TAOISEACH (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern had a telephone conversation with Senator Barack Obama on St. Patrick's Day, and Ahern reported that Obama said Senator Hillary Clinton played an important role in the peace process. According to a transcript from RTE, Ahern also praised Clinton's role in the process during the time she was first lady. RTE's anchor intro: "The taoiseach has said it would be very unfair for anyone to deny Hillary Clinton credit for her role in the peace process. Speaking in Washington, Ahern said she played an important part in the process, along with her husband. "Earlier, after a meeting with the Taoiseach in the White House, President Bush promised continued U.S. support for the peace process and for economic regeneration in the North."A busy round of official engagements in Washington today finished at Congress with a lunch hosted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. The three candidates for the presidency weren't there, but Mr. Ahearn did meet Hillary Clinton and speak on the phone to Barack Obama this morning. The Obama campaign has been questioning Senator Clinton's involvement in the peace process, but Mr. Ahern said she had played a significant and important role.According to Ahern, "And I have to say in my conversation this morning that was totally acknowledged by Senator Obama, so I mean, I'm not going to get in the politics of this, but I think for anyone to try to question the Clintons huge support and start trying to nitpick.