Bill Clinton defends wife from right wingers

October 30, 2007

South Carolina - Former President Bill Clinton says the Republican party has been attacking his wife for 16 years, she's so polarizing.

"They continue to say she's the most unelectable because she's so polarizing," Clinton told the crowd gathered at a community center here. "Well they have dumped on her for 16 years. They'd all be polarizing too if the right wing of the Republican party which controls their politics had been dumping on them for 16 years. I'd like to see how those boys would stand up to it. I think the girl's done pretty well ... The more people know her her positive ratings go up and her negative ratings go down."

Clinton, who spent much of his nearly hour-long speech digging into issues like climate change, health care and the national debt, said his wife is better qualified than any other Democratic contender to step into the White House and lead from day one.

"I like all these other people running for president, and I'm not saying they couldn't restore our standing in the world, I'm just saying that America gets no honeymoon," he said. "We have made too many people mad for too long and we need to get this show on the road, she's the most likely to do that."

Still, Clinton said he liked liked every Democrat running for office, noting that he read Sen. John Edwards' health care plan and Sen. Barack Obama's energy plan with interest.

"I hope any of us can win. One thing I like about this race as a Democrat is I don't have to be against anybody," he said.

Monday marked Clinton's third campaign visit to South Carolina on behalf of his wife's presidential campaign.