WASHINGTON, D.C.: United States President Barack Obama tried to steady panicking supporters on Wed-nesday (Thursday in Manila), insisting that he would win re-election despite a “bad night” in a first debate in which he had been “too polite” to Mitt Romney.

“I got this,” Obama said in a radio interview and predicted that Democratic “hand wringing” over his limp performance, which precipitated a polling slump, would be a mere memory after his next clash with Romney on Tuesday (Wednes-day in Manila).

Meanwhile, Obama’s campaign team launched a new assault on the resurgent Republican nominee, 26 days before the election, accusing him of hiding “extreme” stances to win support in the vital political center ground.

Democrats were mystified by Obama’s peevish and lethargic effort in Denver last week, and watched Romney’s subsequent surge into the lead in national polls and comeback in several battleground states with alarm.

In his most expansive review yet of the debate nightmare, Obama insisted to ABC News that his off night would not cost him re-election.

“Governor Romney had a good night. I had a bad night. It’s not the first time I’ve had a bad night,” Obama said.

“What’s important is the fundamentals of what this race is about haven’t changed,” Obama said.

Obama said in another interview with radio host Tom Joyner that he had been “too polite” to Romney, after his foe kept mouthing untruths.

He also rebuked supporters who had begun to see his re-election bid as a “cakewalk,” saying that the race was always going to be close, and his prior lead was a result of Romney’s repeated mistakes.

“By next week I think a lot of the hand wringing will be complete because we are going to go ahead and win this thing,” the president said.

“There is no doubt I can make a better case,” Obama said, looking forward to next week’s second debate.