WASHINGTON, Oct 21, 2007 (AFP) - Portraits of candidates of Democratic candidates for president, vying for the party nomination in the sprint to first nominating caucuses and primaries in early January.

Clinton 59, is vying to become America's first woman president, and first former First Lady to make it to the White House in her own right. Wife of 42nd president Bill Clinton (1993-2001), the first Democrat to win two presidential terms since World War II. A New York Senator, Clinton vows to end the Iraq war, restore US prestige abroad and reform healthcare.

WASHINGTON, Oct 18, 2007 (AFP) - White House challenger Barack Obama is trying to stamp out the notion that front-runner Hillary Clinton is the 'inevitable' Democratic nominee, warning it is too early for her to declare 'mission accomplished.'

Obama, who styles himself as a break from the politics of rancor which he says has stifled Washington, is cranking up increasingly personal rhetoric against the former first lady.

WASHINGTON, Oct 17, 2007 (AFP) - Former US vice president Al Gore said Wednesday that his Nobel Peace Prize triumph had not altered his intention to stay out of the 2008 presidential race.

But Gore could still shake up the Democratic Party nomination by endorsing a candidate other than front-runner Hillary Clinton.

Speculation following the peace prize announcement last week that Gore would run was quashed he told Norwegian broadcaster NRK: 'I don't have plans to be a candidate again, so I don't really see it in that context at all.'

WASHINGTON, Oct 17, 2007 (AFP) - Former US vice president Al Gore on Wednesday ruled out a late entry into the 2008 presidential race, but could still shake up the Democratic Party nomination by endorsing a candidate other than front-runner Hillary Clinton.

Speculation that Gore would run was quashed when the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize winner told Norwegian broadcaster NRK: 'I don't have plans to be a candidate again, so I don't really see it in that context at all.'

WASHINGTON, Oct 12, 2007 (AFP) - Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama on Friday took his most hostile swipe yet at rival Hillary Clinton, pouring scorn on her judgement on foreign policy hotspots Iraq and Iran.

The Clinton campaign hit straight back, after what appeared to be a strategic shift by Obama, accusing him of abandoning his signature 'politics of hope' theme in a desperate bid to carve into her huge lead in opinion polls.

WASHINGTON, Oct 7, 2007 (AFP) - House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday it would be 'very, very exciting' to have Hillary Clinton as America's first woman president, but stopped short of endorsing the 2008 frontrunner.

The country's top elected Democrat, a practicing Catholic, also said that she prayed 'all the time' for President George W. Bush's health -- but also for the Republican leader to change tack on Iraq and children's health insurance.

MIAMI, Oct 4, 2007 (AFP) - Two top Florida Democrats on Thursday sued their own party in a dispute over the timing of the presidential primary in the state famed for the chaos that held up the 2000 presidential election results for five weeks.

The bitter battle has its roots in Florida's decision to hold its primary elections on January 29, earlier than allowed under the Democrats national rules.

The Democratic National Committee retaliated by voting to exclude the 210 Florida delegates from the 2008 convention where the party's presidential candidate will be picked.

WASHINGTON, Oct 4, 2007 (AFP) - Democrat Hillary Clinton would beat Republican Rudolph Giuliani in the race for the US presidency if the election was held now, according to poll data released Thursday.

Senator Clinton, wife of ex-president Bill Clinton and the strong front-runner for the Democratic nomination for next year's election, held a 51-43 percent margin over Giuliani in a Washington Post-ABC News poll.

WASHINGTON, Oct 3, 2007 (AFP) - Hillary Clinton cemented her advantage in the Democratic presidential race Wednesday, basking in a 33 point opinion poll lead over rival Barack Obama and snapping up a key trade union endorsement.

Clinton grabbed support from a majority of Democrats for the first time in the new Washington Post-ABC News poll, a day after walloping Obama with her latest three-month fundraising total of 27 million dollars.

WASHINGTON, Oct 3, 2007 (AFP) - Hillary Clinton basked Wednesday in a 33 percent opinion poll lead over her top Democratic White House rival Barack Obama, in another coup for her increasingly formidable campaign.

Clinton grabbed support from a majority of Democrats for the first time in the new Washington Post-ABC News poll, a day after walloping Obama with her latest three month fundraising total of 27 million dollars.