Obama wants Florida for his birthday

US: He's got an iconic personal plane, a fortress-on-wheels armored car and lives in a historic home: so what do you get the President of the United States for his birthday? How about the state of Florida? President Barack Obama told supporters Thursday he would settle for a victory in the Sunshine State in November's election, as he gears up to celebrate his 51st birthday this weekend.

"I'm going to be 51 on Saturday, 51," the graying president told supporters as he stumped in Orlando, epicenter of his political battle with Republican Mitt Romney in America's largest swing state.

"Michelle says I look 50. So that's not bad," Obama said, as the crowd broke into a rendition of "Happy Birthday." "Now, if I'd known you guys were gonna sing, we would have had a cake. And then I would have blown out the candles. I would have made a wish that probably would have to do with electoral votes."

(A) win in Florida wouldn't be a bad birthday present." Obama won Florida in 2008 in his election victory over Republican nominee John McCain but he appears to be in for a tougher fight this time around. AFP