Clinton tells cheering Nev. crowd to support Obama

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., smiles as she campaigns for Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Friday, Aug. 8, 2008, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) (Jae C. Hong - AP)

After weeks of private talks about exactly what the Clintons will do at the national convention, no decision has been reached on whether delegates will actually hold a roll call vote that includes her candidacy.

Such a move could disrupt or distract from the point of the convention _ showing a unified party raring to return a Democrat to the White House.

On the other hand, she has suggested that letting her supporters whoop and holler for her might provide a catharsis and help the party move on.

"It's as old as, you know, Greek drama," Sen. Clinton told supporters in a recent speech to a private gathering, which was later posted on the Web.

In this particular drama, the Clintons insist they are doing everything they can to get her supporters on board with Obama. Any reluctance, she says, is not hers, but comes from those who committed to her historic bid and are still unhappy that she did not prevail.

Clinton did not mention any convention disputes in her remarks Friday. She later told reporters the two campaigns were still in negotiations.

"We're going to have a very clear message about how the campaign will cooperate and how the convention will be conducted when it's appropriate to make that announcement," she said.

Clinton and Obama may be on the same team, but in the past week they seemed to be running in different directions.

In political terms, one candidate's catharsis is another's car wreck. Conventions at which the party appears divided can prove disastrous to the nominee's chances in the general election.

Obama told reporters Thursday he thought the negotiations with Clinton aides had gone "seamlessly," but he also rejected the notion that there might be a need for emotional release on the part of some Democrats.

"I don't think we're looking for catharsis," said Obama. "I think what we're looking for is energy and excitement."

Giving both Clintons big speeches at the convention may help generate excitement, but it also gives them a lot of attention at a gathering that's supposed to be about the nominee, Obama.