Clinton, Trump busy in final campaign days

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump were vying for final votes in battleground states, just two days before the United States picks a new president.

Florida is once again a toss-up, with 29 Electoral College votes up for grabs. It is in a virtual tie between Clinton and Trump. The Republican candidate spent Saturday morning at a rally in Tampa, while Clinton campaigned in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday.

The remaining battleground states are on the schedule before Tuesday's Election Day. Clinton was in Philadelphia late Saturday for an appearance with pop star Katy Perry, while Trump jetted to North Carolina and Nevada. Midway through a rally speech in Reno, Nevada, the Republican nominee was rushed from the stage after a security scare. He returned minutes later once the area had been secured. No weapon was found at the scene and a protester who was detained was later released.

Clinton has called on celebrities to spread her coverage in recent days. She enlisted the help of rap artist Jay-Z and his wife Beyonce for a free concert in Cleveland to attract young voters in the toss-up state of Ohio, and is to use basketball star LeBron James in a Sunday rally in Cleveland. Clinton is to spend the final night before Election Day with her husband, former US President Bill Clinton, and current US President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle.

Earlier, Trump criticized Clinton's celebrity reach, telling a crowd of over 10,000 in Hershey, Pennsylvania, "I didn't have to bring J-Lo or Jay-Z. I am here all by myself. Just me. No guitar, no piano, no nothing."

Trump does have celebrity backers however, including former Indiana University men's basketball coach Bob Knight and singer Kid Rock. In an unusual move, Trump will also hold a rally in Minnesota, a state that has not voted for a Republican candidate since 1984.

Polls polls polls

Clinton still leads Trump in a majority of polls across the United States, with most polls currently giving Clinton a 3 to 5 point lead. However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced they were probing Clinton's emails and how she handled classified information when she was secretary of state. After the FBI revealed its intentions, the gap between Clinton and Trump decreased.

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine said Saturday that some employees at the FBI are "actively working" to support Trump, adding that the agency has suffered a "massive blow" to its reputation. In an interview with Fusion, Kaine said the FBI had become a "leaky sieve" and accused staff there of leaking information harmful to running mate Clinton.

He spent much of Saturday campaigning in Florida, a state that is currently in a dead heat. Florida proved critical in the 2000 election, with disputes over votes and recounts that went to the Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of Republican candidate George W. Bush over Democratic candidate Al Gore.

Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence is seen as the one to bring traditional Republicans to the polarizing Trump. The Indiana governor told a Michigan crowd Saturday morning that Trump would push "common-sense, conservative values" if elected president. Michigan has not voted Republican in 28 years. Pence is also campaigning in Wisconsin and Virginia.

kbd,nm/rc,jm (AP, dpa, Reuters)