FILE - In this May 8, 2012 file photo, President Barack Obama speaks in Washington. President Barack Obama will play host this weekend to an extraordinary confluence of international summitry, with world leaders scuttling from the Maryland mountains to do
FILE - In this May 8, 2012 file photo, President Barack Obama speaks in Washington. President Barack Obama will play host this weekend to an extraordinary confluence of international summitry, with world leaders scuttling from the Maryland mountains to downtown Chicago as they grapple for fixes to Europe's mounting economic woes and solidify plans for winding down the decade-long war in Afghanistan. Evan Vucci, File, Associated Press
By Associated Press

WASHINGTON — On his home turf, President Barack Obama will find his leverage tested at two summits beginning Friday.

Europe's economic mess remains its own problem to fix even as it threatens the U.S. recovery and Obama's re-election bid.

And the world is hardly brimming with cash and patience to help the United States prop up a postwar Afghanistan.

Still, given a home-field advantage in an election year, Obama will try to capitalize on it.

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By offering solidarity with Europe and reminders that he is steering the Afghan war to a close, Obama will be promoting his own campaign interests as well as American ones, underscoring central contrasts with Mitt Romney, his rival for the presidency.

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