Edwards shifts plans to address poverty

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards canceled campaign events in Alabama and North Dakota to make a "major policy address on poverty" today in New Orleans, where he launched his presidential bid 13 months ago.

Campaign officials said Edwards, who has trailed Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama in recent primaries, does not plan to end his candidacy and will reschedule the two dropped trips.

Some people close to the campaign said Edwards was disappointed that poverty got little mention in Democratic reactions to President Bush's State of the Union address Monday, and he sees the New Orleans speech as a chance to refocus attention on it.

The Edwards campaign said he will attend Thursday's Democratic debate in Los Angeles.

Obama denies snubbing Clinton

Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday sought to quell talk that he deliberately snubbed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, his rival for the Democratic nomination for president, during Monday night's State of the Union address.

Accompanied by Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill as he traveled to his grandfather's birthplace of El Dorado, Kan., and then on to Missouri, Obama, said he was surprised by the reports and photographs showing Obama turning away when Clinton approached to shake hands with Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy.

"I was turning away because Claire asked me a question as Sen. Kennedy was reaching for her," Obama explained to reporters aboard his campaign plane. "Sen. Clinton and I have had very cordial relations off the floor and on the floor."

Bloggers have been speculating all day about whether Obama, sitting next to Kennedy, deliberately turned away from the New York senator when she approached.

McCaskill said the incident was being overblown by the media, because "everybody's spoiling for a fight, which is the politics of old."

While in Kansas, Obama picked up the endorsement of the state's governor, Kathleen Sebelius.

Unlike Clinton and former Sen. John Edwards, Obama has sent nearly two dozen staffers to organize for Kansas' caucuses next Tuesday.

Obama to donate money tied to Rezko

Sen. Barack Obama announced Tuesday that he would give to charity an additional $72,650 in 2004 political donations associated with his onetime patron Antoin Rezko, who faces corruption charges in Chicago.

The money represents donations from Rezko family members, employees and "others who may have contributed through his efforts" to Obama's 2004 campaign for the U.S. Senate, Obama's campaign said in a statement.

Rezko — who was indicted in 2006 before the senator from Illinois launched his run for the White House — has given no money to Obama's presidential campaign.

The Los Angeles Times has identified $200,000 in donations from Rezko, his family members, company employees and other business associates. They date back to Obama's first run for the Illinois state senate in 1996 and his unsuccessful 2000 congressional race.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement that "by refunding these donations, the campaign has returned any and all funds that could be reasonably credited to Mr. Rezko's political support."

Also

Ron Paul backer: Singer Arlo Guthrie, of "Alice's Restaurant" fame, on Tuesday endorsed Republican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas.

Letterman appearance: Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will be a guest on CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," a day before the Feb. 5 Super Tuesday contests.

Seattle Times news services