Denver, Colorado - Michelle Obama stole the limelight and apparent affection of Democratic delegates Monday night, describing husband Barack Obama as a persistent suitor in their courting days who would carry the same kind of determination into the White House.

Her 20-minute speech, the headliner of the opening night of the four-day presidential nominating convention, aimed to raise the personal profile of a man who was little known nationally until four years ago.

Denver, Colorado - The scramble for the White House was dead even between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain, according to two separate polls released late Sunday, the eve of the opening of the Democratic nominating convention.

The Gallup Poll showed each candidate with 45 per cent support from registered voters, while a CNN/Opinion Research Corp poll showed a 47-per-cent stalemate.

London, Aug 25: The Republicans are determined to pour cold water on the celebrations and exploit resentment among Hillary Clinton supporters during the Democrat convention to anoint Senator Barack Obama as their presidential nominee.

Republicans also want to woo Clinton supporters, many of whom are livid that the former First Lady was not even on Obama’s vice-presidential shortlist, The Telegraph reported.

In a new McCain advertisement, a female voice intones: “She won millions of votes, but isn’t on his ticket. Why? For speaking the truth.”

Washington, Aug 25: Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s aides have said that they intend to use Democrat rival Barack Obama’s running mate against him, to make the presidential contest a two-against-one fight.

They added that with Obama on one side and Joseph Biden and McCain together on the other, not just on Iraq but on the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Biden voted for, and the 2005 Republican Energy Bill, which Biden and McCain voted against.

Denver, Colorado - Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama and his Republican rival John McCain are head to head in the run for the White House, a new poll said Monday.

According to CNN both candidates can count on 47 per cent voter support, the news channel said a few hours before the Democrats kick off their presidential convention in Denver.

One month ago, Obama was comfortably ahead by 7 per cent.

Washington  - Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama on Saturday praised Joe Biden, his pick for vice president, as a man capable of changing the culture of politics in Washington despite his 36 years in the national legislature.

"For decades, he's brought change to Washington but Washington hasn't changed him," Obama said, introducing Biden at a rally in Springfield, Illinois. "He's uniquely suited to be my partner as we work to bring our country back on track."