Obama, Romney make closing argument

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney on Friday made closing argument for their candidacy to become the next president of the United States, as they sprint towards the election day.

US President Barack Obama participates in a campaign rally in Lima, Ohio, Nov 2, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]?

In duelling op-ed published on CNN.com, the two candidates made their respective case for presidency. Obama touted his record, saying the country is recovering from the "worst economic crisis since the Great Depression", and "the war in Iraq is over, Osama bin Laden is dead, and our heroes are coming home."

Noting the job has not been done, Obama implored voters to choose his vision of future in next Tuesday's election, saying if he succeeds in the election, he will invest in education to enhance competitiveness, revamp the tax code to restore fairness, see through the winding down of wars to focus on nation building at home and deficit reduction, protect welfare for the poor, elderly or disabled.

Romney, on the other hand, offered a different path. Extolling American exceptionalism, Romney reiterated in his op-ed his five- point plan to create 12 million jobs, including encouraging domestic energy production, empowering states and bringing in the private sector to improve education, develop international trade while protecting American workers, cut federal spending and balance budget, putting in place pro-business tax code and regulations.

Both candidates described their visions as "real change", while blasting the other one, as they do in campaign events in recent days.

US voters are casting their ballots in the presidential election next Tuesday, and both Obama and Romney are touring battleground states in the last stretch of the campaign, trying to swing more independents while firing up their base.