It doesn’t compare to the number of sit downs that feuding rappers occasionally have, but it’s close. When Barack Obama is in New York this Thursday, he will have a private lunch with former president, William Jefferson Clinton.

Obama will be in the Big Apple to commemorate  the September 11 attacks alongside rival John McCain; both have promised to turn off the partisan politics for the seventh anniversary of the worst terrorist attacks on the country’s soil. Apparently when Clinton heard Obama was going to be in town, he extended the lunch date invitation.

Clinton and Obama have not been bestest friends. The tight primary race between the senator from Illinois and Hilary Clinton, the junior senator from New York, frayed the relationship. Clinton went to the mat for his wife, as expected, but there were moments when the guy from Hope, Arkansas acted like your standard political attack dog instead of a former president.

There has also been the idea of respect. Obama has gone out of his way to seek the counsel of older Democrats like Ted Kennedy and John Kerry; however, he has not been deferential enough to Big Dawg Clinton, the only Democrat who has a history of winning battles against the GOP.

Obama should do the opposite of 2000 Al Gore. In that race for the White house, Gore kept Clinton in the stable, convinced America was tired of him and his personal life. An unleashed Clinton could have helped Gore win a few more electoral college victories.  Sure there are tons of negatives on Clinton’s side (he has a tough time staying on message, is a bit undisciplined, and makes everything, no matter the topic about him), but Obama needs to ride him all the way to November.

Sure Barack Obama lost the word presumptive and now is just a nominee, and Hilary Clinton’s call from the floor to make it all official was picture perfect political theater. And no one would be talking out of turn to point to Joe Biden’s time on the stage as well spent (say what you will about the man, his personal history is going play extremely well on the stump); however, last night belonged to the guy who hails from Hope. Arkansas.

No need to lie. I wasn’t expecting much of President Bill Clinton’s speech. I was convinced his anger at Team Obama and Hilary’s loss would seep into his speech. Sure he would support Obama but he would leave enough space to let the world know that this guy from Illinois is not his guy.

But like Hilary the night before, Bill left no doubt of his support and he did it in the way only Bill can. The smile, finger wagging, looks of surprise at Republican talking points were on display.

“Think about it: more tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans that will swell the deficit, increase inequality, and weaken the economy; more Band-Aids for health care that will enrich insurance companies, impoverish families, and increase the number of uninsured; more going it alone in the world, instead of building the shared responsibilities and shared opportunities necessary to advance our security and restore our influence.”

Clinton set the table for Obama’s speech tonight and if Obama is smart, the first thing he does is a long riff on the Clinton’s and their importance to the party.

And if he’s real smart, Obama, Biden, and Clinton do some speeches together. Do a few southern states (Bill’s backyard) together. Let the Big Dawg go after a few folk.

Halfway done.

The storyline of the Democratic Convention thus far is all about the women. First Michelle Obama. Last night Hilary Clinton. Outside of Teddy Kennedy and Montana governor Brian Schweitzer (his fiery speech had me looking at want ads in newspapers from the Treasure State), the male  convention speakers have been rather pedestrian. No speaker has transformed  into a national figure (again excluding Schweitzer, who hopefully Obama operatives get out there on the stump).

Tonight the men  might shine. There’s Joe Biden, the vice presidential candidate, whose history of quirkiness always make him a good speaker. Then there is the “Big Dawg,” President Bill Clinton who clearly is still in a funk about Obama being the nominee.

Democrat love for Bill Clinton is even bigger than it is for Ted Kennedy and if there is a whiff of Bill not being on board with Obama that will mean trouble for team Obama come November. Of course Bill needs to get over himself, but in the world of Clinton it’s ego, ego, and some more ego (did you see the man mugging for the camera last night when Hilary was talking?). Hopefully Bill will fall in like Hilary did last night, but I have my doubts.

Obama’s campaign said in a brief e-mail that said the two senators and former opponents will campaign together for the first time on Friday, June 27, and more details would be forthcoming.

A day earlier, Obama and Clinton also plan to meet in Washington with some of her top contributors in an effort to calm donors who remain frustrated with Obama’s presidential campaign. The former first lady will introduce Obama to her financial backers.

Clinton, a New York senator and former first lady, suspended her campaign for the Democratic nomination earlier this month after Obama, an Illinois senator, secured enough delegates to clinch the nomination.

Obama’s campaign disclosed the joint appearance – but offered few details – one day after announcing that he would reverse an earlier position and reject some $85 million in public financing for the general election. That announcement opened him up to a flood of criticism and dominated the news cycle.

Thus, Obama’s campaign sought to redirect attention by putting word out a full seven days in advance that Obama and Clinton would campaign together.

Clinton ended her campaign on June 7, four days after Obama got enough delegates to clinch the nomination. “I endorse him and throw my full support behind him,” she said at the time.

The two met privately on June 5 after ditching reporters to make sure there would be no photos or coverage of the first post-race meeting. Obama was asked Wednesday whether they were talking.

“I have not had conversations with Senator Clinton because she has been getting a well-deserved vacation,” he said at the time. “We will be speaking I think in the next few days or certainly the next week and will be having an ongoing conversation.”