McAuliffe s friendship with both Clintons goes back to Bill Clinton s presidency he was one of Clinton s top fundraisers and later went on to chair the DNC When the Clintons were short of money after they left the White House burdened by legal debt it was McAuliffe who secured the loan with 1 35 million of his own money the New York Times Adam Nagourney reported at the time they paid him back soon after And the Clintons were big supporters of both his gubernatorial bids 