Clinton's name to be put in nomination at convention

(CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama's campaign has agreed to put former rival Sen. Hillary Clinton's name in nomination at the Democratic National Convention this month.

The move is seen as a bid to heal the wounds of the bitter primary season.

Obama's campaign encouraged Clinton to put her name in roll call "as a show of unity and in recognition of the historic race she ran and the fact that she was the first woman to compete in all of our nation's primary contests," according to a statement from the Clinton and Obama press offices.

"They are both committed to winning back the White House and to ensuring that the voices of all 35 million people who participated in this historic primary election are respected and heard in Denver," the statement said. Watch why Clinton will get a vote at DNC »

Both sides came to the mutual decision that the move was the best path, a Democratic source with knowledge of the discussions said.

Clinton suspended her presidential campaign June 7 after a protracted primary battle with Obama. She urged the 18 million people who voted for her to get behind Obama, but not all of her backers have followed suit.

A Democratic Party operative familiar with convention plans said the move would bring "peace in the kingdom."

The source added the Obama campaign "always knew it would probably have to happen." "They have known since the day she dropped out that she wanted this 'for history,' " the operative said.

Clinton would not be the first woman to have her name placed in nomination for president at a major party convention. U.S. Sen. Margaret Chase Smith of Maine was placed in nomination at the 1964 Republican convention, and U.S. Rep. Shirley Chisholm of New York was placed in nomination at the 1972 Democratic convention.

The senator from New York is scheduled to speak at the convention on the second night -- August 26. It's also the 88th anniversary of the day women were granted the right to vote.

Former Virginia Gov. and Senate candidate Mark Warner is delivering the keynote that night, and former President Clinton is set to speak the following night.

Both of the candidates have called for party unity, but Clinton also has made it clear that she wants the voices of her supporters heard.

Many die-hard Clinton fans have been hoping that her name would appear on the ballot.

At a gathering last month in California, Clinton suggested that doing so could provide a "catharsis" for her supporters.

"I happen to believe that we will come out stronger if people feel that their voices were heard and their views were respected," Clinton said.

Clinton said she wanted her supporters to leave the convention feeling their voices were heard and satisfied with Obama as the nominee.

"I mean everybody comes, and they want to yell and scream and have their opportunity, and I think that's all to the good, because then, you know, everybody can go, 'OK, great. Now let's go out and win.' "

The former first lady immediately shot down the notion that she might try to upstage Obama.

"Since the delegate count is so close ... what if you are called up for nomination and what if you do win by a narrow margin?" a questioner asked her at the event.

"That is not going to happen, not going to happen. Look, what we want to have happen is for Sen. Obama to be nominated by a unified convention of Democrats," she said.

"The best way I think -- and I could be wrong -- but the best way I think to do that is to have a strategy so that my delegates feel like they've had a role and that their legitimacy has been validated and that kind of ... you know, there is a catharsis," she said.

Because Clinton suspended her campaign instead of dropping out, she held on to the pledged delegates she earned in the primaries and caucuses. The superdelegates -- a group of party officials and leaders -- can endorse any candidate at any time.

Since announcing the suspension of her campaign, Clinton has gone to great lengths to promote party unity. She and Obama even made a joint appearance in Unity, New Hampshire, where both candidates received the same amount of votes in that state's primary in January.

The Democratic National Committee has detailed rules on placing a candidate's name in nomination. In short:

A candidate must give written consent.

He or she must have a petition with signatures of delegates representing at least 300 delegate votes.

No more than 50 votes on the petition may come from any one state/delegation (that means at least six states/delegations are required on the petition).

The names of the people giving the nomination speech and the seconding nomination speech also must be provided.

A total of 20 minutes is provided per candidate for the "presentation of his or her name" and for nominating and seconding speeches.

CNN's John King, Jessica Yellin, Candy Crowley and Robert Yoon contributed to this report.

All About Hillary Clinton • Democratic Party • Barack Obama