By Caren Bohan
MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidentialcandidate Barack Obama slipped away for a private meeting withformer rival John Edwards on Sunday to seek his endorsement asthe Illinois senator and Hillary Clinton battle for Wisconsin.
With eight straight wins under his belt, Obama hoped tomake it two more on Tuesday in nominating contests in Wisconsinand Hawaii, where he was born. Recent opinion polls put himahead in Wisconsin, but not by much.
Obama, who would be the first black U.S. president, made adetour from the campaign trail on Sunday morning, flying fromChicago to North Carolina to meet Edwards at his home and leftbehind the retinue of media who normally travel with him.
Clinton, a New York senator, made a similar trip earlierthis month.
Obama had hoped to visit Edwards last Monday but themeeting was cancelled when it threatened to turn into a mediacircus.
In the tight race to become the Democratic nominee in theNovember election, both Obama and Clinton want to attract theformer North Carolina senator's supporters.
Obama and Edwards -- who dropped out of the Democratic racein January -- discussed "the state of the campaign and thepressing issues facing American families," Obama spokesman BillBurton said.
Edwards focused on the needs of working people during hiscampaign, and Clinton has picked up on his message of economicpopulism.
Bad weather in Wisconsin forced both Obama and Clinton tocancel planned campaign events in the state. Clinton, a formerfirst lady, flew to Wausau amid freezing rain only to have tocircle back to Milwaukee, where she had spent the night becausethe plane could not land in Wausau.
Clinton, who has seen her big lead in the national pollsdisappear, instead visited a diner and a Latin American grocerystore.
"I need your help on Tuesday," she told one family as shemingled with voters at Miss Katie's diner and sat down for alunch of corned beef hash and eggs. Asked what she thought herchances were in the election, she said, "I'm feeling goodtoday."
She later sampled chips with mole sauce and bought some redjalapeno peppers -- one of her favourite foods -- at the El Reysupermarket. Clinton is trying to solidify the strong supportshe has had among Hispanic voters.
'I CAN OUT-CAMPAIGN THEM'
Meanwhile, John McCain, with little Republican opposition,focused on the November election. The Arizona senator, aprisoner of war during the Vietnam conflict, has all butclinched the Republican nomination 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 said that in the fall campaign he would paint theDemocrats 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.
"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 have an eye on March 4,when the big states of Texas and Ohio hold primaries.
Victories in those states have become vital for Clinton,who would be the first woman president, as she tries to closethe gap with Obama in the race for pledged delegates awarded bythe state-by-state contests to pick a Democratic nominee.
(Writing by Caren Bohan and David Wiessler; editing by ToddEastham)
(To read more about the U.S. political campaign, visitReuters "Tales from the Trail: 2008" online athttp://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/)
