SUPERDELEGATE STAKES

Senator Obama appeared to gain — and then lose — the support of a superdelegate after a Montana Democratic Party official said she was barred by state party rules from endorsing a candidate in a contested primary. The vice chairwoman of the state party, Margaret Campbell, said she was backing Mr. Obama early yesterday before rescinding her endorsement later in the day, the Associated Press reported. Mr. Obama did earn the qualified support of another Montana superdelegate, Jeanne Lemire Dahlman, who said she would back the Illinois senator but might reconsider if Senator Clinton wins the state’s popular vote in June, the AP reported. Meanwhile, Mrs. Clinton picked up the endorsement yesterday of an Arkansas superdelegate, Mark Wilcox, the state’s land commissioner.

MCCAIN RAISES $15 MILLION IN MARCH, BEHIND CLINTON, OBAMA

Senator McCain reportedly raised more than $15 million in March, a figure that signals an improvement in his fund-raising performance but leaves him well behind both Democratic candidates. The number, reported by the Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder on his political blog and later by the Associated Press, would likely represent Mr. McCain’s highest monthly total in more than a year, as the presumptive Republican nominee tries to build his coffers for the general election. The Arizona senator by his own admission has never been a prodigious fund-raiser, and money woes nearly destroyed his campaign during the middle of last year. Even without competition from other Republican candidates, however, Mr. McCain lags behind senators Clinton and Obama. Mrs. Clinton’s campaign said it raised about $20 million in March while Mr. Obama raised $40 million. Mr. McCain has indicated he will seek public financing for the general election, although he has tried to opt out of it for the primary.

CLINTON’S ‘SPINE OF STEEL’ TOUTED IN INDIANA AD

Senator Clinton launched her first television ad in Indiana yesterday, a month before the state’s May 6 primary. The 30-second spot features Mrs. Clinton top Indiana supporter, Senator Bayh, who touts her credentials on the economy and her readiness to serve as commander in chief. “I’ve known Hillary for 20 years. She’s got a spine of steel,” Mr. Bayh says in the ad, in which he is shown speaking directly to the camera. “She’ll fight for our jobs, our troops, and the America we love.” Polls show Mrs. Clinton maintains an edge over Senator Obama in the Hoosier State.

SEIU SPENDS FOR OBAMA IN PENNSYLVANIA

The Service Employees International Union is spending about $740,000 on behalf of Senator Obama in Pennsylvania, according to campaign filings, giving the Illinois senator a boost on top of the $40 million his campaign raised in March. The influential SEIU will spend the money trying to increase union turnout in a state where Mr. Obama has consistently tailed Senator Clinton. Recent polls suggest the gap is narrowing.

CLINTON FARES POORLY IN BOWL-OFF ON ‘ELLEN’

It appears as though Senator Clinton is all talk when it comes to her bowling prowess. The former first lady on April Fools Day confidently challenged Senator Obama to a “bowl off” for the Democratic nomination, but in an appearance on the “Ellen De-Generes Show” she fared little better than he did when he bowled a much-publicized gutter ball in Pennsylvania last month. On a makeshift lane, Mrs. Clinton first rolled a gutter ball and then on a second try knocked down a lone pin. She said she hadn’t bowled since leaving the White House in 2001.

CLINTON, OBAMA TO PARTICIPATE IN COMPASSION FORUM’

Senators Clinton and Obama will both participate in what organizers are calling a “Compassion Forum” on Sunday night in Pennsylvania. The two Democratic candidates will appear separately on the same stage at Messiah College, near Harrisburg, for a discussion of poverty, global AIDS, climate change, and human rights. CNN is broadcasting the 90-minute event live.