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BY ABDON M PALLASCH Political Reporter apallasch@suntimes.com

KEOKUK, Iowa -- With the top Democratic White House hopefuls in a three-way Iowa deadlock, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) called out his chief rivals by name Saturday, arguing he is the most electable, while former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) said he would be tougher on lobbyists than Obama.

As the Democrats barnstormed on the weekend before Thursday's caucuses, Obama and Edwards sparred as they hunted for the same voter -- someone probably not for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and undecided between two contenders who are both pitching change and sharing the signature issue of eroding the influence of lobbyists in government.

"The most recent polls show I am the only Democrat who beats every single Republican opponent," Obama told 350 people at Hawthorne Elementary School. "I beat [Rudy] Giuliani, I beat [Mitt] Romney, I beat [John] McCain, I beat [Mike] Huckabee, I beat [Fred] Thompson."
Touts independents

No other Democrat does, Obama said.

"John Edwards doesn't do it, and part of the problem John Edwards has in the general election is that the issues that he's taken on are not the things he said four years ago," Obama said. "And Sen. Clinton doesn't beat all five of them because you start off with half the country not wanting to vote for her.

"And the reason I beat 'em all and Hillary doesn't and Edwards doesn't is because I get more support from independents," Obama added at another stop.

Clinton, campaigning in Clinton, Iowa, with Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, said he and her other backers "are not on a political suicide mission," according to the Associated Press. "They are assessing each and every one of us, and they are concluding ... I am the Democrat most likely to be elected."

In Des Moines on Saturday night, Edwards pushed back at Obama on electability.

"I am the Democrat who ran and won in a red state," he said, noting that the last two Democratic presidents were Southerners who talked like he does, with a twang.
Lobbyists at issue

Edwards raised the ante with Obama over the role lobbyists would have in the White House. Edwards proposed a ban on "anyone" who has worked as a "corporate" or foreign government lobbyist.

Obama says he would ban federal lobbyists from working in his White House on issues they lobbied on. Earlier this month, Obama was forced to revise a stump speech line -- a flat declaration that lobbyists "won't work in my White House" -- after it turned out his own written plan says they could, with some restrictions. A new television spot for Obama doctored the audio of a speech Obama made in November to delete the phrase where Obama says lobbyists "will not get a job in my White House."

Obama made an impromptu stop at George's Pizza and Steak in Fairfield, shaking hands with diners, urging them to caucus for him and buying six pizzas for the press bus following him.

"How much do I owe you?" Obama asked the owner. Pulling four $20 bills off the roll he took from his pocket, he said, "You can't give me a discount -- it's against the law."
'Superman' to swoop in

While Clinton had Strickland by her side Saturday, Obama rolled out Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, an African American from Chicago's South Side, who told Iowa voters to disregard pundits who say Obama, 46, ought to wait to run until he's older or more experienced. They said the same thing when Patrick ran for governor of Massachusetts, Patrick said.

Today, Obama will be joined by Iowa native and "Superman" actor Brandon Routh on the stump.

Contributing: Lynn Sweet, reporting from Des Moines