Obama calls on Romney to tell the truth

DENVER, Colorado (AFP) - United States President Barack Obama demanded truth from the "real Mitt Romney" on Thursday as aides promised a "hard look" at strategy after the president's listless performance in the first White House debate.

Passionate, cutting and engaged, in stark comparison to his debate showing, Mr Obama told 12,000 cheering supporters at a chilly lakeside rally in Denver that the Romney who turned up to their first head-to-head clash on Wednesday night was an impostor who had covered up unpopular positions.

"I met this very spirited fellow who claimed to be Mitt Romney," Mr Obama said. "It couldn't have been Mitt Romney because the real Mitt Romney has been running around the country for the last year, promising US$5 trillion (S$6.1 trillion) in tax cuts for the wealthy.

"The fellow on stage last night said he didn't know anything about that.