Bill Clinton Stumps for Hillary in Plymouth, New Hampshire

On an unscheduled, unpublicized stop, former President Bill Clinton visited small-town Plymouth, N.H., last night. Clinton was returning from stumping in N. Conway, N.H., for wife, Senator Hillary Clinton.

Clinton defended Hillary's public image to a small gathering of mainly campaign-workers and spoke out against democratic rival Barack Obama's campaign platform.

Clinton also outlined what his initial role in the White House would be if Hillary were elected President. The gathering was held at the Lucky Dog Tavern, a short walk away from Plymouth State University whose students have created a very visible "Hillary" campaign in this mountain town of about 6,000.

Just 24 hours after his wife debated fellow democrats in Manchester, the former president had a few things to say about the Obama campaign, which has now usurped Hillary in NH and holds the democratic lead. "This is not change versus the status quo," Clinton said in a counter to Obama's controversial campaign slogan: "Change."

"This is not change versus experience," Clinton continued. "What matters is whether people are better off when you stopped [your presidency] than when you started."

Bill Clinton challenged the democratic rival on his pledge of change saying that people who wanted change could "vote for Obama because in theory, he's so new and nobody's said anything bad about him."

Although Clinton made it clear that he thinks Senator Clinton has "gotten basically fair coverage" by the press, he complained that "the press beat up for eight days" when Clinton flip-flopped on whether she approved of driver's licenses for illegal immigrants in New York state.

"The election is unfolding exactly as I predicted one year ago," Bill Clinton stated. "This election can go any way."

"Republicans like to beat up on us," Clinton chuckled. "They're like reverse plastic surgery." But he added that Hillary "wears well" and so will rise to the challenge of an arduous race to the presidency.

On the subject of peace in the Middle East, Clinton seemed to imply that the military couldn't be a catalyst for lasting peace in the region, but it was unclear if he was speaking about specific countries or the entire region. "The people in the Middle East have to make peace with the people in the Middle East."

"The circumstances are more favorable for peace in the Middle East. The Arabs are more interested in brokering peace," he added obtusely.

Bill Clinton drew some big laughs from the audience when he nailed a personality trait often found in New Hampshire. "The people are so,"(pausing for drama), "...up front." New Hampshire folk are known for their directness, and the crowd definitely seemed to relate to his assessment.

Bill Clinton threw a bone to Republican Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee when the subject turned to Arkansas politics. "He had a very good program combating childhood obesity," Clinton said of Huckabee's administration in Arkansas. "But we disagree about everything else."