First, he met privately in Center City with Democratic ward leaders, who chose not to endorse Hillary Rodham Clinton or Barack Obama, at least until they can meet with both candidates.

Then he traveled to Delaware County to speak publicly to about 1,500 people in the gymnasium on Pennsylvania State University's Brandywine campus.

And Rep. Robert A. Brady, the city Democratic chairman, told reporters that he had secured agreement from both presidential candidates to debate in Philadelphia - assuming they decide to debate in Pennsylvania at all - most likely at the National Constitution Center the week before the primary.

The former president, in his only public remarks of the day, focused during his Penn State speech on talking up his wife's candidacy and policies rather than criticizing Obama's.

Clinton took his listeners through the intricacies of her plans to make America energy-independent and to create a system of universal health care. He portrayed her as a proven change-maker with superior policy proposals.

"The substance of change is even more important than the symbolism of change," he said, without making any direct reference to Obama. "The fact of change is even more important than the feeling of change."

At the start of his remarks, Clinton, who made three stops in Wyoming on Thursday and had one more in Mississippi scheduled for last night, admitted being tired and said he would not deliver the normal "whoop-dee-doo" kind of speech.

He did not raise his voice much, nor did he offer many obvious applause lines. Still, he talked for 45 minutes, concluding: "She'd be the best president, and Pennsylvania can make her the next president."

Earlier, he talked to about 50 of the city's 69 Democratic ward leaders, assembled at party headquarters on Walnut Street. After he departed, Rep. Patrick Murphy of Bucks County addressed the ward leaders on Obama's behalf.

Neither Clinton nor Murphy asked the Democratic City Committee to make an endorsement. In fact, Murphy asked that there be none.

When the session was over, Brady said the ward leaders wanted to hear from the candidates themselves before thinking about backing one of them.

"If it's that important to them, we need to have them come before us," Brady said. "After this weekend, they have nowhere else to go but the state of Pennsylvania, and all we need is an hour of their time."

The two candidates are to compete in the Wyoming caucuses today and the Mississippi primary Tuesday. The next event is Pennsylvania, six weeks later.

The former president, who is extraordinarily popular in this region, reportedly received a warm welcome from the ward leaders. But he was asked at one point about remarks before the South Carolina primary in late January that were widely seen as demeaning to Obama.

Clinton, who did not talk with reporters, responded angrily, said City Controller Alan Butkovitz, leader of the 54th Ward in Northeast Philadelphia. According to Butkovitz, Clinton said that "he was misrepresented, that he has been a very strong champion for the African American community for his entire career."

Murphy said he was questioned during his appearance about Obama's ability to stand up to any attacks from the Republicans during the general-election campaign. The congressman said he offered this assurance: "There's no one tougher than Sen. Obama."

Brady, talking with reporters about the closed meeting and the prospective debate, acknowledged that ward leaders were not all that important in a presidential election.

"Ward leaders only need to get out of the way," he said. "People are going to come and vote - I'm not sure how much influence you have."

Clinton Starts Pa. Bid Monday

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is scheduled to launch her campaign for the April 22 Pennsylvania primary next week with a two-day visit starting in Scranton, where her father was born, and concluding in Philadelphia.

Clinton's itinerary, announced yesterday,

calls for a kickoff rally at

6 p.m. Monday at Scranton High School.

On Tuesday, she is to have an event at noon in Harrisburg, with a

location to be announced, followed by a rally at

6 p.m. at Temple University's McGonigle Hall, 1800 Broad St.

All three events are open

to the public.

- Larry Eichel

Wyo. Votes Today

The Wyoming Democratic caucuses will be today. Polls

close at 9 p.m. EST.

Find more on the campaign at http:// go.philly.com/campaign2008