Democrat Hillary Clinton today warned that Barack Obama's oratory masked a lack of achievement, but new polls showed him threatening to deal a second painful blow to her White House hopes.
Mrs Clinton fought a battle to keep Mr Obama from snatching Tuesday's New Hampshire primary.
'There is a big difference between talking and acting, between promising and delivering,' Mrs Clinton told a rally of canvassers.
Democrats must 'nominate and elect a doer, not a talker' she later told a several thousand strong crowd in one of her sharpest jabs at Obama yet, warning they must 'separate rhetoric from reality.'
Meanwhile Mr Obama renewed the calls for change as he tries to paint Mrs Clinton as a symptom not a cure for fractured US political life.
A few days ago, I stood up and said it was time for change in America. In two days' time, it will be your time to stand up, you will have a chance to change America,' Mr Obama told his own huge crowd.
Poll
A McClatchy-MSNBC poll has shown Mr Obama with the support of 33% of voters, against 31% for Mrs Clinton, on the heels of his win at the Iowa caucuses Thursday.
On the Republican side, Senator John McCain holds a 32% to 24% lead over former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney in New Hampshire. Mike Huckabee trails in third place in the poll, and appeared to get no bounce from his win in Iowa on the Republican side.
The survey suggests a major shift of sentiment among voters in New Hampshire where Mrs Clinton has led Mr Obama for months.
The poll of 400 Democrat and 400 Republican likely voters in New Hampshire was carried out between 2 and 4 January.
Debate
US Republican presidential contenders ganged up on rival Mitt Romney and Democrat Hillary Clinton in combative debates ahead of the next showdown in the tight race for the White House.
In sharp exchanges on Iraq, healthcare and immigration, the top presidential contenders in each party made a desperate last bid to gain an edge three days before Tuesday's primary.
The state is crucial to efforts by Mrs Clinton and Mr Romney to revitalise their campaigns after disappointing showings in Iowa.
John Edwards took aim at Mrs Clinton for Barack Obama for shifting his positions on healthcare in recent years.
Noting Mrs Clinton's third-place finish in Iowa he said, 'I didn't hear these kinds of attacks from Senator Clinton when she was ahead.'
Mr Romney, fighting for his political life, was the target of repeated shots for shifting positions on Iraq war strategy and criticising his rivals in a series of political ads. Mr Romney finished well behind former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee in the Iowa contest.'
