IN THE HEADLINES

Obama proposes relief for homeowners, Clinton warns of 3:00 a.m. economic crisis call ... One-time bitter rivals, McCain, Romney campaign together ... Obama, Clinton, McCain all want it _ NY Mayor Bloomberg's endorsement ... Poll: Obama leads Clinton in Democratic presidential race

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Obama, Clinton offer economic plans

NEW YORK (AP) _ Democrat Barack Obama said Thursday tougher government regulations that reflect the realities of modern finance are needed to get a grip on the economy before it gets even worse. Rival Hillary Rodham Clinton said Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain isn't prepared to handle a call about an economic emergency.

"The phone is ringing, and he would just let it ring and ring," Clinton said, echoing the "3 a.m. phone call" TV ad she used earlier to suggest she was more qualified than Obama to handle a national security crisis. This time, the New York senator chastised McCain for opposing government intervention in the nation's credit and mortgage crisis.

The two Democratic contenders offered competing plans to tackle U.S. economic challenges: Clinton proposed a $2.5 billion job retraining program and Obama urged greater oversight of U.S. financial markets.

To fix the economy, Obama proposed relief for homeowners and an additional $30 billion stimulus package to address the nation's economic woes.

The Illinois senator spoke not far from Wall Street, while Clinton spoke at a community college in Raleigh, N.C. Both dismissed McCain's approach as pure hands-off.

Even before the Democrats delivered their speeches, McCain, an Arizona senator, said in a statement, "There is a tendency for liberals to seek big government programs that sock it to American taxpayers while failing to solve the very real problems we face."

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McCain, Romney campaign together

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) _ In a show of Republican unity, one-time bitter foes John McCain and Mitt Romney raised money and campaigned together Thursday for a single goal _ getting McCain elected president.

"We are united. Now our job is to energize our party," McCain said in an airport hanger, flanked by Romney and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., an early McCain supporter.

Both men have been mentioned as potential vice presidential picks, and while McCain praised each, he did not tip his hand on whether either was under consideration.

Romney, for his part, praised McCain and promised to do all that he could to help, saying: "He is a man who is proven and tested" and without question the right man to be president.

McCain and Romney then headed to Denver for another fundraiser.

McCain, who has struggled to raise campaign money, is on a weeklong western fundraising swing. Romney is popular in Utah and Colorado, states with large numbers of residents who, like Romney, are Mormons.

The former Massachusetts governor dropped out of the race last month after it became apparent it would be near impossible to topple McCain in the convention delegate race.

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Bloomberg still withholding endorsement

NEW YORK (AP) _ When Mayor Michael Bloomberg introduced Barack Obama before an economic speech Thursday, he made it clear he wasn't ready to make an endorsement _ a prize all the presidential candidates are seeking.

After Bloomberg announced last month that he would not run for president but might put his wealth and support behind another candidate, Obama has mounted what appears to be the most aggressive effort to woo the billionaire.

Aides to the mayor and the Illinois senator said Obama was the first to call after Bloomberg's announcement. He phoned again this week to ask the mayor to introduce him before the speech in Manhattan and to review the text.

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton and Republican John McCain both have called since Bloomberg dangled the possibility of an endorsement, but neither has met with the Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent mayor. Aides to both New York Sen. Clinton and Bloomberg say she and the mayor are trying to set up a meeting.

Bloomberg has had less interaction with Clinton and Arizona Sen. McCain in the past month, but he has known them longer.

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Poll: Obama leads Clinton nationally

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Barack Obama holds a 10-point advantage nationally over Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Democratic presidential race, according to a Pew Research Center poll released Thursday.

Obama led with 49 percent compared with Clinton's 39 percent.

The two rivals' standings in the poll have changed little from late February, the latest indication that so far Obama has weathered the controversy over provocative sermons by his longtime pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

While Obama has a mostly favorable image among white Democrats, those with unfavorable views about him are likelier to say equal rights for minorities have gone too far and to oppose interracial dating. Almost one in four white Democrats who view Obama unfavorably also think he is Muslim, when in fact he is Christian.

Obama and Clinton both continue to hold slender leads nationally in matchups against the all-but-certain Republican candidate, John McCain.

The Pew poll was conducted March 19-22. It involved telephone interviews with 1,503 adults, including 618 Democratic and Democratic-leaning registered voters. The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3 percentage points for all adults and 4.5 percentage points for Democratic voters.

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THE DEMOCRATS

Hillary Rodham Clinton holds campaign events in North Carolina. Barack Obama gives a speech on the economy in New York.

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THE REPUBLICANS

John McCain stops in Colorado.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"Look, that wasn't the only state I lost to Governor Romney in _ it was just the largest loss." _ Republican John McCain, campaigning in Utah with one-time GOP presidential rival Mitt Romney, a Mormon, who in February won 90 percent of the state's vote to McCain's 5 percent.

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STAT OF THE DAY:

Fifty-one percent of Democrat Barack Obama's supporters are college graduates, compared with 42 percent of rival Hillary Rodham Clinton's, according to exit polls taken through the Mississippi primary on March 11.

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Compiled by Ann Sanner.