Candidates sprint to Election Day

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- The final 48 hours before Election Day had both major-party U.S. presidential candidates making their last-minute pleas for support in key states Sunday.

Democratic candidate Barack Obama has scheduled appearances in the battleground state of Ohio Sunday in Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati. The normally Republican stronghold is considered a toss-up.

Republican candidate John McCain was scheduled to visit several cities in Pennsylvania in hopes of carrying the reliably Democratic state. McCain also is scheduled to visit Petersborough, N.H., for a town hall meeting, and travel to Miami for an evening rally.

GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, meanwhile, has several campaign stops scheduled in Ohio.

Obama's running mate Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, have several stops in Florida, another toss-up state, on their Sunday itinerary.

Obama finished the day Saturday with a stop in Springfield, Mo., where CNN reported he urged his supporters to keep up their efforts, saying, "We can't afford to slow down or let up in these next few days."

McCain closed the day in New York, where he made an appearance on "Saturday Night Live." It was his third appearance on the NBC show, but his first this year, CNN said.