Saudi FM calls Indian, Pakistani counterparts to discuss developments    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia cracks down on fraudulent Hajj campaigns, urges pilgrims to use official channels    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    Literature Commission inaugurates Saudi Pavilion at Muscat Book Fair    Saudi Minister of Culture holds talks with his Costa Rican counterpart in Jeddah    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    MHRSD: 80% of recruitment offices are non-compliant with regulations    At least 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza    Teenage girl killed in French school stabbing attack    Trump claims meeting with China after Beijing denies any trade negotiations    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Obama tries to build on slight lead as debate looms
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 28 - 09 - 2012

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama tried Thursday to build on the lead he has started to take in the most important battleground states that will decide the November election, promoting what he called a “new economic patriotism” as Republican challenger Mitt Romney prepared for their crucial first debate next week.
In a two-minute ad aimed at seven states that don't reliably vote Democrat or Republican, Obama promotes an economic plan he says will create 1 million manufacturing jobs, cut oil imports and hire thousands of new teachers.
The ad is set to air in the two most important of those battleground states, Ohio and Florida, as well as New Hampshire, Virginia, Iowa, Nevada and Colorado. All but New Hampshire and Virginia offer the increasingly popular choice of early voting, which started in the first state, Iowa, on Thursday.
It is likely that Romney must win either Ohio or Florida to take the election, but the most recent polls show Obama edging ahead in both states.
The president is not chosen by popular vote but in state-by-state contests.
Polls show Obama is widening his lead in key states amid backlash from a
video leaked last week in which Romney disparages the 47 percent of Americans who don't pay federal income tax as government-dependent Obama supporters who won't take responsibility for their own lives.
The new polls were conducted after the video became public.
Obama's campaign was reveling in the latest polling but trying to crush any overconfidence. “If we need to pass out horse blinders to all of our staff, we will do that,” campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
The latest round of economic reports can help keep confidence in check.
Thursday's mixed reports showed the weekly number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits was at a nine-week low, but the economy grew at an even more sluggish pace in the April-June quarter than previously believed.
The country's $16 trillion deficit also is a shadow, and the Romney campaign continues to bring it up. Campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul responded to Obama's new ad: “In the time it takes his latest ad to run, our national debt grows by at least another $5 million.”
On Thursday, the two candidates were campaigning in the same state for the third straight day, this time in Virginia.
The simultaneous visits follow an all-day duel Wednesday in Ohio, where Romney declared he can do more than Obama to improve the lives of average people. Obama said a challenger who calls half the nation “victims” was unlikely to be of much help.
Meanwhile, new Republican-leaning independent groups have entered the presidential advertising fight. The commercials, aimed at voters who supported Obama in 2008 but are now undecided, join those from the campaigns and outside groups targeting the narrow map of battleground states.— AP


Clic here to read the story from its source.