( L - R ) Obama, Clinton

LAS VEGAS (AP):

Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama have become embroiled in racially tinged disputes as large numbers of black voters prepare to get their first say in what has been a tight Democratic presidential campaign marked by surprise twists.

The candidates and their surrogates are heating up their rhetoric, and it could prove to be combustible beyond South Carolina's January 26 Democratic primary.

A nationwide Washington Post-ABC News poll released Sunday showed that Obama has been making up considerable ground on longtime front-runner Clinton since his unexpected victory in the January 3 Iowa caucuses. Clinton then edged Obama in the New Hampshire primary last Tuesday despite widespread predictions to the contrary.

Clinton led with 42 per cent of those polled, followed by Obama with 37 per cent. A possible spoiler in the Democratic race, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards trailed with 11 per cent.

Error

The poll was conducted January 9 - 12 and involved telephone interviews with 1,130 adults. The overall margin of sampling error was plus or minus three percentage points, with a higher margin of error for subgroups.

A national CBS News-New York Times poll had Clinton ahead by a bigger margin with 42 per cent to Obama's 27 per cent. Edwards had 11 per cent. The poll was conducted Jan. 9 - 12 and involved telephone interviews with 1,178 adults. The overall margin of sampling error was plus or minus three percentage points, with a higher margin of error for subgroups.

Republicans, meanwhile, were locked in a highly unpredictable race and looked to today's primary in Michigan to gain an edge on their opponents. Weekend polls showed an extremely close race in that state.

Arizona Senator John McCain is hoping to build on his New Hampshire victory. Mike Huckabee, the Baptist preacher-turned-politician who just months ago was a virtual unknown, is trying to recapture energy heading into next week's South Carolina primary.