U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., promised a free dinner to all the reporters on a tele-conference call this morning, if her man for president — Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. — didn’t stop by Missouri before the state’s Feb. 5 presidential primary.

But in the meantime, Obama is going up on Missouri TV stations with ads, as of Saturday.

McCaskill and state Auditor Susan Montee headlined the call to announce the ad buy, and to emphasize that the ads will run throughout the state — and not just the Democratic rich urban territories of St. Louis and Kansas City.

The Obama campaign made “a substantial (ad) buy in Springfield, and also in Columbia-Jefferson City,” McCaskill said.

She and Montee also noted that Obama was the first presidential candidate in either party to open campaign offices in Missouri, and they said he has campaign staff on the ground in all nine congressional districts.

The announcement comes right after Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., announced that she and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, will headline a rally Saturday night in the St. Louis area. (Still awaiting place and time.)

The other Democratic frontrunner — former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., plans to hold a rally at 9 a.m. Saturday morning at the Carpenters Hall on Hampton.

McCaskill emphasized that she was “not against” Clinton or Edwards. “I’m for Barack Obama.”

McCaskill said she respected fellow Democrats who preferred Clinton or Edwards. She made a point of praising Edwards for his longstanding efforts to campaign in outstate Missouri since 2004.

As for Obama stopping by Missouri, his campaign declined to make any commitment Friday. But McCaskill says she’s sure he’ll make a visit.

But, just to be on the safe side: I’m a “Red Lobster” girl myself. Love those rolls.