Clinton attacks Obama ahead of U.S. debate

LAREDO, Texas (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clinton onThursday questioned rival Barack Obama's readiness to serve ascommander in chief and his ability to win the White House asthe two presidential contenders prepared for a crucial debate.

The Thursday night showdown in Austin, Texas, gives Clintona chance to halt Obama's momentum and turn around a Democraticpresidential fight that has shifted decisively in the Illinoissenator's favour after his streak of 10 straight victories.

"I want you to think, 'Who do you want to have in the WhiteHouse answering the phone at 3 o'clock in the morning when somecrisis breaks out around the world?'" Clinton asked a heavilyHispanic crowd at a rally in downtown Laredo.

"'Who is best prepared to be commander in chief on dayone?'" she added, pushing her latest line of attack on Obama intheir hard-fought duel to be the Democratic candidate inNovember's presidential election.

In the Republican race, front-runner John McCain dismisseda New York Times report suggesting he had a close and possiblyromantic relationship with a female lobbyist nine years ago whorepresented companies that did business with the Senatecommittee he led.

The newspaper reported his aides became concerned thepotentially embarrassing conflict of interest could harm hisultimately failed presidential bid in 2000. The Arizona senatortold reporters in Toledo, Ohio, the article was "not true."

"At no time have I ever done anything that would betray thepublic trust or make a decision which in any way would not bein the public interest and would favour any one or anyorganization," McCain said.

McCain aides and allies launched a counter-attack on theTimes, with his campaign manager Rick Davis telling supportersthe story was part of an "unsourced hit-and-run smearcampaign."

McCain has an almost insurmountable lead in the Republicanrace over his last major rival, former Arkansas Gov. MikeHuckabee, who has refused to give up until McCain has enoughconvention delegates to clinch the nomination.

Obama has taken control of the Democratic race afterwinning 10 consecutive contests by wide margins. Clinton needsto win March 4 contests in Ohio and Texas if she hopes to blockObama's march to the nomination.

Obama has a growing lead in pledged convention delegateswho will choose the Democratic candidate at the Augustconvention. The latest count by MSNBC gives Obama 1,168 toClinton's 1,018.

OBAMA WINS DEMOCRATS ABROAD

Obama picked up more good news on Thursday with word he hadwon primary voting among Democrats who live abroad. Obama wonabout 66 percent of the vote and Clinton 33 percent.

Democrats in 164 countries participated in the primary,voting by Internet, mail and in person between February 5 andFebruary 12, organizers said. Obama won 2.5 delegates andClinton 2 delegates in the voting.

Obama also won the endorsement of the Change to Win labourfederation, an umbrella group representing seven unions --including four that already backed him. The other threeabstained, including the United Farm Workers, who supportClinton.

The debate on Thursday night will give Clinton a broadpublic stage to try to begin her comeback, and she has crankedup her recent attacks on Obama as she searches for a messagethat works.

"I want you to think, 'Who is best able to stand on a stagewith Senator John McCain to make a case to elect a Democrat?'"Clinton told the crowd in Laredo in south Texas on the Mexicanborder, where she is counting on strong support from Hispanics.

The New York senator and former first lady said she hadlearned from her husband, former President Bill Clinton, howdifficult the job could be. She also kept up her criticism ofObama's high-flying rhetoric as lacking in real-worldsubstance.

"We need to have someone who is prepared with solutions toour problems, not just speeches," she said.

Obama has managed to gain an increasing share of Clinton'score voting blocs of blue-collar and low-income workers whilecutting into her margins with Hispanics.

The two big states of Ohio and Texas, with a combined totalof 334 delegates at stake on March 4, have plenty of both.Clinton strategists have targeted the two states as goodenvironments for her economic message. Rhode Island and Vermontalso vote on March 4.

Obama, in Austin to prepare for the debate, visited thestadium and football facilities for the University of TexasLonghorns. The Texas football coach, Mack Brown, scolded areporter who tried to ask Obama about McCain and lobbyists.

"Coach solved that one, didn't he?" Obama said.

(Additional reporting by Jeff Mason and Jason Szep; Writingby John Whitesides; Editing by David Wiessler)

(To read more about the U.S. political campaign, visitReuters "Tales from the Trail: 2008" online athttp://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/)