Obama, Romney make last-minute pleas in close race

November 5, 2012 @ 12:19 pm


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Associated Press

LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) - President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney made last-minute pleas for votes Monday, employing their last vestiges of energy, celebrity boosters and plenty of jet fuel to encourage every supporter and the few remaining undecideds to tip the 2012 election in their favor.

National polls of the eve of Election Day showed a neck-and-neck race. But the winner will be determined by which man gets 270 electoral votes, and Obama had more paths to get there.

Ohio looms large in both of their victory plans _ it was the only state both candidates were visiting Monday. And Romney's campaign announced in the afternoon that the GOP nominee would come back on Election Day for a rally in the Cleveland area. Romney also planned a Tuesday stop in the Pittsburgh area.

The incumbent and the challenger, both fighting weariness and a hoarse voice, closed by arguing they could do more to lead the country out of the tough economic times that dominated Obama's term. "This nation is going to begin to change for the better tomorrow," Romney said.

"Our work is not yet done," Obama told nearly 20,000 people who filled the street in front of the Wisconsin capital building.

Both men campaigned in states they need to win. Romney was in Florida, Virginia, and New Hampshire, while Obama was trying to protect Wisconsin from a late-breaking GOP challenge before heading to Iowa.

And in an indication of just how all-important Ohio was once again to the future occupancy of the White House, both candidates planned to be on the ground in Columbus in the evening for dueling rallies several hours and seven miles apart. The state has gone for the winner in every presidential election since 1964.

While Romney added more campaigning for Tuesday, Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the president would stay in Chicago for his election night rally and reach swing-state voters through a series of radio and television interviews.

Both candidates were also hoping to benefit from some star power. Romney planned a final rally in the day's final hour in New Hampshire with Kid Rock while country rock performers The Marshall Tucker Band was joining him in Columbus. Obama had actors Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Rock doing urban radio interviews, "Mad Men" star Jon Hamm making calls in Colorado, rapper Jay-Z joining him in Columbus and rock legend Bruce Springsteen as his traveling warm-up act.

"He promised me a ride on Air Force One," Springsteen said, strumming his guitar as he made a political pitch between songs.

The rivals planned to appeal to pro football fans in the eleventh hour, taping interviews with ESPN's Chris Berman that will air during halftime of the Monday Night Football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New Orleans Saints.

Both candidates predicted the winner will be determined by which of their operations can get the most supporters to the polls. "This is going to be a turnout election," the president declared in an interview broadcast early Monday as he pleaded with urban radio listeners to get to the polls.

On the edge of an airport runway in Lynchburg, Va., Romney called on his supporters to "make sure we get everyone we know out to vote on Election Day." "Every single vote," he said, speaking within view of Liberty University and after its chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. rallied the conservative faithful in the crowd.

Obama raised the possibility of defeat as he pleaded with listeners of The Rickey Smiley Morning Show to get to the polls. "If we don't turn out the vote, we could lose a lot of the gains we've already made," Obama said.

It was one of two of the president's radio interviews airing Monday aimed at turning out minority voters, the other with a Spanish-language station in Ohio. The president is relying on black and Hispanic voters to help offset Romney's lead with white men in particular, but the risk for him is that some of those key supporters aren't as motivated to vote as they were in 2008.

"Four years ago, we had incredible turnout and I know people were excited and energized about the prospect of making history," Obama said. "We have to preserve the gains we've made and keep moving forward."

A final national NBC/Wall Street Journal Poll showed Obama getting the support of 48 percent of likely voters, with Romney receiving 47 percent. A Washington Post-ABC News tracking poll had Obama at 49 and Romney at 48. A Pew Research Center poll released Sunday showed Obama with a 3-point-point edge over Romney, 48 percent to 45 percent among likely voters.

Obama dispatched former President Bill Clinton to Pennsylvania on Monday to keep the state in his column. First lady Michelle Obama went south to North Carolina and Florida. Vice President Joe Biden made a final reach in Virginia, while Romney running mate Paul Ryan was covering the most ground, flying to Nevada, Colorado, Iowa, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The hunt for swing voters was so concentrated that Biden and Romney crossed paths in northern Virginia, the vice president's motorcade pulling past Romney's plane on the tarmac at Dulles International Airport as the GOP nominee prepared to leave the aircraft. Stopping for lunch at Mimi's Cafe in nearby Sterling, Va., Biden confidently predicted: "It's all over but the shouting."

Meanwhile, about 30 million people have already voted in 34 states and the District of Columbia, either by mail or in person, although no ballots will be counted until Election Day, Tuesday. More than 4 million of the ballots were cast in Florida, where Democrats filed a lawsuit demanding an extension of available time. A judge granted their request in one county where an early voting site was shut down for several hours Saturday because of a bomb scare.

___

Pickler reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Jim Kuhnhenn and Julie Pace in Madison, Wis., Ken Thomas and Stephen Ohlemacher in Washington, Matthew Daly in Sterling, Va., and Steve Peoples in Lynchburg, Va., contributed to this report.


(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Comments (64)


  • Add A Comment

  • mpgunner wrote...
    Biden - a joke
    October 11, 2012 9:55 pm
    Man, he is second in line. Scary.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • C"mon Man wrote...
    No news here
    October 11, 2012 10:05 pm
    What I saw was the NE,NYC,Media backed,Hollywood supported VP, VS. a fly-over state bottom line guy. VP looked well versed in selling his snake oil,Ryan looked like a whistle blower who was being marginalized by the VP who is set for life as a result of his rise to VP. His supporters will vote for him regardless, that's why he made the debate a inside look at his power perch, with a robot-like following.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Publius wrote...
    The sad thing is
    October 11, 2012 10:07 pm
    Neither Jim Gray nor Cherie Honkala were there, and nobody in the new media is even mentioning about it.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rangerhawk wrote...
    America can now rest assure
    October 11, 2012 10:33 pm
    That the current VP is an A-hole too.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Joe Biden
    October 11, 2012 11:00 pm
    Is a rude, condescending, arrogant, obnoxious, washed up, alcoholic, career politician who epitomizes everything that is wrong with our government and especially the Democrat party. I am embarrassed that he is the Vice President of this great country! What a Jackass!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    Condescending is the Joe Biden schtick
    October 12, 2012 6:31 am
    Remember 'gonna put you back in chains...' ?

    Even remember 'articulate and clean'. ? ........ and THAT guy is his boss, now.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Sean wrote...
    Maplesih, I couldn't have said it better myself.
    October 12, 2012 7:12 am
    You nailed that one.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hpitantso wrote...
    Condescending
    October 11, 2012 11:22 pm
    Fishmaple grown men have been know to be condescending to young bucks nature ofthe debate been there done that. Ryan didnt bring facts with the RHETORIC over all fair debate both sides
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    hpitantso
    October 11, 2012 11:37 pm
    Ryan didnt bring facts...

    Actually, the moderator kept asking Ryan for facts and everytime he started to list them either Biden or the moderator would interrupt him. The moderator was pretty aweful...Biden was Biden...an arrogant, condescending twit, in other words, a model democrat. And that's why you'll find democrats by and large are pretty happy with Biden's "performance".

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    The Moderator was BIASED as hell
    October 12, 2012 4:47 am
    Nuf said.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Biden
    October 12, 2012 7:14 am
    Interrupted Ryan 82 times. Biden made faces, laughed repeatedly and would not shut the eF up long enough for Ryan to even answer the question. Again, the actions of a desperate, lying JACKASS!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • DJFavorite wrote...
    Behavior vs Content
    October 12, 2012 4:22 am
    I think Biden was rude. (Even though I caught Ryan interrupting a couple times, it wasn't near in the manner Biden did.) Based on that I wasn't impressed with Biden at all. Now when it came to the actual content they presented, I thought the debate was a draw. They both called out each other on inconsistencies, and both presented good arguments.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Joe got the Job Done . . . .
    October 12, 2012 4:47 am
    47% - Medicare - Social Security - Bushes two unpaid wars - 2014 - Auto bail out - UI under 8% - Ryan's numbers don't up and best of all saved the Country from the Depression. The deal will be sealed in next debate. Mr Flopper 'will' be pinned down in next debate. Trust me [his favor line].
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    He already said he erred on the 47%
    October 12, 2012 5:20 am
    Social Security is screwed up

    Auto Bail out started with Bush and continued by Obama and both GM and Chrysler have not paid it back and are failing. Plus ask Delphi workers about their lost jobs and pensions. Also Under Bush it was temporary, under Obama its seems to be permanent as they wrote off a lot and they have only paid 1/2 back. It was a Union BUY OFF for Obama. They should have been forced into Chapter 11 and start over.

    UI under 8% yea the Fake UI3. Check what the UI6 is (where they count everyone including those that quit looking). Its stayed the same when the FAKE UI3 mysteriously dropped

    SAVED IT FROM DEPRESSION .. don't make me laugh 16 TRILLION dollars in Debt and GROWING. That's not saving us from depression, and Leading Economists that are not biased are all saying if allowed to continue towards 25Trillion at that point we will see a 90% drop in stocks and 50% unemployment.

    Your so Biased it isnt funny CH and I have yet to figure out why your so afraid.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Sean wrote...
    EWell said, Rick W7PSK
    October 12, 2012 7:14 am
    CH needs a little eduction.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Sean wrote...
    Ooops...
    October 12, 2012 7:15 am
    ...make that "educAtion." Maybe I do too!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    CH - enough of this war' crap.
    October 12, 2012 6:36 am
    Oz thinks so much of Afghanistan that he's keeping it going.

    With the promise of 2014? ... Wasn't that supposed to be 2010 once ?

    But, then, Oz DOES have a way with 'numbers'.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Biden
    October 12, 2012 7:23 am
    Threw his own intelligence agency under the bus. The White House is knee deep in S * * t covering up their incompetence in the Libya Embassy debacle and Biden is still LYING about the lack of and denial of security requested repeatedly, by Ambassador Stevens. The entire Obama administration is a dog & pony show and needs to be help responsible for the Rape, Torture & Murder of Ambassador Stevens and the Three Brave Navy Seals....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Ryan's numbers don't ADD up
    October 12, 2012 4:49 am
    .
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    CH
    October 12, 2012 6:26 am
    Ryan's numbers don't ADD up

    They do, but you'd have to have a slight grasp of economics to understand it, which is why the left is confused...or do they understand are just being dishonest? It's always so hard to tell with progressives.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cbrew wrote...
    No... Actually the numbers don't add up
    October 12, 2012 8:14 am
    Ryan and Romney have been touting a tax plan that WILL in fact add to the national debt or will require that they increase taxes or cut services.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    Cbrew
    October 12, 2012 7:15 pm
    No... Actually the numbers don't add up

    As I said, you'd have to have a grasp of basic economics to understand...you've self identified in the group that doesn't get it.

    I'll give you a hint...what happens when you change the aize of the pie?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    aize = size
    October 12, 2012 7:15 pm
    yet again it'd be nice to have an edit feature.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    I did not see the debate
    October 12, 2012 5:23 am
    but it sounds like Chains simply was Parroting left wing party line talking points.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }