With less than a week to go before the general elections in the US, presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain are stumping in key swing states, trying to get every last supporter to the polls.

 At an outdoor event in the state's capital, Raleigh, Obama sharpened his tone against his Republican opponent, and defended his own tax policy.

McCain, meanwhile, is fighting for his political survival in another battleground state - the always crucial Florida.

In an attempt to target another key sector of the Republican base - the Cuban-American population in Miami - McCain brought up former Cuban President Fidel Castro and his brother. He said he would only negotiate "with them after they empty the political prisons."

From Florida, McCain is scheduled to return to the hotly contested battleground of Ohio for two more days of campaigning.