Subject: POLITICO's Morning Score: Schock endorses Romney--Resurgent Republic Poll: majority in swing states want a new president--What to watch in today's elections--Cain presser set for 5 p.m.--Christie stumping for Romney in N.H.--American Bridge hits Thompson for lobbying work
From: "Morning Score" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 08 Nov 2011 06:18:43 -0600

By James Hohmann (
mailto:[email-masked] 
[email-masked] ; Twitter: @jameshohmann)

DAVENPORT, Iowa-Good morning from the Quad Cities, where Mitt Romney rallied a friendly crowd of more than 200 last night:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13d5a3ad0f0f11471dfeca454036be3506fe6c44417abe8c42 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13d5a3ad0f0f11471dfeca454036be3506fe6c44417abe8c42 .

EXCLUSIVE - AARON SCHOCK ENDORSES ROMNEY:Illinois Congressman Aaron Schock will endorse Romney today. "Mitt Romney has the conservative solutions needed to get Washington off its spending addiction and focused on creating jobs," says Schock, the youngest member of the House. Jon Allen wrote a piece two weeks ago about the former governor's effort to woo Schock, who wanted to make sure the frontrunner was tough enough to withstand the coming onslaught of attacks from Obama's reelection apparatus:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13099ecd2df5b38784a852c641e1843d12364856dc1817a7ed 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13099ecd2df5b38784a852c641e1843d12364856dc1817a7ed . Today's news demonstrates that Romney's hard work to win endorsements is paying dividends.

SNEAK PEEK - RESURGENT REPUBLIC POLL SHOWS TROUBLE FOR OBAMA:Resurgent Republic, releasing a new national survey this morning, found that most voters believe the country is worse off than when President Obama took office. If President Obama's reelection campaign is a referendum on the incumbent, the conservative group is confident he is beatable. Some key takeaways from their poll: "Because Americans believe the country has declined on Obama's watch, his reelection numbers are stuck in the low 40s. A majority of voters in swing states says it is time for someone else to be President." Here is a two-page memo previewing the results:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13f819f7e409cb3dfcc1a7e678f97813a1909c3d8efc2d2a84 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13f819f7e409cb3dfcc1a7e678f97813a1909c3d8efc2d2a84 .

THREE DATA POINTS caught our eye in Resurgent's poll:

33% of independents say Obama deserves reelection.
Households with public sector union members support Obama's reelection 52-39, but private sector union households say it is time for someone else, 52-43.
The 18-to-34 year-old group - pivotal to Obama's 2008 success - prefers a generic Republican 45-36 over Obama. Only 36% of them say Obama deserves reelection.

FIRST LOOK - 50% THINK REPUBLICANS ARE "INTENTIONALLY STALLING EFFORTS TO JUMPSTART THE ECONOMY":Daily Kos and SEIU sanctioned Public Policy Polling, the Democratic firm, to ask the question: 'Do you think the Republicans are intentionally stalling efforts to jumpstart the economy to insure that Barack Obama is not reelected?' 50% of 1,000 registered voters and 51% of independent voters said yes. 54% of 18-to-29-year-olds said yes. The full poll will post on Daily Kos mid-morning.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13183db763eddbd0dc5512694dd317c54d8cc7c87db9c83ea1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13183db763eddbd0dc5512694dd317c54d8cc7c87db9c83ea1 

** As Cain calls a press conference, Huntsman accuses Romney of being cowardly and Democrats get their dream recruit in North Dakota, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your daily guide to the permanent campaign.

ELECTION DAY - WHAT TO WATCH:"Two governors races will be determined, along with the fates of five state houses and ballot referendums in Ohio and Mississippi that have drawn national attention. There are also a handful of big-city mayoral races at play and 26 recall elections to watch." Reid Epstein previews:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13849baeffa143d57b60317d9bdb745fc785c19bb6d23f377b 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13849baeffa143d57b60317d9bdb745fc785c19bb6d23f377b . Catanese and Isenstadt offer five things to watch tonight:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f133c085a5ab64d3aabd662cc53a6ad7c9ea192421d14cc954c 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f133c085a5ab64d3aabd662cc53a6ad7c9ea192421d14cc954c .

OHIO LABOR REFERENDUM - MY STORY FROM COLUMBUS:"Voters here are set to roundly reject Republican Gov. John Kasich's signature achievement - a law curtailing public employees' collective-bargaining rights. The repeal effort has galvanized President Barack Obama's base and handed Democrats in this swing state a valuable organizing opportunity one year before the presidential election. Obama is still polling badly in Ohio, but his campaign has capitalized on perceived Republican overreach to bring recalcitrant liberals back into the fold and strengthen ties with unions who believe they face an existential threat."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13a209c3d0ef1647509b695cf73baa796348d7403d0ae8b21b 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13a209c3d0ef1647509b695cf73baa796348d7403d0ae8b21b 

ROMNEY LATEST -

HUNTSMAN UNVEILS "SCARED MITTLESS" CAMPAIGN:Jon Huntsman's campaign is hitting Romney for avoiding questions from Sunday shows and voters. He did not take questions from voters at either stop in Iowa yesterday or on his last trip to New Hampshire. A new 90-second web video shows video of Romney getting testy when asked questions and Fox News Sunday Chris Wallace noting that Romney is the only candidate not to appear on his show. The microsite, scaredmittless2012.com, features a clock counting the days since Romney's last Sunday show appearance (609 days) and press conference (27). Check out the site, which has the video:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f1365009b11e32100b0bfdb409dc576dcda35576e36c58d71be 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f1365009b11e32100b0bfdb409dc576dcda35576e36c58d71be .

DNC RESURRECTS "LET DETROIT GO BANKRUPT" WITH NEW WEB VIDEO:The Democratic National Committee just posted a web video, called "Hit the Road Mitt," that slams him for opposing auto industry bailouts. A party official writes: "The video is being launched as part of ongoing bracketing activities in advance of Wednesday's debate in Michigan and follows Monday's press conference call with OFA Campaign Manager Jim Messina and National Press Secretary Ben LaBolt. The Michigan Congressional delegation (Reps. Dingell, Conyers, Levin, Peters and Clarke) is also scheduled to hold a press conference today in Detroit at a UAW local to discuss the revitalized American automobile industry... On Wednesday,
 DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz will be on site at Oakland University" to keep hammering Romney for opposing the bailout. Watch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f134ba7095248b4f1d8a1170c795566c1dd9ffdb866b5853f96 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f134ba7095248b4f1d8a1170c795566c1dd9ffdb866b5853f96 

DAVID BROOKS PRAISES MITT'S ENTITLEMENT PLAN:Not that David Brooks will bring votes over to Romney, but the New York Times columnist writes today that he was impressed by the speech Romney gave in D.C. last Friday. He calls his plan to reform Medicare both politically and substantively smart. Brooks: "Romney is running in an atmosphere in which it is extremely difficult to remain serious and substantive. Yet he is doing it. Democrats should not underestimate him."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13b2e89d92881a32e00f49c86558d608fe1e49da670b09d5f5 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13b2e89d92881a32e00f49c86558d608fe1e49da670b09d5f5 

CHRISTIE GOING TO NEW HAMPSHIRE TOMORROW:"New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will make his first surrogate campaign appearance for presidential candidate Mitt Romney in New Hampshire on Wednesday," The Union Leader reports. "The Granite Status has learned that Christie will make two public stops in the Granite State before heading to Boston for a debate-watching party at Romney's national headquarters."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f1361298a4b4f7883b4bf1c7bb3a938f081fec43e19e18870e2 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f1361298a4b4f7883b4bf1c7bb3a938f081fec43e19e18870e2 

CAIN LATEST -

PRESS CONFERENCE SET FOR 5 P.M. ET:The Cain campaign sent a press release after 11 p.m. announcing that the candidate will hold a press conference at the Scottsdale Plaza in Phoenix at 3 p.m. local time to vigorously deny the new charges.

CAIN TALKS ABOUT "WOMAN NUMBER FOUR":Cain said he watched Gloria Allred's press conference during his interview on Jimmy Kimmel's show last night. "When I made the statement that I'm done talking about this, I was talking about the firestorm last week. I wasn't talking about this new firestorm that we discovered today... I will talk about any and all future firestorms because here's one thing people know about Herman Cain: I'm in it to win it and I'm not going to be discouraged."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f1308bccd14f6791ec414d51dd05812653adb438146a6485782 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f1308bccd14f6791ec414d51dd05812653adb438146a6485782 

WHO IS SHARON BIALEK?The Chicago Tribune profiles the fourth woman-the first publicly-to accuse Cain of sexual harassment: "The emerging portrait of Herman Cain's most recent accuser shows a suburban homemaker with a history of financial and legal troubles, but one who supporters say has the guts to do the right thing." Bialek's fiance and father go on the record to support her:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13dc4ef4926730542426d8dc73e20f9557c5904a10e5a8924c 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13dc4ef4926730542426d8dc73e20f9557c5904a10e5a8924c .

WHAT SHE TOLD PIERS MORGAN LAST NIGHT:"I felt I needed to do this for the other women that couldn't or wouldn't...There's going to be a lot of backlash and I'm going to have to suffer through that...I'm willing to handle it. I'm a tough girl."

CAIN REPORTEDLY SOUGHT DINNER WITH EGYPTIAN WOMAN:The Washington Examiner popped this story late last night. "A former employee of the United States Agency for International Development says Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain asked her to help arrange a dinner date for him with a female audience member following a speech he delivered nine years ago ... [Donna Donella, 40, of Arlington], who no longer works for USAID, said they were suspicious of Cain's motives and declined to set up the date."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f130944d7d38eab63f29d3eb17b31cd9db056be174752ddaf61 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f130944d7d38eab63f29d3eb17b31cd9db056be174752ddaf61 

ALLRED IN TOUCH WITH OTHER CAIN ACCUSERS:"Allred - appearing with Herman Cain harassment accuser Sharon Bialek on CNN - told Wolf Blitzer that she's been in contact with two of the women who made allegations against the candidate in the 1990s. 'I know their identity,' Allred said. 'I've spoken with both of them.'"
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f1359c5921a5f4b79e0bb28335f449e9db377f30f004c117925 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f1359c5921a5f4b79e0bb28335f449e9db377f30f004c117925 

"IT'S DIFFERENT TODAY THAN IT WAS FRIDAY"- CONSERVATIVE SUPPORT STARTS TO CRACK:Jonathan Martin and Juana Summers collected a bunch of social conservative voices saying that it is time for Cain to disclose everything. "In not-for-attribution conversations, social conservatives said bluntly that the emergence of Bialek's account had changed the story and that the onus is now on Cain. 'You can't be non-responsive,' said one prominent Christian conservative leader. 'It's different today than it was Friday.'"
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13eb791e0913c5ebadad19dcde065551869cc539491a4d615b 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13eb791e0913c5ebadad19dcde065551869cc539491a4d615b 

Three damning on-the-record voices:

.Bill Bennett:"For we who led the charge against Bill Clinton on a number of related issues to continue to blame the media or other campaigns or say it simply doesn't matter makes us the hypocrites as well." National Review:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f138351c17efc2e7e5e08e2edba97f2952d66b6d207344dc0f1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f138351c17efc2e7e5e08e2edba97f2952d66b6d207344dc0f1 .
.Haley Barbour:"If there is any substance to the claims, if the American people believe that somebody abused women, they are not going to elect him or her president." National Review:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f131d08c9b39570cf51e061c21f70f8994ab07885ad28a73504 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f131d08c9b39570cf51e061c21f70f8994ab07885ad28a73504 .

.Bob Vander Plaats:"This is a 'tipping point' for the viability of his campaign." Des Moines Register:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f137c85a9eb0d649954bd0b78a324870f2a2e6951a82982825c 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f137c85a9eb0d649954bd0b78a324870f2a2e6951a82982825c .
MORE 2012-

WHAT THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES ARE UP TO:Cainhas his presser. Romney drove up to Chicago after his speech here last night. Rick Santorum greets voters at polling locations in Nashua and Manchester, New Hampshire. Then the former Pennsylvania senator has an afternoon town hall meeting in Raymond and a meeting with volunteers in Bedford. Michele Bachmann hosts a lunch fundraiser in Columbia, S.C.

ABC/YAHOO INTERVIEW SCHEDULE:ABCNews.com and Yahoo.com will livestream the following interviews today (all times Eastern): Huntsman at 8:10 a.m.; Bachmann at 9:30; Paul at 11; Perry at 11:15; Romney at 12:15 p.m.; Santorum at 2; Cain at 2:30; Gingrich at 3.

WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS UP TO - PHILADELPHIA:"In the morning, the President will travel to Philadelphia ... [He] will visit Yeadon Regional Head Start Center where he will tour a classroom and meet with students and teachers. The President will then deliver remarks where he will announce the next step in his "We Can't Wait" campaign...Later in the afternoon, the President will return to Washington, DC."

WHITE HOUSE SHUFFLE - DALEY LOSES DAY-TO-DAY CONTROL:"On Monday, [White House Chief of Staff Bill] Daley turned over day-to-day management of the West Wing to Pete Rouse, a veteran aide to President Obama, according to several people familiar with the matter," the Wall Street Journal scooped last night. "The new set-up effectively makes Mr. Rouse the president's inside manager and Mr. Daley his ambassador, roles that appear to better suit both men's talents."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13200664bd7fce6fee736024aab543a0ff4ef9d08fb9ce9a4a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13200664bd7fce6fee736024aab543a0ff4ef9d08fb9ce9a4a 

BLACKS STICK WITH OBAMA:NBC News, the Wall Street Journal and theGrio.com released a poll yesterday that gives Obama 91% job approval with African-Americans. A remarkable 86% approve his handling of the economy. From a release: "African Americans would vote for Obama over Cain 93% to 6%. 26% of African Americans think Herman Cain's race will play a negative role in his ability to win the Republican presidential election, 48% responding that his race will not play a role." The release:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f1324a5ab68afd78c2be376819992ee175670e280750ba4cf79 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f1324a5ab68afd78c2be376819992ee175670e280750ba4cf79 . The Wall Street Journal's write-up of their larger poll:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f139fea9f87ea3538ace2dda93d768de421014cf6a27cc2e48d 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f139fea9f87ea3538ace2dda93d768de421014cf6a27cc2e48d .

HOUSE AND SENATE RACES -

FIRST IN SCORE - AMERICAN BRIDGE WEB VIDEO BLASTS TOMMY THOMPSON:American Bridge 21st Century is releasing a new web video hitting Wisconsin Republican Senate candidate Tommy Thompson on his refusal to disclose or sever all of his business/lobbying firm ties for his campaign. The ending is a graphic showing a bunch of Akin Gump clients' logos with the tagline 'HOW CAN THOMP$ON REPRESENT US IF THOMP$ON REPRESENTS THEM?" This is a theme we can expect both Democrats and Thompson's GOP opponents to hit over and over again. It's why people who are running for office usually don't work for lobbying firms first. Some great use of tracker footage in here:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f1327c3a9c12e86d2606f844a1802da3b7b3c021ad5d9de44b8 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f1327c3a9c12e86d2606f844a1802da3b7b3c021ad5d9de44b8 .

NORTH DAKOTA SENATE - HEITKAMP RUNS, DEMS CALL RACE COMPETITIVE:Former Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp officially announced this morning that she is running for the open Senate seat Republicans are favored to win in North Dakota. Guy Cecil, the DSCC executive director, has written a memo arguing that the state should be considered a toss-up, not solidly Republican. "For more than 20 years, North Dakotans have been voting one way for President and another for US Senate. For a generation North Dakotans have elected independent Senators that are loyal to North Dakota values, not their political party in Washington," he says. "Elected just last year, Rick Berg is already asking North Dakotans
 for a promotion. But unlike both the Democratic and Republican US Senators, and the Republican governor, Rick Berg has a net negative job approval. In fact, Berg's net job approval is a negative 22 points." Cecil's memo:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f135fdee663d773a0c208ca5eb847a72d9c5535e792cc0bf918 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f135fdee663d773a0c208ca5eb847a72d9c5535e792cc0bf918 .

Republicans have begun to define Heitkamp as a liberal activist. They say the DSCC is offering a way too rosy forecast, noting that the GOP won the open Senate seat in North Dakota last year with 76%, beat the state's at-large Democratic congressman by 10 points and picked up supermajorities in both state legislative chambers.

MONTANA SENATE - DSCC HOPES TO DEFINE REHBERG AS HYPOCRITE:The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee will use the news Jim DeMint has been getting these last few days about his looming Senate endorsements to draw attention to the times that Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg and former Virginia Sen. George Allen have not lived up to their fiscally conservative rhetoric. The forthcoming press release targeting Rehberg notes his votes to raise the debt ceiling, use of earmarks and support for budgets with massive deficits. "Selling Dennis Rehberg's big spending record is like putting lipstick on a pig," said DSCC spokesman Matt Canter. "There is no way DeMint would give Dennis Rehberg a second
 look if DeMint knew the truth about Rehberg's spending record."

VEEPSTAKES - MCDONNELL TO MEET WITH NETANYAHU IN ISRAEL:Virginia "Gov. Bob McDonnell will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his two-week trade trip to Israel and India, which starts Wednesday," the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f1389564a9e2f2729d9f0b69ad4b5de6260ceefb61fb8bd2f95 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f1389564a9e2f2729d9f0b69ad4b5de6260ceefb61fb8bd2f95 . The Sunday meeting comes after the governor's May meeting with the South Korean president. McDonnell is trying to make history in the Commonwealth tonight. If Republicans take over the state Senate, now held 22-18 by the Democrats, he will be able to push an agenda in the next session that could position him for a spot on the ticket next year or an outright run in 2016. Today's Virginian-Pilot looks at legislation he might pass with a unified legislature:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f134830d02515d2e32f7cfcbd13d8d6bc8fa4f36165a225c694 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f134830d02515d2e32f7cfcbd13d8d6bc8fa4f36165a225c694 .

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY:"Unfortunately for too many Republicans, they also aspire to be frugal socialists...We can't preserve liberty if the choice is between a frugal socialist and an out-of-control socialist." - Michele Bachmann in a Monday speech to the Family Research Council
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13ae36d795014690f0e5e025268c1a5c4cbaa9165f74e086e0 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a0705e57147a4f13ae36d795014690f0e5e025268c1a5c4cbaa9165f74e086e0 

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