As both Mr Obama and his Republican opponent Mitt Romneyprepared for two crunch debates in New York and Florida in the coming week, a Public Policy Polling (PPP) survey found Mr Obama with a five-point lead in Ohio, backing up polls last week from CNN and NBC that showed a similar lead.
Mr Romney has seen a surge in the polls in recent weeks, but without Ohio he would need to win Florida and in all likelihood several up-for-grabs states such as Virginia, Iowa, Colorado, New Hampshire and Nevada to take the White House.
“He can probably win the presidency without Ohio, but I wouldn’t want to take the risk. No Republican has,” the Ohio Senator Rob Portman, who has been campaigning frantically for Mr Romney in the state, told ABC News.
The Ohio polls make encouraging reading for Mr Obama who faces one of the sternest tests of his political career on Tuesday at the second presidential debate, when he will try to make up for his disastrous performance in the first contest in Denver ten days ago.
Aides promise that Mr Obama would be more aggressive when he meets Mr Romney, drawing a sharp contrast between their policies on tax, business and welfare.
“He knew when he walked off that stage and he also knew as he’s watched the tape of that debate that he’s got to be more energetic. I think you’ll see somebody who’s very passionate about the choice that our country faces – and putting that choice in front of voters,” he added.
Mr Romney’s aides countered that the President’s problem was not his debating style – or lack of it – but his record of under achievement in office where, after four years, unemployment remains only just below eight per cent.
“The president can change his style, he can change his tactics, he can’t change his record, he can’t change his policies,” Ed Gillespie, a senior Romney adviser, told CNN.
Mr Obama can also expect to face awkward questions over the White House’s handling of the attacks in Benghazi last month that left the US ambassador, Chris Stevens, and three other US citizens dead.
Immediately after the attacks the White House blamed the violence on a demonstration that ran out of control. Subsequent testimony from State Department and security officials however has contradicted that version of events and questioned the lax security at the Benghazi consulate.
David Axelrod, another senior Obama campaign adviser, declined to say when exactly Mr Obama had received intelligence briefings on events in Benghazi, amid a growing chorus of Republican complaints that the White House deliberately misrepresented events to avoid political fallout.
On the ground in Ohio the PPP survey found that Mr Obama has benefited from his decision to bail out the US car industry after the 2008 financial crisis, a politically risky but successful move which the president used weekly television address to the nation to highlight.
Talking of the shiny new models now heading to the showrooms for Christmas, Mr Obama reminded voters that household names like GM and Chrysler had been “on the verge of collapse” when he took office.
“Just a few years ago, the auto industry wasn’t just struggling – it was flatlining,” he said, “But we refused to throw in the towel and do nothing.”
Both campaigns have been throwing maximum resources at Ohio, a state whose 18 electoral college votes could be decided by less than 100,000 votes.
Mr Romney spent three out of six days last week wooing voters at a series of rallies drawing crowds of over 10,000 people.
“I’ve never seen this kind of enthusiasm or energy on the ground,” Mr Portman said, “It’s turning our way.”
Not to be outdone, Mr Obama announced on Sunday that he will also be heading straight to Ohio on Wednesday following the debate to hold rallies of his own.
With turn out critical, both sides have also enlisted the help of music stars draw crowds. Last week Mr Romney has been travelling with Collin Raye, a country music star, while on Thursday, Bruce Springsteen will perform in Ohio at an event with former president Bill Clinton.
(The Telegraph)
