Bill Clinton urges voters

Jul 30, 2010 — Boston Herald

Dave Wedge

Jul. 30, 2010 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Former President Bill Clinton blew into Boston yesterday, threw his support behind President Obama and called on raucous ironworkers to stand up for the commander in chief and the flailing Democratic Party.

"I don't blame people for being mad and wanting to vote against everybody," Clinton said at the Ironworkers Local 7 hall in South Boston yesterday during a rally for U.S. Rep. Stephen F. Lynch. "Don't let people vote their anger."

Clinton joked about how he fought hard to beat Obama during the 2008 presidential primary against his wife, Hillary, but said he's now rooting for the president.

"I'm proud of my wife, but this guy (Obama) . . . is trying to live up to his commitments and is getting a lot accomplished," Clinton said. "He is getting better every day."

Clinton's comments came a day after a new poll showed former Bay State Gov. Mitt Romney just two points behind Obama in a potential 2012 clash. The Herald reported yesterday that Romney is leading the president among independents and is considered the "front-runner" among potential GOP candidates, according to the Zogby poll.

Clinton -- whose daughter, Chelsea, is slated to get married this weekend in a reported multimillion-dollar ceremony -- railed against skyrocketing health-care costs and blamed the slumping economy on Republicans who spent "like drunken sailors." He urged the crowd to resist casting anti-incumbent votes out of anger or sitting out the mid-term elections in apathy.

"People know that on paper this recovery has started, but they don't feel it because there's no new jobs," Clinton said. "But don't let people sucker you into thinking (voting) doesn't matter. If you sit home, you will get exactly the result you don't want."

Lynch is facing a primary challenge from Mac D'Allesandro, political director for the Service Employees Union International, while consultant Keith Lepor is running on the GOP side.

dwedge@bostonherald.com

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