John McCain gains steam as Clinton-Obama race sizzles

John McCain, buoyed by new polls and endorsements, looked to be in a commanding position Sunday as he headed toward coast-to-coast primaries and caucuses on Tuesday that could effectively hand him the Republican presidential nomination. In a display of confidence, McCain campaigned in Connecticut, the back yard of his chief rival, Mitt Romney.

A sweep of big states by McCain on Tuesday would reward him with a trove of delegates and could bring the GOP contest to a quick end.

McCain was already looking to what he hoped would be his future, incorporating an unusual attack on Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton as part of his standard denunciation of federal budget earmarks. He made the remarks in Fairfield, Conn., where he was escorted by a Democrat turned Independent, Sen. Joseph Lieberman.

"In her short time in the United States Senate, the senator from New York, Senator Clinton, has gotten $500 million worth of pork barrel projects," he said. "My friends, that kind of thing is going to stop when I'm president of the United States."

ROMNEY OUT WEST

Romney, in a last-minute switch of plans, decided to fly to California today. His aides argued that McCain had left that flank vulnerable by his decision to head to New England. And Romney attempted to discredit McCain among conservatives by attacking his rival's record on immigration and the environment.

"Yesterday, Barack Obama said there's not a dime's worth of difference between he and Senator McCain on illegal immigration," Romney said at a rally outside Chicago. "I'm afraid it's going to be real hard to win the White House if there's not much difference between our nominee and theirs, and that's why I'm going to make sure that we stand for Republican ideals and win the White House on that platform."

THE DEMOCRATS

On the Democratic side, Clinton and Obama were enmeshed in a tough fight, illustrated by polls showing the race had tightened both nationally and in key states voting Tuesday. They include California, Missouri, New Jersey and Arizona.

Aides to Clinton and Obama said that they now believe the contest could extend well beyond Tuesday.

A new Washington Post/ABC News poll showed Clinton leading Obama 47 to 43 percent among Democrats nationally, a difference within the poll's margin of error. A poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and Press showed 46 percent of Democrats nationwide favor Clinton to 38 percent for Obama. Clinton's lead is half what she had in mid-January.

HUCKABEE STAYING IN

Mike Huckabee says he's sticking around the GOP presidential race for the long haul.

"I'll stay in until someone has 1,191 delegates," the former Arkansas governor said Sunday in a telephone interview with the Associated Press from Kennessaw, Ga. He was referring to the number of convention delegates needed to win the party nod. "A year ago, nobody said I'd still be here. Look who's still on his feet," he said.

Huckabee is hoping for a strong showing in the southern states that vote Tuesday. He could end up helping McCain by peeling away votes and delegates from Romney

ENDORSEMENTS

Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman endorsed McCain. Coleman, who had supported Rudy Giuliani before he dropped out, called McCain "an effective leader who is the best person to lead the fight against radical Islamic extremism."

Garrison Keillor, host of "A Prairie Home Companion," endorsed Obama, writing in a letter to Obama that the nation is "looking for someone with clear vision.'' "That's you, friend," he wrote. Obama also picked up the endorsement of Maria Shriver, whose husband, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, is backing McCain.

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