MANCHESTER, N.H. — Republican Rudy Giuliani compared Hillary Rodham Clinton to 1972 Democratic nominee George McGovern on Wednesday and chided his rival for adding a Southern lilt to her voice as he intensified his criticism.

Adding to the perception that she's unstoppable, Clinton picked up the endorsement of the 1.4 million-member American Federation of Teachers, increasing her union nods to six.

Other candidates trying to topple the two national front-runners courted voters in early voting states.

Three months before voting begins, polls show Clinton solidifying her months-long advantage for the Democratic nomination while the Republican race remains fluid. Giuliani, the former New York mayor, leads in national surveys, but GOP rivals Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson and John McCain are in strong contention in various key states.

Positioning himself as the one Republican able to thwart another Clinton presidency, Giuliani lambasted Clinton's recent comments about giving a $5,000 savings bond to every U.S.-born baby.

"It's interesting that Hillary is taking something from the George McGovern playbook," Giuliani said in Manchester, N.H., likening her idea to the former South Dakota senator's proposal to send $1,000 to every U.S. resident.

In the 1972 election, Giuliani liked McGovern and his ideas enough to vote for him for president. The liberal lawmaker lost in a landslide to President Nixon.

Without naming Clinton, Giuliani also alluded to an appearance this past spring in Selma, Ala., in which she slipped into what sounded like a Southern accent before a largely black audience.

Asked by reporters whether he can win religious conservative votes, Giuliani said: "I don't have a different program for one group or another. I don't have a different accent for different parts of the country."

Clinton spokesman Phil Singer responded: "It's unfortunate that the mayor's entire campaign is premised on attacking others instead of talking about what he would do if elected."

Giuliani made the comments in New Hampshire, where he sought to capitalize on poll numbers showing him gaining ground. He also started running a radio ad there emphasizing his executive experience and fiscal record.

As he toured local eateries, a potential controversy threatened his campaign.

Roman Catholic Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis, who four years ago said he'd refuse Holy Communion to Democratic nominee John Kerry, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he would deny Communion to Giuliani, a Catholic whose support of abortion rights contradicts church teaching.

Responding, Giuliani told reporters in New Hampshire: "Archbishops have a right to their opinion."

In Washington, Clinton reveled in the support of the national school employees' union, which planned to immediately begin mobilizing voters in support of her nationwide.

"Our members have told us that they want a leader they can trust to strengthen public education, increase access to health care, promote common sense economic priorities and secure America's place in the world," AFT President Edward J. McElroy said. "Hillary Clinton is that leader."

She was the target of John Edwards' ire in Portsmouth, N.H., where he accused her of failing to do enough to end the war.

"She said that she would continue to conduct combat missions in Iraq. My view is if you're not ending combat missions and combat operations, you're not ending the war," Edwards said _ even though he recently couldn't guarantee that all U.S. combat troops would be out by 2013 if president. Neither could she.

The former North Carolina senator also called for limiting the role of security contractors in Iraq like Blackwater USA, which is under investigation for its role in Baghdad killings. He said he would transfer most security missions back to military command.

In early voting Iowa, rival Barack Obama announced a plan to force Iraq war contractors to follow federal law. "We cannot win a fight for hearts and minds when we outsource critical missions to unaccountable contractors," the Illinois senator said at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

Also in the state, Thompson toured an ethanol plant in Nevada, Iowa, and acknowledged that he has reversed his position on subsidies for the corn-based fuel.

"I have voted against subsidies in the Senate," the former Tennessee senator said. "But I think it's a matter now of national security and we've got to avail ourselves of a lot of different resources, and I think renewable has to be a part of that picture."

Campaigning in South Carolina, McCain said President Bush should have urged citizens to join the military or volunteer after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

"I think Americans would have responded overwhelmingly," the Arizona senator said at the Camden Military Academy in Camden, S.C. He made the comment after shelving a prepared speech that was highly critical of Clinton.

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Sidoti reported from Washington. Associated Press Writers Nedra Pickler in Washington, Amy Lorentzen in Iowa City, Iowa, Mike Glover in Nevada, Iowa, Philip Elliott in Portsmouth, N.H., and Jim Davenport in Camden, S.C., contributed to this report.