Obama Seeks To Unify Party For November

"We're not going to wake up in the morning after we become the nominee and be unprepared," said campaign manager David Plouffe.

The team is beginning two major grass-roots programs. "Vote for Change," a voter registration drive aimed at signing up millions of Democrats over the next six months, will begin tomorrow with 100 events in all 50 states. An army of "Organizing Fellows" is also being recruited -- full-time volunteers who will be deployed to swing states.

Obama spent the day in Washington courting uncommitted lawmakers. Former senator Thomas A. Daschle (S.D.), who helped organize the one-on-one and small-group sessions, said Obama is in striking distance of overtaking Clinton in superdelegate support, and may hit that mark in the next few days.

Obama's only public appearance was a lap around the House floor. He headed to a corner to visit Rep. John P. Murtha, the dean of the Pennsylvania delegation and a Clinton supporter, and Keystone State Reps. Mike Doyle, Paul E. Kanjorski, Jason Altmire and Robert A. Brady, all of whom are uncommitted.

Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher (Calif.), a Clinton supporter, waited her turn to shake Obama's hand, and uncommitted Rep. Bart Stupak (Mich.) chatted with the senator for a few minutes. House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (Md.), also officially neutral, hugged Obama.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) shrugged off the fuss, noting that "senators come to our floor all the time. Some attract more attention than others. I'm sure if Senator Clinton came, she would attract a great deal of attention, as well."

Obama advisers said a number of Democratic lawmakers are ready to sign on but want to speak with Clinton before making the leap.

"The writing is on the wall. They think he's the nominee, so there's no reason to rush," said one prominent uncommitted Democrat, referring to other lawmakers in the same situation. "Then you don't have to offend anybody. The voters will issue their verdict soon enough."

Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Del.), a former presidential candidate, said he will remain neutral. "I'm hopeful that there's some accommodation pretty soon," he said carefully. "The sooner the better." Sen. Ken Salazar (Colo.) said he will hang back, as well. "Let it play out," he said. Sen. Mary Landrieu (La.) said she will continue to "contemplate things" over the next few weeks.

Clinton supporters also urged restraint. "It's three more weeks, okay?" said Sen. Maria Cantwell (Wash.). "We want to have a very united party in November, and I take Senator Obama at his word when he says he doesn't want to do anything to tell her to get out of the race."

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) said she spoke with Clinton by phone for 15 minutes yesterday morning, with Clinton doing most of the talking and sounding "very collected" in her determination to stay in the race. "She doesn't believe it's time," Feinstein said, adding that Clinton feels a bond with those who have supported her and does not want to let them down.

Said Daschle: "We're not going to pressure her in any way." If superdelegates express concerns about offending Clinton, "we respect those," he said, adding: "I don't know that anyone is getting any pressure to come forward."

Staff writers Paul Kane and Peter Slevin in Chicago contributed to this report.