What’s more humiliating, that Obama had to make the first move or that he made it when rumors of a demand for ass-kissing are still simmering on the wires?

Amid reports of tension between Sen. Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton, the Obama campaign announced Monday the presumptive Democratic nominee called Bill Clinton at 11amET this morning from Kansas City, Missouri while enroute to his event in Independence, Mo…

The former president was in New York, where he has an office in Harlem and a home in Chappaqua, NY. They spoke for 20 minutes. Obama asked the former president to campaign with him and for him. The Obama campaign said Bill Clinton told Obama he is excited about that prospect…

“President Clinton had a very good conversation with Sen. Obama today. He renewed his offer to do whatever he can to ensure Sen. Obama is our next President,” said Bill Clinton spokesperson Matt McKenna.

No word on whether the subject of “sliming” Hillary was broached. It’s a testament, though, to what a consummate pain in the ass Clinton has become that Barry O would not only initiate the call but then advertise the fact with a campaign announcement. I can’t believe it’s because he’s worried about an Obama/BJ feud causing Clinton supporters to stay home; like I said in Saturday’s post, so long as Hillary’s on the trail with him he should have that base covered. Doubtless he did it simply to try to stop Bill from sucking up any more media coverage with his lingering bitterness. Meditate on this as a measure of how far the Legacy has fallen: If Clinton promised tomorrow not to say another word for the rest of the campaign, whether for or against Obama, the party leadership as well as the vast majority of Democrats could probably live with it just fine.

Update: Everyone’s problem.

And she had a new Bill problem. “Bill Clinton was out of control … even the night she won in New Hampshire. Even Hillary couldn’t control him,” a Clinton fund-raiser tells me. “He began calling me directly,” says one of Hillary’s Big Five, “and you don’t talk back to the president of the United States.”