Five big moments from the campaign trail this week
Romney's "big change" campaign theme
Campaigning in Cincinnati on Thursday, Mitt Romney borrowed from President Obama's signature message in 2008, promising throughout his speech that a vote for him Nov. 6 will be a vote for "big change." The GOP nominee encouraged residents of the Buckeye State to get out and vote early.
"We need to make sure Ohio is able to send a message loud and clear," he said. "We want real change. We want big change." The president, Romney continued, "is slipping because he's talking about smaller and smaller things, despite the fact that America has such huge challenges and that this is such an opportunity for America. And that's why on November 6th I'm counting on Ohio to vote for big change!"
Obama votes early in Chicago
President Obama on Thursday stopped through his hometown of Chicago to cast his ballot, becoming the first president in history to take advantage of early voting.
"This is the first time a president has ever early voted - it's pretty exciting," he told election officials as his election paperwork was verified. One woman working the voting station got a laugh out of the president when she double-checked his driver's license for identification.
"Ignore the fact that there's no gray hair in that picture," the president joked, adding he was glad he remembered to renew his ID.
Mourdock: Offense over rape comment "regrettable"
Indiana Republican Senate candidate Richard Mourdock held a press conference Wednesday in an attempt to rein in the backlash that erupted the night before after he suggested in a debate that pregnancies resulting from rape are "something that God intended to happen."
While he told reporters any offense over his comment was "regrettable," he stood by the sentiment: "I would be less than faithful to my faith if I said anything other than 'Life is precious,'" he said. "I think it is a gift from God. I don't think God would ever want anyone harmed, sexually abused or raped. I think it's wrong when someone wants to take what I said and twist it."
Colin Powell endorses Obama
Four years after breaking with the Republican Party to endorse then-Sen. Obama for president, former Secretary of State Colin Powell on Thursday announced during an appearance on "CBS This Morning" that he is backing the president's reelection campaign. In 2008, Powell called Obama a "transformational figure;" this year, he told Charlie Rose and Norah O'Donnell, his support is a product of improvements he's seen in the consumer and housing market despite "very, very difficult straits" riddling the president's term.
"I voted for him in 2008 and I plan to stick with him in 2012 and I'll be voting for he and for Vice President Joe Biden next month," he said.
Ryan has some fun with Boehner's name
After being introduced by John Boehner, R-Ohio, at a Durango, Colo., rally Monday, VP nominee Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., joked about how he used to mispronounce the House Speaker's last name.
"It's nice to see John 'Boner' here today, isn't it?" the Republican VP nominee said to laughs. "It's a true story... I would put up yard signs as a young guy in college - I had no idea how to pronounce his name. But serving with him for 14-years we kind of figured it out."
