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A Final Push in Swing States, in a Bid to Break the Stalemate In Final Push, an Appeal to the Center as Well as the Base
(about 1 hour later)
WASHINGTON — President Obama and Mitt Romney embraced dueling imperatives as they began their sprint to the finish on Tuesday: trying to close the sale with moderate and undecided voters through high-minded appeals and a centrist tone even as they sought to energize their ideological bases and disqualify each other with a barrage of new attacks. President Obama and Mitt Romney embraced dueling imperatives as they began their sprint to the finish on Tuesday: trying to close the sale with moderate and undecided voters through high-minded appeals and a centrist tone even as they sought to energize their ideological bases and disqualify each other with a barrage of new attacks.
Mr. Obama seized on both tasks quickly on Tuesday, emerging from his final debate with Mr. Romney to unveil a slick booklet restating his second-term agenda and a gauzy television ad in which he looks into the camera and declares: “It’s an honor to be your president, and I’m asking for your vote.” Mr. Obama seized on both tasks quickly on Tuesday, emerging from his final debate with Mr. Romney to unveil a slick booklet restating his second-term agenda and a television ad in which he looks into the camera and declares: “It’s an honor to be your president, and I’m asking for your vote.”
At an enthusiastic rally of about 11,000 supporters in Delray Beach, Fla., Mr. Obama referred to the agenda, saying, “look right here and find out what it is I intend to do in a second term.” Aides said they are printing 3.5 million copies of the pamphlet to mail and hand out in battleground states. At an enthusiastic rally of about 11,000 supporters in Delray Beach, Fla., Mr. Obama referred to the agenda, saying, “look right here and find out what it is I intend to do in a second term.” Aides said they were printing 3.5 million copies of the pamphlet to mail and hand out in battleground states.
But moments later, Mr. Obama returned to his urgent effort to disqualify Mr. Romney as a legitimate successor in the Oval Office. The Republican candidate, he said, wants to “turn back the clock 50 years for immigrants and gays and women” and is pursuing a foreign policy that is “all over the map.” But moments later, Mr. Obama returned to his urgent effort to disqualify Mr. Romney as a legitimate successor in the Oval Office. Mr. Romney, he said, wants to “turn back the clock 50 years for immigrants and gays and women” and is pursuing a foreign policy that is “all over the map.”
Mr. Romney will begin his post-debate travels on Tuesday with his running mate, Representative Paul D. Ryan, as both men campaign in Nevada and Colorado. On Wednesday, Mr. Romney will make another stop in Nevada and then continue on to Iowa. Mr. Romney began his post-debate travels on Tuesday with his running mate, Representative Paul D. Ryan, in Nevada and Colorado. On Wednesday, Mr. Romney will make another stop in Nevada and then continue on to Iowa.
With polls suggesting that Mr. Romney has seized momentum in the race, the president’s top strategists said they will make final appeals to independents, moderates, women and members of minority groups even as they offer lacerating assessments of Mr. Romney’s lack of qualifications or credibility. With polls suggesting that Mr. Romney has seized momentum in the race, the president’s top strategists said they would make final appeals to independents, moderates, women and members of minority groups even as they offer lacerating assessments of Mr. Romney’s lack of qualifications or credibility.
“I think it is a single message,” David Axelrod, the president’s top strategist, said Tuesday morning. He said Mr. Obama’s “strong message” contrasts sharply with a Republican candidate who is “uncertain, unsteady, and whose policies have been consistently wrong.”“I think it is a single message,” David Axelrod, the president’s top strategist, said Tuesday morning. He said Mr. Obama’s “strong message” contrasts sharply with a Republican candidate who is “uncertain, unsteady, and whose policies have been consistently wrong.”
Mr. Romney’s campaign responded by pointing to what they said are “increasingly desperate attacks” and issued a memorandum to reporters dismissing Mr. Obama’s agenda as nothing more than a “glossy pamphlet.” Lanhee Chen, Mr. Romney’s policy director, accused the president’s administration of “intellectual bankruptcy.” Mr. Romney’s campaign responded by pointing to what they said were “increasingly desperate attacks” and issued a memorandum to reporters dismissing Mr. Obama’s agenda as nothing more than a “glossy pamphlet.” Lanhee Chen, Mr. Romney’s policy director, accused the president’s administration of “intellectual bankruptcy.”
The tone was an abrupt shift from Monday night’s debate, when Mr. Romney aimed squarely for the political center and repeatedly agreed with the president even as Mr. Obama launched a barrage of attacks. By Tuesday, Mr. Romney’s reticence to challenge his rival was gone as his campaign released a television ad accusing the president of apologizing for America around the world.The tone was an abrupt shift from Monday night’s debate, when Mr. Romney aimed squarely for the political center and repeatedly agreed with the president even as Mr. Obama launched a barrage of attacks. By Tuesday, Mr. Romney’s reticence to challenge his rival was gone as his campaign released a television ad accusing the president of apologizing for America around the world.
“The president began with an apology tour, of going to various nations and criticizing America,” Mr. Romney says in the ad. He said America’s adversaries “looked at that and saw weakness.”“The president began with an apology tour, of going to various nations and criticizing America,” Mr. Romney says in the ad. He said America’s adversaries “looked at that and saw weakness.”
Both men immediately fanned out across the country for a final blitz of the seven or eight battleground states that their advisers believe will decide who can claim 270 electoral votes to win on election day. Mr. Obama opened in Florida with the first of three rallies on Tuesday before starting a 48-hour, six-state blitz on Wednesday. Mr. Romney flew to Nevada for his late-night rally, leaving Tuesday’s stage largely to Mr. Obama. Both men immediately fanned out across the country for a final blitz of the seven or eight battleground states that their advisers believe will decide who can claim 270 electoral votes to win on Election Day. Mr. Obama opened in Florida with the first of three rallies on Tuesday before starting a 48-hour, six-state blitz on Wednesday. Mr. Romney flew to Nevada for his late-night rally, leaving Tuesday’s stage largely to Mr. Obama.
The brutal, final push will take the president and Mr. Romney to just about every region of the country multiple times in the next 14 days. There are competitive battleground states in the South, the West, the Midwest, the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. None can be taken lightly in a race that remains very close.The brutal, final push will take the president and Mr. Romney to just about every region of the country multiple times in the next 14 days. There are competitive battleground states in the South, the West, the Midwest, the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. None can be taken lightly in a race that remains very close.
Mr. Obama’s six-state swing on Wednesday will begin with stops in Davenport, Iowa; Denver, Las Vegas and a brief stop in Los Angeles to tape an appearance on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno. On Thursday, Mr. Obama will be back in Florida and Ohio, as well as Virginia. Mr. Obama’s six-state swing will begin on Wednesday with stops in Davenport, Iowa; Denver, Las Vegas and a brief stop in Los Angeles to tape an appearance on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno. On Thursday, Mr. Obama will be back in Florida and Ohio, as well as Virginia.
With voting already underway in many of the most competitive states, strategists for both sides predicted that victory is within reach after a long and contentious political summer. With voting already under way in many of the most competitive states, strategists for both sides predicted that victory was within reach after a long and contentious political summer.
Strategists for the Republican campaign said Mr. Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, enters the final two weeks having upended the race’s summertime dynamic and in a position to win the presidency. Mr. Obama’s double-digit leads from a month ago in national and state surveys have largely shrunk or evaporated.Strategists for the Republican campaign said Mr. Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, enters the final two weeks having upended the race’s summertime dynamic and in a position to win the presidency. Mr. Obama’s double-digit leads from a month ago in national and state surveys have largely shrunk or evaporated.
“As much as President Obama might try, you can’t gloss over four years like the last four,” Mr. Chen wrote for Mr. Romney’s campaign. “And you can’t fool the American people into thinking you have a real plan for the future when all you are offering is more of the same.”“As much as President Obama might try, you can’t gloss over four years like the last four,” Mr. Chen wrote for Mr. Romney’s campaign. “And you can’t fool the American people into thinking you have a real plan for the future when all you are offering is more of the same.”
Aides to the president expressed confidence in the voter turnout organization they have spent years building. Jim Messina, the president’s campaign manager, said the Democratic effort is outperforming the 2008 campaign in many places. He predicted that turnout among young people and minorities is likely to be higher than most people expect.Aides to the president expressed confidence in the voter turnout organization they have spent years building. Jim Messina, the president’s campaign manager, said the Democratic effort is outperforming the 2008 campaign in many places. He predicted that turnout among young people and minorities is likely to be higher than most people expect.
And Mr. Obama’s advisers dismissed concerns about polls showing the race tightening. They said they always expected that to happen and that the large number of public polls created an “illusion of volatility” in the race.And Mr. Obama’s advisers dismissed concerns about polls showing the race tightening. They said they always expected that to happen and that the large number of public polls created an “illusion of volatility” in the race.
“We have the ball. We have the lead. We have a great push-off as a result of these last two very strong debate performance,” Mr. Axelrod said. “I’m just telling you guys: We know what we know and they know what they know.” “We have the ball. We have the lead. We have a great push-off as a result of these last two very strong debate performances,” Mr. Axelrod said. “I’m just telling you guys: We know what we know and they know what they know.”
He added: “We will know who’s bluffing in two weeks.”He added: “We will know who’s bluffing in two weeks.”
Before leaving Florida Tuesday morning, Mr. Obama urged his supporters to goto the polls on Saturday, when early voting in the state begins. Seeking to blunt criticism that he has not been specific about proposals he would pursue in second term, he held up a newly printed brochure of his jobs and education plans, and pronounced that his “math adds up.” Before leaving Florida Tuesday morning, Mr. Obama urged his supporters to go to the polls on Saturday, when early voting in the state begins. Seeking to blunt criticism that he has not been specific about proposals he would pursue in second term, he held up a newly printed brochure of his jobs and education plans, and pronounced that his “math adds up.”
“Compare my plan to Governor Romney’s,” Mr. Obama said.“Compare my plan to Governor Romney’s,” Mr. Obama said.
He then delivered a no-holds-barred assault on Mr. Romney, accusing his Republican rival of changing his positions so many times that he needs Obamacare to cover his pre-existing condition of “Romnesia.” He then delivered a no-holds-barred assault on Mr. Romney, accusing his Republican rival of changing his positions so many times that he needed Obamacare to cover his pre-existing condition of “Romnesia.”

Helene Cooper contributed reporting from Delray Beach, Fla.