Former President Bill Clinton, saying he and former Democratic presidential rival Jerry Brown put their once-heated political rivalry behind them "a long time ago," Tuesday endorsed Brown's gubernatorial campaign.

Clinton also criticized Republican candidate Meg Whitman's ads about Brown, calling them misleading.

"I strongly support Jerry Brown for governor because I believe he was a fine mayor of Oakland, he's been a very good attorney general and he would be an excellent governor at a time when California needs his creativity and fiscal prudence," Clinton said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.

Brown, who on Monday publicly apologized for what he called an "inappropriate" joke about the former president's veracity, released a statement Tuesday saying he is "deeply honored" by the Clinton endorsement.

"After his accomplishment-rich presidency, (he) continues to demonstrate his commitment to bettering our state, our nation, and our world, each and every day," Brown said.

Clinton stars in a Whitman ad that shows his statements in a 1992 presidential debate when he accused Brown of not being truthful by claiming to have cut taxes as governor of California from 1975 to 1983.

"He raised taxes as governor of California," Clinton says in the spot. "He doesn't tell the people the truth."

Clinton said he based his claims on what has been shown this week to have been an inaccurate news report. The state Department of Finance and Politifact.com, the Pulitzer Prize-winning nonpartisan group, cited state data showing that taxes were lowered overall during Brown's two terms as governor.

Whitman spokeswoman Andrea Jones Rivera downplayed Clinton's endorsement, saying it was expected that he would endorse the Democratic ticket.

She said Whitman's ad would continue to air. Brown's campaign has asked Whitman to withdraw the ad.

"President Clinton's criticism was correct," Jones Rivera said. "Jerry Brown turned a surplus into a billion-dollar deficit and campaigned vigorously against Proposition 13, and it's a fact that, on average, taxes went up over his eight years as governor."

Brown's campaign responded Tuesday with two ads blasting Whitman as a "Pinocchio" candidate who has resorted to falsehoods in her expensive campaign.

"We are not going to be pushed around like one of her eBay employees," Brown campaign manager Steve Glazer said Tuesday. "We're going to fight back."