that Obama was still struggling to explain a performance even his aides and supporters say was subpar. "Gov. Romney had a good night. I had a bad night. It's not the first time I've had a bad night," Obama said in an ABC interview. Asked if it was possible he had handed the election to Romney, the president replied: "No." "What's important is the fundamentals of what this race is about haven't changed," he said. "You know, Gov. Romney went to a lot of trouble to try to hide what his positions are," he said, referring to abortion as an example. Despite the presidential display of confidence, public opinion polls suggested the impact of last week's debate was to wipe out most, if not all, of the gains Obama made following both parties' national conventions and the emergence in late summer of a videotape in which Romney spoke dismissively of 47 percent of Americans whom he said pay no income taxes. They feel as if they are victims, he said, adding they don't take personal responsibilities for their lives. Eager to capitalize on his newfound momentum, Romney told more than 7,000 packed into a western Ohio rally: "We can't afford four more years of Barack Obama." The Republican challenger made three public appearances in Ohio on Wednesday and will spend two of the next three days in the state. "Ohio could well be the place that elects the next president of the United States ," he said. "I need you