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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| White House battle goes US-wide | White House battle goes US-wide |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Presidential hopefuls are campaigning across the US as a series of primaries in key battleground states nears. | Presidential hopefuls are campaigning across the US as a series of primaries in key battleground states nears. |
| The next focus for the Democrats is the Nevada caucus on 19 January, set to be a head-to-head test of support between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. | The next focus for the Democrats is the Nevada caucus on 19 January, set to be a head-to-head test of support between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. |
| The Republicans, whose race is between several contenders, are targeting Michigan and South Carolina, where they will hold a TV debate later in the day. | The Republicans, whose race is between several contenders, are targeting Michigan and South Carolina, where they will hold a TV debate later in the day. |
| Another crucial primary will take place at the end of the month in Florida. | Another crucial primary will take place at the end of the month in Florida. |
| The hopefuls are aiming to build momentum before 22 states nominate their preferred candidate on 5 February, Super Tuesday, to run in November's presidential election. | The hopefuls are aiming to build momentum before 22 states nominate their preferred candidate on 5 February, Super Tuesday, to run in November's presidential election. |
| Kerry's backing | |
| The style of campaigning seen in the first two contests, Iowa and New Hampshire, where candidates wooed voters face-to-face will now change, analysts say. | The style of campaigning seen in the first two contests, Iowa and New Hampshire, where candidates wooed voters face-to-face will now change, analysts say. |
| Mr Obama addressed Democrats in 2004 when Mr Kerry was nominated | |
| It will now be a broader national campaign driven by state-hopping plane trips and big-money media advertisements. | It will now be a broader national campaign driven by state-hopping plane trips and big-money media advertisements. |
| Mr Obama is to get the backing of the Democrats' 2004 presidential nominee, Senator John Kerry. | |
| The Massachusetts senator, who lost to George W Bush, will announce his endorsement on Thursday, according to a spokesman for the Obama campaign. | |
| Mr Kerry gave Mr Obama's career a boost in 2004 when he chose the young Illinois state senator to give the keynote speech at the Democrat National Convention. A year later, Mr Obama was elected to the US Senate. | |
| Wide open race | |
| The Republican contest has been blown wide open after 71-year-old Arizona Senator John McCain's comeback triumph in New Hampshire over Mitt Romney on Tuesday. | The Republican contest has been blown wide open after 71-year-old Arizona Senator John McCain's comeback triumph in New Hampshire over Mitt Romney on Tuesday. |
| KEY DATES AHEAD 15 Jan: Michigan primary19 Jan: Nevada caucuses; South Carolina primary (Rep)26 Jan: South Carolina primary (Dem)29 Jan: Florida primary5 Feb: some 20 states including California, New York, New Jersey class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7178297.stm">New Hampshire: Key quotes class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7049207.stm">Q&A: US primaries class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/justinwebb/">Blog: Clinton's surprise? | |
| The two rivals, who campaigned on Wednesday in Michigan, will head south on Thursday to face other Republican White House hopefuls in a TV debate at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at 2100 local time (0200GMT). | |
| Mr Romney - who aims to become the nation's first Mormon president - must win Michigan, the state of his birth, to resurrect his high-spending but faltering campaign, correspondents say. | Mr Romney - who aims to become the nation's first Mormon president - must win Michigan, the state of his birth, to resurrect his high-spending but faltering campaign, correspondents say. |
| Fred Thompson, the former Tennessee senator, is in South Carolina also struggling to mount a comeback, while ex-Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is seeking to woo the state's evangelical conservatives. | Fred Thompson, the former Tennessee senator, is in South Carolina also struggling to mount a comeback, while ex-Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is seeking to woo the state's evangelical conservatives. |
| Mr Huckabee was the Republican winner in Iowa but came third in New Hampshire. | Mr Huckabee was the Republican winner in Iowa but came third in New Hampshire. |
| Further south, former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani has been campaigning in Florida. | Further south, former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani has been campaigning in Florida. |
| Funds | Funds |
| Senator Obama was also on his way to South Carolina on Thursday, in a bid to boost his support and bounce back from his surprise second place finish in Tuesday's New Hampshire poll. | Senator Obama was also on his way to South Carolina on Thursday, in a bid to boost his support and bounce back from his surprise second place finish in Tuesday's New Hampshire poll. |
| Two large trade unions in Nevada have announced that they are endorsing his candidacy. | Two large trade unions in Nevada have announced that they are endorsing his candidacy. |
| Core voters win it for ClintonTale of two comebacksUS voters' views | Core voters win it for ClintonTale of two comebacksUS voters' views |
| More than half of South Carolina's Democratic voters are African-American and, say analysts, likely to vote for the 46-year-old Illinois senator, who aims to become the first black US president. | More than half of South Carolina's Democratic voters are African-American and, say analysts, likely to vote for the 46-year-old Illinois senator, who aims to become the first black US president. |
| While Hillary Clinton spent much of Wednesday at her home in upstate New York conferring with advisors, Mr Obama campaigned in New Jersey. | While Hillary Clinton spent much of Wednesday at her home in upstate New York conferring with advisors, Mr Obama campaigned in New Jersey. |
| The two Democrat front-runners were nearly neck-and-neck on fundraising after the Clinton camp reported its campaign had been boosted by £24m (£12m) in the last three months of 2007, while the Obama team received more than $22m (£11m) over the same period. | The two Democrat front-runners were nearly neck-and-neck on fundraising after the Clinton camp reported its campaign had been boosted by £24m (£12m) in the last three months of 2007, while the Obama team received more than $22m (£11m) over the same period. |
| The Democratic field looked likely to thin out on Thursday amid reports New Mexico governor Bill Richardson is poised to quit the race, after trailing in the primary at New Hampshire and in last week's Iowa caucuses. | The Democratic field looked likely to thin out on Thursday amid reports New Mexico governor Bill Richardson is poised to quit the race, after trailing in the primary at New Hampshire and in last week's Iowa caucuses. |
| But former senator John Edwards, who was born in South Carolina, has shrugged off his third-place finish in New Hampshire, vowing to remain in the Democratic race. | But former senator John Edwards, who was born in South Carolina, has shrugged off his third-place finish in New Hampshire, vowing to remain in the Democratic race. |