Race for US presidency is a real-life horror show
Pollsters say Hillary Clinton is still ahead but there is no longer an air of inevitability left in the race for the White House.
Wednesday 2 November 2016 09:59, UK
President Obama danced to the sound of Thriller on Monday to celebrate Halloween. But a real-life horror show impossible to imitate is playing out on the campaign trail.
Two candidates are casting apocalyptic visions of one another in a race that appears to be tightening.
The renewed focus on Clinton's email scandal has given Trump an injection of fuel into his campaign.
He's fired up, delighting in an October surprise he's not the brunt of. The spotlight is off him and he's revelling in it.
Trump's rallies have long frothed with anger, but his supporters seem optimistic, given a new lease of life by the renewed investigation into Hillary's Clinton's emails.
In Grand Rapids, Michigan, he kept the attack focused - to start with at least, before riffing off on his familiar themes.
Trump has a track record of failing to capitalise on golden political gifts, but with eight days to go, he has potentially fewer ways to fail.
Hillary Clinton is desperately trying to change the conversation.
But in Ohio, as the sun set, she did indulge in some brief damage limitation, trying to reassure the crowd that if the FBI looks at her "staffer's" emails, they would draw the same conclusion as they did when they looked at hers.
The Clinton strategy seems to be that push back is the only course.
They seem buoyed by the chorus of Democratic voices rallying against the FBI Director, James Comey.
The addition of former Attorney General Eric Holder, who described Comey's move as a "serious mistake," gave them some high ranking back-up. And the criticism has crossed partisan boundaries.
Camp Clinton appear to have made the calculation that there are no more revelations to come from the latest investigation.
The Democratic nominee claimed many voters have already made up their minds after the last investigation.
Her team spent the day trying to sow doubt, suggesting to reporters in a conference call that many of the emails could just be duplicates from the previous investigation when Hillary Clinton was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing.
But it's a riAG百家乐在线官网 strategy. If later evidence counters their claims, it could be deeply damaging.
Some Democratic strategists say the pressure is easing, but some worry gaining control of the Senate may be looking more problematic.
Clinton's poll numbers appear to be slipping and today she's back in Florida, upping her schedule with three events.
Pollsters say she is still way ahead in the all important electoral college votes. But there is no air of inevitability left in this race.
:: Watch America Decides, a special programme on the US election at midnight tonight.