Obama's incumbency vs Romney's hurdles_美文_趣味英语-查字典英语网

Obama's incumbency vs Romney's hurdles

Romney hit back after he won primaries in Wisconsin, Washington, DC, and Maryland on Tuesday, telling cheering supporters in Milwaukee that the president has become "a little out of touch" after "years of flying around on Air Force One, surrounded by an adoring staff of true believers telling you that you're great and you're doing a great job."

"You know, out-of-touch liberals like Barack Obama say they want a strong economy, but in everything they do, they show they don't like business very much," Romney said.

With that, the contours of the general election were set - and the attack lines unveiled.

Each candidate cast the other as too extreme for the center of the country - speaking directly to the independents who play a critical role in general elections because they determine who wins close races. The number of independent voters has swelled. That means they are a top target for both candidates in what Republican and Democratic operatives alike anticipate will be a close election for reasons that include the country's increasingly polarized nature.

As the incumbent, Obama has a built-in advantage and a huge head start. He has spent months wooing the center of the electorate even as he worked to fire up his Democratic base.

Romney has a ton of ground to make up. And, even though he's been eager to shift his campaign to focus on fundraising, building and advertising for the general election, he doesn't have the luxury of doing that in earnest just yet.