Barack Obama hit back at rival Hillary Clinton today before a Wisconsin showdown next Tuesday in their Democratic presidential battle, as Mrs Clinton headed to the state for the first time.
Mr Obama, a first-term Illinois senator, has beaten Mrs Clinton in the last eight state contests to gain the upper hand in their duel to become the Democratic presidential nominee in November's election.
Senator Hillary Clinton
He a has spent four days in Wisconsin since his last round of victories last Tuesday, while Mrs Clinton has focused on March 4th votes in Ohio and Texas hoping victories there will rejuvenate her flagging campaign.
Mr Obama launched another advertisement today responding to Mrs Clinton's recent attacks. The New York senator has criticized him as more talk than action, and aired two ads in Wisconsin this week attacking his refusal to debate in the state and his health care and retirement plans.
"After 18 debates, with two more coming, Hillary says Barack Obama is ducking debates? It's the same old politics," an announcer says in Mr Obama's new ad. "Obama has a plan to protect Social Security benefits and the current retirement age. Hillary doesn't."
Mrs Clinton, under pressure to slow Mr Obama's momentum, has emphasized her economic message in an appeal to middle- and lower-income voters.
"It is time we had a president who was a fighter, a doer and a champion for the American middle class," she said yesterday during an economic round-table in Cincinnati, Ohio.
"This primary election offers a very big choice to the voters of Ohio," she said. "You can choose speeches or solutions."
Democrats in Hawaii also vote on Tuesday but Mr Obama, who was born in the state, is expected to win there