Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are making their final appeals to voters
before the crucial North Carolina and Indiana primaries that will help
determine whether Obama has survived a rough patch and can finally defeat
Clinton.

EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, UNITED STATES (MAY 5, 2008) NBC -

  Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary
Clinton did some last minute campaigning on Monday (May 5, 2008) ahead of
tests in the North Carolina and Indiana primaries that will help determine
whether Obama has survived a rough patch and can finally defeat Clinton.
    Many analysts are forecasting a split decision -- Obama winning North
Carolina, Clinton taking Indiana. That would mean America's lengthy Democratic
feud continues, but that Obama remains in position to win ultimately.
    Twin victories by Obama would be even more reassuring to the party's
superdelegates who can vote for the candidate of their choosing at the
Democrats' August convention.
    But the opposite outcome, Clinton victories in both states, would
further muddle the picture and give her supporters ammunition to argue to the
superdelegates that she is the best candidate to face McCain.
    Obama, hitting the campaign trail in Evansville, Indiana, remained
positive in spite of recent controversy over his former pastor's racially
charged rhetoric and his own comments that small-town Americans are bitter and
cling to guns and religion.
    "Right now we are focusing on Indiana and North Carolina. I don't
like to get too far ahead of myself, that's why I think we've done well is
we've campaigned state by state, but I'm confident that I will win this
nomination. And I'm confident that when I square off with John McCain, that
we're going to have a serious debate about where this country needs to
go," he said.
    The blow to Obama's image prompted a fall in his overall numbers in
national polls. A Pew Research Center poll last week said his 10-point lead
over Clinton in March dwindled to between 45 and 47 percent.
    All this has given New York Sen. Clinton reason to hope that she might
find a path to overtake Obama's slim lead in nominating delegates who will
determine which Democrat will face Republican John McCain in the November
election.
    "More people have voted for me than my opponent in these primaries
and caucuses," Clinton said.
    "I feel that we're gaining ground. Two weeks ago, Senator Obama's
campaign said he would win both of these states easily, I was so far behind
when I started campaigning, I think I've made up some ground, we'll find out
tomorrow. But I believe that I would be the best president and the stronger
candidate against Senator McCain and ultimately, this is about getting to 270
electoral votes. If the Democratic Party had the same rules as the Republican
Party, I would already be the nominee, because the Republicans take the longer
view, they say: OK, what states do we have to win in order to get to 270
electoral votes. So I think I have a very strong argument, we're going to see
what happens tomorrow, but I'm having a great time."