Former President Clinton hit the campaign trail for Sen. John Kerry in New Mexico over the weekend.
Clinton held a rally Sunday at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque. He was welcomed by a large crowd of Kerry supporters who anticipated his late arrival by chanting, "We want Bill."
"You are good for my recovery," Clinton said. He underwent a quadruple-bypass heart operation last month.
Supporters were eager to hear from the man they said could swing the state in Kerry's direction. Attendees said they were energized by Clinton's visit.
"He was a great president," Aiesha Thomas said. "I think he'll influence undecided voters to go for Kerry."
Thomas said although Clinton is a polarizing figure, Kerry can use his help.
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"President Clinton just seems really warm," Thomas said. "He just charms people with his personality, which isn't something people say about Kerry."
Thomas said voters who don't like Clinton won't be voting for Kerry anyway.
"It can only help," she said.
Clinton urged New Mexicans to use the last hours before Election Day to spread Kerry's message to those who can still be swayed.
"Every one of you know someone who won't vote for John Kerry," Clinton said. "A substantial amount of Americans don't want to change leaders in a time of war. If they were free of that fear, this would be a landslide election."
Clinton said contrary to what President Bush wants Americans to believe, a Kerry presidency would make America safer.
"John Kerry has a plan to increase the troop size by 40,000," Clinton said. "He'll double the size of Special Forces and wants to spend more money on homeland security."
Clinton also discussed what he said will be a major problem Tuesday.
"When you have one candidate who wants you to vote and the other one doesn't, chances are you should support the one who wants you to vote," Clinton said.
He told New Mexicans not to be intimidated by what he called a Republican attempt to disenfranchise Democrat voters.
Another Kerry supporter said he wished Clinton could run again and take the country back to a time when the threat of terrorism wasn't on the minds of the American people.
"I would hope a Kerry presidency would mirror Clinton's," lifelong Democrat Jay Vigil said. "Everything was better then."
Vigil said he has a nephew serving in Afghanistan, but he wants his president to focus on domestic issues like health care and education, not war.
Singer Linda Ronstadt entertained the crowd with two songs, one of which she dedicated to Clinton and filmmaker Michael Moore.
In addition to Sunday's event, Clinton spoke at a rally in Santa Fe on Saturday.
Clinton also met with Joe Shirley Jr., president of the Navajo Nation. Nineteen pueblo governors were in attendance. Clinton made the trip to thank the Navajo Nation Council and the All Indian Pueblo Council for endorsing Kerry. According to the Kerry campaign, Bush's administration has ignored the plight of American Indians.
