SNEAK PEEK: 'You're Not Gonna Just Sit There and Take It'

January 22, 2008— -- 4 days until the South Carolina primary (Democrats)

7 days until the Florida primary

One day after Barack Obama came close to losing his temper with Hillary Clinton, questions about Bill Clinton dogged the Illinois Democrat on Tuesday.

Following a campaign event in Greenwood, S.C., the New York Times' Jeff Zeleny got close enough to throw Obama a question.

"Are you allowing President Clinton to get in your head?" asked Zeleny.

"I am trying to make sure that his statements by him are answered. Don't you think that's important?" Obama shot back, while walking away from the media throng and towards nearby supporters.

When Zeleny follow up, Obama fired back: "Don't try cheap stunts like that -- come on, Jeff. You're better than that."

Obama then moved away from Zeleny's rope-line location to sign autographs.

A few minutes later, Obama re-approached Zeleny, his one-time chronicler at the Chicago Tribune.

"I will answer your question -- though off the record. You allowed to talk off the record? It's hard to do," said Obama, referring to cameras pointed in his direction. "But I'll talk . . . at some point, I'll answer your question."

Obama, who picked up the endorsement of the biggest newspaper in South Carolina on Tuesday, concluded by saying, "My suspicion is . . . the other side must be rattled if they're continually saying false things about us."

Watch the exchange here.

Per ABC's Kate Snow, Obama explained his Obambi-No-More mindset earlier in the day while calling into Russ Parr's radio show, a syndicated program which airs on 15 stations nationwide.

Asked about being "painted as the angry black man", Obama said he prefers to have a civil conversation about the issues. Then he talked about the need to stand up for himself.

"It's like playing basketball," said Obama. "Remember when my Chicago Bulls were playing the Detroit Pistons?"

"Michael Jordan was getting fouled a lot," Obama continued. "At some point you know, you gotta, if somebody's throwing an elbow at you, you gotta let 'em know that. . . you're not gonna just sit there and take it."

"But over the long term, my job is to score some baskets - in this case for the American people," Obama added. "And I'm gonna keep on trying to do that. And I think that if we stay focused on the issues, I'm confident that we are going to win this thing."

The kicker:

"I was stylistically challenged."

--Bill Clinton explaining his lack of fashion sense in 1992 to Mark Halperin of ABC News and Time Magazine

On the campaign trail…

JOHN MCCAIN

-- 10:45 am ET: Holds economic roundtable, Orlando, FL

-- 11:45 am ET: Holds media availability, Orlando, FL

-- 5:00 pm ET: Attends fundraiser with supporters, Boca Raton, FL

MITT ROMNEY

-- 9:00 am ET: Holds event with voters, Sarasota, FL

-- 12:00 pm ET: Tours the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL

-- 12:30 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Tampa, FL

RUDY GIULIANI

-- 11:00 am ET: Delivers remarks to voters at rally, Estero, FL

-- 6:00 pm ET: Visits with supporters at event, Naples, FL

MIKE HUCKABEE

-- 7:00 pm ET: Attends rally with voters, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

RON PAUL

-- 11:15 am ET: Appears for a KMMS radio interview, Bozeman, MT

As for the Democrats…

HILLARY CLINTON

-- Attends events in New Jersey

BARACK OBAMA

-- 10:00 am ET: Attends town hall meeting with voters, Rock Hill, SC

-- 12:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Sumter, SC

-- 8:15 pm ET: Attends rally with voters, Dillon, SC

JOHN EDWARDS

-- 11:00 am ET: Attends events with voters, Bennettsville, SC

-- 2:45 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Lancaster, SC

-- 6:35 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Gaffney, SC

Also on the road…

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG

-- 7:30 pm ET: Delivers remarks at the United States Conference of Mayors 76th Annual Meeting, Washington, DC

Also look for…

SOJOURNERS AND BELIEFNET

-- 1:00 pm ET: Host an interactive panel discussion in collaboration with the National Association of Evangelicals to examine the evangelical voting block in the 2008 presidential election, Washington, DC

POLITICAL NEWS STORIES ON ABCNEWS.COM

ABC News' Teddy Davis Reports: '08 Candidates Respond to Economic Jitters LINK

ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Is Bill Clinton Getting in Obama's Head? LINK

ABC News' Eloise Harper, Sunlen Miller, and Kate Snow Report: Democratic Fight Night Sees Light of Day LINK

ABC News' Lindsey Ellerson: Obama Returns to State of 'Fired Up' LINK

ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Myrtle Mess LINK

ABC News' Gary Langer Reports: Consumer Confidence and the Markets LINK

ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Obama Tells SC Crowd to Not Take Polls for Granted LINK

ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: How Is Obama Doing? LINK

ABC News' Matt Stuart Reports: Romney on Economy: "We're All a Little Nervous" LINK

ABC News' Teddy Davis Reports: Obama Wrong About D.N.C. Claim LINK

ABC News' Teddy Davis and Talal Al-Khatib Report: Blunt Bows Out of Missouri Guv's Race LINK

ABC News' Raelyn Johnson Reports: Edwards: "In Times Like This We Need a Grown-Up" LINK

ABC News' Jan Simmonds Reports: Giuliani Touts Permanent Relief As Method To Boost Economy LINK

ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: After Debate Fireworks, Obama Slams Clinton on Economy LINK

ABC News' Christine Byun Reports: Fred Thompson Drops Presidential Bid LINK

ABC News' Kate Snow, Susan Kriskey and Sarah Amos Report: Bill Clinton: 'I'm Not Standing in Obama's Way' LINK

POLITICAL VIDEO AT ABCNEWS.COM

Crossfire Debate!

Clinton verses Obama in their sharpest debate yet. LINK

Giuliani Speaks Out

The candidate on what's at stake in Florida and his campaign money woes. LINK

Obama Gets 'Fired Up'

Sen. Obama returns to town where the chant 'fired up, ready to go' was born. LINK

Gloves Off: Obama v. Clinton

The Senators' debating devolved into personal attacks in South Carolina. LINK

GOPers are Low on Cash

Thompson is out, and other candidates are cutting back to save cash. LINK

Race and the Race

Who'll win the battle for black voters? LINK

Stephanopoulos on the Democratic Slugfest

George Stephanopoulos has the bottom line on the debates in South Carolina. LINK

Dastardly Democrats!

The debate in South Carolina was anything but civil. LINK

A Talk With George

George Stephanopoulos breaks down the latest campaign developments. LINK

Four-Way Tie in Florida

Republicans are in a heated battle to win over Florida. LINK

Bill and Barack Battle

A feud is building between former President Clinton and Sen. Obama. LINK

Obama, Clinton Face Off

Sen. Clinton Attacks Sen. Obama on his comments about Republican Party ideas. LINK

Bubba Catches Some Zzzs

President Bill Clinton snoozes during an MLK celebration service in Harlem. LINK