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Obama: "It's Going To Be Close"

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

INDIANAPOLIS -- Barack Obama spent his final hours of campaigning in the Hoosier state this morning, where he predicted the race will be tight. "I think it's going to be close," he told voters a restaurant here. "I don't think anybody really knows exactly what's going to happen."

Realizing that the results from tonight's primaries could change the dynamic of the race for Democratic nomination, Obama wants to ensure that there is a high turnout at the polls today. In past contests, a high voter turnout has worked in his favor. "I need everybody's help, I need everybody to vote tomorrow, take your friends take your family, go out there and vote," Obama said late last night as he met with workers during a plant shift change. "This is going to be a close race, every single vote is really going to count."

Obama's final push in Indiana and North Carolina has been intense, as he bounced back and forth between the two states. His days have been jam packed with small retail stops, and although he may be visibly tired, Obama appears determined to push on. "We're campaigning hard. I've been up since five this morning," he said. "We were shaking hands at the Ford plant until about 12:30 last night. We were in the studios at about five o'clock for interviews. We're just going to keep on going until we win."

The sense of uncertainty comes as no surprise, since most polls show Obama and Hillary Clinton in a dead heat. Both candidates realize the stakes are high today, and neither seems prepared to easily give up on the nomination.

Today, the Obama campaign is looking for a high turnout amongst college students in North Carolina and Indiana. They are also looking to peel off voters who typically side with Hillary Clinton, such as senior citizens and white working class voters.

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