For ex-Pres. Clinton, Hillary brings ego check

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AP	Video: In her own words Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., speaks to the primary themes of her presidential campaign.
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Dropping the I-bomb
As a campaign surrogate, Clinton bats better than average. He draws huge crowds, enjoys a high approval rating among Democrats and can lay it on thick for those he endorses.

But there’s always an “I” hook.

In 2005, New Jersey Democrat Jon Corzine was so pleased with Clinton’s appearance on his behalf that he turned it into a campaign ad.

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“If you ever need a governor who’s strong and smart and good and experienced and full of new ideas and capable of implementing them, you need that person now,” Clinton said, before dropping the I-bomb five times in his next three sentences:

“And I’m here to tell you I did that job for 12 years. I served with 150 other governors. I don’t know of a better qualified person I ever saw present himself or herself for the office of governor than Jon Corzine.”

Always a concern
In 2004, seven weeks after quadruple bypass heart surgery, Clinton campaigned for Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. The Kerry camp, like Al Gore’s team in 2000, was deeply divided over whether the former president’s appeal to hard-core Democrats outweighed his tendency to turn off swing voters.

Kerry’s aides had another concern: Clinton’s habit of hogging the spotlight. One of them, a consultant who had worked with Clinton, was given the unwelcome assignment of urging the former president to avoid overshadowing Kerry.

The advice didn’t take.

In a 1,400-word speech, Clinton talked about his heart, his record and his presidency as much as he did about Kerry’s campaign. He even gave a nod to Kerry’s rival, President Bush, by telling the crowd, “You’ve got a clear choice between two strong men ... .”

Pleased with his performance, Clinton walked off stage, winked at McCurry and said something to the effect of, “I toned it down a little.”

Not enough for some. At Kerry’s headquarters, a few old Clinton hands who had just joined the campaign were thrilled. A few others, those who had been with Kerry for months, were dispirited — even angry.

They could be heard muttering to each other about Clinton: Why is it always about him?