While the two U.S. presidential candidates are doing what they can to rally support, their vice presidential running mates are on the attack.

Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan told voters in North Carolina Monday President Barack Obama's campaign is running away from a poor record on the economy.

“One out of six American today is living in poverty. That's the highest rate in a generation. You take a look at family income, household income, as a result of these failed economic policies has gone down $4,000 over the last four years.”

Ryan said only one other time in U.S. history did a sitting president ask to get reelected after conditions for most Americans got worse during his first term.

But in Detroit, Michigan – the so-called capital of the U.S. auto industry – Vice President Joe Biden hit back.

“You want to know if we're better off? I gotta a little bumper sticker for you. Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive. Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive.”

Biden told voters that under President Obama's watch the auto industry has made a comeback, staving off a near collapse and adding jobs at plants once in danger of closing.