And Now, More Debates

Friday, February 8, 2008

SPEAKING OF WHICH

And Now, More Debates

OMAHA -- Sen. Barack Obama agreed to two new debates with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and saw his post-Super Tuesday fundraising haul surpass $7 million, as he crossed the country seeking a trio of wins in the Democratic contests on Saturday.

Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said the debates will probably take place in Ohio and Texas, sometime before their March 4 primaries.

The spotlight first moves to Louisiana, Nebraska and Washington. On Thursday, Obama traveled in the states, looking to expand his delegate count while building momentum for the "Potomac Primary" Tuesday in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.

At Tulane University in New Orleans, Obama pledged new resources to help New Orleans recover from Hurricane Katrina. He toured a local school and visited the Creole restaurant Dooky Chase, flooded in the 2005 storm but now looking like new.

Owner Leah Chase patted Obama on the stomach and told him, "Get a little gumbo right quick. You're too frail, baby. We gotta fatten you up a bit."

At a late afternoon rally in Omaha, the senator was endorsed by Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, neutral before his state's caucuses, although his wife, Mari Culver, had endorsed former senator John Edwards. Obama will campaign Friday in Seattle.

The Obama team is upbeat about its prospects for Saturday. Louisiana has a large African American population and both Washington and Nebraska are caucus states, an advantage for Obama's grass-roots organizing style.

Clinton is making her own play for Nebraska and Washington, where a total of 128 delegates are at stake. Chelsea Clinton campaigned in Lincoln on Thursday, and Clinton announced ad buys in Washington and Nebraska. She also has won endorsements from Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell of Washington.

The new ads signaled that Clinton may be pulling out of a financial crunch that forced her to borrow $5 million from herself.

On a flight between Louisiana and Nebraska, Obama suggested that the loan had made the Clinton family finances fair game. He also asserted he has a fundraising edge based on an army of online donors.

"There's no doubt she has not generated the kind of grass-roots enthusiasm that we have," Obama said. "It's not for lack of trying. She's got a former president actively fundraising for her, as well as people like Terry McAuliffe. But we've created this base where people send $25 checks, $50 checks, on an ongoing basis, and that is an enormous advantage for our campaign."

-- Shailagh Murray

APPROVING THE MESSAGE

Nebraskan Speaks Out for Clinton

After watching her rival rack up high-profile endorsements, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton unleashed a popular surrogate of her own on Thursday, airing a new ad featuring former senator Bob Kerrey of Nebraska -- two days ahead of his home state's caucuses. "I support Hillary because I like her, trust her, and have confidence in her as commander and chief," the script reads.

Kerrey continues: "As a leader to get our economy back on the right track and to strengthen our rural communities, expand access to affordable health care, and improve the quality of our schools. At the caucus this Saturday, give your support to Hillary. She'll never let you down."

Kerrey, a decorated Vietnam veteran, is still a powerful voice in Nebraska although he now lives in New York and is president of the New School University. He campaigned for Jim Webb during his 2006 Senate race in Virginia and considered running for president.

-- Anne E. Kornblut