Clinton to fire up White House campaign before key votes

WASHINGTON (AFP) — White House hopeful Hillary Clinton was to fire up her campaign Monday, just over a week before key primaries billed as a make-or-break date in her bid to be the country's first woman president.

Just a few days ago, pundits said Clinton was preparing a graceful exit from the Democrats' White House race in face of her seemingly unstoppable rival Barack Obama, who has won the 11 last nominating contests in a row.

Now heading into must-win battles on March 4 in Ohio and Texas, Clinton has come out fighting.

Several press reports on Sunday said Clinton's advisors, demoralized in the face of the Obama steamroller, were preparing for the campaign's last rites in Ohio and Texas.

But Clinton's communications chief Howard Wolfson denied the end was nigh for the New York senator.

"I believe that we are going to do well in Ohio and Texas. I'm not even thinking about other alternatives," he said.

Clinton herself was pulling the gloves off, accusing her rival from Illinois of purloining Republican smear tactics in his attacks on her healthcare and trade policies.

"Shame on you, Barack Obama," Clinton said at a rally in Ohio, which along with Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont holds its Democratic primary on March 4.

"Meet me in Ohio. Let's have a debate about your tactics and your behavior in this campaign," she challenged Obama, who is bidding to be the country's first black president.