Clinton, Obama backers tone down rhetoric

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Backers of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama toned down their rhetoric on Sunday for fear party infighting might turn voters against Democrats and deliver their votes into the hands of Republican John McCain.

All over the Sunday TV talk show circuit, journalists tried to get supporters for Clinton and Obama to attack the other side, but time and time again they would not take the bait and tried to stay on the high road.

But away from the TV studios, campaign aides continued the aggressive back-and-forth that for several weeks has dominated the battle to win the party's nomination for the November election.

"What is Senator Clinton hiding, and what is lurking in those documents that she believes voters don't have a right to know?" Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs asked in a conference call with reporters, referring to Clinton's tax returns and records of spending projects she has championed as a New York senator.

Those in Clinton's camp said Obama turned to personal attacks whenever his campaign suffered a setback.

"This is a tried and true technique of the Obama campaign that has repeatedly shifted 'negative' when they find momentum working against them," strategist Mark Penn said on a conference call.

Clinton officials went on to say that Obama did not have enough experience to be commander in chief and called on him to release all tax returns and other documents since taking office in the Illinois legislature in 1997.

Both candidates took the day off.