US RIVALS IN SUPER TUESDAY PUSH!

US presidential rivals are facing a day of frenzied campaigning in a final bid for votes on Super Tuesday, when 24 states hold nominating contests. Republican John McCain appears to have a clear lead in the national polls over his main challenger, Mitt Romney.

But the Democratic race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama is tight.

Super Tuesday states account for over half the delegates who go to party conventions to formally choose the nominees to run in November's election. A national poll for the Washington Post and ABC showed Senator Clinton's lead over Senator Obama had narrowed to 4%, while other polls showed the two neck-and-neck in the key state of California.

Of the 2,025 delegates needed to secure the nomination as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, California carries 370. The same national poll showed Senator McCain well ahead of all his rivals. The Arizona senator had 48% against Mitt Romney's 24%, with Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul trailing far behind.

A Reuters/C-Span/Zogby poll gave Mr McCain double digit leads over Mr Romney in New York, New Jersey and Missouri, although the former Massachusetts governor was ahead 40% to 32% in California.

Contenders used the Sunday talk shows to try push their message. Speaking on ABC's This week, Mrs Clinton said she had been "taking the incoming fire from Republicans" for some 16 years. "I'm still here, because I have been vetted, I have been tested," she said, pointing out that Mr Obama "did not face anyone who ran attack ads against him" when he stood for election as senator for Illinois.

But Mr Obama countered on CBS's Face the Nation that Republicans consider Mrs Clinton a "polarising figure". He said he thought he could win votes that the former first lady would not be able to.

Meanwhile, Mr Romney told ABC that Mr McCain "doesn't understand the economy", and said that under him, the Republicans would be "indistinguishable" from Mrs Clinton on issues such as illegal immigration.

Mr McCain said he was pleased to be "gathering support from all parts of the party", claiming to be "far more conservative" than Mr Romney and pointing to prominent conservatives who had endorsed him.

With the possibility that Mr Romney and Mr Huckabee will split the votes of more conservative Republicans, Mr Huckabee told CNN that Mr Romney should drop out. "If he wants to call it a two-man race, fine. But that makes it John McCain and me," said Mr Huckabee.

All the contenders were engaged in a flurry of appearances on Sunday, breaking off later to watch the NFL Super Bowl. Their schedules are equally hectic on Monday. As part of their campaigning, both Mrs Clinton and Mr Obama are campaigning in the north-eastern states of Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Massachusetts will also be visited by Mr McCain, while Mr Romney will be heading to California.

Mr Huckabee's schedule includes stops in Tennessee and Arkansas.

On Saturday, Mr Romney won non-binding caucus votes in Maine, the first step in a longer process toward electing 18 Maine delegates to the Republican National Convention.
BBC NEWS REPORT.