New York, Oct. 21: Fifty three percent of American voters claim that Illinois Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has far greater appeal than his Republican rival John McCain.

However, according to a New York Times report, 33 percent say they have an unfavorable view of Obama.

As far as McCain is concerned, only 36 percent of the voters view him favorably, while 45 percent view him unfavorably.

New York, Oct. 21 : Democratic presidential nominee and White House frontrunner Barack Obama has announced that he will suspend his campaigning for 36 hours to visit his ailing grandmother Madelyn Dunham in Hawaii.

According to the New York Times, Dunham, 85, is gravely ill. Campaign spokesman Robert Gibbs declined to specify the nature of her illness, other than to say it was quite serious. Dunham lives in Honolulu.

Florida (United States), Oct. 21: Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Monday accused his republican rival John McCain of launching an "ugly" bid to stave off defeat, while campaigning along with Hillary Clinton in the crucial swing state of Florida.

With just 15 days to go before the election, Obama implored supporters to flood early voting stations in the state and vote for him rather than McCain.

In 2000 and 2004, the state had voted Republican.

Washington - Democratic Party presidential nominee Barack Obama has decided to drop campaigning for two days later this week for a previously unplanned visit to his ailing grandmother in Hawaii, campaign officials announced late Monday.

Obama, who lead rallies Monday in Florida, will continue his scheduled events through Thursday afternoon, when he will fly to Hawaii to visit Madelyn Dunham, 85.

Washington - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said he intends to ask former secretary of state Colin Powell to serve as an advisor if he wins the White House.

"He will have a role as one of my advisers," Obama said Monday on NBC television. "He's already served in that function, even before he endorsed me."

Powell, a retired general and longtime Republican who advised Ronald Reagan and the first George Bush before becoming the top US diplomat on the current president's first term, said Sunday on Meet the Press that he was supporting Obama.