Obama Hits Campaign Trail Following Convention

U.S. President Barack Obama is launching a three-day campaign swing Friday, a day after accepting the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.

Both Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney will spend Friday reaching out to voters in Iowa and New Hampshire, two key states in the November elections.

On Thursday, Obama told supporters at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, they "face the clearest choice of any time in a generation" when they go to the polls this November — a "choice between two different paths for America."

He asked Americans to rally around his goals for manufacturing, energy, education, national security and deficit reduction, saying they would "lead to new jobs, more opportunity and rebuild this economy on a stronger foundation."

Romney's campaign has announced it will release 15 new television ads on Friday focusing on the economy.

In his speech Thursday, Obama included fierce criticism of Romney, faulting his challenger and the Republican Party on a range of issues, including foreign policy, taxes and health care.

He said that Republicans are calling for tax cuts as the solution to everything. But he said he does not believe tax breaks for millionaires will bring jobs or pay down the nation's deficit. On foreign policy, he accused Romney of wanting to take the nation "back to an era of blustering and blundering."

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.


Photo Gallery: DNC 2012