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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Last big primaries for Democrats | Last big primaries for Democrats |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are fighting primaries in Indiana and North Carolina, in their long battle for the US Democratic presidential nomination. | Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are fighting primaries in Indiana and North Carolina, in their long battle for the US Democratic presidential nomination. |
| Correspondents say these are the last two significant electoral prizes left before the nomination convention. | |
| Polls suggest the contest may be close in Indiana while Mrs Clinton is cutting Mr Obama's lead in North Carolina. | Polls suggest the contest may be close in Indiana while Mrs Clinton is cutting Mr Obama's lead in North Carolina. |
| However, Mr Obama got a publicity boost in the form of an endorsement from actor Tom Hanks. | However, Mr Obama got a publicity boost in the form of an endorsement from actor Tom Hanks. |
| He said the Illinois senator "has the integrity and the inspiration to unify us". | He said the Illinois senator "has the integrity and the inspiration to unify us". |
| The atmosphere here is electric. It's the first election in my lifetime in which our state has been a determining factor in the primary season Diane Singleton, Bloomington, Indiana Democratic voters' views "As an official celebrity, I know my endorsement has just made your mind up for you," Mr Hanks joked. | The atmosphere here is electric. It's the first election in my lifetime in which our state has been a determining factor in the primary season Diane Singleton, Bloomington, Indiana Democratic voters' views "As an official celebrity, I know my endorsement has just made your mind up for you," Mr Hanks joked. |
| Mr Obama leads the race in delegates ahead of the party's nominating convention in August by 1,743 to 1,607, according to an Associated Press count. | Mr Obama leads the race in delegates ahead of the party's nominating convention in August by 1,743 to 1,607, according to an Associated Press count. |
| Correspondents say it is extremely unlikely that either candidate can now win the 2,025 delegates needed to win the nomination before the Denver convention, which means the nearly 800 super-delegates - party officials and politicians - will have the final say. | Correspondents say it is extremely unlikely that either candidate can now win the 2,025 delegates needed to win the nomination before the Denver convention, which means the nearly 800 super-delegates - party officials and politicians - will have the final say. |
| 'Sabre-rattling' | 'Sabre-rattling' |
| Wooing those super-delegates, Mrs Clinton has been saying she is the Democrats' best chance to beat the presumptive Republican candidate John McCain in November's presidential vote. | Wooing those super-delegates, Mrs Clinton has been saying she is the Democrats' best chance to beat the presumptive Republican candidate John McCain in November's presidential vote. |
| But Barack Obama has criticised Mrs Clinton for her stance on Iran. | But Barack Obama has criticised Mrs Clinton for her stance on Iran. |
| He compared it to President George W Bush's "foreign policy of bluster and sabre-rattling and tough talk". | He compared it to President George W Bush's "foreign policy of bluster and sabre-rattling and tough talk". |
| But Mrs Clinton says she is the better candidate | But Mrs Clinton says she is the better candidate |
| "It's not the language we need right now," he said. | "It's not the language we need right now," he said. |
| He also called her federal petrol tax suspension plan a "gimmick" that would "help big oil". | He also called her federal petrol tax suspension plan a "gimmick" that would "help big oil". |
| Speaking in Indiana, Mrs Clinton said she had no regrets about promising to "totally obliterate" Iran if it attacked Israel with nuclear weapons - a scenario that was put to her two weeks ago. | Speaking in Indiana, Mrs Clinton said she had no regrets about promising to "totally obliterate" Iran if it attacked Israel with nuclear weapons - a scenario that was put to her two weeks ago. |
| "Why would I have any regrets?" she asked on ABC television. | "Why would I have any regrets?" she asked on ABC television. |
| "I am asked a question about what I would do if Iran attacked our ally, a country that many of us have a great deal of, you know, connection with and feeling for." | "I am asked a question about what I would do if Iran attacked our ally, a country that many of us have a great deal of, you know, connection with and feeling for." |
| She also defended her proposal to suspend petrol taxes for the summer, which she said a windfall tax on oil companies would finance. | She also defended her proposal to suspend petrol taxes for the summer, which she said a windfall tax on oil companies would finance. |
| "We can't just plan for the future, we have to help people in the here and now... We need to go after the oil companies," she said. | "We can't just plan for the future, we have to help people in the here and now... We need to go after the oil companies," she said. |
| Final eight contests | Final eight contests |
| Mr Obama's campaign was dealt a blow first by Mrs Clinton's convincing win in Pennsylvania two weeks ago and then by provocative remarks from his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright. | Mr Obama's campaign was dealt a blow first by Mrs Clinton's convincing win in Pennsylvania two weeks ago and then by provocative remarks from his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright. |
| He narrowly defeated Mrs Clinton in Sunday's caucus in the tiny Pacific territory of Guam. | He narrowly defeated Mrs Clinton in Sunday's caucus in the tiny Pacific territory of Guam. |
| Because of the way the Democratic Party distributes the vote, each candidate won two delegates. | Because of the way the Democratic Party distributes the vote, each candidate won two delegates. |
| Mr Obama will now be hoping for wins in both Indiana and North Carolina to deal Mrs Clinton's revived campaign a knockout blow, analysts say. | Mr Obama will now be hoping for wins in both Indiana and North Carolina to deal Mrs Clinton's revived campaign a knockout blow, analysts say. |
| But Mrs Clinton promised that Tuesday's primaries would be a "game changer". | But Mrs Clinton promised that Tuesday's primaries would be a "game changer". |
| After Tuesday, there are only six state contests left in the Democrats' long nominating process. | After Tuesday, there are only six state contests left in the Democrats' long nominating process. |