Just a few months ago Democrats were split down the middle. Team Obama v. Team Clinton. The schism was deep - and made deeper by comments Bill Clinton made on the campaign trail - gaffes, some might say - that seemed to further divide the Party.

Today - just about a month after the contest ended - the rift is no longer. So says Barack Obama.

Obama and Mrs. Clinton stood side-by-side in Unity, New Hampshire, last week and just yesterday, Mr. Clinton told Obama he would campaign with and for the presumptive Democratic nominee during a 20 minute phone call initiated by Obama. “President Clinton continues to be impressed by Sen. Obama and the campaign he has run, and looks forward to campaigning for and with him in the months to come,” a Clinton spokesman said.

At a press avail in Ohio today, Obama praised Clinton, and enthusiastically welcomed his help on the campaign trail. “He is one of the most gifted public officials of our generation and you know has been one of the most successful presidents that we’ve had in my lifetime, so I want his active involvement, his active participation,” Obama told reporters.

Obama said the two did not “belabor” what was said during the primary season, but that they both acknowledged that words may have been said that “afterwards you may end up thinking, ‘Ah, it might have been a little intemperate.’” He continued, “But that’s the nature of political campaigns. We are absolutely united in wanting to make sure that Dems succeed both in Congress and in the White House in November, and that we can move an agenda forward that’s actually going to help the people in Ohio.”

On a flight aboard the campaign jet from Raleigh to St. Louis, Obama senior advisor David Axelrod shared little details of Senator Obama’s secret meeting with Hillary Clinton last week.

According to the senior staffer, Obama was “pleased” with the rendezvous meant, in part, to help heal the rift caused by 16 months of often contentious infighting between the two Democrats. “It was a friendly meeting, it was a productive meeting and it was very clear as was reflected in her speech on Saturday that she’s doing everything she can help,” Axelrod explained.

Of their hour-long discussion, Axelrod would only reveal, “There was a lot to talk about. It was a long campaign. It was good, but I’m not going to tell you specifically what was discussed, but I mean I think it was characterized by their joint statement. It was very much about the future and it was very good,” he said, maintaining the veil of secrecy surrounding the underground meeting.

When asked if the NY Senator would be making appearances on the campaign trail on behalf of the presumptive Democratic nominee, Axelrod said, “We hope so, we expect so based on what she said publicly. But this has been an unbelievably grueling process and she deserves some time to chill out. So when she’s back in circulation, hopefully we’ll see her out there.”

Perhaps Bill Clinton will emerge on the campaign trail too, as Obama himself told reporters last week he hopes to take advantage of Clinton’s political prowess. “I think Bill Clinton is an enormous talent, and I would welcome him campaigning for me,” he said responding to a question on whether he could overcome the bad blood between the two.

Axelrod afforded the ex-president the benefit of the doubt when asked about his often volatile remarks on during the course of the primary campaign. “You know what – he was out there, he was campaigning for his wife – I think he was fighting very hard and you know you can’t begrudge him that. I think it’s different when you’re campaigning for someone that close to you,” Axelrod explained.

Perhaps more importantly, President Clinton may help advise Obama as he tries to fight his way into the Oval Office this fall. “There aren’t that many presidents of the United States. Bill Clinton was very successful, and is a very smart guy, so I think beyond the campaigning elements of it, you know he’s somebody who I think Obama would want to have a relationship with. He’s got a storehouse of knowledge that very few people have,” Axelrod said.