President Obama, Romney campaign give take on NC's role in race

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In just 11 days, voters will decide whether President Barack Obama will win a second term or Mitt Romney will be our next president.

On Friday, in an exclusive interview, Eyewitness News anchor Blair Miller asked the president about everything from jobs to the economy to North Carolina's role in the race.

Miller took his answers to the Romney campaign for their response.

“So many analysts have said this state is now learning toward Gov. Romney. What do you say?” Miller asked Obama.

“You know, I love North Carolina. Back in 2008, I had more fun campaigning in your great state than anyplace,” Obama said. “But I'm confident that the people in North Carolina are just like people everywhere else -- they're thinking about jobs and the economy.”

The president admitted it's been four tough years, but attributed that to the policies set before him. He said his focus now and the next four years would be jobs.

“The latest unemployment rate stands at 7.8 percent -- new numbers come out next week.  Specifically, where do you think that number should be?” Miller asked.

“Well, look, my attitude is that until every single person who's looking for work finds a job, my work is not done,” Obama said.

The Romney campaign said the governor wasn't available for an interview Friday. Instead, spokeswoman Andrea Saul countered the president, saying his time is up.

“He said with the passage of the stimulus bill that unemployment would be at 5.4 percent right now and again, he's way off the target,” Saul said.

And like the president, Saul said Romney is banking on North Carolina.

“You know, we feel really confident about North Carolina, and the state is going to be in Gov. Romney's win column,” Saul said.

The president said he hopes to come back to North Carolina before the election, but nothing's scheduled yet.

Romney's campaign said, "We'll see."

WSOC