By Caren Bohan
MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - Barack Obama and Hillary Clintoncarried their fight for the Democratic nomination to the nextbattleground of Wisconsin on Sunday while John McCain, withlittle Republican opposition, looked forward to the Novemberpresidential election.
With eight straight wins under his belt, Obama was hopingto make it two more on Tuesday in Wisconsin and Hawaii, wherehe was born. Recent polls have him ahead in Wisconsin, but notby much.
"This is something really different that's happening fromanything I've seen in politics, and I think that it is going tobe a close race," Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, an Obama supporter,said on "Fox News Sunday." "It's very likely Barack Obama willwin."
Clinton, the New York senator who has seen her big lead inthe national polls disappear, was not giving up. She scheduleda series of events throughout Wisconsin and had her husband,former President Bill Clinton, and daughter Chelsea outcampaigning for her.
McCain, the Arizona senator and prisoner of war during theVietnam conflict, has all but clinched the Republicannomination even though his chief rival, former Arkansas Gov.Mike Huckabee, is still in the race.
In an interview aired on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday,McCain looked ahead to the fall campaign and said he wouldpaint the Democrats as liberal while stressing his conservativecredentials.
"I can out-campaign them, and I can out-debate them, and Ican out-perform them in what I think my vision for America ismore in keeping with the majority of Americans," McCain said.
But McCain has had problems getting the conservative wingof his own party behind him. He said he was making progresstoward that end.
FORMER PRESIDENT TO BACK MCCAIN
"We've got to reunite the party, and we've got tore-energize the party," he said. "And I'm prepared to do that.We've got plenty of time. But I won't waste a day."
On Monday, McCain will pick up a major endorsement fromformer President George H.W. Bush, the father of PresidentGeorge W. Bush. The president has not endorsed anyone but hasmade it is clear he is ready to back McCain once he clinchesthe nomination.
After Tuesday's voting, Democrats look forward to March 4,when the big states of Texas and Ohio hold primaries.
Victories in those states have become vital for Clinton asshe tries to make up a gap with Obama, the Illinois senator whowould be the first black president, in the race for pledgeddelegates awarded by the state-by-state contests to pick aDemocratic nominee.
The ultimate winner could be determined by support from 796"superdelegates" -- party insiders and elected officials whoare free to back any candidate.
Clinton supporters think the superdelegates should vote forwho they think would make the best candidate, while Obamabackers say they should go for the candidate who got the mostvotes in the nominating contests. Right now, that is Obama.
"They should pay attention to what's going on and make ajudgment as to who would be the strongest candidate, based onthe results of the primaries," David Axelrod, chief campaignstrategist for Obama, said on CBS' "Face the Nation."
"The superdelegates are supposed to vote their conscience,"countered Howard Wolfson, the counterpart for Clinton. "They'resupposed to vote who they think will be the best person for thenation and for the party. That's why they were created. Andthat's what they're going to do."
(Writing by David Wiessler)
(To read more about the U.S. political campaign, visitReuters "Tales from the Trail: 2008" online athttp://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/)
