The 69 ward leaders were scheduled for a regular meeting and may consider endorsements in the April 22 primary, when in addition to the presidential race, state lawmakers, row offices and members of Congress will be on the ballot.

Insiders do not expect the leaders to come to an agreement between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama in the presidential race; already several African American ward leaders have declared they are with Obama, and Mayor Nutter and other leaders are lined up behind Clinton. City Chairman Bob Brady has said in the past he would want to avoid a divisive endorsement vote in the presidential contest.

Brady, in an interview, said the committee also will hear from a surrogate for Obama, but the Illinois senator's campaign has not yet confirmed who it will be. Among the possibilities, he said: wife Michelle Obama, or Sens. Edward Kennedy or John Kerry.

Brady said there will "not necessarily" be a vote to endorse in the presidential primary. "I'll know tomorrow when I get there," he said. Asked whether there was sentiment among his ward chieftains to make a committee choice, he said he would find out at the meeting.

The city committee meeting is scheduled for noon at party headquarters in the 1400 block of Walnut Street.

Mark Nevins, Pennsylvania spokesman for the Clinton campaign, confirmed the former president is scheduled to be in the Philadelphia area tomorrow, but said he did not yet have details of Clinton's schedule.

In the tight battle for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois is believed to have the advantage in Philadelphia and its suburbs because of his past strength in primaries among African-American and affluent voters. Political experts say about 40 percent of Democratic primary voters in Philadelphia are black.