Democrat Blanche Lincoln taps familiar face, ex-President Clinton, in Ark. senate campaign ad

Democratic Sen. Lincoln uses Clinton in Ark. ad

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln is again relying on a familiar face as she heads into the homestretch in a heated fight to keep her job.

Lincoln’s campaign released a new television ad Wednesday that features footage of former President Bill Clinton speaking at a rally for Lincoln last month. Clinton says in the 30-second ad that Republican John Boozman wants to privatize Social Security and that Boozman is relying on voters to cast ballots out of anger at Democrats.

“But now Blanche’s opponent is not saying much now, did you notice that? That’s cause he’s depending on you to be mad,” Clinton says in the ad, which uses footage from Clinton’s Sept. 8 appearance in Little Rock.

“So he hopes that you will forget that he voted for a Republican budget to privatize Medicare — that since he first ran for Congress he said we would privatize Social Security. You’ve got a woman here who’s produced for you, over and over and over again and who never shuts the door, always thinks we can do better.”

Lincoln’s campaign said the advertisement, being aired statewide, is running as part of a previously purchased $100,000-$125,000 ad buy for this week. It wouldn’t say whether it would be included in later television advertising packages in advance of the Nov. 2 election.

“We’re grateful that the president could be here. We want to share that with more than those folks who were in attendance,” Lincoln campaign spokeswoman Katie Laning Niebaum said. “The president speaks very clearly and lays out the choice in clear terms between Senator Lincoln and Congressman Boozman.”

Lincoln released a similar ad featuring Clinton shortly before beating Lt. Gov. Bill Halter in a tight primary contest. In that ad, Clinton told voters that outside groups were trying to manipulate the race.

That advertisement, shortly before the June runoff election, was credited by many as turning the primary in Lincoln’s favor.

Boozman’s campaign said Wednesday that the new ad featuring Clinton is an attempt to distract voters from Lincoln’s support of President Barack Obama’s health-care legislation and stimulus plans.

“That is why she is relying so heavily in this campaign on the former president and not the current occupant of the White House, who Senator Lincoln has and will continue to support wholeheartedly if re-elected,” Boozman spokesman Patrick Creamer said.

Associated Press Writer Kelly P. Kissel contributed to this report.