WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney yesterday softened his tone and refrained from direct attacks on President Obama, as he returned to campaigning for the first time since Hurricane Sandy pounded the East Coast.
Romney even slipped an appeal for Red Cross donations into his toned-down stump speech as he barnstormed across Florida.
“We love all of our fellow citizens, we come together in times like this and we want to make sure they have a speedy recovery,” Romney told about 2,000 supporters at a rally in Tampa, the first of three stops in the Sunshine State.
He didn’t mention Obama by name. But he promised to fix problems that he usually blames on Obama, including Washington gridlock and the country’s sky-high number of unemployed and food-stamp recipients.
“I believe that this is the year for us to take a different course. I will bring real change and real reform,” said Romney, a subtle dig at Obama’s 2008 motto of “hope and change.”
“I don’t just talk about change, I actually have a plan to execute change and make it happen,” he vowed.
Romney today is expected to revive blistering attacks on Obama at a series of campaign events in swing state Virginia.
With five days until the election, the race remains very close. Obama and Romney both will pick up the pace heading into the final weekend of campaigning.