Rep. Lampe Backs Obama

MCCASKILL TAKES ON BILL CLINTON'S TRUTH-TELLING
On Hillary: "It worries me whether . . . we could prevail in Missouri, if she's the nominee."

Springfield Rep. Sara Lampe seems to be endorsing Senator Barack Obama for president.

She has dodged our questions about it for months, and she certainly didn't put out an official release.

But according to an Obama campaign schedule, Lampe will appear with Senator Claire McCaskill and other Springfield area supporters on Saturday at 10 a.m.

Hers's the exact text:

Press Conference with Claire McCaskill and Prominent Springfield Supporters
Who: Sen. Claire McCaskill, State Rep. Sarah Lampe, other Springfield-area supporters
When: Saturday January 26, 2008, 10:00 AM
Where: Greene County Democratic Central Committee Offices
1764 S. Fremont Ave.
Springfield, MO

A canvass of the Springfield area will follow the Saturday press conference.

In a conference call with reporters today, Sen. McCaskill talked about Obama's electability and also took some shots at Hillary Clinton.

"As I look at what candidate in the Democratic Party is going to excite conservatives and Republicans to come out and vote is not Barack Obama," said McCaskill during the conference, with a veiled swipe at Clinton.

"I believe that- they (the Republicans) are going to have problems with their nominee as far as uniting their party. They are frankly in chaos on that side. And I think that the only thing that I can see right now that excites the very conservative base of the Republican Party in Missouri is coming out to vote against Hilary Clinton- and that worries me. It worries me as to whether or not we could prevail in Missouri if she is the nominee," McCaskill added.

McCaskill also took some shots at former President Clinton:

"I would say that I think is really important for President Clinton to think about right now is that because of the larger microphone that he has as a former President, he needs to be very careful with the truth. This is not a time to play fast and loose with the facts. As long as he is careful with the truth, then I don't think any of us are in any way resenting his campaigning. But the fact that he has shaded things and he has tried to manipulate the facts in a way that is unfair. I think that is frankly flat wrong and I think it is demeaning," McCaskill said.