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Obama, Romney: Who will woo the most voters in the final days?

The polls show the race for president is still a dead heat. In the meantime, President Barack Obama and his Republican rival Mitt Romney scramble to make their final campaign stops in the last few days leading up to the election. 

笔谤别蝉颈诲别苍迟听Barack Obama听补苍诲 Republican Mitt Romney went back on the attack on Thursday, breaking a storm-induced campaign truce to hit the road and pound home their closing messages in the final stretch of a tight battle for the听White House.

With five days left until Tuesday's election, Obama听received an endorsement from听New York听Mayor听Michael Bloomberg, resurrected his 2008 "change" slogan and said he was the only candidate who had actually fought for it.

Romney criticized Obama听as a lover of big government who would expand the federal bureaucracy.

National polls show the race deadlocked, and Obama听补苍诲 Romney will spend the final days in eight swing states that will decide who wins the 270 electoral votes needed to capture the听White House.

Obama made听Wisconsin听the first stop on a four-state swing on Thursday that also took him to rallies in听Nevada听补苍诲听Colorado听before going to听Ohio听for the night. Romney had a full day of campaigning across听Virginia.

"You may be frustrated at the pace of change, but you know what I believe, you know where I stand," Obama听told a crowd of 2,600 people on an airport tarmac in听Wisconsin, a state that is a vital piece of his electoral strategy. "I know what change looks like because I've fought for it."

At a rally in听Doswell,听Virginia, Romney criticized听Obama's comment that he would like to consolidate government agencies that deal with business issues in a new department under a secretary of business.

"I don't think adding a new chair to his Cabinet will help add millions of jobs on Main Street," Romney said.

Jobs will again be the focus of fierce debate on Friday when the government releases the unemployment figures for October. Any big change from the 7.8 percent number in September could potentially sway voters.

Obama and Romney had put campaigning on hold for several days as the historic storm Sandy pounded the eastern seaboard, leaving a trail of destruction and forcing Obama听to turn his attention to storm relief.

That pause produced some unexpected political benefits for Obama, who won warm praise from Republican Governor Chris Christie 辞蹿听New Jersey, a Romney supporter, and he spent days directing federal relief efforts in a show of presidential leadership that largely sidelined Romney.

New York's Bloomberg - a Republican-turned-independent who did not back a candidate in 2008 - endorsed Obama听补苍诲 cited the Democrat's record on climate change, an issue that has gained more attention since the storm.

Bloomberg said Obama听had taken significant steps to reduce carbon consumption, while Romney had backtracked on earlier positions he took as governor 辞蹿听Massachusetts听to battle climate change. Obama听said he was "honored" by the backing of Bloomberg, who flirted with听White House听runs in the past.

On their first day back on the trail, both Obama听补苍诲 Romney returned to political attacks but struck a slightly more positive tone than usual in trying to woo undecided voters and push their own supporters to vote.

In听Doswell, Romney proclaimed his faith in the future and said, "The American people have what it takes to come out of these tough times."

In听Wisconsin, Obama听drew distinctions with Romney but dropped his usual reference to "Romnesia" - the term he uses to describe what he calls Romney's tendency to shift positions.

Swing-state advantage for Obama听

Obama has a somewhat easier path to 270 electoral votes than Romney, fueled primarily by a small but steady lead in the vital battleground 辞蹿听Ohio听- a crucial piece of any winning scenario for either candidate - and slight leads in听Wisconsin,听Iowa听补苍诲听Nevada.

Barring any surprises elsewhere,听Obama can win a second term by capturing the Midwestern bastions 辞蹿听Ohio,听Wisconsin听补苍诲听Iowa, and his schedule was aimed at shoring up his safety net there.

Obama plans to visit听Ohio听on each of the last four days of the campaign, and plans two more trips to听Wisconsin听补苍诲听Iowa. He will conclude his campaign on Monday night with rock singer听Bruce Springsteen听in听Iowa, where a 2008 caucus win launched his run to the presidency.

So far, Obama听has planned just one visit each in the final days to听Florida听补苍诲听Virginia, where most polls give Romney a slight lead. Romney will hit听Wisconsin听补苍诲听Ohio听on Friday, and听New Hampshire,听Iowa听补苍诲听Colorado听on Saturday.

Romney plans to finish up his campaign on Monday night in听New Hampshire, the state where he launched his bid last year.

Romney's campaign has aired ads in recent days in the Democratic-leaning states 辞蹿听Michigan,听Pennsylvania听补苍诲听Minnesota, hoping to put them in play after polls showed the races tightening but Obama听still ahead.

The campaign said Romney would visit听Pennsylvania听on Sunday, marking his first campaign visit since the nominating convention to one of his new target states. A win in听Pennsylvania听would be a crippling blow to Obama, but most public polls still show Obama听leading there.

Romney aides said the moves into those three new states were a sign of their growing momentum, although Obama听aides described them as a desperate ploy to find new paths to 270 electoral votes.

A Reuters/Ipsos national online poll on Thursday showed the race remained effectively deadlocked, with Obama听at 47 percent to Romney's 46 percent. Most national polls showed roughly similar results.

Most swing-state polls have found Obama听clinging to slender leads in five of the eight most heavily contested states -听Ohio,听Wisconsin,听Iowa,听Nevada听补苍诲听New Hampshire. In most polls, Romney has a slight lead in听Florida, while听Virginia听补苍诲听Colorado听were effectively tied.

A Reuters/Ipsos online poll on Thursday showed Obama听with a 5-point lead in听Virginia, and 2-point leads among likely voters in both听Ohio听补苍诲听Florida. Romney led by 1 point in听Colorado听in the Reuters/Ipsos polls.