Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has called rival Barack Obama a risky choice to lead US foreign policy as Mr Obama gains ground in the US states of Ohio and Texas.
With a week to go until a pivotal vote in the two states on March 4th, the Democratic race took on an increasingly negative tone.
In a foreign policy speech, Mrs Clinton said Mr Obama had veered between pledging to meet leaders of hostile nations like Iran and Cuba if elected in November to warning of US military action against al-Qaeda targets in Pakistan.
"He wavers from seeming to believe that mediation and meetings without preconditions can solve the world's intractable problems, to advocating rash, unilateral military action without co-operation from our allies in the most sensitive region of the world," Mrs Clinton said.
But at a rally in Cincinnati, Mr Obama reiterated his pledge to meet hostile foreign leaders if elected.
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"We need to rediscover the power of diplomacy. So I said very early on in this campaign that I will meet not just with our friends but with our enemies, not just the leaders I like, but leaders I don't," he said.
After losing 11 straight contests to Mr Obama, Mrs Clinton needs big victories in both states to salvage her campaign to be the Democratic nominee in the November election.
The Obama campaign also accused the Clinton camp of "the most shameful, offensive fear-mongering" when a photograph of the Illinois senator, dressed as a Somali elder with white headdress and matching robe, turned up on the website of the Drudge Report.
"I think the American people are saddened when they see these kind of politics," Mr Obama said.
The Drudge Report said the photo was taken in 2006 during Mr Obama's visit to northeastern Kenya. The Democratic front-runner has fought a whispering campaign from fringe elements that say erroneously he is a Muslim.
The website said in an accompanying article the photo had been circulated by Clinton campaign staffers.
The Clinton campaign said it had not sanctioned the photo's release but that it could not be known whether someone had sent it out unofficially
One poll said Mrs Clinton led Mr Obama in Ohio by 51 per cent to 40 per cent among likely Democratic voters. That was a narrowing from the lead of 55 per cent to 34 per cent she held less than two weeks ago.
Another poll said Mr Obama had edged ahead of Mrs Clinton in Texas, 50 per cent to 46 per cent, after having been behind her narrowly last week.