Obama: Don't fret over long race

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Shivering in blankets, some 20,000 people filled a Penn State campus lawn Sunday to hear Barack Obama say he can win the Democratic nomination even if rival Hillary Rodham Clinton stays in the race.

Supporters stood in long lines for hours to hear Obama ahead of the April 22 Pennsylvania primary.

On a sunny day with temperatures in the low 40s, most bundled up for the type of large-scale rally that has become the candidate's trademark.

Pennsylvania's primary is the next contest in the Obama-Clinton fight for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Some Democrats, particularly Obama's supporters, have voiced concern that the hard-fought, drawn-out race is already hurting the party's chances to win in November.

The Illinois senator told the crowd not to worry.

"As this primary has gone on a little bit long, there have been people who've been voicing some frustration," Obama said.

"I want everybody to understand that this has been a great contest, great for America. It's engaged and involved people like never before. I think it's terrific that Senator Clinton's supporters have been as passionate as my supporters have been because that makes the people invested and engaged in this process, and I am absolutely confident that when this primary season is over, Democrats will be united."

Earlier in the day, he visited a university-run dairy farm and fed a slurping calf. His campaigning also included a trip to the lanes at a bowling alley in Altoona, where he was, by his own admission, terrible. As he laced up his bowling shoes, Obama said he hadn't bowled since Jimmy Carter was president.

Former president on long race: "Chill out"

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Allowing the Democratic presidential race to continue several more weeks will not hurt the party's chances in November, former President Clinton said Sunday, urging those concerned that the opposite will happen to "chill out" and let the balloting run its course.

Bill Clinton dismissed suggestions by supporters of Barack Obama that Hillary Rodham Clinton was damaging the party by staying in the race even though she is behind in delegates and unlikely to overtake the Illinois senator based on the contests to come.

"There is somehow the suggestion that because we are having a vigorous debate about who would be the best president, we are going to weaken this party in the fall," he said Sunday at the state Democratic Party convention. "Chill out.

"We're going to win this election if we just chill out and let everybody have their say," Clinton added.

Texas delegate race grows tighter

AUSTIN — The contest between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton for Texas delegates appeared to be tightening, as counting from Saturday's caucuses dragged into Sunday.

Obama led Clinton 58 percent-42 percent in results that had been reported through Sunday night, but nearly half of the delegates had yet to be counted.

Obama's campaign predicted he would win the overall delegate race in Texas because of caucus support, even though Clinton narrowly won the popular vote in primary balloting March 4.

Also

Sen. Barack Obama picked up the endorsement of Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Sunday night, giving the Democrat from Illinois another superdelegate supporter.