Rivalry Row Between Clinton and Obama

Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are both major contenders for the US Democratic Party's presidential nomination and the gloves are officially off in a new rivalry over a big donor.

On Tuesday, Dreamworks studio hosted a celebrity fundraiser for Senator Obama which raised $1.3M for the presidential hopeful's campaign. Among the sponsors of the event was Dreamworks co-founders David Geffen and Steven Spielberg.

Mr. Geffen had backed Bill Clinton in his presidential run and even though he was a co-host Tuesday night, he isn't necessarily backing Senator Obama in 2008.

The rivalry erupted over remarks Mr. Geffen made about Hillary Clinton to the New York Times. In the Times article, Mr. Geffen said "I don't think that another incredibly polarizing figure, no matter how smart she is, and no matter how ambitious she is - and God knows, is there anybody more ambitious than Hillary Clinton? - can bring the country together." He went on to tell New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd that while "everyone in politics lies" the Clintons "do it with such ease, it's troubling."

Since the Hollywood fundraiser thrown by Mr. Geffen and friends for Ms. Clinton's rival, she has accused Senator Obama of nasty politics aimed at personal destruction.

The Clinton camp has demanded that Senator Obama denounce Mr. Geffen's comments made in the New York Times and return the studio executive's $2,300 contribution which was made to the Obama presidential campaign.

Mr. Obama and his campaign have refused the Clinton campaign's demands to denounce the remarks and give back the donation.

Senator Obama told the AP, "It's not clear to me why I'd be apologizing for someone else's remark."

A spokesman for the Obama campaign pointed out that the Clintons were happy to receive Mr. Geffen's donations in the past when Bill Clinton was running for president. Mr. Geffen raised millions of dollars for Mr. Clinton's presidential campaign and was a guest at the White House during the former president's term.