Romney attacks Obama over weak US job figures

US President Barack Obama faced a withering attack from Republican rival Mitt Romney over disappointing new US jobs numbers as the candidates launched the final two-month drive in their battle for the White House.

Just hours after basking in his supporters' adulation at the Democratic convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, Obama was hit on Friday by a stark reminder of the challenge he faces because of high unemployment on his watch.

Pouncing on the jobs data to slam Obama's handling of the economy - the top concern of voters - Romney called the figures "another disappointing, sad report."

"If last night was the party, this morning is the hangover," the former Massachusetts governor said.

"It is clear that President Obama just hasn't lived up to his promises and his policies haven't worked. We aren't better off than they were four years ago."

Both men appeared in Iowa and New Hampshire on the first full day after the end of the party conventions.

Friday's report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed 96,000 jobs were added in August, fewer than expected. The unemployment rate fell from 8.3% to 8.1%, but only because more people gave up looking for work.

Obama conceded that the unemployment figures were "not good enough", while Romney said the president's policies had failed.

The two men are neck-and-neck in the polls two months from election day.

Obama's hope for a poll boost after the three-day Democratic convention, which finishing in North Carolina on Thursday night, faced a challenge from the latest set of weak economic data.

In his first campaign event following his convention speech on Thursday, Obama said the rate of job creation was "not good enough. We know it's not good enough. We need to create more jobs faster. We need to fill the hole left by this recession faster."

At the same time, he pointed out that Republicans in Congress had blocked much of his jobs plan and accused Romney of making promises to revitalise the economy but not telling voters how he would do it.

"I honestly believe this is the clearest choice that we've had in my lifetime," Obama said at a later rally. "It's a choice between two fundamentally different visions of our future, where America goes."

Jobs growth slowed more than expected in August, setting the stage for the Federal Reserve to pump additional money into the economy next week.

Obama is campaigning in the key swing states of New Hampshire and Iowa on Friday, joined by First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden and his wife.

The Romney campaign released a glut of 15 anti-Obama ads on Friday as part of a reported $4.5m (£3m) broadcast campaign in eight swing states.

The ads - subtly tailored for each broadcast market - are scheduled to run in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia.

Correspondents say the selection of eight states gives a clear signal about where the Romney campaign will direct its energy during the two-month campaign.