By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Democratic presidential rivalsBarack Obama and Hillary Clinton tried to explain recentcontroversial remarks during a tense debate on Wednesday, withObama accusing Clinton of taking political advantage of hischaracterization of small-town residents.
In their first debate in seven weeks, Obama said he mangledhis description of the mood in economically struggling smalltowns and Clinton apologized for the first time forinaccurately saying she came under sniper fire in Bosnia in1996.
The debate, which featured few heated confrontations butplenty of probing and positioning, seemed unlikely todramatically alter the race six days before the next Democraticshowdown in Pennsylvania.
Obama has been under heavy criticism from Clinton andRepublican John McCain, who have called him elitist and out oftouch for saying small-town residents were clinging to religionand guns in bitterness over their economic troubles.
"The problem that we have in our politics, which is fairlytypical, is that you take one person's statement, if it's notproperly phrased, and you just beat it to death, and that'swhat Senator Clinton's been doing," Obama said in the debate indowntown Philadelphia.
Clinton, who has eased off her public criticism of Obamaover the remarks in the past two days but launched a televisionad in Pennsylvania assailing them, said they were "afundamental misunderstanding of religion and faith."
She warned the remarks would hurt Democrats if Obama wonthe nomination to face Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain inNovember's presidential election.
"Obviously, what we have to do as Democrats, is make surewe get enough votes to win in November," she said. "TheRepublicans, who are pretty shrewd about what it takes to win,certainly did jump on the comments."
Obama, an Illinois senator, responded, "Look, there is nodoubt that the Republicans will attack either of us."
Clinton, a New York senator, apologized for her own recentcampaign controversy, when she inaccurately said she had comeunder sniper fire when visiting Bosnia in 1996.
"You can go back for the past 15 months. We both have saidthings that, you know, turned out not to be accurate," Clintonsaid. "That happens when you're talking as much as we havetalked. But, you know, I'm very sorry that I said it."
Obama seemed to speak for both of them when he chimed in,"For us to be obsessed with these kind of errors, I think, is amistake."
Obama also had to defend himself in a recent controversyover inflammatory comments by his pastor, the Rev. JeremiahWright.
"I specifically said that these comments wereobjectionable. They're not comments that I believe in. And Idisassociated myself with them," he said.
PENNSYLVANIA SHOWDOWN
The controversies have roiled the Democratic presidentialrace during a seven-week lull between the last round of majorcontests in Ohio and Texas on March 4 and next week's showdownin Pennsylvania.
Clinton has a dwindling lead over Obama in state polls, andneeds a big win to try to close the gap on the Illinois senatorin popular votes and pledged delegates to the nominatingconvention.
With 10 contests remaining, Obama has a nearly unassailablelead in pledged delegates, but neither candidate is likely togain enough delegates to win without help from nearly 800Democratic Party officials and insiders who are free to backany candidate.
When pressed whether she thought Obama could win inNovember and beat back attacks from Republicans, Clinton said:"Yes, yes, yes. Now I think that I can do a better job.Obviously that's why I'm here."
"I believe I am the better and stronger candidate thanSenator McCain and I can go toe to toe with him on nationalsecurity," she said.
Both candidates said they would move forcefully to ensureIran does not acquire nuclear weapons, and would make it clearthat an attack on Israel would prompt U.S. retaliation.
"I will do whatever is required to prevent the Iraniansfrom obtaining nuclear weapons," Obama said.
The two candidates also agreed they would not raise taxeson Americans making less than $200,000 a year.
Obama was asked by a voter via video why he did not wearthe American flag in his lapel.
"I have never said that I don't wear flag pins or refuse towear flag pins. This is the kind of manufactured issue that ourpolitics has become obsessed with and, once again, distractsus," he said.
(Additional reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst and Jeff Mason;Editing by Lori Santos and Eric Walsh)