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| US hopefuls target crucial West | US hopefuls target crucial West |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| White House hopeful Barack Obama is resuming his campaign targeting states in the US West that could be crucial in the 4 November presidential vote. | |
| After a two-day break to visit his ailing grandmother, the Democratic candidate is to hold two rallies in Nevada and then head to New Mexico. | After a two-day break to visit his ailing grandmother, the Democratic candidate is to hold two rallies in Nevada and then head to New Mexico. |
| Republican rival John McCain is also campaigning in New Mexico, a state won by the Republicans in 2004. | |
| With just a week of full campaigning left, polls put Mr Obama ahead overall. | |
| But the Obama team remains suitably cautious, says the BBC's Justin Webb in Washington. | |
| A veteran Democratic Party pollster, Stan Greenburg, said an earthquake election was in the offing after which nothing will look the same. | |
| Tax clash | Tax clash |
| Mr Obama spent Thursday and Friday with his grandmother as he spoke of concerns that she might not live until election day. | Mr Obama spent Thursday and Friday with his grandmother as he spoke of concerns that she might not live until election day. |
| Mr McCain spent Friday in Colorado, which along with Nevada and New Mexico are considered target states. | Mr McCain spent Friday in Colorado, which along with Nevada and New Mexico are considered target states. |
| All three states went to President George W Bush in 2004 with narrow Republican majorities. | All three states went to President George W Bush in 2004 with narrow Republican majorities. |
| Mr Obama seems to be building up momentum in New Mexico, the US state with the highest proportion of Hispanic voters. | Mr Obama seems to be building up momentum in New Mexico, the US state with the highest proportion of Hispanic voters. |
| Mr McCain criticised Mr Obama while campaigning in Denver on Friday, saying he would put the middle class "through the wringer" by raising taxes. | Mr McCain criticised Mr Obama while campaigning in Denver on Friday, saying he would put the middle class "through the wringer" by raising taxes. |
| John McCain is also holding rallies in New Mexico "The answer to a slowing economy is not higher taxes, but that is exactly what is going to happen when the Democrats have total control in Washington," Mr McCain said. | John McCain is also holding rallies in New Mexico "The answer to a slowing economy is not higher taxes, but that is exactly what is going to happen when the Democrats have total control in Washington," Mr McCain said. |
| Mr Obama has proposed a tax increase on the 5% of taxpayers who make more than $250,000 a year and advocates tax cuts for those who make less. | Mr Obama has proposed a tax increase on the 5% of taxpayers who make more than $250,000 a year and advocates tax cuts for those who make less. |
| Mr Obama has said his rival's tax plans favour wealthy corporations. | Mr Obama has said his rival's tax plans favour wealthy corporations. |
| The Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin took a break from campaigning in Pennsylvania and Missouri on Friday to testify at an Alaska Personnel Board investigation into allegations she abused her power as Alaskan governor. | The Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin took a break from campaigning in Pennsylvania and Missouri on Friday to testify at an Alaska Personnel Board investigation into allegations she abused her power as Alaskan governor. |
| The governor is accused of violating ethics rules when she fired the state's top law enforcement official, Walt Monegan, allegedly because he refused to sack her former brother-in-law, a state trooper. | The governor is accused of violating ethics rules when she fired the state's top law enforcement official, Walt Monegan, allegedly because he refused to sack her former brother-in-law, a state trooper. |
| Mrs Palin seems at the moment to be unable to shake off her bad press - the news stories about lavish spending on her wardrobe and make-up cost of $150,000 drowning out the messages she would prefer to stress, our correspondent says. | Mrs Palin seems at the moment to be unable to shake off her bad press - the news stories about lavish spending on her wardrobe and make-up cost of $150,000 drowning out the messages she would prefer to stress, our correspondent says. |
| In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, she said there was gender bias operating as male candidates rarely came under such scrutiny. | In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, she said there was gender bias operating as male candidates rarely came under such scrutiny. |
| "It's kind of painful to be criticised for something when all the facts are not out there and are not reported," she said. | "It's kind of painful to be criticised for something when all the facts are not out there and are not reported," she said. |
| "Oh, if people only knew how frugal we are." | "Oh, if people only knew how frugal we are." |