Democrat Barack Obama's big lead over rival Hillary Clinton has slipped but is still substantial two days before the US presidential primary election in South Carolina, where candidates were competing vigorously to win support from black voters.
Former President Bill Clinton, whose wife is battling with challenger John Edwards to stay out of third place in South Carolina, lashed out at Obama and the media for elevating race in the campaign.
Obama's lead fell 3 points overnight to give him a 39 per cent to 24 per cent edge over Ms Clinton in South Carolina, according to a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released today.
Mr Edwards, a former senator from neighboring North Carolina, climbed four points to reach 19 per cent - within striking distance of Ms Clinton and second place.
The poll has a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points.
The shifts have occurred since Monday night's angry debate in Myrtle Beach, where Mr Obama and Ms Clinton traded harsh accusations about their records and Mr Edwards chastised the pair for squabbling.
Since then, Mr Obama and Ms Clinton have cranked up their bitter fight for the Democratic nomination in November's election to succeed President George W. Bush. Both candidates prepared harsh radio adverts in South Carolina yesterday attacking each other.
Bill Clinton said yesterday it was unfair that the former first lady had been accused of "playing the race card" in the campaign.
"This is almost like once you accuse somebody of racism or bigotry or something, the facts become irrelevant. There are facts here," he said, adding the media was concentrating on racial tensions instead of focusing on issues that were more important to voters.
"This is what you live for. But this hurts the people of South Carolina," he told reporters.