Photos: Barack Obama talks women's issues, health care in Denver

Big photos below.

If Barack Obama wins Colorado, he'll win the election.

That's what the president said today in a campaign stop in Denver -- and based on the focus of his speech, it's clear that his campaign believes women's issues are a key component of the battle to secure votes in this crucial swing state.

"We are not going back to the days when it was acceptable to charge women more than men for the same health care," Obama said today, speaking to a crowd of roughly 4,000 at the Auraria Events Center.

Sam Levin

Obama greets voters after his speech.

As we noted earlier today, it's become clear that Obama's campaign is emphasizing women's issues like access to contraception as a major strategy to defeat Romney. It's a tactic that helped Colorado Senator Michael Bennet beat Republican challenger Ken Buck in 2010.

Today, the campaign brought out Sandra Fluke, the former Georgetown law student who Rush Limbaugh called a slut and a prostitute, to push this part of his platform. (The Colorado team of his campaign brought Eva Longoria to Wheat Ridge earlier this summer to promote women's issues as well).

The president's campaign stops in Colorado this week come on the heels of Romney's visit to the state last week -- making it clear just how important this swing state will be in November. Obama has been to Colorado nine times since the start of his presidency, and just this summer, he's been here twice, first in response to the devastating wildfires then to greet victims of the Aurora theater shooting.

While Romney focused on middle class issues, and some Obamacare bashing, Obama spent most of today's speech talking about women and health care.

"For me, it's been intensely personal," Fluke said at the start of her speech. "Because when I was publicly attacked for speaking out before members of the Congress, I became more aware then ever that this election will decide whether the rights that generations of women have fought for will be rolled back. And make no mistake about it, those rights can be rolled back -- and in the blink of an eye. But thankfully, we have a president who has consistently...proven that he will defend our rights, especially our rights to quality, affordable health care."

Sam Levin

Sandra Fluke at the Obama rally.

Page down to see more photos and read more of Obama's speech.