Craig Robinson, a former political director of the Republican Party of Iowa, told the New York Times on Sunday, relayed by Politico, that Ryan has started referring to Romney as "Stench," as in "he'll probably have to wash the stench of Romney off of him" if he ever wants to run for office again. Though Ryan had already decided to distance himself from the floundering Romney campaign, he now feels totally uninhibited. Reportedly, he has been marching around his campaign bus, saying things like, "If Stench calls, take a message" and "Tell Stench I'm having finger sandwiches with Peggy Noonan and will text him later." 12.15 (07.15) Ann Romney, Mitt's wife, made her foray into the late night circuit last night, appearing on Jay Leno's Tonight Show. She claimed that if her husband were to win, America would be "leaving prejudices behind..." presumably because he's a Mormon. I love the fact that we have the first African-American president, that means to me that we are leaving prejudices behind. 12.12 (07.12) In Alex Spillius's morning email, he looks at recent Reuters-Ipsos poll that showed Romney's support among older voters collapsing. As Reuters says, "Romney and Ryan are likely to need a clear victory among older voters to win the election, given Obama's advantages among other important voting groups such as women, minorities and young adults." With a little under six weeks to go, it has to be stressed that these numbers could change. There are three presidential debates, two unemployment reports and an unstable world that could have an impact on the race. At the moment, however, there is very little encouragement for Romney. Not only is he doing badly among the elderly, he is trailing in every poll in Ohio (see below), which is virtually a must-win state for him. 12.10 (07.10) The focus today returns to the domestic campaign however. Ohio is a state that neither candidate can afford to lose, as Jon Swaine, our Washington Correspondent, explains. Mitt Romney is scrambling to save the state that may well decide the US election, which no Republican has ever won the White House without, as polls indicated it may be slipping out of his grasp. Yet while Paul Ryan woos swing voters with his mix of easy charm and PowerPoint presentations, Romney's same-old tepid campaigning style shows little sign of shifting the numbers, as Obama arrives in the state to steal his thunder. 12.08 (07.08) But Romney was given his chance to address foreign policy too at the Clinton Global Initiative. His speech was, as Peter Foster put it, "a paean to free enterprise as a force for moral good." 12.05 (07.05) Obama took centre stage yesterday with his speech at the UN General Assembly. Peter Foster, our US Editor, thought the speech, which addressed a range of foreign policy issues, was passionate, professorial and a return to "Hope and Change." 12.02 (07.02) Barack Obama and Republican rival Mitt Romney are back on the campaign trail today in the key battleground state of Ohio, a day after swapping criticism on foreign policy in duelling speeches in New York. US Election 2012: September 25 as it happened US Election 2012 - Sep 24 as it happened