Obama, Romney resume campaign

WASHINGTON ( AP) Ñ US President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney dived back into campaigning yesterday after Obama put politics aside to spend three days managing the federal response to the superstorm that battered the East Coast and Romney was forced to temper some of his harshest critiques of the president to avoid looking insensitive as people coped with the storm.

Just Þve days from election day, Obama and Romney are locked in a tight contest, with both campaigns predicting victory. However, the polls show Obama with a slight edge in nine key ÒbattlegroundÓ states that are neither reliably Republican nor Democratic. The president is not elected according to the nationwide popular vote, but in state-bystate contests that make these states especially important in such a tight election.

The presidentÕs advisers insist his break from campaigning had minimal impact on his standing. If anything, it gave Obama a chance to offer the type of comfort and command in a crisis that only a president can deliver.

The storm created headaches for Romney, diverting the publicÕs attention away from the campaign as he was trying to build momentum.

Still, the Democratic campaign is seeking to make up for the lost time with a heavy travel itinerary in the coming days, including rallies in Wisconsin, Nevada and Colorado yesterday.

Obama spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki said while the president remains focused on the storm recovery, the fact that the election takes place in Þve days is a ÒrealityÓ and he will return to the trail to make the case to the American people on why they should return him to the White House for four more years.

Romney campaigned yesterday in Virginia, while Ryan was appearing at events in Nevada and Colorado.

Biden had two events scheduled in Iowa. Obama was starting his day in Green Bay, Wisconsin, making up an event that was canceled earlier in the week because of the storm. He had a rally planned later in Las Vegas, as well as Boulder, Colorado, a heavily Democratic area.

Aides said Obama planned to mention the storm victims in his remarks.

More than 19 million people have already voted in the presidential election, either by mail or in person. No votes will be counted until Nov. 6, but some key states are releasing the party afÞliation of those who have voted.