President Barack Obama made his closing argument for re-election in Madison Monday morning, the day before voters nationwide head to the polls.
Addressing a crowd of about 18,000 on Martin Luther King Blvd. between the Capitol and Monona Terrace, Obama described himself as a man of his word who stood by middle class families during his first term while painting his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, as a candidate who will say anything to get elected.
“Wisconsin, you know me by know,” Obama said. “You know that I mean what I say and say what I mean.”
Obama also touted his accomplishments in health care, foreign affairs and Pell Grants and student loans, but told the crowd he needed another term to finish bringing true change to Washington.
“I know what change looks like, I fought for it,” Obama said.
Obama urged his supporters to keep up the fight in the final hours of the campaign, telling the audience the powerful interests in Washington are betting that the public is worn down by the partisan gridlock of the last few years.
“We have come too far to turn back now,” Obama told the audience. “We've come too far to let our hearts grow faint.”
Obama’s visit to Madison marked his third trip to Wisconsin in five days, showing the state’s importance to the president’s pathway to victory in the Electoral College.
Rock legend Bruce Springsteen warmed up the crowd with four songs before Obama joined him on stage and gave him a giant hug.
From Madison, Obama will travel to Columbus, Ohio and Des Moines, Iowa with Springsteen for his last rallies of the campaign.
