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GOP, President Obama To Hold Rallies In Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- President Obama kicked off his two-day bus tour in Ohio on Thursday.

After a night in Akron, the bus caravan will end its campaign trek in Pittsburgh.

"The president is coming through the state with his Betting on America tour," Obama 2012 National Press Secretary Ben Labolt told KDKA Political Editor Jon Delano via satellite today.

"He's going to talk about some of the decisions he's made over the course of the last three years that have promoted recovery and what more we need to do to create good paying middle class jobs in the long run."

Over at Carnegie Mellon University under a scorching heat workers set up for the President including his podium. Several thousand are expected and supporters of the campaign hope it will offset negative attack ads by Mitt Romney, says Labolt.

"The Republicans are betting they can win this thing on the air with negative SuperPAC advertisements funded by special interests, trying to drown out our efforts on the ground."

While the President's event will be out in the open, in the heat, a mile from there the Republicans have organized a counter rally, for the morning, inside, in the air-conditioned Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall.

Featured speakers will be two potential Romney running mates, Governors Bobby Jindal and Tim Pawlenty.

"We're looking at about 300 or 400," says Billy Pitman from the Republican National Committee.

Pittman says the 10 a.m. rally will promote Romney's positive message.

"We're the ones who know what the economy needs and how to get jobs going," notes Pittman.

Four years ago, Obama won Allegheny County big, but he lost the surrounding counties. This year, Democrats don't think Romney's outsourcing of jobs overseas will sell in this region.

"I think they'll look at those economic records and visions and ultimately side with the President this time around," adds Labolt.

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