Subject: POLITICO’s Morning Score: Paul ad calls Santorum a fake fiscal conservative--Santorum up 10 in new Gallup poll--LaTourette backs Romney--Fitzgerald embraces Walker--Mitt burn rate heartens Chicago--DCCC launches GrimmFiles.com
From: "Morning Score" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 21 Feb 2012 06:03:53 -0600

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

EXCLUSIVE - PAUL AD CALLS SANTORUM A "FAKE" FISCAL CONSERVATIVE:Ron Paul is going statewide on Michigan TV with a devastating ad that excoriates Rick Santorum for voting to raise the debt ceiling five times, double the size of the Department of Education, create the Medicare prescription drug benefit, send foreign aid to dictators and fund Planned Parenthood. The buy size is low six-figures on Fox. It's part of a multi-ad plan that the Texas congressman is rolling out for Super Tuesday. Watch the 30-second spot:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=147963c308170190d71d3ae78c0d952cd019671422abbe251ce66bbac77dd6ce 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=147963c308170190d71d3ae78c0d952cd019671422abbe251ce66bbac77dd6ce .

FIRST IN SCORE - OHIO CONGRESSMAN ENDORSES ROMNEY:Ohio congressman LaTourette will officially come out for Mitt Romney today. "Mitt Romney is the only candidate that can defeat President Obama and create jobs for Ohioans," he says in a forthcoming statement. The state's attorney general, Mike DeWine, defected from Romney to back Rick Santorum last Friday. The endorsement from LaTourette, a part of the swashbuckling class of 1994, is meant to highlight that most of the Buckeye State establishment still stands behind Romney.

FIRST LOOK - KATE HANSEN HIRED AS DGA COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR:Shecomes to the Democratic Governors Association from Sen. Richard Blumenthal's office. The Duke grad worked on Blumenthal&#39;s race in her role as the Connecticut Democratic Party's spokesman, and prior to that as former Rep. Patrick Murphy's communications director. She also worked on Jim Martin&#39;s unsuccessful effort to unseat Saxby Chambliss in 2008. Hansen starts on Friday-just in time for the National Governors Association Winter Meeting. She replaces Lis Smith, who moved to Chicago to direct rapid response for the president's reelection campaign.

WISCONSIN SENATE EXCLUSIVE - FITZGERALD EMBRACES WALKER IN NEW VIDEO:Wisconsin State House Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald, the conservative insurgent battling Tommy Thompson for the Republican Senate nomination, is releasing a powerful 90-second web video highlighting his role in the state's budget negotiations and tying himself closely to Gov. Scott Walker, the Republican rock star facing a recall campaign. Jon Downs of FP1 Strategies, the campaign's media consultant, produced the high-energy video:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=147963c308170190b2afc2d6db563b4e303a976ba861a4eca8d37506fb675bf1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=147963c308170190b2afc2d6db563b4e303a976ba861a4eca8d37506fb675bf1 .

** As Colbert returns, an outed Arizona sheriff calls himself a victim and Romney builds an Ohio firewall, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your daily guide to the permanent campaign.

ON THE FORBES COVER - ADELSON FLOATS $100 MILLION DONATION TO GINGRICH:In his first interview since he and his wife gave $21 million to the super PAC backing Newt Gingrich, casino magnate Sheldon Adelson tells Forbes: "It's unfair that I've been treated unfair-but it doesn't stop me.I might give $10 million or $100 million to Gingrich." More: "I'm against very wealthy people attempting to or influencing elections. But as long as it's doable I'm going to do it. Because I know that guys like Soros have been doing it for years, if not decades. And they stay below the radar by creating a network of corporations to funnel their money...I don't want to go through ten different corporations to
 hide my name." Cover image for the March 12 edition:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=147963c3081701906b4c545da6f421f8a251bb3656eb486141d67cecd79a6d55 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=147963c3081701906b4c545da6f421f8a251bb3656eb486141d67cecd79a6d55 . Full story hasn't come out, but the magazine teases it with this blog post:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=147963c308170190dd2a56638413d2c6ac75a81500631442aaf7419bd0c7ec33 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=147963c308170190dd2a56638413d2c6ac75a81500631442aaf7419bd0c7ec33 .

JANUARY MONEY REPORTS -Highlights from last night's flurry of FEC filings:

ROMNEY SPENDING FAR OUTPACED FUNDRAISING:"The Romney for President committee spent nearly $18.8 million against more than $6.5 million raised in January, and it reported $7.67 million cash on hand as of the month's end," per Dave Levinthal. The pro-Romney Super PAC Restore our Future raised $6.6 million and spent $14 million, mostly on attack ads against Gingrich. Romney National Finance Chairman Spencer Zwick noted in a statement that Romney himself hasn't loaned the campaign money, the campaign has only raised money toward the Republican primary and carries no debt. "We have exceeded our fundraising goals and are on track with spending plans," he said. Breakdown of how the money was spent
 (including $8.47 million on media placement):
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=147963c308170190511f8aa09036c0f043e79446269eb452cb4bb962fa97fae6 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=147963c308170190511f8aa09036c0f043e79446269eb452cb4bb962fa97fae6 . Ken Vogel and Abby Phillip on why the high BURN RATE is great news for President Obama:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=147963c3081701907614f110cfcacdff0fd1d7a771addf6e0654f5e3e47458de 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=147963c3081701907614f110cfcacdff0fd1d7a771addf6e0654f5e3e47458de .

SANTORUM RAISED $4.5 MILLION IN JANUARY:He had $1.47 million on hand at the end of January AND $957,000 in debts. The report was also for a period before his triple wins in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri, which his team said sparked more than $3 million in contributions. Santorum strategist John Brabender told Jonathan Martin that they have had 80,000 unique contributors since Feb. 1.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=147963c308170190898a1386f80d35afa23f766808080b3ade191288bd05e3b3 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=147963c308170190898a1386f80d35afa23f766808080b3ade191288bd05e3b3 

SUPER PACS RAISED MORE THAN THE CANDIDATES LAST MONTH: "Bolstered by Mr. Romney's extraordinarily high burn rate, the campaigns spent about $5 million more during January than the super PACs supporting them. But overall, super PACs backing the four leading Republican contenders raised $22.1 million in January, slightly more than the candidates themselves, and ended the month with $19.4 million in cash on hand, about $5 million more than the candidates had," Nick Confessore notes on A1 of today's New York Times. Along with the story is a very handy list of each Super PAC's biggest donors (Peter Thiel gave the pro-Ron Paul group Endorse Liberty $2.6 million, for example, and Jon Huntsman's
 dad gave Our Destiny $2.2 million):
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=147963c30817019098968adbf8e04d6b5469be052d68ba2b8ca8ed2fe95b7b71 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=147963c30817019098968adbf8e04d6b5469be052d68ba2b8ca8ed2fe95b7b71 .Story:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f3ed541899ba6df4ba68410f5cde5bea8bdac07d6e2abbf4b 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f3ed541899ba6df4ba68410f5cde5bea8bdac07d6e2abbf4b .

CABLE CATNIP - THREE-QUARTERS OF SUPER PAC ADS ARE NEGATIVE:"Data show that super PACs, which have run more advertising than the campaigns themselves, have spent 72 percent of their money on negative ads," according to The Washington Post's T.W. Farnam. "The figure for campaigns is 27 percent, according to a Washington Post analysis of data from Kantar Media/Campaign Media Analysis Group, which tracks television advertising across the country. (For this article, ads were considered negative if they mentioned another GOP candidate.)"
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f00b706eccef2520597e934e09701509dcf592d6b1309b7df 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f00b706eccef2520597e934e09701509dcf592d6b1309b7df 

SANTORUM SUPER PAC RAISED $2.1 MILLION:"The Red, White and Blue Fund super PAC spent $1.4 million boosting Santorum's cash-strapped campaign last month," per Ken Vogel and Robin Bravender. "The super PAC, which has raised $2.8 million since it was formed last October, got $1 million last month from Louisiana energy executive William J. Dore, whose biggest prior federal donation on record had been $50,000 to the Republican Governors Association in 2010."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f766d33fd006a85f2be37f1213b7b0d8b951f09816d4677d8 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f766d33fd006a85f2be37f1213b7b0d8b951f09816d4677d8 

GINGRICH RAISED $5.6 MILLION, SPENT $5.9:$2.2 million went toward media production, media buys and online advertising. The campaign spent another $858,000 on telemarketing, $361,000 on voter lists and direct mail and $386,000 on travel. Gingrich reported having $1.7 million in debt at the end of last month owed to consultants, media buyers, advertisers and other vendors. The pro-Gingrich Super PAC raised $11+ million and spent about $9.8 million. Robin Bravender:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f498f0352446c8e2f872b5d4b3f25a8046fb325ba8f92b7fc 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f498f0352446c8e2f872b5d4b3f25a8046fb325ba8f92b7fc .

PAUL RAISED $4.5 MILLION IN JANUARY:He got $1.7 million in last week's money bomb and has $1.6 million COH. CNN writes up the press release:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f6c7ce50bfd3147fbf287c68fb81812ce8ba1fb96272a3a3c 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f6c7ce50bfd3147fbf287c68fb81812ce8ba1fb96272a3a3c .

TWEET DU JOURfrom Ken Vogel: Now we know why Obama blessed cabinet to raise $ for super PAC. It raised $59k in Jan -only $10k more than @BuddyRoemer. FEC filing:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f58791d0facfea437487ed5d2c26f6ae4ab6a02a694e54bef 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f58791d0facfea437487ed5d2c26f6ae4ab6a02a694e54bef . Ken's story:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f760375b7cb8fdcd954f7ceab1b9c34019bb0b79156bc6f34 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f760375b7cb8fdcd954f7ceab1b9c34019bb0b79156bc6f34 .

DNCOUTRAISES RNC:The Democratic National Committee outraised the Republican National Committee $13.3 million to $10.5 million in January. RNC has $23.4 million COH compared to the DNC's $15.7.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f968b8407dc844f4b60c8cddf7e3faea86e7d2e2df0eea707 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f968b8407dc844f4b60c8cddf7e3faea86e7d2e2df0eea707 

POLLING-

GALLUP NATIONAL (based on Feb. 15-19 tracking):Santorum, 36; Romney, 26; Gingrich, 13; Paul, 11. Now up 10, Santorum trailed Romney by two (30-32) a week ago.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f3538efc5172bca1445a197af5481b3e6027c265bad59541a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f3538efc5172bca1445a197af5481b3e6027c265bad59541a 

USA TODAY/GALLUP NATIONAL:Head-to-head: Santorum, 50; Romney, 44. Which Republican has the best chance of beating Obama in November? Among Republicans/leaners: Romney, 58; Santorum, 32; Both/Neither, 6. Frank Newport explains that this is bad for Romney because it means voters have already taken into account his electability pitch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f3538efc5172bca1445a197af5481b3e6027c265bad59541a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5f3538efc5172bca1445a197af5481b3e6027c265bad59541a .

PUBLIC POLICY POLLING ARIZONA (OUT LAST NIGHT):Romney, 36; Santorum, 33; Gingrich, 16; Paul, 9. Tom Jensen explains how close this winner-take-all primary is right now:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5fcf2623519a1f18943c5828679c193bfa54e6bf0605cf5c6f 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=949cb385f58dea5fcf2623519a1f18943c5828679c193bfa54e6bf0605cf5c6f .

TEXAS TRIBUNE/UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS (OUT YESTERDAY MORNING):Santorum, 45; Gingrich, 18; Romney, 16; Paul, 14.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e69112975f99139c20eb023eea15303a0ec5824d453f4a07550dfee 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e69112975f99139c20eb023eea15303a0ec5824d453f4a07550dfee 

PPP/MICHIGAN (OUT SUNDAY NIGHT):Santorum, 37; Romney, 33; Paul, 15; Gingrich, 10. The analysis:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e691129bfc8ba2dd6637ceee488f19fdbec9599538d4009e693f8db 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e691129bfc8ba2dd6637ceee488f19fdbec9599538d4009e693f8db . 538's Nate Silver wonders if it overstates Romney's momentum:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e691129b45664cb7d563b4ab0b8fffa20f4c3ea6dc9f7418d2534d9 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e691129b45664cb7d563b4ab0b8fffa20f4c3ea6dc9f7418d2534d9 .

CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY POLL OF VIRGINIA:Romney, 53; Paul, 23. Remember they're the only two on the ballot:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e691129bfb95e14b623bdffdbabcd200dabf8179bbe5571dfbcd643 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e691129bfb95e14b623bdffdbabcd200dabf8179bbe5571dfbcd643 .

A CONTESTED CONVENTION -USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL OUT THIS MORNING:"By 66%-29%, the Republicans and Republican-leaning independents surveyed say it would be better if one of the four candidates now running managed to secure enough delegates to clinch the nomination. Most are happy to see their roller-coaster campaign continue: 57% say the battle isn&#39;t hurting the party." Susan Page's story is leading USA Today's web site:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e69112924f2b1541a7763ce376ed065d72ba4ed2af562948d04cc91 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e69112924f2b1541a7763ce376ed065d72ba4ed2af562948d04cc91 .

DANIELS WON'T RECONSIDER PRESIDENTIAL RUN:"Gov. Mitch Daniels says he is receiving more calls urging him to get into the race for president, but will not change his mind," per the Indianapolis Star."But he said the Republican National Convention, scheduled for August in Tampa, may be a contested or brokered convention, something not seen in decades. 'It is not impossible that no one gets there with the thing locked up,' he said. The Star:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e691129fe08daa6ed48f12edfe4f12d9fa8626d6ab2d72adda3288f 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e691129fe08daa6ed48f12edfe4f12d9fa8626d6ab2d72adda3288f . Rush Limbaugh said the establishment is panicking about Santorum on his show yesterday:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e69112916de2f3b6789cb0ac4898cb47cb4c9d9dbfc357eb9d11834 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e69112916de2f3b6789cb0ac4898cb47cb4c9d9dbfc357eb9d11834 . In case you missed it yesterday morning, here is Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Martin's story on the talk about a new candidate getting in if Romney loses Michigan:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e691129433a8236e40d7b56da2b03482a9d34f500287f1e1cdd2ef0 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e691129433a8236e40d7b56da2b03482a9d34f500287f1e1cdd2ef0 .

WHAT THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES ARE UP TO:In Michigan, Romney has a morning town hall at Eagle Manufacturing in Shelby Township. In Arizona, Santorum speaks to a Maricopa County GOP lunch at noon and holds his own rally at the El-Zaribah Shrine Auditorium in the evening. In Oklahoma City, Gingrich speaks to the state legislature. Details:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e69112976c75ff1320ef5d8659d8f7f266ebc0dfc937e0942547449 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e69112976c75ff1320ef5d8659d8f7f266ebc0dfc937e0942547449 .

ROMNEY -

MOST AWKWARD MOMENT ON THE TRAIL YESTERDAY:"As [Romney] slammed [Santorum] for repeatedly voting to raise the debt ceiling [in Newton Ohio] on [Monday], he was standing alongside Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio who has also cast several ballots to raise the cap on the nation&#39;s debt," per the Los Angeles Times. "The former Massachusetts governor praised Portman for not being like other Republicans who went to Washington and embraced the capital&#39;s free-spending ways. But Portman, during his time in the Senate and the House of Representatives, repeatedly voted to raise the debt ceiling, most recently in August."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e69112985c423542c4f29739dc4ea62bf55d4f07dcbfc307a085548 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ca1b2ea54e69112985c423542c4f29739dc4ea62bf55d4f07dcbfc307a085548 

MITT'S BUILDING A FIREWALL IN OHIO:WhileRomney attacked Santorum in Cincinnati yesterday, Santorum did not mention Romney by name in his speech. The New York Times' Jeff Zeleny and Jim Rutenberg call this a sign of how the tables have turned. "Mr. Romney had hoped to resume his confident posture against Mr. Obama with a Chicago speech on March 20, the day of the Illinois primary. But those plans are on hold, given that talk of the general election is all but forbidden now, and that Mr. Romney could still be battling Mr. Santorum... Mr. Romney's aides have also heightened their focus on Super Tuesday on March 6 and beyond. Acutely aware that Ohio could prove just as important as Michigan,
 the campaign has dispatched its Florida state director, Molly Donlin, here to Ohio to oversee the operation. 'A win in Michigan will definitely help in Ohio, but there will still need to be an Ohio campaign,' said Curt Steiner, a Republican strategist in Ohio who is supportive of Mr. Romney. But, he said, a loss in Michigan will necessitate a major effort: 'It will signal to Romney supporters in Ohio that Ohio better be a firewall - or else.'"
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befd848a6eec064e2dd9a6fa60252c396cddbd75129b17a632d1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befd848a6eec064e2dd9a6fa60252c396cddbd75129b17a632d1 

TRUMP IS DOING SURROGATE CALLS TO OHIO, MICHIGAN RADIO:NBC reports that Donald Trump said on Michigan's WSGW Monday that "though he personally likes Newt Gingrich, who is a member of his Washington, D.C.,-area country club, Romney&#39;s electability and position on China sealed the endorsement. 'Mitt, by far, and this is very important, has the best chance of getting elected and beating Obama,' Trump said. But the star of NBC&#39;s The Apprentice was not as kind to another Romney opponent, Rick Santorum, who Trump said 'came out of nowhere' and dismissed as 'unelectable.'"
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befd349f66a8e37b83b4b8e56c70ccad021ca375b45ecb131f9f 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befd349f66a8e37b83b4b8e56c70ccad021ca375b45ecb131f9f 

HE'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN HIS FATHER:Bloomberg's John McCormick explains from Bloomfield Hills that Mitt is more calculating and disciplined while George was effervescent and volcanic. "George was a leader. Mitt is a manager," said J. Bonner Ritchie, a retired business professor at Brigham Young University who was a friend of George's and has interviewed Mitt for an unpublished book about his father. Also: "George relied on gut instinct, while Mitt depends on homework and preparation."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befdb4e63167d9c0bad30325c1789f40d084a70bbc8216acfa18 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befdb4e63167d9c0bad30325c1789f40d084a70bbc8216acfa18 

SANTORUM -

HE'S BECOMING EVEN ANGRIER:"As Santorum makes his way toward a two-man race with Mitt Romney, he has ratcheted up his rhetoric, displaying an increasingly angrier tone on the stump, and painting a doomsday picture of this country that leaves his supporters with a terrifying image of the state of the nation," ABC's Shush Walshe, who has been embedded with Santorum for weeks, writes. "The former Pennsylvania senator has almost completely pivoted the focus of his stump speech from his GOP rivals to President Obama. And he's introduced a new metaphor that aims to reignite the terror Americans felt during World War II by comparing Republican primary voters to the 'greatest generation' and
 today's failings of European financial systems to the crumbling of Europe's cities as Adolf Hitler gained power in the 1940s."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befd204d44b975723fc3a225a3a73f315d7304c8db6334ab1d86 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befd204d44b975723fc3a225a3a73f315d7304c8db6334ab1d86 

PERCEIVED AUTHENTICITY IS HIS GREATEST ASSET:TheLos Angeles Times' Paul West talks to lots of Santorum supporters in Michigan and concludes that many disagree with him on some issues but plan to vote for him because they think he's likable and authentic. It's a contrast between "Santorum&#39;s youthful and mostly sunny image and the older and colder persona" of Romney.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befd9dacfbccd05709d57ea87b4a60c730432d7911e0a928d820 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befd9dacfbccd05709d57ea87b4a60c730432d7911e0a928d820 

OOPS - SPOKESWOMAN APOLOGIZES FOR MSNBC GAFFE:"Santorum spokeswoman Alice Stewart said in a TV interview on Monday that Santorum was referring to President Barack Obama's 'radical Islamic policies' when he said the president's agenda was driven by 'phony theology' - but then quickly called up MSNBC after the segment aired to say she misspoke."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befdde42cbe9127e29e8dcba17ae5d6654ef3dcc03371675b359 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befdde42cbe9127e29e8dcba17ae5d6654ef3dcc03371675b359 

MICHIGAN MELEE - HOW IT'S PLAYING:

THE DETROIT NEWS - "SANTORUM HITS SOCIAL ISSUES HARD IN WEST MICHIGAN":
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befd8d56b603cddcd035351e22145ff19d6cf2a35368ec7206ac 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befd8d56b603cddcd035351e22145ff19d6cf2a35368ec7206ac 

DETROIT FREE PRESS - "SANTORUM RISKS ALIENATING VOTERS WITH HIS FOCUS ON FAITH":
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befdfdc8def786fc2a66acff31300603d58d5a22219471f98971 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befdfdc8def786fc2a66acff31300603d58d5a22219471f98971 

THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS - "SANTORUM...COURTS CONSERVATIVES AS THE ANTI-OBAMA AND ALTERNATIVE TO ROMNEY":
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befd8e9fd4ac23b4d9386f851dac35c3543a2a378526ac1d94b9 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befd8e9fd4ac23b4d9386f851dac35c3543a2a378526ac1d94b9 .

THE DAILY BEASTcompiles a list of"10 outrageous things Santorum has said" - basically all about social issues.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befd8795a78fa482b77763a631df965d135a24e1beeaf9585c83 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1b7626833800befd8795a78fa482b77763a631df965d135a24e1beeaf9585c83 

FAITH & FREEDOM DISTANCES FROM SANTORUM'S VOLUNTEER COORDINATER:"Glenn Clark, president of the Michigan Faith and Freedom Coalition who recently became the volunteer coordinator in Michigan for Santorum, organized a packed rally Friday for Santorum in Shelby Township," The Detroit News' Marisa Schultz reports. "One of the rally&#39;s sponsors was the Michigan Faith and Freedom Coalition, a nonprofit 501(c)(4) organization that promotes socially conservative values of faith, marriage and protecting the dignity of life. Under its tax status, the coalition cannot coordinate communications with a federal candidate or make cash or in-kind contributions.Gary Marx, executive director of the
 national Faith and Freedom Coalition, raised concerns about the Michigan affiliate sponsoring the Santorum event and Clark promoting the rally and accepting a position with the Santorum campaign. Marx said the concerns 'are serious.'"
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45ed0f2e4de1cd310904caf13307c428937aa543017f7d74616 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45ed0f2e4de1cd310904caf13307c428937aa543017f7d74616 

OPPOSITION TO THE AUTO BAILOUT COULD ACTUALLY HELP ROMNEY:Only 24 percent of Michigan Republicans support the bailout, according to a Public Policy Polling survey released last week. Sixty-two percent of GOP voters in the state oppose the bailout, even as 52 percent of Michiganders support it overall. "Romney's playing it smart," said veteran Michigan Republican strategist Greg McNeilly, who is neutral in the presidential race. "There's no difference between him and his closest rival [Santorum] on this issue...The Republican primary voters that do have a problem with him on this issue are already supporting him - no one's ever supported a candidate they agree with 100 percent. The
 establishment types who couldn't oppose a bailout politically are already on his team." My story:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45e0929e534a417d20f139704a523af0af474f5529a1b8be247 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45e0929e534a417d20f139704a523af0af474f5529a1b8be247 .

2008 EXIT POLLS - WHAT CAN WE LEARN?The American Enterprise Institute's February political report looks at key takeaways from the primaries four years ago in the two contests coming up a week from today: "In Michigan, McCain won more moderate-to-liberal Republican primary voters who thought, for example, that abortion should be legal, favored a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, and said they never attended religious services. In Arizona, Romney beat McCain among those who thought abortion should be illegal and also among those who wanted to deport illegal immigrants. In the end, though, each man won his home-state primary in 2008-McCain in Arizona and Romney in Michigan." The
 number breakdowns are on page 10 of this AEI report. First in Score:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45e7dde201aedec1c373e9216695e01e6babd7c5db4018766c4 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45e7dde201aedec1c373e9216695e01e6babd7c5db4018766c4 .

ARIZONA HOUSE - INQUIRIES SOUGHT INTO GAY SHERIFF CHALLENGING GOSAR:The wildest story of the weekend continues to drag on. From the front page of Tuesday's Arizona Republic, "A Pinal County supervisor and an immigrant-rights group are calling for investigations into Sheriff Paul Babeu, even as the attorney for the embattled lawman said Babeu will not ask for an outside review to clear his name. Babeu...has repeatedly denied allegations that he threatened a Mexican ex-boyfriend with deportation to keep him quiet about their relationship. Those allegations surfaced Friday in a newspaper story that also described suggestive photos posted by Babeu on dating websites and intimidating text
 messages he allegedly sent... [Chris DeRose, Babeu&#39;s attorney and campaign manager] said Babeu has fully answered the allegations against him through media interviews and a lengthy press conference he held the day after the story was first published in the Phoenix New Times. Babeu confirmed he is gay but denied abusing his authority to intimidate the former boyfriend." Today's Republic story:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45e53ec04e73dec24586c3808cd8138237f5a98edea76790bb5 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45e53ec04e73dec24586c3808cd8138237f5a98edea76790bb5 .

MORE - MEXICAN EX-BOYFRIEND TELLS CNN HE FELT "USED":"Babeu's ex-lover Jose, a 34-year-old Mexican national, told CNN's Miguel Marquez that Sheriff Babeu threatened to have him deported if he went public with their affair. Jose's face is pixilated in the interview...They met in 2006 on a gay dating website called gay.com, and Jose said the first picture Babeu sent was a photo of him with Sen. John McCain."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45e8a02eebd26d79c33fb358084bac9b940987a53c96c13dc51 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45e8a02eebd26d79c33fb358084bac9b940987a53c96c13dc51 

Babeu himself went on CNN last night to tell Wolf Blitzer that the charges are politically motivated:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45ecf08a91dfd22594d52e9f2047ab94b9d71b29c0efc3e5212 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45ecf08a91dfd22594d52e9f2047ab94b9d71b29c0efc3e5212 . This is the original New Times story from Friday night (with photos):
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45e16195e36a6fe922cc76daff3cac3fdd55714698f36a4a986 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45e16195e36a6fe922cc76daff3cac3fdd55714698f36a4a986 . AP story (via Fox News) on the dim electoral prospects for Babeu, who stepped down Saturday as Romney's Arizona co-chair, in his primary challenge against freshman Rep. Paul Gosar:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45e513c07bd895c8ec534b7b525fefa2470cd00bc2fb750f886 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45e513c07bd895c8ec534b7b525fefa2470cd00bc2fb750f886 .

NEW YORK HOUSE - DCCC LAUNCHES GRIMMFILES.COM:The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching TheGrimmFiles.com this morning to highlight the problems that will complicate freshman Republican Rep. Michael Grimm's reelection: possibly illegal fundraising, complicated business dealings with a known felon and a heated altercation in a night club that ended with Grimm waving his gun and "carrying on like a madman." See the microsite:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45ebbf62281bed43103b32972bb44c71279c0f6076649f850ce 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45ebbf62281bed43103b32972bb44c71279c0f6076649f850ce .

DCCC - TRAVIS LOWE WILL DIRECT I.E. EFFORT:Lowe, who currently serves as the DCCC's campaign director and who served as its Midwestern political director during the 2010 cycle, will oversee millions of dollars of committee spending - most of it which will come in the form of TV ads. He will be joined by Kevin McKeon, the DCCC's research director, who will run the independent expenditure research team. Alex Isenstadt:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45e2d2e28162cae9d9c7e8e58759bc596d90da8f0e57811c8c3 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73330ad13091e45e2d2e28162cae9d9c7e8e58759bc596d90da8f0e57811c8c3 .

FLORIDA SENATE - CONNIE MACK LOSES THE WEEKEND:It started with a Friday article in the Miami Herald about the Republican congressman's personal financial problems. "Mack sometimes appeared to spend more than he earned, had property liens filed against him, overdrew his bank account and didn't have enough money to pay his federal income taxes after his 2004 congressional election, according to court records from Fort Myers to Jacksonville to Fort Lauderdale," Marc Caputo wrote. "His finances aside, the records also show that Mack in his youth got into four confrontations - from an arrest at a nightclub to a bar brawl with a pro baseball player. Later, while in Congress, his estranged wife
 accused him of not living in his Fort Myers district and of using his influence to strong-arm her during their divorce." Caputo then confronted Mack with a flip cam for an unhelpful video on Sunday. Then yesterday, rival George LeMieux won more than half the votes cast at the Federated Women Straw Poll. The Friday story:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b5a6129074724872ca76d57ddc9f37d205b8b16430ab47d6fb 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b5a6129074724872ca76d57ddc9f37d205b8b16430ab47d6fb . The Caputo-Cam video:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b5b7803ccdf504779ec7f4d438672584fcd6103a7670e28357 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b5b7803ccdf504779ec7f4d438672584fcd6103a7670e28357 . And accompanying story:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b57c723f0e5609916f15a60541cd23f3d949033841e459a355 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b57c723f0e5609916f15a60541cd23f3d949033841e459a355 . Story on Mack's defeat and LeMieux's victory at the straw poll:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b545d48261b48c83390accda9c8b9f8884d5a9eaee8b2761af 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b545d48261b48c83390accda9c8b9f8884d5a9eaee8b2761af .

INDIANA SENATE - LUGAR EXPLAINS LACK OF IN-STATE RESIDENCE:"Sen. Richard Lugar defended himself during an appearance in Indianapolis on Monday that came days after opponents claimed that he isn&#39;t qualified to run for office because he doesn&#39;t live in the state," per the Indianapolis ABC affiliate, which has video of the gaggle. "Lugar said two attorneys general have affirmed his position that the Indianapolis address on his Indiana driver&#39;s license is valid, even though he sold that home in 1977...Lugar said he isn&#39;t sure what address is on his Indiana driver&#39;s license but presumes it was from the house he no longer owns."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b5972f30bda337884d574895648cda901c9d64b6eecdee04dc 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b5972f30bda337884d574895648cda901c9d64b6eecdee04dc 

TEXAS SENATE - DEWHURST LEADS CRUZ BY 11:"Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst leads the Republican field of candidates for the U.S. Senate, but former state Solicitor General Ted Cruz is close behind, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll," per Ross Ramsey. "Dewhurst led with 38 percent, followed by Cruz at 27 percent and former ESPN analyst Craig James and former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert each with 7 percent...Many voters haven&#39;t settled: 19 percent said they&#39;d prefer another Republican candidate to those listed.In October, Dewhurst had 22 percent to Cruz&#39;s 10 percent; the two candidates have grown at about the same pace, and the gap between them is close to what it
 was four months ago."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b5f71f3f01ada9f5fd7f72eb339f1ce91e505f51ec4656acda 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b5f71f3f01ada9f5fd7f72eb339f1ce91e505f51ec4656acda 

MISSOURI GOVERNOR - RGA WON'T TAKE SIDES IN GOP PRIMARY:"On stage Saturday evening [at the Missouri state party's Lincoln Day dinner in Kansas City], [Virginia Gov. and RGA chair Bob] McDonnell steered clear of making a pick between Republican candidates Dave Spence and Bill Randles. But earlier in the day, McDonnell met privately with a group of grassroots activists where he appeared to not realize there was a Republican primary between the two. According to several sources inside the meeting, McDonnell told the group he would back Spence '100 percent.' ... McDonnell said he didn't realize there was a contested primary, and pulled back on his remarks. After the incident, McDonnell met
 privately with Spence and Randles. In an interview with PoliticMo after his meeting with Spence, McDonnell said as chairman of the RGA, he will not endorse before the primary. 'We support the nominee - we don't get involved,' he said." PoliticMo's Eli Yokley:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b5829ddbb8620023e2ca3fae00fdee11cb456a08d6479c8059 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b5829ddbb8620023e2ca3fae00fdee11cb456a08d6479c8059 .

MINNESOTA HOUSE - BACHMANN WILL RUN REGARDLESS OF REDISTRICTING:"Michele Bachmann said she will run for re-election no matter what her district looks like when Minnesota&#39;s new political boundaries are released Tuesday," The Star Tribune's Rachel Stassen-Berger reports. "'I&#39;m intending to run for the House of Representatives, and I&#39;m really looking forward to finding out what the maps are,' the Sixth District congresswoman said during a visit on Monday to the state Capitol.The political maps, drawn by a judicial panel, may dramatically change the political leaning of her district and could put her in the same district as another sitting representative...The court announced Monday
 that it would release the maps on Tuesday at 1 p.m."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b5f39c00b049dd6d15aeac3c68b12f2a65b4ffbcd831ed041d 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b5f39c00b049dd6d15aeac3c68b12f2a65b4ffbcd831ed041d 

WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS UP TO:At 11:35, "the President will host an event at the White House to discuss the importance of the agreement passed by Congress to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance...The President will sign the bill into law when it reaches his desk later in the week...In the afternoon, the President and the Vice President will meet for lunch in the Private Dining Room...Later in the afternoon, the President and the Vice President will meet with Secretary of Defense Panetta in the Oval Office...In the evening, the President and First Lady will join music legends and contemporary major artists at the White House [East Room] for a celebration of Blues music and in
 recognition of Black History Month as part of their 'In Performance at the White House' series."

FUN CLICKS -

COLBERT RETURNS:Stephen Colbert joked about taking last week off to care for his ailing mother at the top of his show last night.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b5ae592254c9fd785a15ae59ea19154e7814bb75194b802c94 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b5ae592254c9fd785a15ae59ea19154e7814bb75194b802c94 

JON STEWARTmade fun of Darrell Issa's contraception hearings:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b514adaf08a97065dc1ab471afe3081f92a836a1c266aec3d7 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=17c6a6a7ef7d51b514adaf08a97065dc1ab471afe3081f92a836a1c266aec3d7 .

GOOD AT COMEDY, BAD AT MATH:Stephen Colbert's super PAC amended its January FEC report to add $53,000 in spending and reduce cash-on-hand by the same number, Ken Vogel reports.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6d698699c779791e18428ec803dbd791c4b34671378e42f95121f2e884264159 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6d698699c779791e18428ec803dbd791c4b34671378e42f95121f2e884264159 

SARAH PALIN's PRESIDENT'S DAY VIDEOposted on her PAC web site:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6d698699c779791e66139b9468667369578ce616274fbeafc25e88029ad02c95 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6d698699c779791e66139b9468667369578ce616274fbeafc25e88029ad02c95 .

JOHN ENSIGN WANTS TO WORK AS A VET AGAIN:CNN's Dana Bash gets an exclusive with the disgraced ex-Nevada senator at the veterinarian hospital he once owned. He's now taking classes to brush up on his skills.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6d698699c779791e1e3ba6403944a2f4421f2e3290856aa66480f2adceb8717f 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6d698699c779791e1e3ba6403944a2f4421f2e3290856aa66480f2adceb8717f 

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY:"Every time I get involved in daily management, I goof it up. I can't do anything but give speeches, vote and make decisions." - Newt Gingrich in a 1983 staff memo unearthed by a Washington Post reporter at a Georgia archive
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6d698699c779791ef5800c6eb1d3c970385e35b53bde7f45e3e5b0fc427f4543 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6d698699c779791ef5800c6eb1d3c970385e35b53bde7f45e3e5b0fc427f4543 

Go to POLITICO Morning Score Now >> http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6d698699c779791ece315525d205cb25c04ce2258a406e8a6d136773ac3ed737

=================================
2012 POLITICO, LLC
POLITICO Morning Score.
To unsubscribe, http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6d698699c779791eabd027d1b1f002e114219f227de7934df463d376027c9ea1
=================================