Hillary, Bill: A secret weapon?

Washington, July 1 (Reuters): Democrat Hillary Clinton, already riding high in the 2008 White House race, rolls out one of her most powerful campaign weapons this week — husband and former US President Bill Clinton.

The ultimate political power couple make their 2008 campaign trail debut tomorrow as they open a three-day swing through the crucial early voting state of Iowa, which kicks off the presidential nominating race in less than seven months.

The former President, long a dynamic political presence and favourite of the Democratic faithful, will introduce the New York senator at a string of appearances across the state and walk with her in a July 4th holiday parade.

The tour amounts to a public unveiling of what has been a carefully nurtured campaign asset. While Bill has had a prominent behind-the-scenes role in his wife’s campaign, his public involvement has been limited to fundraising to keep her on centre stage.

But campaign officials hope he will help galvanise Democratic support in Iowa, where Hillary has trailed rivals John Edwards and Barack Obama in some state polls despite holding a solid lead in national polls.

The former President can talk about his wife to Iowa Democrats in a way only a husband — and a fellow former occupant of the White House — can, campaign officials said.

“As Hillary lays out her vision on the stump, he will be invaluable in filling in the details about her life, her background and her accomplishments for Americans to get to know her better,” spokesman Howard Wolfson said in an email to supporters.

Deciding when, where and how much to use Bill in public remains one of the biggest decisions for the former First Lady’s strategists before the November 2008 election.

“You don’t want to overuse him and wear out his star appeal. But bringing him in now to Iowa, the only place where she has shown any weakness, makes enormous good sense,” said Doug Schoen, a White House pollster during Clinton’s 1993-2001 presidency who is not affiliated with this campaign.

While the return of Bill will remind some voters of scandals like his 1998 impeachment in the Monica Lewinsky affair, those voters are unlikely to be Hillary backers, analysts said.

“He may raise all those old ugly questions, but only among those people who don’t like her anyway. He is such a big plus with the Democratic base, there is no real downside,” said pollster John Zogby.

The campaign will promote the Iowa tour with a “Hill Cam” showing footage of the couple along the way.