国际英语新闻:Obama, Romney target swing states in final hours for campaigning

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney on Monday entered the last day before the presidential election, sprinting towards finish line with multiple events in swing states.

Obama started his day in Madison, the U.S. state of Wisconsin, with rock star Bruce Spreensteen. The two went on to events in Columbus, Ohio, and Des Moines, Iowa. The three states represent what was viewed as Obama's Midwestern "firewall," which could almost guarantee his victory if he sweeps those states, provided other Democratic leaning swing states hold.

"Tomorrow you have a choice to make," said Obama at the rally in Madison. "And it's not just a choice between two candidates or two parties. It's a choice between two different visions for America. It's a choice between returning to the top-down policies that crashed our economy, or a future that's built on providing opportunity to everybody and growing a strong middle class."

Romney, on the other hand, started his day in Sanford, Florida, and continued to hold events in Lynchburg and Fairfax, both in the U.S. state of Virginia. He then went on to Columbus, Ohio, and Manchester, New Hampshire.

"With the right leadership, America is about to come roaring back," said Romney at the Sanford rally. "The only thing that stands between us and some of the best years we've ever imagined is lack of leadership. And that is why we have elections."

But the Romney campaign clearly think those events are not enough. They announced Monday afternoon that Romney would continue campaigning Tuesday, the Election Day, heading to the all important Ohio and the once considered "safe" Democratic leaning Pennsylvania.

Romney has been making a push in the last few days for Pennsylvania, buying ad times there and visiting the state on Sunday. Jen Psaki, the Obama campaign spokeswoman, said Monday that the aspiration was "fake."

Psaki also said the Obama campaign isn't surprised Romney is scheduling many Ohio visits, because "without that state it's an insurmountable road for him."

A myriad of polls have shown Obama holding on to a slight but consistent lead in Ohio.