This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/7162591.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| US election focus turns overseas | US election focus turns overseas |
| (2 days later) | |
| US presidential hopefuls are battling for political advantage in the final days before the Iowa caucuses on 3 January start the nominating contest. | US presidential hopefuls are battling for political advantage in the final days before the Iowa caucuses on 3 January start the nominating contest. |
| After weeks when domestic issues have dominated, Thursday's assassination of Pakistan's ex-PM Benazir Bhutto thrust foreign policy back on the agenda. | After weeks when domestic issues have dominated, Thursday's assassination of Pakistan's ex-PM Benazir Bhutto thrust foreign policy back on the agenda. |
| Polls suggest a tight race in Iowa among Democratic contenders Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards. | Polls suggest a tight race in Iowa among Democratic contenders Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards. |
| Mike Huckabee is leading the Republican field in Iowa, according to the polls. | Mike Huckabee is leading the Republican field in Iowa, according to the polls. |
| Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton and Republican Senator John McCain again both made much of their experience as they responded to news of Ms Bhutto's killing. | |
| "My theme has been throughout this campaign that I'm the one with the experience, the knowledge and the judgment," said Mr McCain. | "My theme has been throughout this campaign that I'm the one with the experience, the knowledge and the judgment," said Mr McCain. |
| EARLY PRIMARY TIMELINE 3 Jan: Iowa caucus 8 Jan: New Hampshire primary19 Jan: South Carolina primary (Rep)26 Jan: South Carolina primary (Dem)29 Jan: Florida primary5 Feb: some 20 states including California, New York, New Jersey Election datesQ&A: Primaries | EARLY PRIMARY TIMELINE 3 Jan: Iowa caucus 8 Jan: New Hampshire primary19 Jan: South Carolina primary (Rep)26 Jan: South Carolina primary (Dem)29 Jan: Florida primary5 Feb: some 20 states including California, New York, New Jersey Election datesQ&A: Primaries |
| It was a tough world, Mr McCain said, and he knew how to deal with it. | It was a tough world, Mr McCain said, and he knew how to deal with it. |
| "I know the players, I know the individuals and I know the best way to address the situation," he said. | "I know the players, I know the individuals and I know the best way to address the situation," he said. |
| A similar tone was struck by Mrs Clinton. | A similar tone was struck by Mrs Clinton. |
| "I know from my lifetime of experience you have to be prepared for whatever might happen, and that's particularly true today," Mrs Clinton told the Associated Press. | "I know from my lifetime of experience you have to be prepared for whatever might happen, and that's particularly true today," Mrs Clinton told the Associated Press. |
| Mrs Clinton's main rival, Senator Barack Obama, in a direct attack on her, said: "You can't at once argue that you are the master of a broken system in Washington and offer yourself as the person to change it." | |
| John Edwards said he had talked to Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf to urge him to continue "on the path to democratisation, to allow international investigators to come in to determine what happened". | John Edwards said he had talked to Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf to urge him to continue "on the path to democratisation, to allow international investigators to come in to determine what happened". |
| Opinion polls | Opinion polls |
| The latest poll, by the Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg, for Iowa puts Mrs Clinton, Mr Obama and Mr Edwards in a statistical three-way tie. | The latest poll, by the Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg, for Iowa puts Mrs Clinton, Mr Obama and Mr Edwards in a statistical three-way tie. |
| Hillary Clinton's campaign is built largely on her experience | Hillary Clinton's campaign is built largely on her experience |
| Among the Republicans, Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, leads in Iowa on 37% ahead of Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, on 23%, with Mr McCain and Fred Thompson both on 11%. | Among the Republicans, Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, leads in Iowa on 37% ahead of Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, on 23%, with Mr McCain and Fred Thompson both on 11%. |
| Mr Huckabee dismissed criticism that his lack of foreign policy and national security experience meant he would be unable to handle crises like the one sparked by Ms Bhutto's murder. | Mr Huckabee dismissed criticism that his lack of foreign policy and national security experience meant he would be unable to handle crises like the one sparked by Ms Bhutto's murder. |
| "I don't think it's appropriate to respond in a political way on this," he said. | "I don't think it's appropriate to respond in a political way on this," he said. |
| Mr Romney was equally adamant that his lack of foreign policy experience was not a minus. | Mr Romney was equally adamant that his lack of foreign policy experience was not a minus. |
| "If the answer for leading the country is someone that has a lot of foreign policy experience, we can just go down to the State Department and pick up any one of the tens of thousands of people who spent all their life in foreign policy," said Mr Romney. | "If the answer for leading the country is someone that has a lot of foreign policy experience, we can just go down to the State Department and pick up any one of the tens of thousands of people who spent all their life in foreign policy," said Mr Romney. |
| Election trail | Election trail |
| Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani returned to the theme of tackling terrorism. | Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani returned to the theme of tackling terrorism. |
| Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani leads national polls for Republicans | Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani leads national polls for Republicans |
| "[Bhutto's] death is a reminder that terrorism anywhere, whether in New York, London, Tel Aviv or Rawalpindi, is an enemy of freedom. We must redouble our efforts to win the terrorists' war on us," Mr Giuliani said during campaigning in Florida. | "[Bhutto's] death is a reminder that terrorism anywhere, whether in New York, London, Tel Aviv or Rawalpindi, is an enemy of freedom. We must redouble our efforts to win the terrorists' war on us," Mr Giuliani said during campaigning in Florida. |
| After Iowa, the election caravan moves on to New Hampshire which holds its primaries on 8 January. | After Iowa, the election caravan moves on to New Hampshire which holds its primaries on 8 January. |
| Polls there suggest a neck-and-neck race between Mrs Clinton and Mr Obama. | Polls there suggest a neck-and-neck race between Mrs Clinton and Mr Obama. |
| Mr Romney is leading the Republicans on some 32%, ahead of Mr McCain who is polling at 21%, Mr Giuliani on 15% and Mr Huckabee on 11%. | Mr Romney is leading the Republicans on some 32%, ahead of Mr McCain who is polling at 21%, Mr Giuliani on 15% and Mr Huckabee on 11%. |
| Mrs Clinton and Mr Giuliani continue to lead national polls for their respective parties. The BBC News website is looking for people to share their views on the 2008 elections during the primaries and after. Are you from New Hampshire or one of the states taking part in Super Tuesday? | Mrs Clinton and Mr Giuliani continue to lead national polls for their respective parties. The BBC News website is looking for people to share their views on the 2008 elections during the primaries and after. Are you from New Hampshire or one of the states taking part in Super Tuesday? |
| If you'd like to be on a voters' panel, write to us telling us who you're supporting and why, by using the form below. | If you'd like to be on a voters' panel, write to us telling us who you're supporting and why, by using the form below. |
| See how the voters' panel looked in 2004 | See how the voters' panel looked in 2004 |