Watch excerpts on video here. Watch an extended excerpt of the video here (part 1 and part 2).

Times Union coverage of the event:

Political foes pull out stops

Ex-president backs Gillibrand
By TIM O'BRIEN, Staff writer Friday, October 27, 2006

COLONIE -- In the Capital Region's most contentious congressional race Thursday, Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand reached for some national star power as U.S. Rep. John Sweeney got down to earth.

As former President Bill Clinton arrived to endorse Gillibrand, Sweeney headed up to Malta to break ground for a new road for Advanced Micro Devices Inc., joined by Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno. Gillibrand and Sweeney are in a fierce battle for the 20th Congressional District seat.

Clinton addressed 1,000 people inside a hangar at Albany International Airport, where he told Gillibrand supporters to reach out to Republicans who may be feeling left behind by their party.

"People don't give up on what they believe, but this party has abandoned what they believe in," said Clinton, who was accompanied by U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Illinois, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "You've got to grab them by the arm, look them in the eye and tell them what kind of person (Gillibrand) is and what kind of country we want to build."

Sweeney, R-Clifton Park, has brought similar star power with visits from First Lady Laura Bush, Sen. John McCain and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Clinton described his visit Thursday as a gift to his wife, U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is running against Republican John Spencer.

"This is Hillary's birthday," the former president said. "I said what do you want me to do for your birthday? She said I want you to go to upstate New York and support Kirsten Gillibrand and while you're there, get me a vote or two."

Clinton said the Bush administration and Congress turned a $240 billion surplus he left into a $250 billion deficit. He criticized the GOP as a party that focused on tax cuts for a few over helping the working class.

"To the Republican leadership in Congress, I'm now the most important person in the world because I'm a millionaire," Clinton said. "They have a special interest party dedicated to the accumulation of wealth and power."

Sweeney balked at the description of the GOP as a party that cared most for the wealthy, saying, "Bill Clinton made a career out of playing the class warfare game."

The former president said he wanted to appear for Gillibrand in Saratoga County rather than outside the 20th District, but he was told there was no guarantee his plane could land there.

"We need 15 seats to take back the House," Gillibrand told the crowd. "When we win this seat on Election Day, you can turn to your friends, you can turn to your husband or wife and say 'thank you.' We'll make all the difference in the world."

Clinton also took a swipe at Sweeney for his 2001 trip to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Sweeney has sought guidance from the House Ethics Committee on how he should handle the reporting of his 2001 trip to the Pacific islands in the company of a lobbyist hired by convicted Washington influence peddler Jack Abramoff. Sweeney has said he traveled to the islands with "the understanding" that the trip was paid for by the CNMI government.

"We've got to forgive our Republicans for Abramoff because they all have Abramoff amnesia," Clinton said. "They don't remember any of it."