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| Mississippi counts primary votes | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Primary votes are being counted in Mississippi, as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama continue their battle for the Democratic Party's nomination. | |
| Exit polls suggest Mr Obama is leading in the state, which has 33 delegates to the August convention where the party will choose its White House candidate. | |
| Mr Obama dismissed Mrs Clinton's offer to run as her vice-president. | |
| Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, is on a nationwide fundraising drive. | Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, is on a nationwide fundraising drive. |
| Mr McCain, who is set to secure the Republican nomination at the party's national convention in September after winning the backing of a majority of delegates, is under pressure to build up a campaign war-chest ahead of November's election. | Mr McCain, who is set to secure the Republican nomination at the party's national convention in September after winning the backing of a majority of delegates, is under pressure to build up a campaign war-chest ahead of November's election. |
| Economic problems | |
| Polls in Mississippi closed at 1900 (0000 GMT). | |
| Exit polls for the Associated Press news agency suggest the state, with its large black electorate, will go to Mr Obama. | |
| Mr Obama rejected the idea he might run as vice-president | |
| During a final stop in the state before flying to Pennsylvania, Mr Obama pointed to the economic problems of the Mississippi Delta. | During a final stop in the state before flying to Pennsylvania, Mr Obama pointed to the economic problems of the Mississippi Delta. |
| "We just haven't seen as much opportunity come to this area as we'd like," he told people gathered at a restaurant in Greenville. | "We just haven't seen as much opportunity come to this area as we'd like," he told people gathered at a restaurant in Greenville. |
| "And one of the challenges, I think, for the next president is making sure that we're serving all communities and not just some communities." | |
| Mrs Clinton headed to Pennsylvania on Monday, reflecting the state's importance as the rivals' next major battleground. | Mrs Clinton headed to Pennsylvania on Monday, reflecting the state's importance as the rivals' next major battleground. |
| The state is due to vote on 22 April, with 158 delegates up for grabs for the Democrats. | |
| DEMOCRATIC DELEGATE RACE BARACK OBAMA: 1,579 Delegates won on 8 March: 7Total states won: 25 HILLARY CLINTON: 1,473 Delegates won on 8 March: 5Total states won: 16 Delegates needed to secure nomination: 2,025. | |
| Source: AP at 1215 GMT 11 March Can Clinton win? | |
| Mr Obama has 1,579 delegates in comparison with Mrs Clinton's 1,473, according to the latest tally by the Associated Press. | Mr Obama has 1,579 delegates in comparison with Mrs Clinton's 1,473, according to the latest tally by the Associated Press. |
| The successful candidate needs 2,025 delegates to secure the Democratic nomination. | The successful candidate needs 2,025 delegates to secure the Democratic nomination. |
| On Tuesday Mrs Clinton distanced herself from remarks made by Geraldine Ferraro, one of her fundraisers, who was quoted in a newspaper last week saying: "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position." | |
| The New York senator said she regretted the comments, and did not agree with them. | |
| "It's regrettable that any of our supporters - on both sides, because we both have this experience - say things that kind of veer off into the personal," the New York senator told AP on Tuesday. "We ought to keep this on the issues." | |
| Mr Obama had dismissed Mrs Ferraro's comments as "patently absurd", and David Axelrod, one of his senior advisors, had called on her to be removed from the Clinton campaign. | |
| McCain medical check | McCain medical check |
| Mrs Clinton attended a campaign rally in Scranton on Monday. She refused to be drawn on questions about a close political ally, New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer, who is alleged to have used a prostitution service. | Mrs Clinton attended a campaign rally in Scranton on Monday. She refused to be drawn on questions about a close political ally, New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer, who is alleged to have used a prostitution service. |
| "I don't have any comment on that," she said when asked about allegations he had paid for sex with a prostitute. | "I don't have any comment on that," she said when asked about allegations he had paid for sex with a prostitute. |
| "Obviously, I am sending my best wishes and thoughts to the governor and to his family." | "Obviously, I am sending my best wishes and thoughts to the governor and to his family." |
| Meanwhile, Mr McCain, who has raised less in election funds than either of his Democratic opponents, is touring the country as he seeks to fill his campaign coffers. | Meanwhile, Mr McCain, who has raised less in election funds than either of his Democratic opponents, is touring the country as he seeks to fill his campaign coffers. |
| He was due to visit New York on Tuesday, followed by trips to Boston, Pennsylvania and Chicago. | He was due to visit New York on Tuesday, followed by trips to Boston, Pennsylvania and Chicago. |
| Mr McCain had a medical check-up on Monday and declared to reporters that he was free of cancer. | Mr McCain had a medical check-up on Monday and declared to reporters that he was free of cancer. |
| The Arizona senator has faced questions about his health after a bout of skin cancer in 2000. | The Arizona senator has faced questions about his health after a bout of skin cancer in 2000. |