Washington - Democrats took another healing step on Thursday when former president Bill Clinton said he planned to campaign for Barack Obama whenever, wherever he was needed, according to broadcast footage of his remarks. 

During the heated bid for the party's presidential nomination, Bill drew attention for his emotional, sometimes scolding, defence of wife Hillary, who narrowly lost her bid for the role. 

While Hillary Clinton and Obama made a good show of unity shortly after the final primary vote in June, Democratic stalwarts have been waiting for a similar move from the popular former president, who is still a big party drawing card. 

"I'll do whatever I'm asked to do, whenever I'm asked to do it," Clinton said in broadcast remarks. He said he had had a "good talk" with the US senator who wants to become the country's first black president and beat Republican John McCain on November 4. 

"I'll do whatever I'm asked to do, whenever I'm asked to do it .. He said he wanted me to campaign with him and I said I'm eager to do so," Clinton said. 

He noted that Obama was "busier" than he was, and that it would be "basically on their timetable." 

Traditionally, the voting public only starts to pay attention to the race after the August and September nominating conventions, which will officially confirm Obama and McCain as the candidates. 

But in one of the closest and most closely watched elections in recent American history, both Obama and McCain are campaigning at full force this summer. 

Obama is expected to depart in the coming days for his first major foreign trip, to Europe, the Middle East, Iraq and Afghanistan, bidding to raise his profile on the international arena, where he has little experience. (dpa)