Bubba's back

Clinton joins W.H. business meeting

 MATT NEGRIN | 07/14/10 3:04 PM

Former President Clinton (right) will meet with President Obama Wednesday. AP 

Former President Clinton returned to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. on Wednesday to meet with President Obama, Vice President Biden and business leaders, the White House announced. They were scheduled to "discuss new ways to create jobs in the private sector and strengthen the partnership between the public and private sectors to make new investments in the clean energy industry," according to White House guidance.

The meeting, at 2:35 p.m., was closed press.

In Wednesday's White House briefing, press secretary Robert Gibbs denied that Clinton was called because Obama needed extra support. Rather, Gibbs said, the Clinton Global Initiative is particularly engaged with one of the topics of discussion: making buildings more energy efficient.

Gibbs added that the opportunity for Obama to meet with Clinton was too great to be turned down, and he said of the former president's relationship with the current White House generally, "I think it would be crazy not to have a real popular former president out campaigning as he has."