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Updated 11:27 a.m. - President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney returned Monday evening to the states that launched their respective bids for the presidency, wrapping their campaigning ahead of Election Day.
Joined by their spouses, Obama returned to Iowa -- where he won the 2008 caucuses -- and Romney stopped in New Hampshire -- where he won the primary at the beginning of this year -- to bring to an end their long, hard battle over whom Americans would select as their president for the next four years.
"I've come back to Iowa one more time to ask for your vote," a visibly emotional Obama told a crowd near his first campaign office in Des Moines. "Because this is where our movement for change began. Right here."
"It's out of my hands now," he said. "It's up to you."
Emmanuel Dunand / AFP - Getty Images
Mitt Romney holds a rally at Orlando Sanford international airport in Orlando, Fla., Nov. 5, 2012.
Both Obama and Romney seemed to drink in the adulation of their supporters in the closing hours of the campaign, before voters would take to the polls in fewer than 12 hours to render their verdict on the election.
"This is a special moment for Ann and for me, because this is where our campaign began," Romney said to a crowd in New Hampshire. "Your primary vote put me on the path to win the Republican nomination, and tomorrow your votes and your work here in New Hampshire will help me become the next president of the United States."
The stops mostly concluded the campaigning of the 2012 election. Romney was set to make stops Tuesday in Cleveland and Pittsburgh, and Republican vice presidential nominee would also stop in Cleveland and Richmond. Those stops, though, were billed as less formal than the giant, raucous rallies that have dominated the candidates' schedules in the closing days of the campaign.
Obama and Romney capped what was a "barnburner" final day of campaigning, as he and Romney hop-scotched across the country to make stops in the states on which they're relying tomorrow.
Ryan launches campaign 'barnburner' in Obama-leaning Nevada
So far, more than 4.5 million Floridians have already voted, sometimes after waiting in hours-long lines. NBC's Mark Potter reports.
Romney made a four-state tour through Florida, Virginia and Ohio – states that are critical to his hopes of becoming president – before concluding in New Hampshire, the cornerstone of Romney’s victory in the GOP presidential primary earlier this year, and the state neighboring Massachusetts, where Romney served as governor and his campaign is now headquartered.
Both sides agree, winning Colorado could be key. A recent NBC/WSJ/Marist poll had the race tied at 48 percent each. NBC's Mike Taibbi reports.
The president spent the day visiting Wisconsin, Iowa and Ohio -- the states composing his Midwestern "firewall," where he's sought to build an advantage over Romney.
Their schedules, coming on the heels of a jam-packed weekend of campaigning across the country by both the candidates and their surrogates, was nothing short of a “barnburner,” as Ryan put it at first rally of the day, in Nevada.
“We're doing a barnburner today,” Ryan said in the state, which is seen as leaning toward Obama in NBC News’ battleground map. “We are crisscrossing the country – Mitt and I are because we are asking you to work with us, to stand with us to get our country back on the right track.”
Both Obama and Romney stuck to well-worn scripts that they had used throughout the frenetic final days of the campaign. The candidates at times seemed to acknowledge that much of the campaign’s outcome might be out of their hands, pleading with supporters to sway a winnowing number of swing voters over to their cause.
How will the Hispanic vote and the white vote impact the presidential election? What about older voters and younger voters? How much of an impact will Hurricane Sandy have on voting? NBC News' Chuck Todd and Time's Mike Murphy join a conversation on the issue.
“Your voices are being heard all over the nation loud and clear, thank you,” Romney said in Virginia. “I also want to thank many of you in this crowd that have been out there working on the campaign – making calls from the victory centers, and by putting up a yard sign, in your neighbor’s yard and maybe convincing a coworker to vote for Paul Ryan and me.”
Obama kicked off his first rally of the day with rocker Bruce Springsteen, who would hitch a ride with the president to Columbus for an afternoon rally, which was also to feature rapper Jay-Z.
"I get to fly around with him on the last day I'll ever campaign, so that's not a bad way to end things," he said of Springsteen, who will accompany Obama to Columbus, Ohio, on Air Force One.
The state with 13 electoral votes could go either way in this election, and may play a critical role in determining not only the next president, but also which party will control the U.S. Senate. NBC's Tom Costello reports.
Both Obama and Romney’s schedules, though, sent a powerful signal about their fundamental strategy for Election Day.
The states Romney is visiting, for instance, are virtually essential for his hopes come Tuesday. Failing to win Florida, for instance, would force Romney to have to win every single other remaining battleground state.
Obama’s stops, meanwhile, suggested attentiveness to his so-called “firewall,” which Republicans have argued is cracking amid surging Republican enthusiasm in battleground states.
Reuters, Getty Images
Campaigning with Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, voting and election results.
Vice President Joe Biden, during a stop at a cafe in Sterling, Va., predicted the bloc would hold.
“I think we’ll win Ohio, I think we’ll win Wisconsin, I think we’ll win Iowa. I think we’ll win Nevada, I think we’ll win new Hampshire,” he told reporters. He added that Florida would be “close,” but said he thought “have a real shot of winning” the Sunshine State.
As they made their final arguments to sprawling crowds throughout the day, both Romney and Obama got an assist from additional superstars who entertained audiences before rallies had begun.
Larry Downing / Reuters
Supporters hold a sign as President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign event at Fifth Third Arena at the University of Cincinnati, Nov. 4, 2012.
Obama was traveling with Springsteen and Jay-Z on Monday, but Katy Perry and John Mellencamp had played before other Obama audiences over the weekend. Romney’s rally on Monday in Ohio was also slated to feature the Marshall Tucker Band.
Both Springsteen and Jay Z each did special songs for the Obama campaign, in Jay Z's case, changing an epithet in one of his songs to reference Romney instead.
"If you're having world problems, I feel bad for you son," he said, "I got 99 problems, but Mitt ain't one."
In the past six presidential elections, Wisconsin has been reliably blue – but this year, thanks to Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan, the race is much tighter. NBC's Ron Mott reports.
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Want a war were your kids or grandkids can be killed..vote Romney then ( his five sons will be no where involved)!
OBAMA 2012
want to hide in your basement until an Islamic wacko sets off a dirty bomb in a city near you - vote Obama (Michelle and the girls will be comfy in the White House bunkers or Camp David bunkers)
Wow! Sure seems like a lot of posters are going to have a coronary tomorrow when the President is reelected. Sucks for you!
Breaking News!!! It was just reported that a mandatory glass recyclable bottle was found in Mitt Romney's personal trash can. ABC/CBS/NBC/CNN are rushing to a news conference that has been setup outside the local trash collectors union hall. When Romney was at Bain Capital he bought a recycling company and stole all the employees lunch money from their lockers when they were hard at work on the streets collecting glass from middle class neighborhoods. Many have claimed that Romney hates the recycling industry and will eliminate all safety regulations that prevent workers from being cut by the glass that they collect. For the source of this breaking story and more information please go to youareamoronforbelievingliberalnonsense.com
LOL - love it.
Don't forget that Mitt went to the convention with 2 of his other wives and is in the process of courting a few more since he'll have Air Force One to fly around the country on.
Update...the glass industry, after being completely unionized, demands and receives a 70 billion dollar bailout just after a major contribution to the Obama campaign. R&D must be funded to make glass safe, cheap, and available across many forms of recycling. The new and improved glass must be made from recycled petrochemicals to be green classified, and recyclable into new, new glass or other products. This new glass will be called...wait for it...glastic (new plastic). It will be great, except in NY, where you may only have a 16oz glastic cup.
If you are still undecided just don't vote please. Thanks.
My advice: Do vote and vote for Romney. Count yourselves with the winners on Tuesday. We have the opportunity to start taking our country back on Tuesday. Help us make it happen.
Worst thing anyone can do is vote for a man who stated 'I don't care about the other 47% of the nation'..have to be a fool to elect this idiot!
OBAMA 2012..to easy!
worst thing anyone can do is vote with 47% of the nation that stupid enough to think Romney is the boogyman because their leaders said so. Vote common sense - Vote ROMNEY
Worst thing anyone can do is vote for a guy who failed and did not deliver on his promises.
Come on guys, it's not that hard...
GOP Mantra: Regulate vagina's, NOT AK-47's!
Democrat Mantra: Women are only good for their vagina's. Remember the "Vote like your lady parts depend on it" comment? That lost many a womens votes for Obama as women are wise to his pandering.
Just listen to the scum bag Karl Rove. His facts in Ohio should have all democrats concerned. Obama's early voter numbers versus 2008 and negative 240,000 as of Sunday morning. Even worst every single poll out there (21 total) for independents in Ohio have it right around 58% Romney and 42% Obama. In 2008 Obama led independents in Ohio by 61% to McCains 39%. Thats a 38% swing in independents which make up roughly 6% of all Ohio voters. I live in Ohio. From what I see see and hear Romney is going to surprise some pollsters tomorrow. I say romney wins Ohio by less than 40,000 votes. Obama has to lose by no more than 3-4 points in Hamilton county. I say Romney wins by at least six to eight based upon early election voting and the county's history of election total votes. In franklin or columbus Obama won by about 125,000 in 2008. I have many political junkie friends in our state capital. Internal republican polling has Romney losing the county by less than 2,000 votes. That would be a 115,000 negative swing for Obama. If you add the total votes in hamilton & franklin obama is actually behind by around 85,000 votes. That's an actual 206,000 decline on were he was at in 2008. the last county is Cuyahoga or Cleveland. Cuyahoga county just finished up the worst political scandal in it's history. The top two democrats in the county are now both in jail for life. You would not believe the negative vibe of the democratic party in cleveland right now. that said the republicans inside pollsters have obama winning the county by 200,000. He won it by 265,000 in 2008. another 65,000 negative for Obama. More bad news for Obama in Ohio is it is full of white male rednecks. Many of these guys didn't even vote in 2008. White male participation in Ohio is said to increase by over 20% in this election. that is a huge number almost 115,00 new voters, all male, all white in 2012. what this all adds up to in mind is Obama is hardly the shoe in for Ohio that Democrats think. It could go either way and no one knows until all the votes are counted. don't bother me with poll results. you have to have lived in ohio to understand ohio.
I lived in the OHIO Valley for 15 years, and I say you are completely WRONG about Romney taking the state.
Cleveland will go for Obama
Toledo will go for Obama
Columbus will go for Obama
Cincinnati will go for Romney.
What is surprising is Hamilton County went for Obama (Democrat) for the first time in 20 years. It will be close for Romney there as well. Romney will do well in the burbs, but he will not do well in Cincinnati proper.
WOW Jimmy , You do know that this was pretty much THE LAST Presidential election , That repubs can try to hold the white vote on ?America is no longer a majority white . For what its worth , as well, America has not been rabid Baptists , Catholics Or Atheists In a long time . Your boy Mitt hooked his wagon to the minority and will lose with the minority .
Barack be nimble
Barack be quick
Jay z leaned forward
and Sucked O's Dik
Jay be nimble
Jay be quick
Jay something, that actually makes sense.
Yawn
Jimmy you are the scum bag.
Thinking Americans, remember the Wisconsin recall election where the polling said it was 'too close to call'? The result was a solid Republican win by a 7% margin. The same is setting up for this election as the polling is badly skewed to favor Obama. This race is ours to win, and we can win. Please get out and vote for Romney on Tuesday. By Wednesday we can have Obama packing and on the way out with a truly qualified president on the way in. Let's put Romney over the top.
This election will be the biggest joke of all time. Voter fraud everywhere. This country has gone to hell, kinda like Germany when Hitler was in charge. Obama has you all under some kind of spell. If you are that true to the party, you are not rational people. What is best for the country is JOBS, THE ECONOMY, SAFETY, and UNITY. WAKE UP AMERICA, we are about to become extinct exterminated by a Muslim President and his Muslim brotherhood. Reverend Wright said all whites should be exterminated, Barack is going to carry that out for him. So all of you leftist media paint your face black, or die with the rest of us.
Laurence: do you really believe this garbage that you offered, above?
I hope the answer is no, I was kidding, because otherwise you better get some serious therapy for whatever is wrong with you.
GOP Mantra: You can buy our candidates, by the millions... anonymously!
But you have to show an ID to vote.
DEM Mantra: Vote early, vote often!
GOP Mantra
IF you steal a car, you go to jail.
If you steal someone's life savings, we'll make you a CEO and then you can run for President.
Obama/Biden 2012
GOP Mantra: We won't let you vote.
1 more day and President Valerie Jarrett goes back to chicago!
The ONLY way Obama can win is voter fraud. And look at what a mess he would inherit THIS time!
1 more day and Romney goes back to the Unemployment line.. or on a world tour of the cash he has stored in foreign bank accounts.
The GOP war on women and support for legitimate rape will be severely diminished.
Barack be nimble
Barack be quick
Jay z leaned forward
and Sucked O's Dik
Yes, the left will keep voting for the liar-in-chief. Too many lies to list and not enough time.Want true American values restored? Vote Conservative - vote Romney. We cannot survive another 4 years of tyranny.
Why is Obama skipping more than half of his daily intelligence meetings?
Obama and Bidens biggest problem is that they are know-it-alls - when in reality, they know nothing. Look at their condescending attitudes to very successful men such as Romney and Ryan (who is a member of Congress).
Time for real leadership: Romney & Ryan
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-is-obama-skipping-more-than-half-of-his-daily-intelligence-meetings/2012/09/10/6624afe8-fb49-11e1-b153-218509a954e1_story.html
By Marc A. Thiessen, Published: September 10
President Obama is touting his foreign policy experience on the campaign trail, but startling new statistics suggest that national security has not necessarily been the personal priority the president makes it out to be. It turns out that more than half the time, the commander in chief does not attend his daily intelligence meeting.
The Government Accountability Institute, a new conservative investigative research organization, examined President Obama's schedule from the day he took office until mid-June 2012, to see how often he attended his Presidential Daily Brief (PDB) — the meeting at which he is briefed on the most critical intelligence threats to the country. During his first 1,225 days in office, Obama attended his PDB just 536 times — or 43.8 percent of the time. During 2011 and the first half of 2012, his attendance became even less frequent — falling to just over 38 percent. By contrast, Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush almost never missed his daily intelligence meeting.
When Obama forgoes this daily intelligence meeting, he is consciously placing other priorities ahead of national security. As The Post story that the Obama White House sent me put it, "Process tells you something about an administration. How a president structures his regular morning meeting on intelligence and national security is one way to measure his personal approach to foreign policy."
Indeed it is. So is how often he holds it. With President Obama, it seems, the regular morning meeting on intelligence is not so regular.
Really? Why don't you show me Romney's credentials in the area of foreign policy?
I watched the last debate.. Romney agreed with everything from the President right?
The only foreign policy experience Romney has is..
1. What countries can I hide my money in to avoid paying my fair share of taxes
2. What countries can I export American Jobs too, lie about it, and still collect a GOP tax credit.
Romney would not skip all of his security briefings and play gold you idiot. Obama has failed foreign policy, Al-Queda is alive and well and will be visiting you soon with your buddy Barak. This country will fall if Barak wins. Vote for the love of Nation, not Baraks revenge for his father.
Now if Reid would get out of the way ...
Looks like all the free lunchers are in a panic tonight.
What free lunch? Where do I get this free lunch? Do I have to sign up for it? Romney was giving out $5 gift cards to Chik Fil A for everyone that votes for him. Can I get one too?
P.S. Since we give 54 billion in subsidies (corporate welfare) for fossil fuel companies or 50 billion to Israel, is this a free lunch too? Oh and the kochs brothers gave 20 million to Romney, bet that paid for a LOT of Free Lunchers!
Its about time go F yourself. You must be Obamas writer, and another lie is born.
And Soros and the ambulance chasers gave huge $$$ to Barry - as did the unions again.
Get a new playbook.
Awww.. truth hurts doesn't it..... Its not a lie... we PAY HIGHER taxes so corporations can keep more of their profits and we pay for 50 BILLION for Israel. If you want to pay higher taxes, fine, pay mine..
George-328764
Amazing how Citizens United is backfiring on the GOP. Maybe god told them it was okay to buy an election right?
Gee Larry...
If I didn't know better, I'd say Time just slammed your Limberger-ball licking ass, and now you're pissed.
If Obama does get lucky and win the election tomorrow I guess even a blind squirrel can eventually find a nut!
Whoever wins in this race nothing will change, poor still be poorer and the rich will be richer. White will be white, black will be black, brown will be brown and yellow will be yellow.
One man that may win this election will have garnered the votes of the most gullible. Those that believe the government is their savior from cradle to grave. We are lost.
America is slowly burning. Vote for America!
Everything Mitt will do will be based on his faith. His faith is priority one. Just look at those tv ads, The missing child in NY where he shutdown Bain Capital to look for this child. All the executives were Mormon and the family was Mormon as well. Then there was the dying child where he was there at the child's bedside, the family was Mormon. I doubt if this would have happened if these families were of any other faith! There is even a pending lawsuit against Bain Capital where five executive were discharged because they were not Mormon. His involvement with the 2002 Games was only based on the Mormon church and protect their investments first and help his divine journey for a better place in heaven. It was not because he loved the "Games" or was patriotic. Mitt really has no experience with any other faith, he was born a Mormon so he really doesn't understand the rest of us have a different faith that is much different than his. Mitt has never served in the military, he chose to use his Mormon faith as an exception to dodge the draft. None of his five sons have ever served either. When Mitt wants to increase the military spending and does his saber rattling, he knows that this would not really affect anyone that is Mormon, he would be only sending our main stream religion young boys to war.
His love for this country is only due to that the Mormon faith was created in America and Mormons believe that when Jesus returns it will be to America first and save ONLY the Mormons beccause they believe they are the only "true" faith. Connect the dots before you vote...there is a Mormon agenda!
How would you feel that the very website you use to track your family history based in Provo, Utah is associated with the Mormon church? Would you feel betrayed and violated that your privacy was shared by the Mormon church for their own belief to baptize the dead to the Mormon faith? The very information you add to your family tree online is being used for other purposes. How would you feel that Mitt Romney who was a Bishop in the Mormon church will have access to all your personal family history? All privacy will be lost!
Never trust the vote in Ohio.
It is a chameleon like Mittens.
Trust Penn., Iowa, Wisconsin, NH, North Carolina of all freakin' things, and maybe Colorado and Virginia.
If the big O gets Florida it is all over baby!
Bye Bye Robme!
Blacks that work with me, hate Obama, they are not delusional. Hey, they want jobs and money to pay mortgages and school loans too! Wow, how different (not at all). They answered "O" on polls, know their cell #'s can be tracked, but they are voting Romney tomorrow. Again, this is going to be a landslide for Romney.
I don't know about the rest of you but Im really worried! Obama looks as though he will lose. He did such a poor job in all the debates and Joe made himself look like the village idiot at best. If Romney wins we go back to the 1950's. What will all my homosexual and negro friends do if that happens? Oh no!! HELP
Obama Math....asleep at the Wheel
100+ rounds of golf in 4 years.....it takes 4-5 hours to play a round of golf....
Get your calculator out and see how hard Barack has been working....to solve the JOBS problem in America....
GOP History: The Great Bush created the world in Jan. 2009. The great Muslim Kenyan reigned from then until 2016. Thereafter, the money flowed and people were happy. Truly a sad time.
Yea, so the money flowed to our creditors because the Muslim Kenyan "antichrist" had no clue on how to protect a western civilizations assets. He only new of revenge! And the people were happy until the money ran out! End of story
so if Mitt wins fl, va, oh & nh the race will be over at 10:45 PM, those 4 states put him at 270.
The margins will be larger, over much sooner. R/R wins by 8-10%. This will not be a close race. And yes, Obama takes the #1 spot as the worst president of all time, Carter on the bubble. Don't worry Democons, Billary is circling the wagons for 2016.
Mitt won't get Ohio, he is going to lose it. IF Obama gets Ohio (which he will), Iowa, and Wisconsin, its TOAST for RobMe and Reject.
The worst thing America can do is vote for Obama:
who never had a job
who never created a job
who never had a business
who Lies about where he is from.
who Paid 4 million to hide his records.
who has made his money stealing from the American Tax Payers.
who has stole billions from the gone green fraud.
who Hates America and Americans.
who has added 6 trillion more to the deficit in just 3 years. After today add another 1.2 trillion.
who doubled welfare in 3 years
who is responsible for highest poverty level since 1960’s
who will increase to 500 billion in new taxes.
who has sent 79 percent of the stimulus dollars to out sourced jobs
Obama's War on Women
Obama who has put 23 million people out of work in less than 3 years.
Obama the Racist.
Obama the liar.
Obama who is the biggest threat to America we have ever had.
who makes America hated around the world.
who was preached to for 20 years to hate America.
who promotes a race war.
who promotes class warfare.
who does not respect America
who does not respect Americans
who Got a free ride thru life off the America Tax Payers.
who wants another 4 years to run American further into the ground with no
jobs, no homes and no future.
The choice is easy in Nov. 2012. Romney/Ryan will get America back in
the right direction, by cutting taxes, creating jobs and cleaning out the lying
fraud in the WH.
I was actually going to read the whole list but once I got to "who Lies about where he is from" you lost me . Adios Amigo