Obama scores win in Guam caucus

Candidates have been looking ahead to Indiana and North Carolina

Barack Obama has narrowly defeated Hillary Clinton in the Democratic Party caucus on the small Pacific territory of Guam.

Mr Obama won the contest by just seven votes. Residents were selecting delegates to help choose the candidate for November's presidential elections.

Neither of the candidates has campaigned in Guam, which has just four delegate votes.

But in a tight race, both have courted Guam voters from afar.

Calling in to radio stations, Mrs Clinton recalled stop-overs in the island while her husband Bill was president, while Mr Obama, who was brought up in Hawaii and Indonesia, stressed his Pacific roots.

They singled out healthcare and economic improvements as the key issues.

US citizens in Guam do not have a vote in the presidential election.

'Game changers'

Guam's caucus came ahead of key primaries on Tuesday in Indiana and North Carolina.

Mrs Clinton has described the contests as "game changers".

But the BBC's James Coomarasamy in Washington says the only thing that can change the game at this stage is uncommitted "super delegates" - unelected senior party figures who vote in August's convention - making their choice known.

Both candidates have announced super delegate endorsements this week.

Mr Obama still leads in states, votes and delegates.

But he has had a tough week responding to unhelpful comments by his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, and to Mrs Clinton's plans for a summer suspension of the gasoline (petrol) tax, correspondents say.

A recent opinion poll showed that the number of Democrats who think Mr Obama will win the nomination had shrunk to just over half.