MADISON, Oct 29: President George Bush and Democrat challenger John Kerry parade personalities from sports and the entertainment world in their quest for voter support in what increasingly appears a photo-finish election.

Bush plans to roll out in Columbus, Ohio, baseball pitching ace Curt Schilling, fresh off a thrilling championship run by the Boston Red Sox, and Hollywood star-cum California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Kerry, fronted by rock legend Bruce Springsteen, on Thursday mustered the biggest rally of his presidential drive when some 80,000 people turned out to rock with the Democrat and The Boss in Wisconsin, adding high-octane harmonics to the campaign.

As usual, Iraq provided the fodder for a new round of rhetoric as the Democratic senator from Massachusetts, stumping in the critical state of Ohio, said the Republican's buck-passing refusal to own up to responsibility made him an unfit tenant of the Oval Office.

The mood among Bush campaign aides was of guarded optimism, but they apparently feel vulnerable. After telling reporters that Mr Bush would star in his final television commercial, they hastily stitched together a new attack ad that will hit markets where Mr Kerry is travelling. -AFP