Clinton still has that appeal

Nearly 10 years after leaving office, Bill Clinton still has it - whatever it is.

"I don't know how to say it, he just connects with people," said Sherell Slater, manager of a Foot Locker store, who stood at the back of a crowd that had gathered at 52d and Chestnut Streets to hear the former president speak at a rally for Democratic gubernatorial nominee Dan Onorato.

The most gifted retail politician of his generation, Clinton, at 64, undoubtedly has lost a step physically since leaving the white House in January 2001. He has had a series of heart problems. He looks a little thin, and his shock of white hair is thinner.

But when he took the campaign stage Monday in shirtsleeves and a red tie, the old warrior roared to life.

He lapsed into his Arkansas drawl. He jabbed the air with long fingers. He lowered his voice, as if speaking to the audience in confidence, then raised his tone in wide-eyed amazement at what he saw as the sins of Republicans.

Without consulting notes, he gave a shout-out to all of the politicians on stage: Gov. Rendell, Mayor Nutter, District Attorney Seth Williams, two congressmen, a state senator and two City Council members. He appeared to pause for a millisecond in reaching for Williams' name, then pulled it out.

Also on stage was former U.S. Rep. Marjorie Margolies Mezvinsky, of Montgomery County, whom Clinton introduced as the mother of his son-in-law, Marc Mezvinsky.

Showing his old knack for putting big problems in understandable terms, he addressed the nation's economic ills in a football analogy.

He said that Republicans "who gave us several seasons when we were 2-and-14" are complaining that Democrats haven't yet won "the Super Bowl" of economic recovery.

The GOP, he said, is telling voters, "We want you to throw [the Democrats] out and bring back the 2-and-14 leaders - and let them call the same plays again."

He didn't have to mention the gross domestic product or unemployment statistics. The audience of 1,000 people knew what he meant.

Clinton, in a 19-minute noonhour speech, recalled many past campaign appearances in West Philadelphia.

He mentioned visits to Mount Carmel Baptist Church, and rued the closing of his favorite soul-foot restaurant - Big George's.

"That ought to be our economic redevelopment program," he said. "Reopen Big George's."

Earlier, he had appeared with U.S. Senate candidate Joe Sestak before 200 people at the Kaiserman Jewish Community Center in suburban Wynnewood.

As applause died down, a man shouted "Four more years - please! " That was seconded by a burst of applause as Clinton grinned.

Later, after the Onorato rally, Clinton met in private with members of the West Philadelphia clergy at Vine Memorial Baptist Church.

Almost no was around to watch as four black SUVs pulled up at 12:06 p.m. By the time Clinton emerged an hour later, several dozen people waited to call out to him. He shook a few hands, then was gone.

"I just like him as a man and as a president," said Robert Nowell, a retiree from the Philadelphia Housing Authority who shot Clinton's photo.

Clinton, who left office with a 60 percent vote approval rating, has been using that popularity to call attention to Democratic issues around the country.

President Obama, by contrast, has mostly steered clear of the campaign trail for fear of infecting Democratic candidates with his current unpopularity.

Obama will be in Philadelphia Tuesday, but will discuss education matters at the Masterman public high school in Philadelphia. He plans no campaign stops.

Nowell said even some black voters may "view Clinton better than they view Obama."

But Clinton adoration wasn't universal Monday.

A few doors down 56th street from Vine Memorial church, Ruby Seaman-Phillips bemoaned the very idea of a political gathering in a house of worship.

"They are dirtying holy ground with this stuff," she said.

She said that Clinton, like so many politicians, only came around when he wanted somebody's vote.

"Oh, he's our black president - that's what people said. Clinton never did anything for black people. He used them to get into office."

For Democrats, the theme of the day was getting out the vote Nov. 2.

Onorato, especially, needs a big turnout in the state's largest city to beat Republican Tom Corbett. Democrats dread the possibility that many people who registered to vote for Obama in 2008 will sit out this election, when Obama is not on the ticket.

"I need your help on this race: I need your help," Onorato pleaded from the rally stage. "If Philadelphia engages on this race, we are going to win."

Said Clinton: "There is no such thing as a once-in-a-lifetime when it comes to fighting for your future."