Obama drops out of Youngstown event to monitor Hurricane Sandy

10/29/2012

COLUMBUS — President Barack Obama is skipping a scheduled campaign event in Youngstown to monitor the massive storm bearing down on the East Coast.

The White House says Obama also skipped a planned appearance in Florida Monday to stay in Washington to monitor Hurricane Sandy. However, the afternoon campaign event in Ohio will continue as planned with Vice President Joe Biden and former President Bill Clinton standing in for Obama.

Republican Mitt Romney returns to the battleground state Monday for a late morning rally in Avon Lake, west of Cleveland. Romney plans at least two campaign stops in Ohio on Tuesday.

Experts say Hurricane Sandy could endanger up to 50 million people in the eastern U.S. for days.