PRESIDENT Clinton yesterday wound up a whirlwind weekend campaign swing through Iowa with a visit to a grain elevator, dinner with Iowa farm families and brunch with victims of the devastating 1993 Mid Western floods.
Mr Clinton is running unopposed for renomination by his party for a second term, but he asked Iowa Democrats to show up for today's caucuses so he could enjoy a big win in the state where he lost overwhelmingly four years ago to Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa.
Meanwhile, nine Republican candidates scrambled for support in gatherings in living rooms and church basements throughout the state.
Mr Clinton's gruelling weekend campaign schedule included two speeches on Saturday in which he recited a list of accomplishments and spoke about a growing economy with low inflation and high exports of agricultural goods which he said was helping support grain prices.
In his speech in Mason City Iowa, Mr Clinton voiced concerns about a farm bill passed last week by the Senate. He said he was worried about the way payments were structured regardless of crop prices and that it might spell trouble in hard times when prices fall.
Senator Bob Dole (72), the Senate leader twice denied his party's presidential nomination, appeared poised to win his key vote in Iowa and kick off his most promising chase yet for the prize.
But the state's party precinct caucuses today are also likely to produce a notable showing by Mr Steve Forbes, the wealthy publisher who has never been elected to public office but has poured 520 million of his own fortune into his campaign.
A poll released on Saturday night by KCCI TV, the CBS television affiliate in Des Moines, found surprising strength for commentator Mr Pat Buchanan, placing him second with 16 per cent to Mr Dole's 28 per cent, and ahead of Mr Forbes with 15 per cent.
The former Tennessee Governor, Mr Lamar Alexander, had 12 per cent and Senator Phil Gramm of Texas 8 per cent. There 13 per cent undecided.
Mr Dole said he was "pumped up because people are coming our way. And what do they want? They want someone with experience and someone with honesty and integrity and character."
"They're not looking for someone who sweeps into town and buys all the TV time," he said in a shot at Mr Forbes.
Mr Forbes, accused of starting a radio and television war of mudslinging commercials, denied in a CNN interview on Saturday night that his ads were negative. He said all he had done was hold the records of his opponents up for review.
He said "tens of thousands of calls" have been made in a smear campaign distorting his stands on abortion, homosexuals in the military and other matters.
In the CNN interview, Mr Forbes said he would change the current "don't ask don't tell" policy on gays in the US military if top military advisers recommended a change.
He also said he agreed with the goal of banning all abortions, but said culture must be changed first, to accept such a ban.