Washington, Nov.9 : New York senator and presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton is pulling out all the tricks out of her bag, including highlighting the achievements of one Bill Clinton to retain her commanding position for the Democratic Party's nomination.
 
With less than two months to go before the primary elections that will determine who will run for the White House in November 2008, Clinton, despite a strong national standing, has only a slender lead in Iowa, the first state to vote, while the distance between herself and her main rivals has narrowed in New Hampshire.

According to The Telegraph, Clinton has spent the past week condemning the George W Bush years and has spoken of the need to "send distinguished Americans" around the world to spread the message that the era of "cowboy diplomacy" was over.

Clinton has already made clear she would use her husband Bill as a roving ambassador in the event of her victory.

Yesterday she praised the work he had done building a "huge international coalition" in the Balkans and Kosovo.

She also referred directly to his success in wiping out America's deficit, in contrast with the current president who had let the country fall into debt.

Battling with a hoarse voice, she told the audience: "I called my husband and told him I was losing my voice and he said 'oh that happened to me in New Hampshire, it's a good omen'. That's my husband! He always sees the bright side of everything."

Earlier this week, Bill Clinton leapt to his wife's defence, comparing the barrage of criticism she faced from fellow Democrats to the Republican dirty tricks against John Kerry in 2004 in his failed campaign against President Bush.

His speech suggested that if she wins the nomination he would be by her side in what promises to be a tough battle in which the Republicans are likely to exploit every opportunity to attack Mrs Clinton.

A poll for NBC News/Wall Street Journal yesterday suggested that if the contest was fought with Rudy Giuliani, the Republican front-runner, it could be a dead heat.

Mr Clinton has been wheeled out only occasionally during his wife's campaign.

In an effort to appear her own person, she has seldom harked back to his eight years in office. She said yesterday: "I am not running because I am a woman, but because I think I am the best qualified and experienced person." (ANI)