Nearly a week after President Obama stopped his campaign's momentum with a lackluster debate performance, former President Clinton sought Tuesday to help him recover by offering a withering new critique of Mitt Romney. 

"I had a different reaction to that first debate than a lot of people did," Clinton told nearly 2,000 supporters at a campaign rally for Obama and other Democrats. "I thought, 'Wow, here's old moderate Mitt. Where ya been, boy?'"

Clinton compared Romney's performance in Denver to a sales job at the Boston private equity firm where the Republican presidential nominee made his personal fortune.

"It was like one of these Bain Capital deals, you know, where he's the closer," Clinton said. "So he shows up, doesn't really know much about the deal and says, 'Tell me what I'm supposed to say to close.' The problem with this deal is the deal was made by severe conservative Mitt," alluding to Romney's description of himself in February as having been a "severely conservative" governor in Massachusetts. 

A few days before the debate, Clinton added, advisors had urged Romney to recast himself as a moderate.

With a mocking tone that drew hoots of laughter, Clinton imitated Romney saying, "I don't have that tax plan I had for the last two years. Are you going to believe me or your lyin' eyes here?" (MORE)