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Democratic rivals target Florida | Democratic rivals target Florida |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have been campaigning in Florida, as they vie to be the Democratic Party's candidate in the US presidential poll. | |
Mr Obama, who is close to securing the nomination, targeted the Republicans' presumptive candidate, John McCain. | |
Mrs Clinton used her visit to demand that Florida's delegates, who have been barred from the national convention in August, should be given seats. | |
Mrs Clinton failed to dent her rival's lead during primaries on Tuesday. | Mrs Clinton failed to dent her rival's lead during primaries on Tuesday. |
She won Kentucky's contest by a wide margin, but Mr Obama convincingly carried Oregon. | She won Kentucky's contest by a wide margin, but Mr Obama convincingly carried Oregon. |
He is credited with a total of about 1,960 delegates - including party officials called "super-delegates" - and Mrs Clinton with about 1,780. | He is credited with a total of about 1,960 delegates - including party officials called "super-delegates" - and Mrs Clinton with about 1,780. |
Correspondents say Mr Obama will be hoping that his lead will persuade the undecided super-delegates to rally behind him. | Correspondents say Mr Obama will be hoping that his lead will persuade the undecided super-delegates to rally behind him. |
DEMOCRATIC DELEGATES Pledged delegates: 3,253Super-delegates: 797Total delegates needed for nomination: 2,026Delegates for Barack Obama: 1,962 (1,653 pledged, 309 super-delegates)Delegates for Hillary Clinton: 1,779 (1,499 pledged, 280 super-delegates) Source: Associated Press, 0800 GMT on 22 May What happens next?US media look to battle's end | |
Mrs Clinton, meanwhile, is trying to get the Democratic Party to reverse its decision to exclude Florida's delegates from the national convention, in a dispute over the timing of the state primary in January. | Mrs Clinton, meanwhile, is trying to get the Democratic Party to reverse its decision to exclude Florida's delegates from the national convention, in a dispute over the timing of the state primary in January. |
Neither candidate campaigned in the state, but Mrs Clinton won most votes. | Neither candidate campaigned in the state, but Mrs Clinton won most votes. |
During a rally in Boca Raton on Wednesday, she said Florida voters were being unfairly punished. | During a rally in Boca Raton on Wednesday, she said Florida voters were being unfairly punished. |
"The people who voted did nothing wrong," she said. | "The people who voted did nothing wrong," she said. |
"The rules clearly state we can count all these votes and seat all these candidates." | "The rules clearly state we can count all these votes and seat all these candidates." |
'Respect' | 'Respect' |
Mrs Clinton is also fighting to reinstate delegates from the Michigan primary. | Mrs Clinton is also fighting to reinstate delegates from the Michigan primary. |
She won there as well, although Mr Obama had taken his name off that ballot. | She won there as well, although Mr Obama had taken his name off that ballot. |
Frontrunner Barack Obama is focusing on the final contest | Frontrunner Barack Obama is focusing on the final contest |
Mr Obama, for his part, praised Mrs Clinton in an apparent effort to rally Democrats ahead of the November election. | Mr Obama, for his part, praised Mrs Clinton in an apparent effort to rally Democrats ahead of the November election. |
"Senator Clinton has run an outstanding campaign and she deserves our admiration and our respect," he said at a rally in Tampa. | "Senator Clinton has run an outstanding campaign and she deserves our admiration and our respect," he said at a rally in Tampa. |
The Illinois senator also used his visit to Florida, which will be a key state in the presidential election, to criticise Mr McCain, calling him new version of President George W Bush. | |
"We can't afford four more years of George Bush foreign policy, that's why we can't afford John McCain," he said. | "We can't afford four more years of George Bush foreign policy, that's why we can't afford John McCain," he said. |
The remaining contests are in Puerto Rico, on 1 June, followed two days later by South Dakota and Montana. | The remaining contests are in Puerto Rico, on 1 June, followed two days later by South Dakota and Montana. |
Mrs Clinton has promised to stay in the race until voting ends. | Mrs Clinton has promised to stay in the race until voting ends. |
For his part, Mr McCain is set to meet at least three potential running mates this weekend. | |
Florida Governor Charlie Crist, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and former Massachusetts Governor and presidential hopeful Mitt Romney and their wives have all been invited to a gathering at Mr McCain's home in Arizona. | |
The invitations have fuelled speculation that Mr McCain is pressing ahead in his search for a vice-president. | |
However, a senior aide to the senator said that the issue of a possible vice-presidential candidate was not on the agenda. | |
"It's purely social," said Mark Salter. |