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Taunts fly ahead of key US vote Taunts fly ahead of key US vote
(about 10 hours later)
White House hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have traded jibes in a surge of negative campaigning ahead of a key Democratic vote in Pennsylvania. White House hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have traded jibes in a surge of negative campaigning ahead of the Democratic primary in Pennsylvania.
During weekend rallies, she accused him of cheering on Republican rival John McCain, while he attacked her for "slash and burn" politics. She accused him of helping Republican rival John McCain's campaign while he talked of her "slash and burn" tactics.
Tuesday's primary may prove vital in the drawn-out fight for the nomination. She needs a strong win to stay in the race for the Democrats' presidential ticket and polls suggest a close vote.
Mrs Clinton needs a strong victory to stay in the race, but polls suggest Mr Obama has cut into her lead. Meanwhile Mr McCain, on a visit to deprived areas, said there should be no "forgotten places" in America.
War chest 'Cheering on McCain'
As the two criss-crossed the state in a final battle for votes, campaign finance figures were released showing that Mr Obama had raised $41m in March, compared to Mrs Clinton's $20m, and Mr McCain's $15m - his best monthly total so far. Monday saw the Democratic rivals kicking off their campaigns Scranton, a Democratic, working-class town in north-east Pennsylvania.
Mr Obama, who has been spending heavily in Pennsylvania, had a $42m war chest for April, while Mrs Clinton had $9m, the candidates' reports showed. DEMOCRATIC DELEGATES Barack Obama: Pledged delegates: 1,414Super-delegates: 231Total: 1,645 Hillary Clinton: Pledged delegates: 1,250Super-delegates: 257Total: 1,507 Source: AP estimates on 21 April class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7224970.stm">Q&A: US election delegates class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7358593.stm">Pennsylvania voters' views
DEMOCRATIC DELEGATES Barack Obama: Pledged delegates: 1,414Super-delegates: 231Total: 1,645 Hillary Clinton: Pledged delegates: 1,250Super-delegates: 257Total: 1,507 Source: AP estimates on 21 April class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7224970.stm">Q&A: US election delegates Over the weekend, Mrs Clinton hit out at Mr Obama after he said Mr McCain would make a better president than George W Bush.
Mrs Clinton also reported a debt of $10.3m - although her campaign pointed to victories in three of the last four primaries despite Mr Obama's superior spending power. "We need a nominee who will take on John McCain, not cheer on John McCain, and I will be that nominee," she said.
The New York senator hit out at Mr Obama after he said Mr McCain would make a better president than George W Bush.
"We need a nominee who will take on John McCain, not cheer on John McCain, and I will be that nominee," Mrs Clinton said.
She also struck out at a new Obama advertisement that criticises her health care plan, telling a rally in York, Pennsylvania: "Instead of attacking the problem, he chooses to attack my solution."She also struck out at a new Obama advertisement that criticises her health care plan, telling a rally in York, Pennsylvania: "Instead of attacking the problem, he chooses to attack my solution."
Super-delegates Mr Obama told a Pittsburgh radio station he was predicting not a win, but a close result.
Mr Obama, who is on a railway tour of the state, lashed out at Mrs Clinton's approach to politics. "I'm predicting it's going to be close and that we are going to do a lot better than people expect," he said.
"Her basic argument is that the slash-and-burn, say-anything, do-anything special interest-driven politics is how it works... Senator Clinton has internalised a lot of the strategies, the tactics, that have made Washington such a miserable place," he said. Earlier, on a railway tour of the state, he challenged Mrs Clinton's "slash-and-burn, say-anything, do-anything special interest-driven politics". "Trying to score cheap political points... doesn't make for good government," he said.
Mr Obama says Mrs Clinton is trying to score cheap political pointsMr Obama says Mrs Clinton is trying to score cheap political points
"Trying to score cheap political points may make good headlines and good television but it doesn't make for good government," Reuters news agency quoted Mr Obama as saying. The candidates are now so close that neither is expected to win sufficient delegates to the party's national convention in August to seal the nomination, and are courting 800 or so unelected "super-delegates".
Mrs Clinton said her opponent had been "so negative" in recent days because "a big difference" had become apparent between them. Pennsylvania provides a key test for Mrs Clinton's argument that despite Mr Obama's overall lead, only she will be able to secure wins in critical large states come the presidential election.
After a long and gruelling battle, the candidates are so close that neither is expected to win sufficient delegates to the party's national convention in August to seal the nomination. The state returns 158 delegates to the convention.
They are therefore battling for the support of about 800 so-called super-delegates - Democratic party officials who can choose for themselves which candidate to back, rather than reflecting the will of party voters.
Mr Obama has the most pledged delegates, with 1,414 to Mrs Clinton 1,250.
And while Mrs Clinton is leading in terms of the super-delegates, with 257 to 231, many have swung behind Mr Obama in recent weeks.
Criticism
Analysts say Pennsylvania will be a key test in her argument that despite Mr Obama's overall lead, only she will be able to secure wins in critical large states - such as Ohio and Texas - in November's presidential poll.
A poll released on Sunday by MSNBC/McClatchy, showed Mrs Clinton holding a five-point lead over Mr Obama in Pennsylvania - 48% to 43% -down from her once double-digit advantage.A poll released on Sunday by MSNBC/McClatchy, showed Mrs Clinton holding a five-point lead over Mr Obama in Pennsylvania - 48% to 43% -down from her once double-digit advantage.
There has been increasing pressure from senior Democrats for a swift resolution to the deadlock, fearing the prolonged battle will damage the eventual candidate's success against Mr McCain.There has been increasing pressure from senior Democrats for a swift resolution to the deadlock, fearing the prolonged battle will damage the eventual candidate's success against Mr McCain.
'False promises'
On campaign financing, new figures show Mr Obama raised $41m in March, to $20m for Mrs Clinton and $15m for Mr McCain.
John McCain will also visit Ohio, Kentucky and Arkansas shortly
Mr Obama, spending heavily in Pennsylvania, had a $42m war chest for April while Mrs Clinton had $9m. Mrs Clinton also reported a debt of $10.3m.
Mr McCain meanwhile evoked the spirit of civil rights marchers when he appealed for a new spirit of change on a visit to Selma, the Alabama town where peaceful black protesters were savagely beaten back by police in 1965.
"There must be no forgotten places in America, whether they have been ignored for long years by the sins of indifference and injustice, or have been left behind as the world grew smaller and more economically interdependent," he said.
He added that the "time for pandering and false promises" was over, in what analysts say was a veiled attack on his Democratic rivals, especially Mr Obama.
Mr McCain earlier won enough support in the Republican primaries to become his party's undisputed candidate in the November election.