Subject: POLITICO's Morning Score: SBA List ads target Planned Parenthood - Romney taps Chen for policy post - Obama chooses Chicago HQ - Bachmann takes Iowa by storm - LeMieux preps Nelson challenge - Deval Patrick to Wis.
From: "Morning Score" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 05:44:11 -0400 (EDT)

By Alexander Burns (@aburnspolitico, [email-masked] ) 

FIRST IN SCORE - NO 'TRUCE' IN DC: The Susan B. Anthony List Education Fund and several other anti-abortion groups are going on the air in Washington this week with a 10-day television ad campaign targeting Planned Parenthood. The commercials come amid a standoff on Capitol Hill over whether to continue federal funding for Planned Parenthood: House Republicans voted to cut off government support for the organization, but the Senate blocked that move. So far, Planned Parenthood has had a prominent place on the airwaves, running commercials that call on Congress to protect funding for women's health services. Now, the SBA List campaign attempts to undercut that argument with the help of Abby Johnson, who describes herself in the ad as a disillusioned former Planned Parenthood employee. "I joined Planned Parenthood because I wanted to help poor women with real health care needs," Johnson says in the commercial. "Planned Parenthood is not about women's health ... Their entire corporate culture is about abortions." Watch the ad here: http://bit.ly/fqR5we  

MORE - THE DETAILS: Like the ads Planned Parenthood has run, this is a commercial aimed at swaying opinion in Washington DC on the highest-profile social issue currently facing Congress. The ads will start on Fox and MSNBC tomorrow, March 29, and run through April 7, at a cost of $90,000. Joining the SBA List in the effort are the groups American Values, Catholic Advocate and CatholicVote.org Education Fund. 

COMING THIS MORNING - CHEN RE-UPS: Lanhee Chen, a former senior policy and political aide at the Department of Health and Human Services, is joining Mitt Romney's Free and Strong America PAC as policy director. Chen was Romney's chief domestic policy adviser during the 2008 campaign and also advised the 2004 Bush-Cheney campaign on health policy. More from his bio: "Chen was the Deputy Campaign Manager and Policy Director on California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner's campaign for governor ... and previously practiced law at the international law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. Chen earned his Ph.D. and A.M. in Political Science, J.D. cum laude, and A.B. magna cum laude in Government, all from Harvard University." 

TONIGHT - From the White House guidance: "In the evening, the President will deliver an address at the National Defense University in Washington, DC to update the American people on the situation in Libya, including the actions we've taken with allies and partners to protect the Libyan people from the brutality of Moammar Qaddafi, the transition to NATO command and control, and our policy going forward." 

As Colorado Republicans pick their favorite, Gary Johnson sets a timeline and Rand Paul has greatness thrust upon him, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your daily guide to the permanent campaign. 

MONDAY STAKES - April is upon us. Another month has come and gone without a single major Republican announcing for president. But with multiple serious contenders now in the exploratory stage, we probably won't be saying the same four weeks from now. Here's Morning Score's take on which candidates and lawmakers have the most to gain or lose in the week ahead: 

(1) Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, the Big New Thing in the 2012 presidential race, who can return from her weekend trip to Iowa with the expectation of unlimited media attention as she begins laying out the case for herself as a national candidate; (2) Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who's coming off a rocky few days thanks to his muddled position on Libya, and needs to hit his rhetorical stride as candidates are asked to respond to President Obama's Monday speech to the nation; (3) Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, who canceled a trip to New Hampshire in order to deal with stalemated budget talks in his home state, putting him in a Mitch Daniels-like predicament of having to focus on his day job while revving up for 2012; (4) California Gov. Jerry Brown, whose ambitious plan to overhaul the state budget has hit a big snag, thanks to deepening partisan divisions in the state legislature that may prevent him from calling a June referendum on taxes; (5) Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser, who's up for election on April 5 and faces a harsh and intensifying Democratic campaign aimed at making him the first victim of backlash against Gov. Scott Walker. 

LEMIEUX LEANS IN: The Florida Senate race already has two effectively declared Republican candidates and it's likely to get a third soon, in the form of former Florida Sen. George LeMieux. LeMieux has appeared at several Lincoln Day dinners and held meetings with grassroots activists and potential donors that one source called encouraging. And multiple sources tell Score that LeMieux has also consulted with one of the GOP's most sought-after operatives, former Republican Governors Association executive director Nick Ayers, who has offered LeMieux advice on the race as a friend. The St. Petersburg Times previously reported that LeMieux was in talks with conservative ad man Jon Lerner about a potential challenge to Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson. LeMieux would face a primary fight against state Senate President Mike Haridopolos, who is already in the race and raising money at a fast clip, and former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, who has formed an exploratory committee. http://bit.ly/gwmaUR  

THE 2012 SCORE - OBAMA CHOOSES HQ - Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times has the news: "The Obama 2012 national headquarters will be at One Prudential Plaza ... a skyscraper whose south front faces Grant Park, where President Obama held his 2008 election night victory rally. The building -- completed in 1955 and known to Chicagoans by its original name, the Prudential Building -- at 130 E. Randolph is a very short walk from Obama's 2008 headquarters, which was on the 11th floor of 233 N. Michigan. Obama's team has been scouting locations in Chicago for weeks and settled on the Prudential Building in part because of the ability to make it a secure location." http://bit.ly/fx6oIU  

LAST NIGHT - CULTURE WARRIOR: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich warned a crowd of thousands last night at Pastor John Hagee's Cornerstone Church that America is at risk of becoming "secular atheist country, potentially one dominated by radical Islamists and with no understanding of what it once meant to be an American," reports POLITICO's Kendra Marr. The San Antonio Express-News has more: "He warned that America is headed toward becoming a godless society unless voters take a stand against President Barack Obama and liberal-minded college professors and likeminded media pushing his agenda ... After the speech, he signed copies of his book, 'Rediscovering God in America.' Those in line waiting spoke of Gingrich's courage to spell out the battle lines between those who want a secular America and those working to preserve the nation's religious roots." http://politi.co/fCVukl  and http://bit.ly/fXjzz2  

BACHMANN IN IOWA - A CANDIDATE IS BORN - The latest almost-official entrant into the 2012 race stole the show this weekend at Iowa Rep. Steve King's Conservative Principles Conference, showing exactly why she'll be a major factor in the first-in-the-nation caucus state if she runs. First Read: "The congresswoman from Minnesota, who was born in Iowa, touted, 'I am an Iowan!' She rattled off the seven generations of her family that emigrated from Norway to Iowa, a 'land of milk and honey.' And she lavished Iowans with praise, calling them intelligent, good natured, and even good looking." The Wall Street Journal: "Some activists who play a role in Iowa's first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses bridle at any suggestion that economic issues should take a front seat ahead of abortion, gay marriage or other social issues. 'Social conservatism is fiscal conservatism,' thundered Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, bringing the crowd at the Conservative Principles Conference here to its feet." POLITICO's Maggie Haberman: "Bachmann's fiery rhetoric, folksy demeanor, talk about her personal life and vow to stop President Barack Obama from, as she put it, threatening people's freedoms, all prompted massive waves of applause ... Few cared, or were even aware, that she's been dinged in the national press for her gaffes - most voters were impressed by her message and her charisma ... 'Passion,' was the word Mike Ginther used to describe ... Bachmann - whose voice at times rose to a shout." http://on.wsj.com/fHleQD  and http://on.msnbc.com/fFrY2b  and http://politi.co/g8Wgnu  

(STRAW) POLL OF THE DAY - Colorado Republicans gave Mitt Romney a convincing win in a straw poll at the state GOP's Centennial Dinner Friday. Romney more than doubled his nearest competitor's vote total with 78 ballots, according to results shared with Morning Score. The second-place finisher was Bachmann, who had 38 votes, followed by Tim Pawlenty's 34, Mitch Daniels's 27, and 26 each for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Donald Trump. Notable - The keynote speaker at the event was first-term New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, who's viewed as a VP prospect for 2012 and joked to the crowd, "I know a little something about attracting Hispanic Democrats - I used to be one." http://bit.ly/hg85Yf  

POPPING ON 2012 LIVE - "Johnson to launch W.H. bid in April" - Kendra Marr: "Gary Johnson will formally announce his candidacy for president in April while stumping in New Hampshire, an adviser told POLITICO. The former New Mexico governor will skip the step of creating an exploratory committee, opting for an immediate start to his bid for the GOP nomination ... Starting a campaign in April could provide such backdrops as the April 15 Tax Day and the annual April 20 push for legalizing marijuana ... Since launching Our America Initiative last year, Johnson has traveled the country - with a focus on the early voting states - speaking about the economy, civil liberties and the need to reduce entitlement spending." http://politi.co/g3lkjo  

ELSEWHERE IN LIBERTARIANISM: Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul has national ambitions, whether or not he decides to seek the White House in 2012. The original tea party senator, who acknowledged last week that he's interested in running for president, told columnist Al Cross that he plans to have "influence over what the platform of the tea party is and how it's perceived." Cross notes that the senator's "brand and base, created by Ron Paul, helped his son make himself a credible candidate in the 2010 Senate primary. They are also the two things that make it possible for him to openly talk about running for president with such a meager record of public service. 'There just aren't many people who can say they might run . . . and be taken seriously, and I can do that,' he said. But he talks more in terms of a candidacy that would advance his issues rather than propel him to the White House. 'Being part of the national debate is good for the issues,' he said." http://bit.ly/hfgBvU  

N.H. READING - GO HOME, RUDY: Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani recently visited Manchester, addressing a local GOP group and refusing to rule out a second campaign for president in 2012. In the Union Leader this weekend, former New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman Fergus Cullen wrote that Giuliani shouldn't waste his time: "Admitting the problem is the first step in recovery, but confession doesn't excuse how bad a campaign Giuliani waged in New Hampshire four years ago ... In the course of the last campaign, during which I was state Republican Party chairman, I must have met Rudy Giuliani a half-dozen times. But for Giuliani, it was always the first time; he gave no indication of recognizing me. Getting to know individual voters was unimportant. In contrast, McCain and other candidates routinely picked me out of crowds ... Sorry, Rudy. You had your chance, and much as we respect your resume, we're just not interested in going out again." http://bit.ly/h1hUJ0  

SPOT THE SENATE CANDIDATE: Former Hawaii Rep. Ed Case says he won't decide until next month whether to run for Senate in 2012. But Case is interested enough in running for outgoing Sen. Daniel Akaka's seat that he's taken a poll on the race - surprise, surprise, the results are good for Ed Case. The candidate writes: "I retained very good overall name recognition and favorability, prevailed in the Democratic primary matchups (for example, Case 47%, Hannemann 35%, Unsure 18%), and did best among the Democrats in a general election against presumed Republican nominee Linda Lingle (Case 49%, Lingle 37%, Unsure 14%). I've further been talking with Hawai'i's senior political leaders, and will be returning to D.C. at month-end for meetings there." We wonder: What about primary match-ups with Reps. Mazie Hirono and Colleen Hanabusa, and Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz? http://bit.ly/dK1s7n  

THE 2016 SCORE - ON BEYOND BEACON HILL: Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick will talk up his book on another national media tour next month and join the political fray in Wisconsin while he's at it. The Boston Herald: "Patrick will not only hit the 'Today Show,' 'The Daily Show' and 'Real Time with Bill Maher,' he also plans to speak at an April 30 fund-raiser for Wisconsin's Democratic Party ... The fund-raiser will focus on Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's push to eliminate collective union bargaining ... Patrick's book tour will run from April 11-29, but officials said he would be out of state only for seven days." http://bit.ly/gfyoLF  

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "You have our sincere apologies for the lack of a better hold room today" - Vice presidential spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander, in an e-mail to Orlando Sentinel reporter Scott Powers, who was forced to wait in a closet during a fundraiser Joe Biden held in Florida last week http://abcn.ws/igFdKT  

Go to Morning Score Now >> http://www.politico.com/morningscore

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