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• NEW YORK (AP) -- The core of his presidential candidacy under attack, Mitt Romney has yet to shape a playbook to defend a quarter-century in the business world that created great riches for himself and great hardship, at times, for some American workers.
• Romney and his aides have struggled to respond consistently to intensifying criticism about his tenure at Bain Capital and how it would be reflected in his presidency. The lack of a cohesive message stems, in part, from Romney's fundamental belief that any debate that puts the economy front and center is a win for Republicans. Public polling shows most Americans are not satisfied with the pace of the recovery under Obama's watch.
• The election, Romney aides say, will be a referendum on Obama's economic leadership far more than a question of Romney's business career, regardless of how much Democrats highlight that issue.
• So far, Romney aides have let Democrats -- led by President Barack Obama -- do most of the talking.
• Obama sharply attacked Romney's background as a venture capitalist on Monday, offering his most expansive comments to date about how Romney's role as founder of the Boston-based private equity firm doesn't necessarily translate to the White House.
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• LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Swept by the barefoot running craze, ultramarathoner Ryan Carter ditched his sneakers for footwear that mimics the experience of striding unshod.
• The first time he tried it two years ago, he ran a third of a mile on grass. Within three weeks of switching over, he was clocking six miles on the road.
• During a training run with a friend along a picturesque bike path near downtown Minneapolis, Carter suddenly stopped, unable to take another step. His right foot seared in pain.
• "It was as though someone had taken a hammer and hit me with it," he recalled.
• Carter convinced his friend to run on without him. He hobbled home and rested his foot. When the throbbing became unbearable days later, he went to the doctor.

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