PBS filmaker Ken Burns of Walpole endorsed Democrat Barack Obaman’s presidential campaign during a media conference call this afternoon.

  Burns said the negative attacks against Obama by rival Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign prompted him to get off the sidelines.

    Meanwhile, the Clinton camp charged Obama’s campaign got into the muck with a new mailing that admonishes Clinton for “launching misleading, negative attacks.”

  “Slipping in the polls, Clinton is now attacking Obama,” the mailer declares.

   It also takes head on the criticism of Clinton and John Edwards that Obama’s plan isn’t universal as it doesn’t mandate coverage.

    “Obama says it’s simply wrong to require  people to buy health covereage if they can’t afford it,” the mailer said.

    “No plan should force people to choose between buying coverage and paying for rent or food.”

     Exeter Democratic State Sen. Maggie Hassan and health care advocate Steve Gorin said the mailing misleads voters into thinking Obama’s plan covers all Americans. Objective study has concluded as many as 15 million won’t have coverage if they aren’t required to get it.

   “You know, I think this is a misleading, negative attack on Senator Clinton,” Hassan said.

    “I don’t think she’s engaged in that kind of behavior.”

      Clinton’s campaign began distributing last week a flyer with sharp, media criticsm of Obama’s plan.

      Obama contends a Massachusetts law mandating coverage in that state hasn’t led to everyone being covered there.

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    An Obama campaign official said the mailing is fair and the attack reference only came after several offensives the Clinton campaign mounted against the candidate and his health care proposal.