DES MOINES, Iowa (August 8, 2012)--Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama are both making hard sells to working-class and female voters while raising the volume on their criticism to fire up the party base and cast the other as an extremist.

Romney's team is thrusting welfare into the campaign with an ad that claims Mr. Obama plans to dole out taxpayer dollars to anyone, even those who aren’t trying to find work.

For his part, Mr. Obama is set to appear Wednesday with the Georgetown University student who became a flashpoint for women's health and, by proxy, abortion rights.

Romney was set for a rally in Des Moines Wednesday morning and a fundraiser in the New York City area.

Mr. Obama was headed to Colorado to make the case to voters, especially women, that he should be re-elected.