The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Tucson

Hillary Clinton Saturday likened her Democratic White House rival Barack Obama to President George W. Bush, arguing he was an untested neophyte who would be a "leap of faith" for voters.

"We cannot afford to elect someone as we did with George Bush and then be somewhat surprised by the decisions that are made, the direction that he leads the country," the New York senator told reporters aboard her campaign plane.

"And the best way to avoid that is to have a candidate who tells you what she will do and then is held accountable for doing it once she's in office," she said, arguing that Obama had been too vague on policy.

The former first lady has previously described her Illinois senate colleague as a charismatic politician-but stressed that voters had regretted their decision to vote for Bush because of his own charm and likability.

Clinton refused to predict the outcome of "Super Tuesday" when 22 states will be in play for the Democratic nomination, but said either she or her African-American colleague "would change history by becoming president."

"The question is who would change the country. I believe that I am both tested and ready to turn the economy around, to beat the Republicans, and to be commander-in-chief on day one," she said.

"I'm not asking voters to take a leap of faith. You know where I stand, you know my record, I've been vetted, I've been tested, probably more than anybody in the country who's in politics right now."

Super Tuesday is an unprecedented challenge for the Democratic and Republican candidates as they criss-cross the country for what is effectively the first-ever national primary.

"There's never been anybody having to do this before so obviously we're all making it up as we go.

But I feel good, very good about where we are in a lot of the states," Clinton said.

Presidential hopeful and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney won Saturday's Republican primary election in the northeastern state of Maine, the Republican Party said.

With 57 percent of votes counted, Romney took 52 percent, followed by the national frontrunner, Arizona Senator John McCain with 22 percent, Ron Paul with 19 percent and Mike Huckabee 5 percent.

"With those results it is very sure that former governor Romney wins the contest," Maine Republican Party vice chair Scott Kauffman told AFP.

Although the Maine primary carries little weight in the national nominating contest, it does provide a symbolic boost for the conservative candidate in his attempt to overtake McCain in national opinion polls ahead of the key "Super Tuesday" event when more than 20 states are at stake.

"Today the people of Maine joined those from across the nation in casting their vote for conservative change in Washington," Romney, 60, said after the results were announced.

The Maine primary elects delegates to the state convention in May, which in turn will name delegates to the Republican national convention in September to choose the candidate.

Maine's Republican primary, however, is non-binding, with the 21 chosen delegates free to vote for whomever they chose at the state convention.

The Democratic Party will hold its primary in Maine on February 10.