Clinton challenges Obama to bowl-off

April Fools joke calls for getting campaign out of gutter, counting all pins

Video

Clinton challenges Obama to 'bowl-off'
April 1: The two Democratic presidential candidates could soon be looking for strikes instead of votes as Hillary Clinton challenges Barack Obama to a "bowl-off". It's an April Fool's joke. MSNBC's Tamron Hall reports.

MSNBC

AP	Video: In her own words Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., speaks to the primary themes of her presidential campaign.
	Cartoons: Clinton MSNBC.com's editorial cartoonists weigh in on Hillary Clinton's candidacy.
AP	Slide show: A political life From Watergate to Whitewater, politics has played a major role in Hillary Clinton’s life.

updated 1:56 p.m. ET April 1, 2008

PHILADELPHIA - Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton walked somberly into a press conference Tuesday and stood before microphones. Reporters tensed, sensing something big might was afoot.

"This has been a very hard fought race," she said. "We clearly need to do something so that our party and our people can make the right decision. So, I have a proposal."

The tension grew. Reporters shifted in their seats. Was she dropping out of the race? Offering to join rival Barack Obama as his running mate?

Story continues below ↓

advertisement | your ad here

April Fools!

"Today, I am challenging Senator Obama to a bowl-off," Clinton said, provoking relieved laughs from the assembled scribes.

Clinton carried on, making reference to Obama's disastrous outing at a Pennsylvania bowling alley Saturday.

"A bowling night. Right here in Pennsylvania. The winner take all," she went on. "I'll even spot him two frames."

Click for related content

Clinton-Obama race spurs party switches
Pelosi: Dems' race should go on
Clinton likens herself to 'Rocky'
Newsvine Politics

"It is time for his campaign to get out of the gutter and allow all the pins to be counted. I'm prepared to play this game all the way to the tenth frame. When this game is over, the American people will know that when that phone rings at 3 a.m., they'll have a president ready to bowl on day one."

"Let's strike a deal and go bowling for delegates. We don't have a moment to spare, because it's already April Fool's Day. Happy April Fool's Day."

Picking the president: The candidates
Click to visit that candidate's MSNBC page or click the XML symbol for an RSS feed.

John McCain
Barack Obama