2008 victories now tossups

 An analysis by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report underscored the potential for a tight 2012 election. It rated seven states Barack Obama won last time as tossups – Nevada, Colorado, Wisconsin, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida – with the outcome of the election hanging in the balance.

 Obama hasn’t given up on states that seem likely to return to the Republican column, such as Indiana, which he plans to visit on Friday, and North Carolina, site of the Democratic national convention next year.

 According to national opinion polls, almost half of registered voters currently favor a second term for Obama. That positions him on par with or better than either George W. Bush or Bill Clinton at a similar stage in their two-term presidencies, according to the Pew Research Center.