During a conference call just now with reporters, Clinton adviser Harold Ickes fell short of denying that Hillary Clinton would pursue efforts to convert pledged delegates for Barack Obama over to her side, as she said yesterday is possible under the rules.

"I think what Mrs. Clinton was trying to make clear is that no delegate is required by party rules to vote for the candidate for which they're pledged," Ickes said. "Now obviously circumstances can change, and people's minds can change about the viability of a particular candidate, and that's permitted under our rules ever since the 1980 convention."

Campaign spokesman Phil Singer then jumped in to dial back any impression that the campaign would be attempting this: "It is still our position that we are not asking pledged delegates for Sen. Obama to flip over. That is a rule, but we are not engaged in any efforts, so please don't make a mistake about that."

Singer added later in the call, "I know there's always a temptation to read something into everything, but simply stating a fact is not a cause for hysteria."