Presidential elections: Obama warns of a TOUGH race

United States President Barack Obama, who came to power riding a wave in 2008, has cautioned his supporters that four years later it is not going to be the same and warned donors of a close race in the November 2012 presidential elections.

Addressing his supporters at fund raisers held in his home town of Chicago, Obama warned that winning won't be a sure thing this time.

"We've still got a difficult economy. And that's why this is still going to be a close race," Obama said at a fund raiser in Chicago, where he owns a home.

"I've got to tell you that if we weren't coming out of this extraordinary recession, I think the American people would make their decision very – very quickly. But we've gone through three tough years," he said.

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"You know the other side has been able to just sit on the sidelines and say no to everything, not cooperate, and then simply try to point the finger and say that somehow, this should have been fixed. And I understand that. That's politics. That's how Washington generally works. So this is going to be a tough battle," Obama said.

At another fund raiser in Chicago, Obama listed out his achievements and said criticised the Republicans for opposing to his policies.

"When you've got the top Republican saying his number-one priority isn't creating more jobs, isn't solving the healthcare problems, isn't making sure that we're competitive in the 21st century, but is to beat me, then you know things aren't on the level," he said.

"That's how you end up with Republicans in Congress voting against all kinds of proposals that they -- even proposals they supported in the past -- tax cuts for workers; tax cuts for small businesses; rebuilding roads, bridges; putting cops and teachers back to work. Suddenly they're opposed," Obama said.

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"The Republicans in Congress, the presidential candidates who are running, they've got a very specific idea about where they want to take this country. I mean, they've said it.

They said they want to reduce the deficit by gutting our investments in education and gutting our investments in research and technology, letting our infrastructure further deteriorate," he said.

"The Republicans in Congress and on the campaign trail, they want to make Medicare a form of private insurance, where seniors have to shop with a voucher, and it may not cover all their costs. I think we can lower the cost of Medicare but still guarantee the dignified retirement that our seniors have earned. They've earned it," he said.

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