Will more senators endorse colleagues?

WASHINGTON — After picking up an endorsement by Sen Edward Kennedy on Monday, a pair of votes brought Sen. Barack Obama in rare proximity with presidential campaign rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on the floor of the Senate.

Clinton remained out of view, having stepped into the cloakroom during the first vote. There she ran into Kennedy, and the two exchanged greetings, according to people familiar with the conversation.

Standing at the back of the chamber, Obama joked with Sens. James Webb (Va.) and Jon Tester (Mont.), both uncommitted in the Democratic nomination battle.

Sen. Claire McCaskill (Mo.) and Sen. Kent Conrad (N.D.) joined the group. Conrad, who endorsed Obama weeks ago, said: "We're for Obama," looking at Tester and Webb. "What about you?"

"I'm staying out of the race between Obama and Clinton," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. But others appeared to be wavering.

"I'll be letting you know in the next couple of days," said Sen. Patty Murray, a member of the Democratic leadership, whose home state of Washington will hold its Democratic caucuses Feb. 9.

In the House, Clinton has secured 72 endorsements, Obama has 44 and Edwards has 15. That leaves 100 or so Democratic House members who have yet to choose sides.

Noted author endorses Obama

Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, who once described Bill Clinton as the U.S.' "first black president," has endorsed Senator Barack Obama for president, calling him "the man for this time."

Monday, she expressed admiration for Hillary Rodham Clinton's exhaustive knowledge and political acumen.

But in an eloquent letter released by Obama's campaign, she praised the Illinois senator's "creative imagination which coupled with brilliance equals wisdom."

Bond revoked for Illinois donor

CHICAGO — A federal judge revoked bond Monday and ordered Antoin Rezko, once a major fundraiser for Barack Obama, held in jail after prosecutors accused Rezko of lying to the court about his finances.

Rezko, who had been free on bond after being indicted in 2006 on charges of business fraud and influence peddling, was arrested Monday at his home in Wilmette, a North Shore suburb.

A real-estate developer who was once one of the most powerful men in Illinois, Rezko had told the court he was nearly broke. But federal prosecutors said Monday that he benefited from $3.7 million in wire transfers from Lebanon and Luxembourg last year. They said his failure to tell the judge about the money suggested he could be a flight risk.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., has raised questions about Obama's judgment in dealing with Rezko, who raised at least $150,000 for him from 1996 to 2004 in races for the Illinois state Senate and the U.S. Senate. Obama, a Democrat from Illinois, has conceded that a land deal he once had with Rezko was "boneheaded."

Seattle Times news services