Former President Clinton campaigns for NY Democrat

Former President Bill Clinton slammed Republicans Friday for their stewardship of the economy during their years in power in Washington, and said the party's campaign message heading into the 2010 midterm elections is: "Put us in because the Democrats didn't fix what we did to you in 21 months."

Clinton appeared at a packed Staten Island campaign rally on behalf of first-term Democratic Rep. Michael McMahon, one of a handful of House Democrats across New York thought to be vulnerable in November.

McMahon represents New York's 10th Congressional district, which covers Staten Island, the most Republican-leaning of the five boroughs. Michael Grimm and Michael Alegretti are vying in the state's Sept. 14 primary for the GOP nomination to challenge McMahon.

With Democrats facing potentially steep losses in both the House and Senate this fall, Clinton has emerged as one of the party's top campaign surrogates, especially in swing districts such as McMahon's.

The former president was credited with helping to elect a Democrat, Mark Critz, in a special election in Pennsylvania's largely blue-collar 12th Congressional district and for boosting Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lambert Lincoln, who withstood a tough primary in June. - AP