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Last big primaries for Democrats | Last big primaries for Democrats |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Voters in two US states are taking part in the last major Democratic party primaries which help decide who will be the party's presidential nominee. | Voters in two US states are taking part in the last major Democratic party primaries which help decide who will be the party's presidential nominee. |
Barack Obama, who currently leads the race, and Hillary Clinton are battling it out in Indiana and North Carolina. | Barack Obama, who currently leads the race, and Hillary Clinton are battling it out in Indiana and North Carolina. |
Victories for Mr Obama would all but eliminate Mrs Clinton from the nomination contest, observers say. | |
But polls suggest the race may be close in Indiana, and Mrs Clinton is cutting Mr Obama's lead in North Carolina. | But polls suggest the race may be close in Indiana, and Mrs Clinton is cutting Mr Obama's lead in North Carolina. |
Mr Obama got a publicity boost on Monday in the form of an endorsement from the Hollywood actor, Tom Hanks. | Mr Obama got a publicity boost on Monday in the form of an endorsement from the Hollywood 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' viewsIn pictures: US primaries "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' viewsIn pictures: US primaries "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 1,745 to 1,608, according to an Associated Press count. | Mr Obama leads the race in delegates ahead of the party's nominating convention in August by 1,745 to 1,608, according to an Associated Press count. |
Early estimates suggested strong turnouts in both primaries on Tuesday. | |
Even before the polls opened at 0630 (1030 GMT) in North Carolina, nearly half a million people had cast early and absentee ballots - more than half the total number of votes cast in the primary in 2004. | |
'Sabre-rattling' | |
Correspondents say it is next to impossible in the remaining primaries for either candidate to cross the threshold of 2,025 delegates needed to win the nomination. | Correspondents say it is next to impossible in the remaining primaries for either candidate to cross the threshold of 2,025 delegates needed to win the nomination. |
This means the nearly 800 super-delegates - party officials and politicians - will have the final say. | This means the nearly 800 super-delegates - party officials and politicians - will have the final say. |
"I feel good," Mr Obama told reporters as he visited a restaurant in Greenwood, Indiana, before the voting began. | "I feel good," Mr Obama told reporters as he visited a restaurant in Greenwood, Indiana, before the voting began. |
"I think we've campaigned hard. I think it's going to be close. I'm seeing a lot of enthusiasm," he said. | "I think we've campaigned hard. I think it's going to be close. I'm seeing a lot of enthusiasm," he said. |
Barack Obama wants to finish off the Clinton campaign | Barack Obama wants to finish off the Clinton campaign |
Mrs Clinton, who toured the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, refused to make any predictions as to the final outcome. | |
"Every race is filled with the unexpected," she said. | |
"You never know what's going to happen from day to day... I never make predictions." | |
Wooing those super-delegates, the former first lady 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, the former first lady has been saying she is the Democrats' best chance to beat the presumptive Republican candidate John McCain in November's presidential vote. |
But Mr Obama has criticised Mrs Clinton for her stance on Iran. | But Mr 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". |
"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". |
Mrs Clinton has 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. | Mrs Clinton has 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. |
Mrs Clinton is hoping to persuade Democrats she is the right candidate | Mrs Clinton is hoping to persuade Democrats she is the right candidate |
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". Altogether, 187 delegates are at stake in the two states, nearly half the remaining total. | But Mrs Clinton promised that Tuesday's primaries would be a "game changer". Altogether, 187 delegates are at stake in the two states, nearly half the remaining total. |
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. |