Who cares? Romney and Obama’s empathy battle

>> thanks.

>>> and now to presidential politics . president obama and mitt romney will be campaigning in virginia today as romney looks to repair the damage from that 47% comment that was recorded at a fundraiser. peter alexander is with the romney camp in springfield this morning. peter, good morning to you.

>> reporter: savannah, good morning to you. when it comes to the battlegrounds, there are three, florida, ohio , and virginia , both mitt romney and the president held dueling events in ohio on wednesday. today, they are both here in virginia . another state where romney is trailing in the polls.

>> reporter: campaigning in ohio wednesday, both president obama and mitt romney were keenly aware of the buckeye state 's place in history. no republican has won the white house without it. romney went out of his way to show his compassionate side greeting world war ii veterans and courting working class families.

>> these are tough times even for families with jobs. i know what it takes to get this economy going again. i care about the people of america.

>> reporter: it's a delivered effort, analysts say, with a tv ad designed to show empathy and soften his image.

>> president obama and i both care about poor, working class families, the difference is, my policies will make things better for them.

>> reporter: and despite relentless criticism of obama care, romney touted how his own health care overhaul in massachusetts helped families.

>> don't forget, i got everybody in my state insured, 100% of the kids in our state have health insurance , i don't think there's anything that shows more empathy and care about the people of this country than that kind of record.

>> reporter: still, president obama is furiously working to frame his opponent as out of touch. again, keying in on romney 's comments seemingly dismissing 47% of americans who pay no income tax.

>> i don't believe we are going to get very far if we've got leaders who write off half the nation as a bunch of victims who don't take responsibility for their own lives.

>> reporter: less than a week to the first presidential debate which some have cast as romney 's make or break moment. he urges the voters to consider mr. obama's actions not his words.

>> you can be extraordinarily eloquent and describe all the wonderful things you can do, but when you cut through the words, you can look at the record. and when you can see policies that have not created the jobs america needs, then you know it's time to choose a new leader.

>> reporter: president obama even tried to turn a stumble into a stinging critique.

>> i want to see us export more jobs, export more products, excuse me. i was -- i was channeling my opponent there for a second.

>> reporter: and earlier this week, mitt romney told me he's not worried about the polls, the polls go up and they go down. but savannah, where they are right now does begin to matter. beginning today as many as 30 states are voting with absentee or early voting . iowa, the latest state to vote, early voting there begins today.

>> all right. peter alexander in the battleground of virginia , thank you very much.