Obama hits back as Clinton heads to Wisconsin

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent

WAUSAU, Wis (Reuters) - Barack Obama hit back at rival Hillary Clinton on Saturday as she prepared to join him in Wisconsin, which stages the next Democratic presidential battle in three days.

Obama, a first-term Illinois senator, has beaten Clinton in the last eight contests and gained the upper hand in their duel to become their party's White House nominee in November's election.

Obama has spent four days in Wisconsin since his last round of victories last Tuesday and has a slight lead in opinion polls in the state. Clinton has focused on March 4 votes in Ohio and Texas, hoping victories there will revive her hopes.

Obama launched another advertisement on Saturday responding to Clinton's recent attacks. The New York senator has criticized him as providing more talk than action, and aired two ads in Wisconsin this week attacking his refusal to debate in the state and his health care and retirement plans.

"After 18 debates, with two more coming, Hillary says Barack Obama is ducking debates? It's the same old politics," an announcer says in Obama's new ad. The two are scheduled to debate next week in Texas and the next week in Ohio.

"The question is not who has got the policies," Obama said at a rally in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. "The question is who can get them done, who can bring people together."

Obama and Clinton were to appear separately on Saturday evening at a party dinner in Milwaukee. Clinton will campaign in the state on Sunday and Monday before Tuesday's vote.

Democrats in Hawaii also vote on Tuesday but Obama, who was born in the state, is expected to win there. Wisconsin and Hawaii have a combined 94 delegates who select the nominee at the party convention in August at stake.