Obama asks supporters to help pay Clinton debt

Barack Obama's supporters could help retire Hillary Rodham Clinton's debts.

There's some potential good news for those businesses, colleges, school districts and individuals in Pennsylvania that we reported on Tuesday are owed more than $231,000 by Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign.

Democrat Barack Obama has asked his largest contributors to help retire his former rival's campaign debt, The Washington Post is reporting.

The offer extends to the more than $10 million in debts to her vendors and not necessarily the $12.5 million of Clinton's own money that she loaned the campaign.

It's part of the effort to unite Clinton and Obama supporters after the primary campaign.

"Some of our donors have asked and Barack said if they have the ability to raise or give money to help on debt, we encourage them to do so," Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs told the Associated Press after Obama asked top fund-raisers during a conference call to help Clinton.

The only hitch could prove to be an unwillingness of some of Obama's supporters to help repay the bills from some of Clinton's expensive consultants. Few would object to paying back the mom & pop businesses, small towns or colleges that hosted events or provided food and services.

Clinton made her own appeal for help from supporters on Tuesday.

"By helping us pay off our campaign debt, you're not just helping Hillary elect a Democratic president and grow our majority in Congress," CBS News' Horserace blog reported read the text on Clinton;s fund-raising appeal that included a video (it wouldn't load for us this morning).