ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Former President Bill Clinton, saying he was trying to deliver on a birthday promise to his wife, told more than 400 cheering Democrats Thursday that the party can take back Congress if they get Democrats to the polls and pull some Republicans to their side on Election Day. Clinton's comments came as he stumped across New York, Sen. Hillary Clinton's home turf, as part of his national effort to boost Democratic efforts to win back the Senate and the House.
"This is Hillary's birthday," the former president noted. "I said, `What do you want me to do for your birthday?' She said, `I want you to go to upstate New York and help Kirsten Gillibrand win the election.'"
Gillibrand, a Democratic lawyer who is running against three-term Rep. John Sweeney, is the daughter of a prominent Albany lobbyist with strong ties to the administration of Republican Gov. George Pataki. She is also the granddaughter of the late Polly Noonan, a legendary figure in Albany's Democratic Party politics.
"I think she also said, `And, while you're up there, you might get me a vote or two if you can,'" added Clinton as the crowd roared its approval.
Clinton said that many Republicans, as well as independents, are fed up with the GOP and may be ready to switch if they are encouraged by Democratic activists.
"Don't even give up on Republicans who say they've never voted for a Democrat before," Clinton said.
"This is scary for some of these folks. It's like when you were a kid—the first time you ever jumped off a diving board. You have to go grab them by the hand ... and jump off that diving board to victory," he said.
After Albany, Clinton flew to Syracuse for an airport get-out-the-vote rally aimed at helping a number of congressional candidates in central New York.
The former president was also scheduled to attend a Democratic rally on Long Island later Thursday afternoon before heading into New York City for a Thursday night celebration of his wife's 59th birthday.
Polls have shown Sen. Clinton far ahead of Republican challenger John Spencer in her bid for a second term, a race many see as a prelude to a 2008 run for president by the former first lady.
The former president's Thursday schedule demonstrated the dual purpose he serves—for his party and for his wife.
Her husband's appearances in upstate New York and on Long Island, traditional Republican Party bases that have been increasingly voting for Democrats, highlighted an effort by Clinton's Senate campaign to run up vote totals in the one-time GOP strongholds. Some Democratic strategists believe a strong showing in those areas could help her if she mounts a national campaign in two years.
At the same time, the trip was further evidence that the former president has become one of his party's chief weapons this year in the battle to take back Congress, crisscrossing the country to raise money and attend rallies.
For the final week of the campaign, Clinton's staff already has him penciled in for events in Wisconsin, New Jersey, Michigan, Tennessee, Arkansas, Ohio, California and Colorado.
"One of the reasons he's such an effective campaigner is he loves it so much," said Democratic strategist Bill Carrick. "He has incredible enthusiasm for it and it really brings a lot of energy to everybody he campaigns for."
Joining the former president in Albany was Rep. Rahm Emanuel, the Illinois Democrat who heads up the party's House campaign committee.
Clinton recalled that Emanuel was one of his early campaign aides when he first ran for president in 1992, "when only my mother thought I could win. Hillary and Chelsea were still undecided."
The joint appearance of Clinton and Emanuel was more evidence that Democrats think Sweeney is vulnerable even though the GOP enjoys an almost 2-1 enrollment edge in the eastern New York district.
