Clinton asks voters to turn up at polls

DALE CITY, Va. - Conservative ideologues are reliable voters who could threaten Democrat Terry McAuliffe’s political chances, former President Bill Clinton warned Sunday as he joined his longtime buddy’s campaign for Virginia governor.

With little more than a week before Election Day on Nov. 5, McAuliffe and Republican Ken Cuccinelli each have sought to energize their strongest supporters.

McAuliffe has opened a lead in polling and is heavily outspending Cuccinelli on television ads, but turnout is expected to be low and the result could be decided by a few thousand votes.

“Political extremism does have one political virtue,” Clinton said. “Once you get people all torn up and upset, steam coming out of their ears, people will show up and vote.”

It was a shift in roles. For decades, it has been McAuliffe championing the personal and political futures of Clinton and, later, his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton. Now, Clinton is there to pitch in during the final week of the campaign.

“Terry’s gotten so good on the stump, I don’t think he needs me anymore,” Clinton said to laughter at the pair’s first stop.