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'60 Minutes' Airs Obama, Romney Interviews

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

OK. So, all those political ads are on the air. Last night, the candidates themselves were on the air. They did interviews on the same CBS program, "60 Minutes." NPR's David Schaper was watching.

DAVID SCHAPER, BYLINE: After a week in which his campaign was on the defensive, Romney told "60 Minutes" he remains confident.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "60 MINUTES")

MITT ROMNEY: I'm going to win this thing.

SCHAPER: And amid criticism from some fellow Republicans for his comments that he's not worried about appealing to 47 percent of Americans, Romney says his campaign doesn't need a turnaround.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "60 MINUTES")

ROMNEY: I've got a very effective campaign. It's doing a very good job. But not everything I say is elegant. And I want to make it very clear: I want to help 100 percent of the American people.

SCHAPER: Pressed for details on what loopholes, deductions and exemptions he would eliminate to pay for his plan to lower taxes, Romney remains vague.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "60 MINUTES")

ROMNEY: Well, that's something Congress and I will have to work out together.

SCHAPER: And Romney continues to criticize President Obama on the economy. But the president says he's done well with the situation he inherited.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "60 MINUTES")

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Well, look, nobody's more concerned about the employment situation than I am. The problem we have was the hole was so deep that we got in, that we lost nine million jobs. We've created 4.6. We've still got a long way to go.

SCHAPER: And Mr. Obama insists many of the actions he's taken have worked.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "60 MINUTES")

OBAMA: And the fact of the matter is that what we've done has been effective in improving the situation in every area that we're talking about. When I made the decision to save the auto industry, that saved a million jobs. One in eight jobs in Ohio is dependent on the auto industry. So, we've actually seen success.

SCHAPER: Both candidates are back on the campaign trail today. President Obama tapes an appearance on "The View," while Mitt Romney campaigns in Colorado. David Schaper, NPR News.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

GREENE: You're listening to MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

David Schaper is a correspondent on NPR's National Desk, based in Chicago, primarily covering transportation and infrastructure, as well as breaking news in Chicago and the Midwest.