Sen. John McCain's accused of flip-flopping on immigration policy.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — In recent days, Sen. Barack Obama has backed off his harshest criticisms of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and he's changed his stance on campaign financing, electing to decline the federal funds for the general election — prompting charges of flip-flopping.

Obama's campaign says Sen. John McCain has contradictions of his own, namely on illegal immigration.

On Wednesday night, McCain held a private meeting with more than 150 Chicago, Illinois-area Hispanic leaders.

According to The Associated Press, several people who were at the meeting said McCain assured them that he would push for comprehensive immigration reform if he's elected president.

In 2007, McCain's sponsorship of comprehensive immigration reform angered conservatives and very nearly derailed his presidential campaign.

At a Republican debate at the Reagan Library in January, McCain was asked whether he would still vote for his original measure.

"No, I would not … because we know what the situation is today … that people want the borders secured first," he said.

McCain's critics were reassured.

"The original proposal, I opposed. Sen. McCain's new proposal, I support, which is to ensure you have border security before you have any other type of reform," L.A. County Supervisor Mike Antonovich said.

After the Chicago meeting, the Obama campaign's communications director, Robert Gibbs, charged that McCain was trying to have it both ways.

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(CNN) — After the long, bruising primary battle with Hillary Clinton, a lot of Democrats were concerned Barack Obama would have a problem getting support from women, but the big surprise is that it could be men who become the deciding factor this election cycle.

According to the latest CNN Opinion Research Corporation Poll Obama is running nearly even with John McCain among men. McCain has a slight edge with 49 percent to Obama’s 47 percent. Meanwhile, Obama leads McCain by 9 points among women 52 percent to 43 percent.

WATCH Why men could be the deciding factor

The support from men has become crucial for Republicans in past elections.

According to exit polls from the 2000 election, 53 percent of men helped George W. Bush get elected in 2000, with only 42 percent of men supporting Al Gore. In 2004 George Bush was re-elected with 55 percent support from men to John Kerry’s 44 percent. Most women voted for Gore and Kerry.

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(CNN) — Hillary Clinton has made her vast experience a central theme of her campaign – and among those voters who said that was the top quality they were looking for in a presidential candidate, she was the undisputed choice in tonight’s exit polls: they chose her over Barack Obama by 93 to 7 percent in South Dakota, and 94 to 4 percent in Montana.

Barack Obama, meanwhile, has built his run around the need for change – and won large majorities of voters who said that was the most important quality in a potential commander-in-chief, beating Clinton by 67 to 33 percent among those voters in South Dakota, and 79 to 17 percent in Montana.

But even though they split tonight’s contests, it’s clear the advantage in this area was Obama’s: one in five voters in both states said experience was of paramount importance, but half of South Dakota’s voters, and 55 percent of Montana’s, said the ability to bring about change was essential in a candidate.

In Montana, voters who said having a president who cares about people was their priority split their votes almost evenly between the two candidates: Clinton had a 47 to 43 percent edge. But in South Dakota, which Clinton won, a significant majority of those voters – 60 percent – gave her the edge.

Former President Bill Clinton spent a lot of time in the state in the days leading up to Tuesday’s vote telling voters that his wife “cares about people like you.” It looks like that message sunk in.

(CNN) – South Dakota may have gone solidly for Hillary Clinton – but there’s a clue buried in the exit polls that suggests the healing process in the Democratic Party may already be underway.

A significant majority of voters – roughly seven in 10 – said both Democratic candidates were honest and trustworthy. It’s the final night of the primary season – but the first time that has happened since voting began in Iowa five months ago.

It may also be one sign that primary voters who did not support Barack Obama the first time around may be willing to believe the best about the Illinois senator heading into November.

55 percent of South Dakota democrats would like to see Clinton as Obama’s running mate.

(CNN) – The hard-fought Democratic primary race is winding down, but the veepstakes are just starting to heat up. Do voters in the year’s final contests think Barack Obama – just a handful of delegates away from claiming the party’s presidential nomination – should pick rival Hillary Clinton as his running mate?

South Dakota’s Democrats seem to like the idea; according to early exit polls, 55 of them think Clinton should be on the ticket this fall, while 41 percent do not.

But the state’s Obama voters give the idea a thumbs-down: 56 percent say Obama should not offer Clinton the vice presidential slot, versus 40 percent that do.

Montana’s Democratic primary voters are more divided: nearly half, 49 percent, think Clinton should join Obama on a joint ticket – but 45 percent do not.

Voters in the last two states, Montana and South Dakota, wrapped up the grueling coast-to-coast Democratic nominating marathon.

(CNN) — Two very white, working-class Western states. But look closer: there are some very real differences between the two sets of Democratic primary voters in tonight’s final primary contests.

South Dakota’s primary was closed, only registered Democrats were allowed to weigh in. But roughly one in three primary voters in Montana are independent – and that group is heavily supporting Barack Obama.

Hillary Clinton may have had an easier time winning over the party’s base — but Obama’s campaign will be counting on his ability to go toe-to-toe with John McCain over independent voters

(CNN) – The youngest and oldest voters in South Dakota’s Democratic primary overwhelmingly support their candidate – but as in many contests this primary season, both groups have landed on opposite sides of the Democratic divide, according to early exit polls.

The youngest voters, those aged 18-29, supported Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton, 65 to 35 percent. Voters 65 and older had the exact same level of support for Clinton, voting for her 65-35 percent over Obama.

It’s a problem that’s plagued Obama all year: how to make his case to seniors, who have been critical to Democratic presidential hopes in past campaigns. Can he win them over by November?

It is still not clear whether Clinton supporters are likely to throw their support to Obama.

(CNN) — Will angry Hillary Clinton supporters take their disappointment out at the polls this November by voting for presumptive Republican nominee John McCain over Barack Obama, or staying home altogether?

Roughly three out of five Clinton’s South Dakota supporters said they’d vote for Obama this fall, in early exit polls. Sixteen percent said they’d vote for McCain; roughly the same number, 17 percent, said they’d stay home altogether.

Among all Democratic primary voters in South Dakota, 55 percent said the party had been energized by the long primary season; 39 percent said it had had the opposite effect.

The tough primary slog may have taken a toll on party unity – is it temporary, or will it cost Democrats dearly this fall? Time will tell.

UPDATE: One more quick note: Clinton’s Montana voters were even more leery of Obama — one in four said they’d vote for presumptive Republican nominee John McCain this fall. And just over half in both states said they were not pleased with the party’s evident presidential pick.

Obama has his work cut out for him – and the level of Hillary Clinton’s support for him will be the big variable in this election-year equation.

(CNN) — In South Dakota, domestic-minded Democratic primary voters had a different pick than their foreign-policy focused peers.

Voters who said their top concern was the state of the nation’s economy voted for Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama, 58 to 42 percent. But those who said the war in Iraq was their No. 1 concern supported Obama over Clinton by an even wider margin: 61-39 percent.

Obama’s early opposition to the Iraq war has made him the top pick for voters most worried about that conflict – but are international concerns taking a back seat to economic woes?

A woman casts her ballot in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

(CNN) — We've talked all season about Barack Obama's problem with those white working class voters, those blue collar voters. Is that problem persisting?

Yes, it is. South Dakota’s Democratic primary voters with no college degree voted as their peers in previous contests had: for Hillary Clinton over Obama, 60-40 percent. Meanwhile, well-educated, white collar voters continue to back the Illinois senator. Take a look at college graduates in the state: they voted for Obama, 53 to 47 percent.

The effort to win over these working-class voters is just beginning for Obama – and it looks like he has his work cut out for him.

Watch Bill Schneider takes a look at the divisions within the Democratic Party.

(CNN) — Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider reports on the divisions within the Democratic Party that have surfaced in the long, hard-fought race for the party's presidential nomination.

Sen. Hillary Clinton greets patrons Sunday at a San Juan, Puerto Rico, bakery.

(CNN) — It was a clean sweep for Hillary Clinton in Puerto Rico in every demographic group, even those groups that are usually firmly in Barack Obama's camp.

The Illinois senator usually wins among males, young voters, those who attended college, and those with higher incomes.

But in the Puerto Rico primary, Clinton won 70 percent of the male vote, 65 percent of voters under 30, 70 percent of voters who attended college, and 66 percent of voters with an income of over $50,000.

Clinton also performed strongly among those demographic groups that have long constituted the backbone of her base.

She won 70 percent of female voters, 77 percent of those over 65, 69 percent who did not attend college, and 71 percent of voters with an income of $15,000 or less.

Sen. Clinton waves from her campaign caravan in Puerto Rico on Saturday.

(CNN) – CNN has projected that Hillary Clinton will win big in Puerto Rico. Why did she do so well there?

Two of the key reasons are her strong performance among those voters who favor statehood for Puerto Rico and her husband's popularity on the island.

According to CNN's exit polls, 60 percent of Puerto Ricans who participated in the primary favor statehood, and Clinton won 82 percent of those voters. Neither Clinton or Barack Obama have directly said they favor statehood for the island, but Clinton said earlier this week she thinks Puerto Ricans should be able to vote in the general election.

Bill Clinton's overwhelming popularity in Puerto Rico also gave the New York senator a boost. Just over 80 percent said they had a favorable view of the former president, and those voters went for Clinton by a 56 point margin, 78 percent to 22 percent. (Among the 15 percent who hold an unfavorable opinion of Bill Clinton, 76 percent voted for Obama.)

(CNN) – Hillary Clinton appears to be benefiting from her extensive campaigning in Puerto Rico.

The New York Democrat spent 6 of the last 7 days campaigning on the island, while Barack Obama only made one visit to the territory. Among those Puerto Rican voters who decided in the last week, Clinton has a 31 point advantage, 67 percent to 33 percent.

The vast majority of Puerto Rican voters (78 percent) also said the candidates' personal visits to the island — a rarity in previous presidential contests – had a big impact on how they voted.

(CNN) — Bill Clinton is a very popular figure among voters in Puerto Rico's Democratic primary, CNN's exit polls show.

Just over 80 percent give the former president a favorable rating, while only 15 percent hold a negative view of him.

The majority of Puerto Rican voters hold an unfavorable view of his successor, President Bush — but to a much lesser extent than Democrats on the mainland. According to the exit polls, 59 percent say they aren't happy with President Bush, while 39 percent hold a favorable rating.

Among Democrats in the United States, Bush's disapproval rating is above 90 percent. Why is he more popular among Puerto Rican voters? He ended the very unpopular Navy bombing exercises on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques in 2003, after six decades of escalating local opposition.

(CNN) — Puerto Rican voters appear to hold views in line with Democrats on the mainland.

According to CNN's exit polls, voters on the island rank the state of the economy as their top concern, and they overwhelmingly disapprove of the war in Iraq.

Sixty percent say the economy is the top issue, and 82 percent say they disapprove of the war in Iraq. Those numbers are nearly identical to what Democrats on the mainland have said in previous primary contests.

(CNN) — A majority of Puerto Rican voters have strong ties to the U.S. mainland and particularly to New York, according to CNN's exit polls.

Nearly 60 percent said they've lived on the mainland at one time, and 78 percent reported having family members who lived in New York, a fact that clearly advantages Clinton.

Puerto Rican Dems are divided over statehood.

(CNN) — An issue unique to Puerto Rico appears to be dividing supporters of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama: whether the current U.S. territory should become a state or not.

Neither candidate has taken a direct position on the issue, though Puerto Rico's former governor, who has advocated statehood, supports Clinton.

According to CNN's exclusive exit polls, Clinton supporters there heavily back statehood for the commonwealth, while Obama's do not. Among Clinton supporters, 72 percent want it to be a U.S. state, 23 percent want it to remain a commonwealth, and 2 percent want it to be an independent country.

But among Obama supporters, 57 percent want Puerto Rico to stay a commonwealth while only 34 percent want it to be a U.S. state. Eight percent want it to be an independent country.

Clinton's supporters in Puerto Rico say they won't be happy if Obama wins the nomination.

(CNN) – Puerto Rican voters appear to be as divided as Democrats on the mainland, according to CNN's exclusive exit polls.

Among Hillary Clinton's supporters there, 72 percent said they would not be satisfied if Barack Obama wins the Democratic nomination, while only 26 percent said they would be.

Obama's supporters were slightly more willing to support Clinton, but not very. Nearly 60 percent said they would be dissatisfied if the New York Democrat won the nomination, while only 38 percent said they would be satisfied.

Puerto Ricans are not eligible to vote in the general election.

Protesters voice their concerns outside the DNC headquarters on Capitol Hill in April.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — With just three contests left in the Democratic primary season, Sen. Hillary Clinton is making a big push for votes. But her presidential hopes may now hinge on a meeting of a Democratic Party panel.

At issue: Will Clinton's wins in the disputed Florida and Michigan primaries count at the convention?

On Saturday, the Democratic Party has to make two big choices: The first is how many delegates from Florida and Michigan to seat.

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