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Obama attributes defeats to fierce attacks by Clinton

US President W. Bush dances on the North Portico of the White House in Washington on Wednesday while waiting for Republican presidential hopeful John McCain to arrive. PHOTO: AP

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama blamed fierce attacks by rival Hillary Rodham Clinton for his defeats in big primaries and quickly made good on a promise to sharpen his criticism of her in what promised to be a drawn-out brawl.

Clinton declared on Wednesday that her primary victories a day earlier in Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island, which resuscitated her campaign, had reordered the Democratic presidential race in her favor.

But the math may not work out for her. The former first lady still has a large delegate deficit to make up, and few opportunities to do so in coming contests.

In the overall race for the nomination, Obama had 1,567 delegates after picking up five new superdelegate endorsements on Wednesday. Clinton had 1,462 delegates. It takes 2,025 delegates to secure the Democratic nomination.

In Tuesday's contests, Clinton won at least 185 delegates and Obama won at least 173.

On Wednesday, Obama took the offensive against Clinton, targeting her claims that she is more experienced in handling foreign policy.

"Was she negotiating treaties? Was she handling crises? The answer is no."

US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama

"Was she negotiating treaties? Was she handling crises? The answer is no," Obama said.

"She made a series of arguments on why she should be a superior candidate. I think it's important to examine that argument," he said.

Obama and Clinton had bruising campaigns last week, with Clinton arguing he was getting a free ride with the media.

Clinton, who was asked in TV interviews on Wednesday about her national security qualifications, ticked off a series of events in which she played a role, including peace talks in Northern Ireland, the Kosovo refugee crisis and standing up for women's rights in China.

She also cited her work on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Obama aides took the offensive on Wednesday, distributing a memo and holding a conference call to ask why Clinton has not released her tax returns.

Her campaign responded with a statement to reporters that said the Clintons' returns would be made public around April 15.

On the Republican side, US President George W. Bush endorsed nominee-in-waiting John McCain, a day after the veteran senator swept four states and his only remaining rival Mike Huckabee dropped out of the race.

He now has more than the 1,191 delegates needed to win his party's nomination.

Bush and McCain were bitter rivals in the 2000 presidential race, but are joining together in hopes of preventing Obama or Clinton from taking the White House.

"John showed incredible courage, strength of character and perseverance in order to get to this moment and that's exactly what we need in a president -- somebody who can handle the tough decisions, somebody who won't flinch in the face of danger," Bush said, appearing with McCain in the White House Rose Garden.

With his low poll ratings and an unpopular war on his shoulders, Bush could hurt McCain with some groups, while helping with others. McCain said he looked forward to campaigning with Bush at his side and said the president could be helpful in states such as Texas, where Bush was governor.
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