By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer

Posted Dec. 24, 2007 – Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) continues to battle negative hits from Clinton supporters that end with an apology.   This time it was former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey who “accidentally” mentioned Obama’s middle name, Hussein, at a time when there are false rumors floating around that the Illinois Democrat is really a stealth Muslim candidate whose intent is to bring down the U.S. government.

Two of Sen. Hillary Clinton’s campaign volunteers in Iowa were fired for circulating an email that implied the same negative vibe against Obama, who’s considered Clinton’s top competition. Kerrey’s slip of the tongue occurred during his endorsement of Clinton last Sunday. He now says he’s “sorry for the insult.”
  
 ”I answered a question about your qualifications to be president in a way that has been interpreted as a backhanded insult of you. I assure you I meant to do just the opposite,” Kerrey wrote.  Adding, that was not his intent.

What’s not clear is why Clinton’s folks have so much to say about her rival.  If these political allies would stick to script and chat up Clinton, all of this could be avoided. 

Still, the weekend ended on a high note for Obama.  The Dallas Morning News endorsed Obama for the Democratic nomination, saying, “Mr. Obama is our choice because of his consistently solid judgment, poise under pressure and ability to campaign effectively without resorting to the divisive politics of the past.” 

One of the largest and influential newspapers in Texas, the News issued its endorsement without ignoring race altogether.  While giving a nod to the Democratic candidate it believed would “inspire a refreshingly new approach,” the paper wrote that “race is not an overriding factor for us. But it is undeniable that America has failed to heal its racial wounds, including here in Dallas. We need a motivated leader capable of confronting the problem, and no candidate is better equipped than Mr. Obama. His message isn’t about anger and retribution. It’s about moving forward.”

In the opinion article titled “We Recommend,”  the paper endorsed former Gov. Mike Huckabee, (R-Ark.) to win the Republican nomination. “Mr. Huckabee is not an ideal candidate … His religious conservatism, particularly his past rhetoric on women and gays, can be alarming,” the paper said. “But religious conservatives aren’t easily pigeonholed …. Mr. Huckabee has a stout heart for working families and the poor.”

The paper also said it was not in complete agreement with Obama on all issues, but wrote, “We recognize his potential to unite disparate political factions and restore cooperation between the White House and Capitol Hill.”

Obama, campaigning in Iowa Sunday, told folks, “If we’re serious about winning this election, then we can’t live in fear of losing it.”