President Clinton made his first campaign appearances with Vice-President Al Gore in Little Rock, Arkansas, on Saturday, hoping to end lingering whispers of a rift between the two men.
Mr Gore arrived following an appearance in Chicago with civil rights activist the Rev Jesse Jackson, and joined Mr Clinton in a meeting with 75 farmers brought together to generate support for the Vice-President's candidacy.
That meeting was followed by a joint appearance before a gathering of black ministers and political activists from across the south - a political base which served Mr Clinton's national campaigns well and one he was trying to pass on to Mr Gore, White House aides said.
"He has been with me through thick and thin, through light and dark," Mr Clinton told the gathering, adding: "For a long time now, he's been at my back, and I intend to be with his."
Mr Clinton also joined Mr Gore for a fund-raiser which organisers said was to raise between $250,000 and $300,000 for the Vice-President's campaign - lavishing praise in introducing him and then embracing Mr Gore on stage. The money will help Mr Gore fight off the challenge for the Democratic nomination from former New Jersey senator, Mr Bill Bradley.
Under traditional circumstances, a sitting president would not disclose a preference when candidates from his own party are competing to succeed him.
However, this is no ordinary set of circumstances. Long ago, Mr Clinton announced he would love to see Mr Gore sworn in as president on January 20th, 2001 - in part because of the former Tennessee senator's loyalty to him, and in part because Mr Clinton would view it as a sign of his own popularity.
Since Mr Clinton was elected, Mr Gore has been at the President's side for most major public pronouncements - including that December day last year when the House impeached Mr Clinton on charges stemming from the Monica Lewinsky affair. Lately, however, Mr Gore has been going his own way as he seeks the Democratic presidential nomination.
Mr Clinton, though, has denied any rift, but the whispers have not gone away even though Mr Clinton and Mr Gore have told aides to stop complaining to reporters.
"The President has said that he wants to help in any way he can . . . and we're very, very appreciative of that and certainly welcome it," said Mr Gore's campaign spokesman, Mr Roger Salazar.