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Last-minute campaigning by Dems in Indiana; N.C.

BY NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON | nia.henderson@newsday.com

4:17 PM EDT, May 5, 2008

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DURHAM, N.C. - Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama campaigned vigorously Monday ahead of Tuesday's primaries, as Obama tried to answer the chief charge of his critics -- that he is unelectable -- by citing his string of victories and ability to overcome the difficulties of the past weeks.

"If you look at it, we are still fundamentally tied with John McCain," Obama said in Durham. "So don't buy into this electability argument -- go with who you think best represents your vision of where America needs to go. If you do that, I am absolutely confident that that person will win."

Obama also said the recent controversies over his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and other issues "basically exhaust" the negative things that rivals can throw at him which Hillary Clinton hasn't been vetted as vigorously because she isn't the frontrunner.

For her part, Clinton started the day in North Carolina before heading to Indiana. She continued pushing her summertime gas-tax holiday proposal at every stop and released a new TV ad in both states that assailed Obama for his opposition to it. The ad called her "the candidate who is going to fight for working people."

"He is attacking Hillary's plan to give you a break on gas prices because he doesn't have one," says the ad. "Hillary wants the oil companies to pay for the gas tax this summer -- so you don't have to."

Obama has accused Clinton of pandering with the proposal, and many economists are against it.

Polls show a tight race Tuesday, with Clinton leading in Indiana and Obama holding on to a single-digit lead in North Carolina, down significantly in recent days as the Wright did a media tour where he stood by some of his most controversial statements.

In Durham, Obama also sought to put to rest the notion that he hasn't been tested in the campaign. "The problem is that once you are a frontrunner, it is the obligation of the candidates who are behind to try to whack you over the head," Obama said.

"We made some mistakes -- some self-inflicted and most recently obviously there has been this furor around remarks of my former pastor which there is no doubt we took a hit on," Obama said. "The fact is that we're still standing here and still moving forward toward the nomination."

He outlined the major differences between himself and McCain over the Iraq war, college affordability, the economy and health care, with Obama saying that he is the best candidate to carry the message of change.

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