Bill Clinton at center stage ... again

It’s a speaking slot typically reserved for the vice president. But former President Bill Clinton will place Barack Obama’s name into nomination tonight between 10 and 11 p.m. Clinton’s high-profile role is a sign of how far he has come in the past four years in refurbishing his image and restoring his frayed relationship with Obama and some in the Democratic Party, The New York Times notes. Feelings were sore all around after Obama defeated Hillary Clinton in the contentious 2008 presidential primary season. Democrats also are hoping to recapture some of the two-term former president’s rhetorical magic.

Watching on TV

C-Span will cover the convention throughout the day. CNN will start its coverage at 7 p.m. (The other 24-hour cable news channels – Fox and MSNBC – will feature the convention during their regular nightly news programs.) PBS will join in at 8 p.m. CBS and ABC will air the 10 to 11 p.m. hour. (NBC will carry the first game of the NFL season. Fox has covered both conventions only on its cable news channel.)