New York: White House rivals have wooed voters with doughnuts and Hollywood stars before hunkering down in an agonising wait to see if weeks of relentless campaigning have paid off.

Before they ducked from view to await the results of "Super Tuesday," Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were ubiquitous on the airwaves yesterday as they appealed to their backers to get out and vote in more than 20 states.

Speaking on MSNBC television after voting early in her hometown of Chappaqua, New York, Clinton said "there's never been a day like this.

"This is an unprecedented national primary. And, you know, we have all been racing around the country," said the New York senator, who is bidding to shatter America's toughest glass ceiling by becoming the first woman president.

"But I ve got great people working for me in all of these states, and I am excited. I just hope everyone gets out and votes and helps to pick the next president."

Accompanied by her husband, former president Bill Clinton, and daughter Chelsea, the former first lady was to return to New York city for what her campaign billed as a "victory rally" in downtown Manhattan.

Obama, the underdog who would be the first black president, was hoping to make the Clintons eat their confident words after a slew of polls showed the race for the Democratic nomination becoming agonisingly tight.

"I am very calm, but I think New Hampshire was definitely a good lesson," the Illinois senator said from his Chicago fiefdom, referring to his surprise loss to Clinton in the year's second nominating contest last month.

Source : PTI