Obama, Romney focus on battleground states

LOS ANGELES

On Tuesday, the candidates were in Ohio, a battleground state where the stakes could not be higher. No Republican has won the presidency without winning Ohio.

And with the poll numbers showing Mitt Romney gaining in that key state, President Barack Obama is fighting back with the use of a humorous attack ad featuring Big Bird. Again on Tuesday, the president kept up his attack on Romney's promise to stop funding public broadcasting.

"Elmo's making a run for the border. Oscar's hiding out in his trash can. Gov. Romney plans to let Wall Street run wild again, but he's going to bring the hammer down on Sesame Street," the president said.

At an Obama rally, singer will.i.am warmed up the crowd with the theme song for "Sesame Street," and a Big Bird banner was flown over a Romney rally. The Obama campaign's Big Bird ad mocking Romney has ruffled some feathers with the Sesame Workshop. Producers are asking the campaign to take down the ad, saying they're nonpartisan and do not take part in political campaigns.

Also Tuesday, the president appealed to Ohio college students to cast their ballots early. The president is trying to build momentum after the latest Gallup poll shows Romney with a two-point lead among likely voters.

"I need you ready to go to vote, because we've got some work to do. We've got an election to win, everything that we fought for in 2008 is on the line in 2012," Mr. Obama said.

"President Obama's rallies and they chant, 'four more years, four more years.' Today, there's 28 more days before the election. I think the right chant ought to be for them, 'four more weeks, four more weeks,'" Romney told a crowd.

Meantime, the pressure is on for Vice President Joe Biden and Paul Ryan this Thursday as the two square off in the only vice presidential debate.

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