Obama, Romney Confident on Election Day

 Obama, Romney Confident on Election Day

CHICAGO — As Americans vote in the U.S. elections, Democratic President Barack Obama and Republican challenger, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt¹ Romney each are optimistic that he will be the next president of the United States.

Visiting a campaign office in his hometown of Chicago, Obama thanked volunteers for their hard work on his campaign.  He then addressed his remarks to Governor Romney and to all Americans to exercise their power through the ballot² box to determine the nation's future.

"To Governor Romney, congratulations on a spirited campaign," said Obama.  "I know that his supporters are just as engaged and just as enthusiastic and working just as hard today.  We feel confident we've got the votes to win, but it's going to depend ultimately on whether those votes turn out.  And so I would encourage everybody on all sides just to make sure that you exercise this precious right that we have that people fought so hard for us to have."

Obama completed formal campaigning on Monday.  Romney added stops in the important battleground states of Ohio and Pennsylvania, attempting to sway undecided voters his way.

In Cleveland, Ohio, Romney thanked his campaign workers and expressed confidence in his chances to win the White House.

"This is a great day with great opportunity ahead," said Romney.  "But I am also looking forward to tomorrow, the work that people were hoping they would see done from their nation's leaders.  Paul Ryan and I are going to do that; we're going to get America back on track."

Public opinion surveys show Obama and Romney in a virtual tie.  But President Obama holds a very slight advantage in several battleground states.

To win the presidency³, a candidate needs to win at least 270 electoral votes that are distributed across the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

With election results perhaps only hours away, President Obama spent part of Tuesday playing basketball with friends, advisers⁴ and at least one member of his Cabinet, a tradition he established early in his political career.

Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will be joined by Vice⁵ President Joe Biden and Mrs. Biden for dinner at the Obamas' home in Chicago.

Later, the Obamas and Bidens are scheduled to go to Chicago's convention center for an election night watch party, waiting for the results to come in.

1 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

2 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

3 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

4 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

5 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。