A screenshot of the webcast showing President Obama reading a question directed to him that was posted to Twitter by an online viewer.

President Barack Obama tried to energize Democratic voters nationwide as he spoke for an hour Tuesday night to a group of about 100 supporters in a town hall-style meeting at George Washington University.

"The question is whether hope once again overcomes fear," he said. "The other side is trying to ride fear all the way to the ballot box on November 2. The most important thing we can do is vote."

The main purporse of the town hall was to encourage Democrats to vote on Nov. 2. Obama said enthusiasm and excitement in the Democratic Party was lacking compared to what he has been seeing from Republicans.

"It's going to be up to you, it's in your hands," Obama said. "The only thing that is going to counteract their excitement and the millions of dollars from special interests they are spending is your voices. It's gonna require that commitment on your part to vote and get others to vote."

Borrowing from a sports metaphor, Obama said only the first quarter has passed and that much work remains during the final two years of his first term.

Obama said Democrats will do well in the midterm elections during the event, which was streamed online on the official website of the national Democratic Party.

He answered questions from members of the audience, online viewers who joined in using live video and online viewers who posted questions to Twitter and Facebook.

The audience consisted of George Washington University students and members of Organizing for America, the president's political organization based out of the Democratic National Committee.

The town hall to rally his base came on the same day that Bloomberg News released a poll showing that nearly half of the people who once supported Obama no longer do. Forty-seven percent of all voters approve of Obama's work, but only 36 percent of onetime Obama backers support his job.

The deadline to register to vote in California is Monday.

Reach executive producer Paresh Dave here. Follow him on Twitter: @peard33.