Clinton lends political clout to McAuliffe's bid for governor

RICHMOND

Yes, he does owe Terry McAuliffe a huge political debt, former President Bill Clinton said Monday.

But that's not the sole reason he came to Richmond to endorse McAuliffe's bid for governor, Clinton added.

"Look, everyone knows he's one of my closest friends," the 42nd president said at a rally at a downtown farmer's market. "So look, I'd be here regardless. Everyone knows that.

"The press says, 'Oh well, Terry McAuliffe has raised millions of dollars for Bill Clinton. He has to show up.' And that's absolutely true," Clinton told the crowd.

"... But here's what I really want to tell you," he said. "I am here today for reasons that go way, way beyond that."

Echoing McAuliffe's campaign theme, Clinton insisted that his ally would do a powerful job creating jobs and improving Virginia's economy.

"He was made for this moment," Clinton said. "He's been a great businessman. He's been a tremendously effective political leader. He has energy, he's creative, and he cares."

McAuliffe, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, faces two rivals in a June 9 Democratic primary: state Sen. Creigh Deeds and former Del. Brian Moran. The winner will face former Attorney General Bob McDonnell, a Republican, this fall.

Clinton's appearance was hardly a surprise. McAuliffe was a top fundraiser for the former president's national campaigns. He was national chairman of Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential bid last year. Bill Clinton contributed $10,000 to McAuliffe's campaign in January.

Scenes of the two men embracing under the market's rustic sign - and of Clinton reciting a history of McAuliffe's entrepreneurship beginning as a teen - may lend themselves to television ads during the late stretches of the primary.

McAuliffe is hoping Clinton can galvanize support in a primary that is expected to generate small voter turnout. While Deeds and Moran have relied on their long involvement in Virginia politics to win local endorsements and piece together grass-roots support, McAuliffe has banked on national connections to raise far more money that his opponents and air a steady stream of television commercials.

"One of the things they're trying to do is overcome the sheaf of endorsements Deeds and Moran have by saying one Clinton is worth 100 local officials," said Bob Holsworth, a political scientist at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Richmond police estimated 400 people attended the rally; the McAuliffe campaign subsequently called reporters and insisted that the number was at least 600. Later in the day, Clinton and McAuliffe appeared at a smaller event in Roanoke.

Warren Fiske, (804) 697-1565, warren.fiske@pilotonline.com