US Pres. candidates compete in Iowa

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Source: CCTV.com | 01-02-2008 08:46

In the US, both Republican and Democratic presidential candidates in Iowa rolled out upbeat television advertisements and packed their schedules with multiple campaign events on the first day of 2008.

Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) waves to the crowd as she takes the stage for a campaign stop in Ames, Iowa January 1,2008. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)

The promotional activities are crucial in deciding who will lead both parties in the country's general elections later this year.

With fresh polls showing both races too close to call, candidates made last-minute appeals Tuesday.

The Iowa caucuses, and the New Hampshire primary on Thursday, are the crucial first contests for the parties in selecting presidential nominees.

Democratic Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Senator Barack Obama of Illinois are in a close fight for the lead with former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina giving them both strong chase.

Barack Obama, Democratic Pres. candidates, said, "You have vindicated my faith in the American people. Ten months later my bet has paid off. Ten months later we stand on the brink of doing something very very special right here in Iowa."

Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) greets supporters at a campaign rally in Des Moines, Iowa, January 1, 2008. (Jim Young/Reuters)

A Des Moines poll shows Obama with 32 percent support compared to 25 percent for Clinton and 24 percent for Edwards.

However, a CNN-Opinion poll has Clinton at 33 percent, Obama at 31 and Edwards at 22 percent.

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney are battling it out for first place in the Republican vote.

The two polls show dead-heat races. The outcome of both is extraordinarily unpredictable.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei