NEW YORK (Reuters) – Locked in a tense race with time running out, President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney took time off to exchange light-hearted jabs and make fun of each other on Thursday in a joint appearance at a high-profile charity dinner.

Two days after a brutal debate in which they exchanged verbal blows and stalked each other on stage, Obama and Romney greeted each other warmly, dressed formally in white tie and tails.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – President Barack Obama joked that his vice president looked good in a swimsuit and said screw-ups can happen in government as he discussed the Libya controversy, mixing comedy and serious issues in an appearance on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.”

In a appeal to young voters, Obama largely played it straight in his sixth appearance on the liberal-leaning comedy show, which enjoys a broad following among younger viewers.

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Reuters) – President Barack Obama hammered Republican Mitt Romney over women’s rights and foreshadowed arguments he will make in an upcoming debate on foreign policy during a campaign stop on Thursday in the battleground state of New Hampshire.

The Democratic incumbent has rebounded since his sharper, more energetic performance in Monday night’s debate helped make up for his heavily criticized, lackluster appearance in their first encounter, which gave Romney a boost in public opinion polls.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Voters say that President Barack Obama performed better than Republican rival Mitt Romney by a substantial margin in their second debate, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday.

Forty-eight percent of registered voters gave the victory to Obama, while 33 percent say Romney prevailed in the Tuesday debate, the online poll found.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama put his re-election bid back on firm footing on Tuesday night with a strong debate performance that is likely to thrill his Democratic supporters and earn him a second look from the few voters who remain undecided.

With the November 6 election three weeks away, Obama’s second of three debates with Republican rival Mitt Romney represented one of the final chances to make an impression with voters.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama put his re-election bid back on firm footing on Tuesday night with a strong debate performance that is likely to thrill his Democratic supporters and earn him a second look from the few voters who remain undecided.

With the November 6 election three weeks away, Obama’s second of three debates with Republican rival Mitt Romney represented one of the final chances to make an impression with voters.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has seen a surge in opinion polls and voter enthusiasm since his strong debate performance against President Barack Obama on October 3.

With Obama and Romney running neck-and-neck in the polls, much will be at stake in the debate Tuesday at 9 p.m. EDT (0100 Wednesday GMT) in Hempstead, New York.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney are neck and neck in opinion polls, but there is one area in which the incumbent appears to have a big advantage: those who have already cast their ballots.

Obama leads Romney by 59 percent to 31 percent among early voters, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling data compiled in recent weeks.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney are neck and neck in opinion polls, but there is one area in which the incumbent appears to have a big advantage: those who have already cast their ballots.

Obama leads Romney by 59 percent to 31 percent among early voters, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling data compiled in recent weeks.

DANVILLE, Kentucky (Reuters) – The debate between Vice President Joe Biden and Republican challenger Paul Ryan might not change the minds of many voters. In fact, it could make them less likely to change.

But Democrats and Republicans found plenty to cheer about on Thursday, and plenty of reasons to believe that the other side is more misguided than ever.