• by Philip Rosenstein , Staff Writer, January 6, 2016

The 42nd U.S. president, Bill Clinton, started off the year in New Hampshire campaigning for his wife and potential Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton.

Despite the former president’s significant popularity and campaigning prowess, his reemergence as a major surrogate may do as much harm as good for Hillary’s campaign.

As soon as Bill Clinton reentered the spotlight, Donald Trump came out swinging. His main pressure point was Bill's history of extramarital affairs, particularly his escapades while he was in the White House.

Trump then went on to attack Hillary, calling her an accomplice or “enabler” for one of the “great women abusers of all time.”

As has been made clear to the public numerous times over the past few months, Trump himself has his own troubles with female voters. Though polls are not entirely clear on the issue, there is a strong indication that the gender gap among Trump supporters is expanding.

These attacks could also help allegations resurface that Trump assaulted his ex-wife in the 1980s.

Attacking Bill is Trump's best chance to stem the inevitable majority of women Hillary would win, should it be a Trump-versus-Clinton general election. Further, Trump now has the space to rough up the Democrats, with his GOP opponents busy going at each other.

The Clintons must have known that Bill’s history with women would be addressed -- but his ease with crowds and 60% favorability, according to polls held in late 2015, are surely helpful.

Other issues will dog Bill Clinton’s resurgence on the campaign trail. A major theme of this cycle, pervading both parties, is deep distrust of the old Washington establishment, of which the Clintons are a major component.

It is difficult to see any overarching positive with Bill in the ring. Though, for someone whose first memories of U.S. politics have Bill Clinton at the helm, there is something comforting and nostalgic about being reminded of a time when the world wasn’t so combustible.