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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| 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, dubbed 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, dubbed Super Tuesday, to run in November's presidential election. |
| Kerry's backing | Kerry's backing |
| The style of campaigning seen in the first two contests in 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 in Iowa and New Hampshire, where candidates wooed voters face-to-face, will now change, analysts say. |
| I believe more than anyone else, Barack Obama can help our country turn the page and get the America moving by uniting Senator John Kerry class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7181212.stm">Election at-a-glance: 10 Jan | |
| 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 has been given the backing of the Democrats' 2004 presidential nominee, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, who lost to President George W Bush. | Mr Obama has been given the backing of the Democrats' 2004 presidential nominee, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, who lost to President George W Bush. |
| Mr Kerry told a rally at the College of Charleston, in South Carolina, that he was confident "Barack Obama can be, will be and should be the next president of the United States". | Mr Kerry told a rally at the College of Charleston, in South Carolina, that he was confident "Barack Obama can be, will be and should be the next president of the United States". |
| Mr Kerry said there were other candidates in the race with whom he had worked and who he respected. | Mr Kerry said there were other candidates in the race with whom he had worked and who he respected. |
| But, he added: "I believe more than anyone else, Barack Obama can help our country turn the page and get the America moving by uniting and ending the division we have faced." | But, he added: "I believe more than anyone else, Barack Obama can help our country turn the page and get the America moving by uniting and ending the division we have faced." |
| Mr Obama then addressed the crowds, who cheered and waved banners as he repeated his campaign message of "change we can believe in" and hope for a united America. | Mr Obama then addressed the crowds, who cheered and waved banners as he repeated his campaign message of "change we can believe in" and hope for a united America. |
| 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. | 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. |
| More than half of South Carolina's Democratic voters are African-American and, say analysts, are 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, are likely to vote for the 46-year-old Illinois senator, who aims to become the first black US president. |
| Wide open race | 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 New Hampshire: Key quotesQ&A: US primariesBlog: Clinton's surprise? | 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 New Hampshire: Key quotesQ&A: US primariesBlog: 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). | 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 |
| Meanwhile, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has announced he is quitting the Democratic race, after trailing in the New Hampshire primary and in last week's Iowa caucuses. | Meanwhile, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has announced he is quitting the Democratic race, after trailing in the New Hampshire primary and in last week's Iowa caucuses. |
| Core voters win it for ClintonTale of two comebacksUS voters' views | Core voters win it for ClintonTale of two comebacksUS voters' views |
| "I gave this race the best I have," he told supporters in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Thursday. | "I gave this race the best I have," he told supporters in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Thursday. |
| Gov Richardson would have been the first Hispanic US president if elected, but his campaign failed to gain momentum. | Gov Richardson would have been the first Hispanic US president if elected, but his campaign failed to gain momentum. |
| His best chance was expected to be in Nevada, which has a large Hispanic population, but polls suggested he was lagging well behind the frontrunners. | His best chance was expected to be in Nevada, which has a large Hispanic population, but polls suggested he was lagging well behind the frontrunners. |
| Two large trade unions in Nevada have announced that they are endorsing Mr Obama's candidacy. | Two large trade unions in Nevada have announced that they are endorsing Mr Obama's candidacy. |
| 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. |
| Former senator John Edwards, who was born in South Carolina, has shrugged off his third-place finish in New Hampshire and vowed to remain in the Democratic race. | Former senator John Edwards, who was born in South Carolina, has shrugged off his third-place finish in New Hampshire and vowed to remain in the Democratic race. |
| He said he respected the decision of Mr Kerry - for whom he was the running mate in the 2004 presidential race - to endorse Mr Obama. | He said he respected the decision of Mr Kerry - for whom he was the running mate in the 2004 presidential race - to endorse Mr Obama. |