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Obama casts ballot in Chicago in push to secure early voters Obama casts ballot in Chicago in push to secure early voters
(35 minutes later)
Barack Obama became the first president to take advantage of early voting when he cast his ballot in Chicago on Thursday, a move he hopes will inject urgency into his campaign's relentless push to lock up early voters, a major part of a strategy designed to deliver a second White House term. Barack Obama became the first president to take advantage of early voting by casting his ballot in Chicago on Thursday, which he hopes will inject urgency into his campaign's relentless push to lock up early voters, a major part of a strategy designed to deliver a second White House term.
As new fundraising figures were released that took election spending for the first time over the $1bn mark, the battle has become focused almost exclusively on the ground operations and getting out the vote. As new fundraising figures showing election spending is for the first time over the $1bn (£620,000) mark, the battle is focused almost exclusively getting out the vote.
With 12 days left to polling day, voting is under way in 32 states, with an estimated 8 million people having cast their ballot. With 11 days left to polling day, voting is under way in 32 states, with an estimated 8 million people having cast their ballot. The percentage taking advantage of early voting is far higher than in 2008, especially in the swing states, testimony to the intensity of the door-to-door operations.
The percentage taking advantage of early voting is significantly higher than in 2008 and much higher in the swing states, testament to the intensity of the door-to-door operations. Obama has a substantial lead in early voting. The president, dispensing with the usual ritual of voting on election day to provide television footage, returned to his hometown to raise awareness about voting early by casting his ballot. At the voting station, he said: "This is the first time a president's ever going to be early voting."
The president, dispensing with the usual ritual of voting on election day to provide footage for television crews, returned to his hometown in order to raise awareness about voting early. He was asked for his driver's licence and joked: "Now ignore the fact that there's no grey hair in that picture." The official who took his licence gave it the sceptical examination that has become routine when dealing with officialdom in America. Obama laughed and mimicked her expression, before heading off to cast his ballot, presumably for himself and other Democrats on the long list of candidates seeking office.
The Obama team is backing the move with an ad warning that relatively few votes determined the outcome of the 2000 election. The ad is entitled 537, the number of votes that gave George W Bush victory in Florida. That is "the difference between what was and what could have been", says the ad, which is to air in the battleground states. The Obama team is backing this up with an ad warning that only a relatively few votes determined the outcome of the 2000 election. The ad is titled 537, the number of votes that gave Bush victory in Florida – "the difference between what was and what could have been".
"So this year if you're thinking that your vote doesn't count, that it won't matter, well, back then there were probably 537 people who felt the same way. Make your voice heard," the ad says."So this year if you're thinking that your vote doesn't count, that it won't matter, well, back then there were probably 537 people who felt the same way. Make your voice heard," the ad says.
The Democratic push reflects concern that apathy might see supporters fail to make the effort to vote on 6 November, especially if the weather is bad. It also ties up votes in case of any last-minute surprises such as bad unemployment figures just days before polling day. Obama's campaign spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said Obama was ahead of where he was four years ago in terms of early voting and winning in Iowa, Ohio and Wisconsin. The president's early vote would send a signal to voters that "this is something they should do too," she said.
Traditionally, Republicans tend to be better at turning out in large numbers on election day. The Democratic push reflects concern that apathy might see supporters fail to make the effort to vote on 6 November, especially if the weather is bad. It also pre-empts any last-minute surprises such as bad unemployment figures.
Professor Michael McDonald, a professor at George Mason University who monitors early voting, said that almost 400,000 people had already cast their vote in Iowa, about 30% of the likely final vote, and about one million in Ohio, about 20%. Republicans tend to be better at turning out in large numbers on election day.
"In Iowa, you could conclude that Obama is not doing as well as in 2008, when he won by 9%. The early voting shows him with a smaller lead than 2008, but still ahead by 4% to 5%," McDonald said. "In Ohio, who knows? It is just a mess, with lots of activity by both campaigns." Michael McDonald, associate professor at George Mason University, who monitors early voting, said almost 400,000 had cast their vote in Iowa, about 30% of the likely final tally, and about one million in Ohio, around 20%.
He added: "If I was a betting man, I would put it on Obama… If Obama wins Wisconsin, Ohio and Iowa, he wins. If Romney loses Iowa, it is difficult for him. If he loses Ohio, it is almost impossible for him to win. It all comes down to Ohio. Ohio is ground zero." "In Iowa, you could conclude that Obama is not doing as well as in 2008 when he won by 9%. The early voting shows him with a smaller lead than 2008, but still ahead by 4% to 5%," McDonald said. "In Ohio, who knows? It is just a mess, with lots of activity by both campaigns."
Reflecting that, both Romney and Obama spent at least part of the day in Ohio. Obama, on the second day of a tour that takes in eight states, was scheduled to speak in Cleveland while Romney had three stops in Ohio. He added: "If I was a betting man, I would put it on Obama. If he wins Wisconsin, Ohio and Iowa, he wins. If Romney loses Iowa, it is difficult for him. If he loses Ohio, it is almost impossible for him to win. It all comes down to Ohio."
The Romney campaign released its latest fundraising figures Thursday, a big haul over the first few weeks of this month. It raised $111.8m between 1 and 17 October. Figures to be submitted to the Federal Election Commission show there were 794,958 donations to the Romney campaign, 92% of them of $250 or less. It has $169m cash in hand. Reflecting that, both Romney and Obama spent part of the day in Ohio.
/>The Romney campaign released its latest fundraising figures, showing a big haul over the first few weeks of this month. It raised $111.8m between October 1 and 17. Figures for the Federal Election Commission show there were 794,958 donations to the Romney campaign, 92% of them of $250 or less. It has $169m cash in hand.
Obama received a boost when George W Bush's secretary of state, Colin Powell, came out in favour of the president, just as he did in 2008.Obama received a boost when George W Bush's secretary of state, Colin Powell, came out in favour of the president, just as he did in 2008.
"You know, I voted for him in 2008 and I plan to stick with him in 2012 and will vote for him and vice-president Joe Biden next month," Powell told CBS News. "So that's an endorsement for President Obama for re-election." "You know, I voted for him in 2008 and I plan to stick with him in 2012 and will vote for him and vice-president Joe Biden next month," Powell told CBS News. He praised Obama for his handling of the economic mess and for ending the war in Iraq, both inherited from Bush.
Powell praised Obama for his handling of the economic mess he inherited
/>from Bush and for ending the war in Iraq, also inherited from Bush. Powell expressed concern about what he said where Romney's changing positions on foreign and economic policy. 		Meanwhile, the normally disciplined Obama made a gaffe that could anger Republicans, indirectly describing Mitt Romney in a Rolling Stone magazine interview as a "bullshitter".
Meanwhile, the normally disciplined Obama made a gaffe that could fire up Republicans, indirectly describing Mitt Romney in a magazine interview as a "bullshitter". McDonald warned that this remark could provoke Republicans. "Coaches warn players not to badmouth the other team. You do not want to rile them up."
The president made the off-the-cuff comment to Rolling Stone. Douglas Brinkley, who wrote up the interview, said: "We arrived at the Oval Office for our 45-minute interview… on the morning of 11 October. As we left the Oval Office, executive editor Eric Bates told Obama that he had asked his six-year-old if there was anything she wanted him to say to the president. She said: 'Tell him: You can do it.' Obama grinned. 'You know, kids have good instincts. They look at the other guy and say: 'Well, that's a bullshitter, I can tell.'"
McDonald warned that this remark could provoke a backlash among Republicans. "Coaches warn players not to bad-mouth the other team. You do not want to rile them up. It looks like a gaffe to me."