Clinton To Campaign For Jerry Brown
SACRAMENTO (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton will campaign with his former rival Jerry Brown, setting aside their once bitter feud to help give the attorney general a much-needed boost in the close contest for California governor.
The Brown campaign announced Clinton's planned visit in mid-October on Friday, capping the end of a turbulent week that began with Brown questioning Clinton's honesty and later apologizing for what he called his inappropriate remarks.
Brown, 72, is well known in California but finds himself in a virtual tie against billionaire Meg Whitman, a political novice who has poured $119 million of her own money into the race so far.
While Clinton's visit helps portray the former president as a unifier, it also gives Brown support from somebody who remains very popular among California Democrats, said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College in Southern California.
"Brown needs help. This is an extremely close race," Pitney said. "His opponent will end up spending well over $100 million and the Clinton episode cost him some valuable time in the campaign when he wanted to be talking about his favorite issues. Instead, he had to talk about his long, unhappy history with Clinton."
Brown had hinted last month that Clinton might come to California to help him, but a visit appeared in jeopardy after Brown on Sunday mocked the former president for his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
The comments were caught on video at a campaign event where Brown was responding to a Whitman ad that features clips of Clinton criticizing Brown's record as governor during the 1992 Democratic presidential primary campaign.
The two had a contentious relationship during that primary, and last year Clinton endorsed Brown's primary opponent, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, before he dropped out of the race.
In a statement Friday, Brown said he looked forward to campaigning with Clinton and Newsom, who is now running for lieutenant governor.
Clinton, who endorsed Brown earlier this week, is scheduled to campaign for both candidates Oct. 15 and Oct. 17.
A Clinton spokesman declined comment, referring inquiries back to the Brown campaign.
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