Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama yesterday sought to quiet questions about whether he has sufficient experience as a first-term senator to win his party's nomination.

During a morning exchange on ABC, Obama, only three years out of the Illinois legislature, cast himself as a force for change who would overcome the nation's broken political system. He sought to make his rivals' experience a cause for concern, not credit.

"With that kind of experience, I don't want it if experience leads you to stop asking questions, if experience leads you to be hesitant about telling the truth to the American people about the challenges that we face," Obama told voters later at an invitation-only crowd of about 100 people in Portsmouth.

Obama's message of change has been a cornerstone of his campaign. "We're not only going to win this campaign, but also transform our country," he repeated.

He again renewed polite criticism of institutional Washington.

"It's not going to be enough to change political parties. . . . The problems with our health care system and our educational system and rising inequality preceded this particular administration," Obama said in reference to President Bush's predecessor, Bill Clinton. His wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, is a rival in the presidential primary. Obama instead blamed lobbyists' influence.

Obama also said political divisions might help Democrats win the White House but not effectively govern.

"If all we do is eke out a victory and the country is still divided and we can't disagree without being disagreeable, if we can't compromise and focus on the next generation, we're not going to solve our problems. That was part of what we discussed this morning. Yes, there was a back-and-forth between myself and Sen. Clinton - and I have great admiration for her and all the people on that stage. But the reason I'm running in this race is because I believe we have to bring in independents and, yes, Republicans into a conversation about a progressive, commonsense agenda for change."

Again, he didn't mention Clinton - or her high unfavorable rating of 49 percent in a USA Today-Gallup poll this month - explicitly.

During a twilight ice cream social in Dover, Obama told voters he is the candidate who can overcome religious, racial and political divisions.

"People want to get a sense we can work together," said Obama, who was joined by his wife and daughters.

He also defended his pledge to meet with leaders of hostile nations - a position rivals have criticized as naive and irresponsible.

"A strong country and a strong president are not afraid to talk to their enemies," Obama said, drawing cheers from about 600 people.

It echoed his message earlier yesterday at Iowa's Drake University: "If you believe that part of the problem is the failed politics of Washington and the conventional thinking in Washington, if you're tired of the backbiting and the score keeping and the special-interest-driven politics of Washington, if you want somebody who can bring the country together around a common purpose and rally us around a common destiny, then I'm your guy."

During that ABC debate, Obama's rivals piled questions on him. It's a theme that has chased him.

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