Democrats in Texas warned on caucus

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Democratic Party warned Thursday that Tuesday's caucuses could be delayed or disrupted after aides to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton threatened to sue over the party's complicated delegate-selection process.

In a letter sent out late Thursday to both the Clinton and Barack Obama campaigns, Texas Democratic Party lawyer Chad Dunn warned a lawsuit could ruin the Democrats' effort to re-energize voters just as they are turning out in record numbers.

Spokesmen for both campaigns said there were no plans to sue ahead of the March 4 election.

Democratic sources said both campaigns have made it clear that they might consider legal options over the complicated delegate-selection process, which includes both a popular vote and evening caucuses. But the sources made it clear the Clinton campaign, in particular, had warned of an impending lawsuit.

" ... I think the imminent threat is coming from one campaign," said one top Democratic official, referring to the Clinton campaign. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity.

Another Democratic official who was privy to the discussions confirmed Clinton representatives made veiled threats in a telephone call this week.

Nader picks his running mate

WASHINGTON — Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader selected Matt Gonzalez, a former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, to be his running mate.

"I want someone who shares my sense of justice and opposition to corporate state control over our society," Nader said Thursday. The longtime consumer advocate launched his White House bid last weekend.

The Texas-born Gonzalez ran for mayor of San Francisco as a Green Party candidate in 2003 but lost to Gavin Newsom.

Nader has sought the White House in each of the last three presidential elections.

Citizen query put to rest, McCain says

RICHARDSON, Texas — Republican presidential hopeful John McCain said Thursday the question of whether he can run for president, despite being born in the Panama Canal Zone, was put to rest 44 years ago in Barry Goldwater's run for the White House.

The Constitution says only a "natural-born citizen" may serve as president.

McCain's campaign asked former Solicitor General Ted Olson for a legal interpretation of the issue. McCain himself insists the issue was put to rest when Sen. Goldwater ran for president in 1964.

"Barry Goldwater was born in Arizona when it was a territory, Arizona was a territory, and it went all the way to the Supreme Court," McCain said Thursday. "And there's no doubt about that. And it was researched again in 2000."

The Panama Canal Zone was a U.S. territory when McCain was born Aug. 29, 1936.

Clinton touts plan to aid poor children

HANGING ROCK, Ohio — Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton offered a plan to improve childhood nutrition and set a goal to reduce by half the 12 million youngsters living in poverty over the next dozen years.

The package of proposals includes a "comprehensive" early-education initiative that starts with nurse's visits for pregnant women, lets children begin the Head Start program earlier and calls for universal prekindergarten programs.

The New York senator also says she would deal with childhood hunger by putting in place a food safety net, and giving children "greater access to healthy, fresh food."

She spelled out her proposals in a speech Thursday.

Clinton aides said the new programs would carry an annual price tag of $5 billion to $6 billion. A significant portion of her plan comes by expanding existing programs. She would cover the cost by toughening tax enforcement to collect money now owed but not paid.

Seattle Times news services