For Whitehouse, a Clinton boost, a Chafee slam
2006-10-19
Source: Providence Journal
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rss feedBill Clinton's endorsement of Sheldon Whitehouse on Monday night was a heady experience for the Democratic Senate candidate. The former president told the crowd, "At this moment, he is the agent of America's historic opportunity to reclaim its fundamental promise and purpose."
A "big title," Whitehouse chuckled later. "It's very awesome and it's very humbling."
Clinton told the Democratic Party fundraiser at the Convention Center that Whitehouse, whom he named U.S. Attorney, had done a "brilliant" job, an assessment not shared by Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee, who pounds his performance in that role and then as attorney general.
At a news conference yesterday, Chafee accused Whitehouse of being "complicit" in a Rhode Island "culture of corruption" by failing, while AG, to prosecute fraud at the Roger Williams Medical Center. Chafee asserted that Whitehouse has masked his performance in a cloud of incorrect or misleading comments.
He said Whitehouse put political favoritism and "willful blindness" above duty. "We don't need that in Washington."
Whitehouse spokeswoman Alex Swartsel accused Chafee of ducking "real issues." She asked, "Why won't he call for Rumsfeld's firing?" Etc.
Whitehouse leads Chafee in the polls, and Clinton puts Rhode Island in the Democratic column, even if he stops short of predicting his party will wrest control of the Senate. During his speech, he said, "We're poised to win the House of Representatives and may well win the Senate."
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