Clinton admits "tough" to pass gasoline tax break

EVANSVILLE, Indiana (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton admitted on Monday it would be tough to lift the federal gasoline tax this summer as she has proposed because of a likely veto from President George W. Bush.

Clinton, a New York senator, and rival Barack Obama, a senator from Illinois, have sparred over the gasoline tax before primary elections on Tuesday in Indiana and North Carolina.

Obama has accused the former first lady of political pandering with a proposal that would not save consumers much money in the end.

Clinton says the legislation would save the average driver about $70 over the summer and should be advocated even if chances of passage are slim.

"Realistically, it's tough. I know that," she told reporters on her campaign plane on Monday.

"Do I think we can get it done, past a veto by President Bush as the ultimate blocker?" she said. "It's obviously a very difficult challenge. But that doesn't mean you don't try."

Obama leads Clinton in the race for their party's White House nomination, but she has been more successful in gaining support from working-class voters in big states such as Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Indiana and North Carolina, with a combined 187 delegates to the August nominating convention at stake, are the biggest prizes remaining in the tight nominating race.

Clinton has painted economists -- and Obama -- who have panned the proposal, as being out of touch with working-class voters. She repeated that theme on Monday.

"We've got to produce results for working people. They've got to feel that Democrats are on their side," she said.

"Folks really respect it if you get up and fight. Even if you can't on the first, second or third time produce all the results that you would like."

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Peter Cooney)