Hurricane pauses US presidential campaign

President Barack Obama planned to travel to Florida today for a campaign stop as Hurricane Sandy, bearing down on the eastern United States, forced White House candidates to review their schedules.

President Barack Obama planned to travel to Florida on Sunday for a campaign stop as Hurricane Sandy, bearing down on the eastern United States, forced White House candidates to review their schedules.

Republican nominee Mitt Romney has cancelled appearances in Virginia to head for Ohio before the hurricane's arrival, while Obama moved up his initial plan to go to Florida on Monday to go back in Washington in time for the storm's landfall.

The president also has cancelled two campaign events in Virginia and Colorado early next week to monitor developments related to Sandy.

Vice President Joe Biden, meanwhile, cancelled a visit to the battleground state of Virginia to allow law enforcement and emergency workers there to prepare for the advancing storm.

Sandy, which forecasters said could prove to be the most devastating storm in decades, currently is a category one hurricane, with the potential to bring its heavy rains and gusting winds when it makes landfall late Monday or early Tuesday, anywhere from Virginia to New Jersey.