President attempts to stave of debt scourge threats while second term hangs in the balance

The man who leads the nation that hosts the globe's largest economy is looking across the Atlantic as his effort to retain power shifts into a higher gear.

In less than one year, the U.S. will know whether President Barack Obama returns for an additional four year or if his one-term as chief executive officer will yield to someone such as President Newt Gingrich. Or, perhaps, President Mitt Romney.

The Washington Post reports on Monday that European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton are on White House grounds to discuss issues germane to the global economy. And Reuters reports preoccupations about the euro zone's sovereign debt scourge are increasingly encroaching on 2012 presidential election issues.

Of paramount concern to Obama is preventing the debt scourge from crossing the Atlantic and infecting the U.S. economy, which is attempting to avoid a double-dip recession , according to Reuters.

Though Gingrich collected the influential endorsement of the New Hampshire Union Leader newspaper this past weekend, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives still trails former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in the polls.

Either way, both candidates and others are tightening the screws against President Obama.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.