U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, told the Post-Dispatch in an interview Saturday that he’s keenly concerned that the presidential campaigns of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are crossing the line.

Here’s the story we ran Sunday.

Here’s Cleaver’s comments to Associated Press on Friday.

Cleaver, who is headlining this weekend’s Democrat Days event in Hannibal, said he  ”is asking national party chairman Howard Dean to help cool the rhetoric before Democrats ruin their chances to win the White House.
 
“In a letter, Cleaver urges Dean to appoint a special committee of party luminaries to mediate squabbles, such as the fight over seating Michigan and Florida delegates and the heated pursuit of superdelegates.
 
“Cleaver says the prospect of a seven week ‘fist fight’ over the Pennsylvania primary sends chills down his spine.”

 Cleaver, by the way, has endorsed Clinton.