Obama, Clinton raise New York cash and V.P. speculation
NEW YORK (AP) — Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, who fought bitterly to take the Democratic presidential nomination for herself, continue their chummy rounds in New York on Thursday, raising cash as well as speculation that she may have risen to the top of his list of possible running mates
But the profound interest in who Obama will pick to join him on the November ballot did not blunt a new embarrassment that sprang up over comments by Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights advocate who shares Obama's Chicago roots. Jackson was caught making disparaging remarks about the presumptive Democratic nominee on an open television microphone.
During taping of a Fox television interview on Sunday, Jackson complained during a period when he thought the microphone was not on that Obama was talking down to the black community with his repeated challenges to African-American men not to shrug off their duties as fathers. Jackson's comments included a slang reference to wanting to cut off Obama's testicles.
When he learned Wednesday that the conservative cable network would air his comments that night, Jackson apologized for the "hurtful and wrong" remarks.
The Obama campaign took a measured response to the incident, contending in a statement that Obama has spoken for many years about parental responsibility as well as "jobs, justice and opportunity for all."
"He will continue to speak out about our responsibilities to ourselves and each other, and he of course accepts Rev. Jackson's apology," Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said.
Speculation about a Clinton spot on the Obama ticket grew, meanwhile, after he made an unannounced stop at the Washington law firm of Eric Holder, a member of his vice presidential search team Wednesday, then flew to a series of New York fundraisers with Clinton and Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of slain president John F. Kennedy and also a member of the search committee.
Aides were tightlipped about why the three were together on the trip to make the high-visibility appearances in Clinton's home state, other than to cite the fundraisers. Kennedy introduced Obama at the first fundraiser on Wednesday night; Clinton introduced him at the second.
They were to be in front of donors again Thursday morning at a breakfast fundraiser for women. In remarks prepared for delivery, Obama delivered fulsome praise for his one-time rival.
"I've admired her as a leader, I've learned from her as a candidate, I am proud to call her my friend, and I know how much we'll need both Hillary Clinton and (former President) Bill Clinton as a party and a country in the months and years to come," Obama said.
Obama was already on board his campaign plane when Clinton arrived. They greeted each other, and stood in the aisle chatting for several minutes before taking their seats. Neither spoke with reporters also aboard the plane.
As he sought Clinton's full support after she suspended her campaign last month, Obama encouraged his donors to help the former first lady retire debt from her unsuccessful bid for the nomination.
Obama praised Clinton, who was not present, at one fundraiser. He had finished speaking but returned to the microphone to ask his donors to help Clinton retire her debt by filling out fundraising forms left on every chair.
After a months long, divisive primary battle, the two have been trying to unite their party ahead of the November election against Republican John McCain.
Earlier in the day Wednesday, Clinton deflected a reporter's inquiry about whether she had turned over documents for her former rival's campaign to review as part of the vice presidential search. Kennedy did not mention the running mate search when she spoke Wednesday night.
The day began with news that Iran has test-fired nine missiles, including ones capable of hitting Israel, making a dramatic show of its readiness to strike back if the United States or Israel attacks it over its nuclear program.
McCain said Iranian missile tests were a "serious escalation," but agreed with Obama that lines of communication with Tehran should stay open even as the United States seeks more painful economic sanctions on the theocratic Islamic regime.
Obama, asked how he would respond to Wednesday's test if he were president, said he would confer with his national security team to find out whether "this indicates any new capabilities on Iran's part."
"At this point, the report is unclear, it's still early," Obama said on CBS television. "What this underscores is the need for ... a clear policy that is putting the burden on Iran to change behavior. And frankly, we just have not been able to do that the last several years, partly because we're not engaged in direct diplomacy."
Obama said he continued to favor an incentive package that is aimed at getting Iran to drop its nuclear ambitions.
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