Hurricane impacts presidential politicking

Among the millions of people Hurricane Sandy is affecting this week are President Barack Obama, Republican challenger Mitt Romney and their campaign staff. With the presidential election just nine days away, Obama and Romney are trying to concentrate on the key swing states, including Virginia. But the big storm bearing down on the Eastern Seaboard forced Romney, with a freshly printed endorsement from The Des Moines (Iowa) Register in his back pocket, to spike his trip to the state sometimes called "the Mother of Presidents" in favor of joining his vice presidential running mate, Paul Ryan, on a bus tour in Ohio, another pivotal state.The Republican pair will rev up supporters in Celina, Findlay and Marionn Sunday. Meanwhile, on Sunday the Democratic president will be flying to Florida, where Romney campaigned Saturday while Obama was in New Hampshire, in advance of Monday campaign events. Obama will then follow his opponent into Ohio Monday, stopping in Youngstown, before returning to the White House to continue to monitor the hurricane. Obama canceled Monday events in Northern Virginia and Colorado Springs because of the storm, which also could affect his campaign plans for Tuesday, his staff said. "The president is being regularly updated on the storm and ongoing preparations, and he has directed his team to continue to bring all available resources to bear as state and local partners continue to prepare for the storm," the White House said in a statement. "The president will continue to receive regular briefings on these efforts, and has made clear that he expects his team to continue to lean forward as Hurricane Sandy approaches." Sandy also put a major crimp in first lady Michelle Obama's campaigning plans. She was to be in Boston and New Hampshire Tuesday, but those trips were canceled, The Boston Globe reported.