Iowa rivals battle for votes

The Democrats' John Edwards was pressing flesh in Ames

Would-be US presidential nominees have been seeing in election year on the stump in Iowa, two days before it hosts the important first party caucuses.

With opinion polls suggesting both the Democratic and Republican races are too close to call, candidates have been packing their schedules with events.

The Republicans' Mike Huckabee was preparing for a dash to Los Angeles for a slot on NBC's Tonight Show.

Top Democrats were to run positive TV ads in a bid to maximise turnout.

KEY DATES 3 Jan: Iowa caucuses 8 Jan: New Hampshire primary 15 Jan: Michigan primary 19 Jan: Nevada caucuses; South Carolina primary (Rep) 26 Jan: South Carolina primary (Dem) 29 Jan: Florida primary 5 Feb: some 20 states including California, New York, New Jersey Iowa state profile Q&A: Primaries and caucuses

Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama planned two-minute ads during evening news programmes while John Edwards, who had a minute booked, paid for a full-page newspaper advert.

Opinion polls suggest a dead-heat race between Ms Clinton and Mr Obama for first place among the Democrats, with Mr Edwards close behind.

Mr Obama promised "something very, very special" at Thursday's caucuses when he addressed a rally in the state capital Des Moines.

At a cattle auction site in Ames, Ms Clinton joked with ranchers that they could "look inside [her] mouth" if it helped them make up their minds.

Mike Huckabee also showed off his bass guitar skills on Tuesday

The race for top Republican spot is likewise looking too close to call, with Mr Huckabee pitted against Mitt Romney.

Mr Huckabee was preparing to fly to LA and back to record his interview with Jay Leno on the Tonight Show, due to air on Wednesday.

"My guess is that a lot of people in Iowa are watching Jay Leno, probably more than would come to a rally," he said.

Mitt Romney was visiting supporters' homes in the town of Johnston to attend "House Party Huddles" - gatherings in local homes.

Children ran around bashing one another with large, red Styrofoam mitts that read "Mitt '08", the Associated Press reports.