At Cuyahoga Community College, President Obama blamed much of the nation’s economic woes on political gridlock in Washington that’s blocked many of his economic initiatives…and on Republican polices from before he was elected in 2008.  The president says he’s committed to policies that grow the middle-class, not the loosened business regulations and tax cuts Romney supports.

Republican Ohio Senator Rob Portman concedes that President Obama inherited tough economic problems.  But Portman says the president mishandled the crisis.

Portman says creating more government workers does equal more consumers…but that’s not going to create enough new jobs to turn around the economy.  But most economists say the stimulus kept the economy from getting worse.