Six Democrats court activists

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Six Democrats court activists

By MIKE GLOVER
Associated Press Writer


DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- The race for the Democratic presidential nomination moved into overdrive Saturday, as candidates scrambled to outdo each other to win over the Iowa activists who will leadoff the contest on Jan. 3.

Six Democratic rivals trotted out celebrities, filled the air with populist rhetoric and schmoozed party regulars in the most hectic day of a campaign that's been intense for months.

The city took on a circus-like atmosphere as candidates raced from forums to rallies to marches to receptions leading up to the Iowa Democratic Party's annual fundraising dinner, which draws up to 9,000 people.

The rivals used every opportunity during to preview their message.

John Edwards received rousing applause and a standing ovation from some of the hundreds of people attending a presidential summit on rural concerns when he said the nation's family farmers "need to give these people who are driving you out of business hell."

Edwards has made reaching out to rural Iowans a central part of his campaign, and says that unlike the other candidates seeking his party's nomination, he grew up in a small town and knows the challenges rural residents face.

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