

The question now is whether he is likable enough to the American electorate

Ironically, the Clinton machine he defeated now represents his greatest opportunity to make that comeback and win the White House again.

When it comes to re-election for "O" all roads lead to Bill and Hill and their active and enthusiastic support.

What a turnaround.