Taunts fly ahead of key US vote

White House hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have traded jibes in a surge of negative campaigning ahead of a key Democratic vote in Pennsylvania.


Opinion polls suggest Mrs Clinton's lead in Pennsylvania has narrowed


During weekend rallies, she accused him of cheering on Republican rival John McCain, while he attacked her for "slash and burn" politics.
Tuesday's primary may prove vital in the drawn-out fight for the nomination.
Mrs Clinton needs a strong victory to stay in the race, but polls suggest Mr Obama has cut into her lead.
War chest
As the two criss-crossed the state in a final battle for votes, campaign finance figures were released showing that Mr Obama had raised $41m in March, compared to Mrs Clinton's $20m, and Mr McCain's $15m - his best monthly total so far.
Mr Obama, who has been spending heavily in Pennsylvania, had a $42m war chest for April, while Mrs Clinton had $9m, the candidates' reports showed.
DEMOCRATIC DELEGATES
Barack Obama:
Pledged delegates: 1,414
Super-delegates: 231
Total: 1,645
Hillary Clinton:
Pledged delegates: 1,250
Super-delegates: 257
Total: 1,507
Source: AP estimates on 21 April
Q&A: US election delegates
Mrs Clinton also reported a debt of $10.3m - although her campaign pointed to victories in three of the last four primaries despite Mr Obama's superior spending power.
The New York senator hit out at Mr Obama after he said Mr McCain would make a better president than George W Bush.
"We need a nominee who will take on John McCain, not cheer on John McCain, and I will be that nominee," Mrs Clinton said.
She also struck out at a new Obama advertisement that criticises her health care plan, telling a rally in York, Pennsylvania: "Instead of attacking the problem, he chooses to attack my solution."
Super-delegates
Mr Obama, who is on a railway tour of the state, lashed out at Mrs Clinton's approach to politics.
"Her basic argument is that the slash-and-burn, say-anything, do-anything special interest-driven politics is how it works... Senator Clinton has internalised a lot of the strategies, the tactics, that have made Washington such a miserable place," he said.

"Trying to score cheap political points may make good headlines and good television but it doesn't make for good government," Reuters news agency quoted Mr Obama as saying.
Mr Obama says Mrs Clinton is trying to score cheap political points

Mrs Clinton said her opponent had been "so negative" in recent days because "a big difference" had become apparent between them.
After a long and gruelling battle, the candidates are so close that neither is expected to win sufficient delegates to the party's national convention in August to seal the nomination.
They are therefore battling for the support of about 800 so-called super-delegates - Democratic party officials who can choose for themselves which candidate to back, rather than reflecting the will of party voters.
Mr Obama has the most pledged delegates, with 1,414 to Mrs Clinton 1,250.
And while Mrs Clinton is leading in terms of the super-delegates, with 257 to 231, many have swung behind Mr Obama in recent weeks.
Criticism
Analysts say Pennsylvania will be a key test in her argument that despite Mr Obama's overall lead, only she will be able to secure wins in critical large states - such as Ohio and Texas - in November's presidential poll.
A poll released on Sunday by MSNBC/McClatchy, showed Mrs Clinton holding a five-point lead over Mr Obama in Pennsylvania - 48% to 43% -down from her once double-digit advantage.
There has been increasing pressure from senior Democrats for a swift resolution to the deadlock, fearing the prolonged battle will damage the eventual candidate's success against Mr McCain.
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