Subject: POLITICO’s Morning Score: Four new Romney ads--Obama holds big lead with Latinos--Chicago hits on immigration--Mass. Republicans buy Warren birthday present--Matheson skipping DNC
From: "Morning Score" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2012 05:21:53 -0600

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

ROMNEY CUSTOMIZES FOUR NEW ADS-

IN OHIO:"Day One, President Romney stands up to China, demands a level playing field for our businesses and workers," a narrator says, with localized footage. "By Day 100, President Romney repeals regulations that are strangling our energy industry and costing us jobs. President's Romney's first 100 days: for Ohio, already a better place to do business as we see more factories and jobs coming back."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acde10d6fc59f6ebe7611f71825a95485bef4a975f73a42641f 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acde10d6fc59f6ebe7611f71825a95485bef4a975f73a42641f .

IN VIRGINIA:"By Day 100, President Romney reverses Obama's offshore drilling ban, creating thousands of new jobs for Virginians. President Romney's first 100 days: for the people of Virginia, they mean new life, new energy for our state."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acd446683efc76f46e7fea5ffb1021057407a7624505c091922 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acd446683efc76f46e7fea5ffb1021057407a7624505c091922 .

IN NORTH CAROLINA:"By Day 100, President Romney's leadership brings new certainty to our economy and the promise of new banking and high-tech jobs...For North Carolina, a new start."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acd57d42658103adbfc9334ac470f7671cc93176ac0de426814 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acd57d42658103adbfc9334ac470f7671cc93176ac0de426814 

IN IOWA:"By Day 100, President Romney is working toward a balanced budget, making sure the government lives within its means...For the people of Iowa, they mean fewer worries about their future and their children&#39;s future."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acd6aa425c7564b0bcc9cbae8dea71c1562cbfb1f9629a33050 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acd6aa425c7564b0bcc9cbae8dea71c1562cbfb1f9629a33050 

DREAM DODGING - NEW OBAMA VIDEO HITS ROMNEY ON IMMIGRATION:A fast-paced, two-minute web video from Chicago spools together clips of Romney avoiding a firm position on whether he would undo the executive order President Obama unveiled last Friday. It includes his initial comment, his Sunday interview with Bob Schieffer and subsequent news accounts noting that he's still called for nothing more than a long-term solution. As expected, during his NALEO speech in Orlando yesterday he attacked Obama but did not specify what exactly he would do before implementing the "long-term solution" he advocates.A stopwatch ticks as the clips play. The tagline: "7 days and counting...Why won't Mitt Romney
 give a straight answer?" Watch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acd2fef8816eb7eb208e9253ae33f364bbd3192fcca35e86f8e 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acd2fef8816eb7eb208e9253ae33f364bbd3192fcca35e86f8e .

SNEAK PEEK - ROMNEY INFOGRAPHIC HIGHLIGHTS TOUGH TIMES FOR HISPANICS:In advance of Obama's speech, Boston will push a graphic that visualizes how the weak economic is hurting Hispanics, of whom more than 2.7 million are unemployed. It notes that three in 10 Hispanics between 16 and 19 can't find work while more than 6 million Hispanic children live in poverty. The tagline: "We simply can&#39;t afford four more years of the Obama Administration." Romney strategists note that Hispanics say their #1 issue is the economy, not immigration.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acdd7c0e5bf569f7c01a3b06cdfc596325de106060fb104e2b6 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acdd7c0e5bf569f7c01a3b06cdfc596325de106060fb104e2b6 

MONTANA GOP AD TRASHES RYAN BUDGET:Trying to boost Denny Rehberg in his competitive race against Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, the Treasure State's Republican Party is going up with a 30-second commercial that could cause heartburn for the 228 members of Congress who voted for Paul Ryan's budget in March. "Rehberg refused to support a Republican budget plan that could harm the Medicare program so many of Montana's seniors rely on," a male narrator says. It's grouped with his opposition to the Wall Street bailout and the Central American free trade agreement. "In a very partisan town, Denny Rehberg stands out." Rehberg was one of 10 Republican defections this spring. Roll Call reports that
 $196,000 is putting more than 1,000 gross rating points behind the spot. Watch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acd57ae438d1881dc7f2d719355bd715507426c56ea484bdebe 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acd57ae438d1881dc7f2d719355bd715507426c56ea484bdebe .

IOWA SNEAK PEEK - NRCC LAUNCHING DUCKINGVILSACK.COM:The National Republican Congressional Committee will roll out a microsite to attack Christie Vilsack, the Agriculture secretary's wife challenging Steve King, for not taking a firm position on issues like health care:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acdc93b745288aa450925d5095c1e143e0d80d73bc19ddb73c4 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acdc93b745288aa450925d5095c1e143e0d80d73bc19ddb73c4 .

As Brown makes a royal gaffe, Hovde chokes up and Dewhurst channels Perry, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your daily guide to the permanent campaign.

WHAT ROMNEY IS UP TO:Heading to Utah for the mega-donor retreat.

WHAT OBAMA IS UP TO:Leaves the White House at 10 en route Orlando. 1:40 p.m. speech to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials' conference. 4:15 p.m. speech in Tampa at the Hillsborough Community College. Flies home after. Back in the White House at 8:45.

WHAT BIDEN IS UP TO:In Wilmington, Delaware. No public events scheduled.

DAYS UNTIL THE ELECTION:137.

FIRST LOOK - Students for Life of America, a conservative group, is releasing a national poll later this morning that suggests young people can be driven from the president with the right messaging on social issues."Young adults are much more open to voting conservative in 2012 than they were in 2008," the group says in a forthcoming memo that will be discussed on a 9:30 conference call. "Our results speculate that when young adults learn more about the President's radical policies on abortion and the curtailing of religious freedom, their support for him drops." Kellyanne Conway's polling firm, for example, found that 42% of those polled, including every major demographic and geographic
 group, said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who supports "forcing institutions to pay for procedures that violate their conscience or religious beliefs." The group's site:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acdea1a5aa273224530ffb17f22306794e8fb303d92b0e3cb42 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acdea1a5aa273224530ffb17f22306794e8fb303d92b0e3cb42 .

LATEST POLLING-

AMONG LATINOS, OBAMA LEADS ROMNEY IN BATTLEGROUNDS-New numbers this morning from Latino Decisions and America's Voice: "The poll interviewed 400 Latinos each in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and Virginia - all states expected to be very competitive in 2012 where Latino voters could decide the outcome. In Florida, the poll found Obama leading Romney by a margin of 53% to 37%...In the five states combined Obama lead Romney 63% to 27%, however in southwestern battlegrounds of Arizona, Colorado and Nevada Obama performed even better. In Arizona Obama received 74% to 18% for Romney, in Colorado he was favored by 70% to 22% and in Nevada 69% to 20%. In Virginia, Obama lead 59% to 28% over
 Romney among Latino registered voters."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acdcf384d1f674a699afe18fd1e179dff3cb41983cb8d431113 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9325de30f18f3acdcf384d1f674a699afe18fd1e179dff3cb41983cb8d431113 

PEW national: Obama, 50; Romney, 46. "Republicans hold the edge on several turnout measures, in contrast to 2008 when Democrats had leads - some quite substantial - on nearly every indicator...Yet Democrats are more enthusiastic about their candidate."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbcf639a2a11f45d812cd62bc348b759f56fc490ef0f26fcb02 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbcf639a2a11f45d812cd62bc348b759f56fc490ef0f26fcb02 

AP national: 42% oppose gay marriage. 40% support it. 15% are neutral. For context, it was 45/42/10 last August.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbc2523f6b51cc409b3d0097379b5552fb634128b8347f37b2b 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbc2523f6b51cc409b3d0097379b5552fb634128b8347f37b2b 

YOUGOV:53% are totally unfamiliar with Obama's "the private sector is doing fine" gaffe (which might change with AFP and Romney both running ads highlighting it):
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbcb00063db48f5039566929a2ae8e4052f1053c90b7b15ce52 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbcb00063db48f5039566929a2ae8e4052f1053c90b7b15ce52 .

MITCHELL RESEARCH of MICHIGAN:Obama, 47; Romney, 46.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbc2cf2c4f6ef53b411723e8efe733cc937c48e86a1191b64ac 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbc2cf2c4f6ef53b411723e8efe733cc937c48e86a1191b64ac 

Obama pollster Joel Benenson does not buy Bloomberg's Wednesday poll. "We don't think this is a 13 point race," he told liberal blogger Greg Sargent. "The only thing that's bouncing around are the public polls. The electorate doesn't bounce around like that. It's more static than the noise in all these polls."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbc8da6ac547b58548f1f43582dca76ce04207ea1a4d14d6b63 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbc8da6ac547b58548f1f43582dca76ce04207ea1a4d14d6b63 

ROMNEY TALKERS-

WASHINGTON POST - "ROMNEY'S BAIN CAPITAL INVESTED IN COMPANIES THAT MOVED JOBS OVERSEAS":"Romney's financial company, Bain Capital, invested in a series of firms that specialized in relocating jobs done by American workers to new facilities in low-wage countries like China and India," Tom Hamburger writes in a potential bombshell. "During the nearly 15 years that Romney was actively involved in running Bain...it owned companies that were pioneers in the practice of shipping work from the United States to overseas call centers and factories making computer components, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission."

HOW THIS IS NEW/BAD FOR BOSTON:"For years, Romney's political opponents have tried to tie him to the practice of outsourcing American jobs. These political attacks have often focused on Bain's involvement in specific business deals that resulted in job losses. Buta Washington Post examination of securities filings shows the extent of Bain's investment in firms that specialized in helping other companies move or expand operations overseas. While Bain was not the largest player in the outsourcing field, the private equity firm was involved early on, at a time when the departure of jobs from the United States was beginning to accelerate and new companies were emerging as handmaidens to this
 outflow of employment. Bain played several roles in helping these outsourcing companies, such as investing venture capital so they could grow and providing management and strategic business advice as they navigated this rapidly developing field...Romney campaign officials repeatedly declined requests to comment on Bain's record of investing in outsourcing firms during the Romney era."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbcff7dabcdd844cf8298b4949e4a63d180e83f66f2dd655ea0 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbcff7dabcdd844cf8298b4949e4a63d180e83f66f2dd655ea0 

THAT VISION THING - NOONAN SAYS ROMNEY NEEDS MORE THAN APPLAUSE LINES:"The Romney strategy the past eight weeks has been, in a small way, shrewd: have the candidate out there talking in a candidate-like manner, but don&#39;t let him say anything so interesting that it will take the cameras off Mr. Obama. The president is lurching from gaffe to mess, from bad news to worse. Don&#39;t get in his way as he harms himself. It&#39;s working, but won&#39;t for long. People want meaning, a higher and declared purpose," Peggy writes in a column for Saturday's Wall Street Journal. "Neither Mr. Romney nor Mr. Obama has caught hold of the overall meaning of his candidacy, Mr. Romney because so far
 he&#39;s chosen not to, and Mr. Obama because he&#39;s tried and failed. With just more than 130 days to go, Mr. Romney has to start pulling from his brain and soul a coherent and graspable sense of the meaning of his run."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbc799af339fc4970c92008f7fe02aba5c02a1bfb3d52f49109 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbc799af339fc4970c92008f7fe02aba5c02a1bfb3d52f49109 

OBAMA TALKERS-SCOTUS CLAMPS DOWN ON UNIONS POLITICAL FUNDRAISING:"The Supreme Court is putting increasing limits on unions' abilities to raise political funds at the same time it is freeing corporations&#39; ability to spend. That's the argument being made by some academics after a Supreme Court decision Thursday that requires that nonmembers opt in to contribute to public employee union political fundraising, rather than opt out if they don&#39;t want to give," the Los Angeles Times reports.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbc8030058205ca67f8ea1a509a0c46a051705cc38e3ef49e9d 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbc8030058205ca67f8ea1a509a0c46a051705cc38e3ef49e9d 

BATTLEGROUND BRIEFING-THE PATH TO 270:

FLORIDA GOVERNOR PUSHES BACK ON BLOOMBERG REPORT:The Miami Herald's Marc Caputo casts doubt on a story being pushed hard by Democrats that the Romney camp asked Florida Gov. Rick Scott to stress that the state's economy would be even better off if there was a Republican president when he touts good economic news. Tony Fabrizio, Scott's top political adviser and pollster: "I&#39;m on the calls with Boston. They haven&#39;t asked this. They haven&#39;t said anything about this. To my knowledge, and I would know, Rick Scott wasn&#39;t asked this and the Romney campaign didn&#39;t ask it."

REMARKABLE STAT:"Romney has come to Florida about 54 times during his 2012 campaign, according to media reports and the Democrats, but has yet to stand beside Scott at a public event."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbc4aeacf2a5e05908c7ff5988c65da7a4a4a08caa7f294ad2b 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbc4aeacf2a5e05908c7ff5988c65da7a4a4a08caa7f294ad2b 

COLUMBUS DISPATCH: "Romney hasn't told Kasich not to tout Ohio job gains."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbc8057e663becd5f9ad2f9adac0f672c645d985263a4bb2f6d 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f5bb556a0a2edbc8057e663becd5f9ad2f9adac0f672c645d985263a4bb2f6d 

MICHIGAN ONLY SWING STATE WITH LOWER UNEMPLOYMENT RATE THAN IN 2008:Karl Rove notes that it is now 8.5%, compared to 9.4% when Obama handily carried the state four years ago. Ohio matches what it was at the last election. Everywhere else is higher.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da24c49cb15f45f91b6d7b0fca67b10fa71620d165e29cc4b7a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da24c49cb15f45f91b6d7b0fca67b10fa71620d165e29cc4b7a 

NEW HAMPSHIRE ROMNEY OPERATION BETTER THAN MCCAIN'S:"Romney's presidential campaign is already better organized in New Hampshire in June, two months before the party conventions, than John McCain's campaign ever was four years ago," Fergus Cullen writes in today's Union Leader. Note that he was chair of the state GOP in 2007-2008.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da29d70417a4759b1a5ef1e3ae5c631a04a7d11f5f94bee4bb4 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da29d70417a4759b1a5ef1e3ae5c631a04a7d11f5f94bee4bb4 

NEVADA GOP TALENT MATCHES DEMS THIS YEAR:"Most years in Nevada - at least in recent cycles - the quality of Democratic operatives has been far superior to the Republican talent. But for the first time in memory, the GOP has a team that is worthy of being on the same playing field," the Las Vegas Sun's Jon Ralston notes in his Friday column, which is positive about the Romney/RNC victory effort that is bypassing the state party.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da2d1fc76d3f824a262317890e2f94a67a4717874379d82006b 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da2d1fc76d3f824a262317890e2f94a67a4717874379d82006b 

VEEPSTAKES-

MARCO RUBIOsays he was invited to Romney's Utah donor summit and chose not to go so that he could spend time with his kids:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da24e982135c4d1403e839936cf402311ba83df0ca097bc943c 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da24e982135c4d1403e839936cf402311ba83df0ca097bc943c .

ROB PORTMANgets a glowing profile from the Associated Press: "Probably as much as anyone, Portman would meet what presidential nominees always say is the top criterion for a vice president: ability to take over should something happen to the president."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da2a92f240c1c02e0edd62aee1932c2be999d9649140d1b669e 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da2a92f240c1c02e0edd62aee1932c2be999d9649140d1b669e 

TIM PAWLENTYwould be a great candidate to get a plum spot in Romney's cabinet, even if he gets passed over for VP, a University of Minnesota political scientist notes:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da2ab46a110a02a102fe759e0ba5f589f2493e9443d1db95480 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da2ab46a110a02a102fe759e0ba5f589f2493e9443d1db95480 .

JOHN THUNEsays he's pleased with the Senate's passage of the farm bill, despite conservative concerns that it is too expensive:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da208b68120edd7a6b8d337d37165d92b5b7c526fcd53781f78 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da208b68120edd7a6b8d337d37165d92b5b7c526fcd53781f78 . As a point of contrast, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch all three Republicans running for Senate in Missouri declined to say whether they would vote for the farm bill or specific amendments:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da25b80800cba982254948896a993817c42a754403d19f5fb77 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da25b80800cba982254948896a993817c42a754403d19f5fb77 .

MASSACHUSETTS SENATE - ANATOMY OF A KERFUFFLE:

BROWN ON WTKK-FM yesterday:"Each and every day that I've been a United States senator, I've been either discussing issues, meeting on issues,in secret meetings and with kings and queens and prime ministers and business leaders and military leaders talking, voting, working on issues every single day." Audio:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da2d3a0b404a1aa3a3e5a22314563a48bfd5a4cbf0382831446 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da2d3a0b404a1aa3a3e5a22314563a48bfd5a4cbf0382831446 .

WALK BACK from campaign spokesman:"Sen. Brown was referring generally to private meetings with foreign and domestic leaders. He misspoke when he said kings and queens."

LOCAL COVERAGE:Via the DSCC, here's a one-minute clip from the Boston CBS affiliate's 6 p.m. news:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da248dc8b29653f44571193659de146264e0e12908a33f42b75 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8638a13bb9356da248dc8b29653f44571193659de146264e0e12908a33f42b75 . Here's a Tumblr called "Scott Brown's Jubilee" that photo shops Brown into photos with royalty, from Elvis to Kings of Leon to the Burger King mascot:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210af3434e86e89294f69fdfd6d181ed92eba65ea15c0e6bf9efc 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210af3434e86e89294f69fdfd6d181ed92eba65ea15c0e6bf9efc .

FIRST IN SCORE - MASSACHUSETTS GOP BUYS WARREN AN ANCESTRY.COM ACCOUNT:It's a gift for her 63rd birthday. "Since Professor Warren has failed to come up with any evidence supporting her claims to Native American ancestry, we thought this ancestry.com account would make the perfect birthday gift ," said Nate Little, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Republican Party, says in a forthcoming statement. "If she takes the time to log-in to her gift, Warren will see what has been abundantly clear to everyone else for months: she is not a Native American." From the release: "Should Professor Warren take up the offer, the account information will be emailed to her campaign staff immediately."
 Today's Boston Globe has an unrelated story on Warren's fundraising prowess:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210af1f4b6fd737898f353a323dd6507642090a2fbaf069bebfc1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210af1f4b6fd737898f353a323dd6507642090a2fbaf069bebfc1 .Also, both candidates have agreed to a September debate at UMass Lowell:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210af29c06e52e542d7f924dd02ebf401c7415791d88c428ddc6a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210af29c06e52e542d7f924dd02ebf401c7415791d88c428ddc6a .

TEXAS SENATE-DEWHURST PUSHING CONGRESSIONAL TERM LIMITS:"Reiterating popular conservative demands, Lt. Governor David Dewhurst attempted to court reform-minded voters Thursday with a new policy plan demanding slashed benefits and term limits for Senators and Representatives on Capitol Hill," reports the San Antonio Express News. "The five-point plan includes supporting a constitutional amendment limiting Senators to two terms and Representatives to six, a $95,000 cap on congressional salaries and 'an outright ban on former Members becoming lobbyists, if constitutional.' Pledging to abide by his demands if elected, Dewhurst also proposed eliminating defined-benefit pension plans for congress
 people and creating a permanent moratorium to outlaw earmarks or pork-barrel spending to supplement the voluntary moratorium imposed in 2010."This sounds eerily like something Perry proposed while running for president last year:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210af1893ed24d8f9c8e4102ecc078e8cab9658ad8c7902b2b112 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210af1893ed24d8f9c8e4102ecc078e8cab9658ad8c7902b2b112 . Dewhurst debates Ted Cruz tonight at 8 CT:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210af15990585182f3915f456b46ff3bf3d65dbdccb18f7ca2bd0 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210af15990585182f3915f456b46ff3bf3d65dbdccb18f7ca2bd0 .

WISCONSIN SENATE - HOVDE HAS A MUSKIE MOMENT:Trying to get beyond the "sob story" gaffe that has put him on the defensive, Republican candidate Eric Hovde reportedly choked up yesterday. The Wisconsin State Journal: "Hovde, faced with harsh criticism from some quarters for supposedly being callous toward the poor, hit back Thursday, telling a Madison audience he&#39;d debate anyone, anywhere on who&#39;s done more to help the needy. 'I have done more for people that are economically disadvantaged than probably - and I&#39;ve never talked about it publicly because I keep it very low-profile - than all but for a very few people in our society,' he told a forum at the Madison Club sponsored by
 the news website WisPolitics.com...Hovde began to choke up at Thursday&#39;s forum as he spoke of his foundation&#39;s efforts." His foundation takes credit for giving more than $10 million since 1998.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210af5523343fa37d21d7c55148147456027b84e7b1d85b4c99f7 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210af5523343fa37d21d7c55148147456027b84e7b1d85b4c99f7 

UTAH SENATE-MORE THAN 55K VOTED EARLY:"More than 55,000 Utahns have already cast their ballots in this year's primary election - even though it does not officially occur until next Tuesday. And those wishing to vote early may still do so through Friday," per the Salt Lake Tribune. "The office of Lt. Gov. Greg Bell reports that through Tuesday, 55,068 Utahns had cast ballots early - or 3.7 percent of the registered voters in the state."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210af21e1593690586f7591029633ce9a12a1bb9e7c1dc691772d 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210af21e1593690586f7591029633ce9a12a1bb9e7c1dc691772d 

UTAH HOUSE - MATHESON BECOMES SEVENTH MEMBER TO SKIP DNC:"Add yet another vulnerable lawmaker to the growing list of Democrats who plan on skipping the party's convention: Utah Rep. Jim Matheson told The Daily [Thursday] that he won&#39;t be going to Charlotte," Dan Hirschhorn reports. "No Democratic incumbent in the House occupies a more Republican-friendly district than Matheson, who is facing a tough reelection fight against Saratoga Springs Mayor Mia Love. Matheson&#39;s decision to skip the Democratic National Convention now makes at least seven prominent officials who are opting out."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210afc17781a4d909dca814ff2290d3d2285c0315ebf95260e042 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210afc17781a4d909dca814ff2290d3d2285c0315ebf95260e042 

LIGHTER CLICKS -

JON STEWARTaccused Obama of hypocrisy for invoking executive privilege on Fast and Furious when he decried it so loudly during the Bush years:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210af2d4511d6f0e10e4ff7e171734d8ced646215a718e0332160 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210af2d4511d6f0e10e4ff7e171734d8ced646215a718e0332160 .

STEPHEN COLBERTjoked about Egypt's democracy and conflicting reports of Hosni Mubarak's health:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210aff31f89281ff263a8a646d73e1bf1d8d56ccc16026bb52e48 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ac71da43f5210aff31f89281ff263a8a646d73e1bf1d8d56ccc16026bb52e48 .

CHRIS CHRISTIE'S love for Bruce Springsteen is the focus of a long feature by The Atlantic's Jeff Goldberg:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=226f9438a968a603cec443c96e0b5e7f37f2b45b3138c233441c9bd502391298 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=226f9438a968a603cec443c96e0b5e7f37f2b45b3138c233441c9bd502391298 . Listen to the New Jersey governor's 10 favorite Springsteen songs:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=226f9438a968a603e9c3d595a9050bef96ba66cc2b69337c5d53c67c5097e7e0 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=226f9438a968a603e9c3d595a9050bef96ba66cc2b69337c5d53c67c5097e7e0 .

RICHARD MOURDOCK'S Indiana Senate campaign accidentally posted a video of him prematurely celebrating the Supreme Court's decision to strike down Obamacare:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=226f9438a968a603f63327e1ddf20f43d13f382c66a455a6432978348e550950 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=226f9438a968a603f63327e1ddf20f43d13f382c66a455a6432978348e550950 .

THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESSopens a new exhibit Monday on "Books That Shaped America":
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=226f9438a968a603324feaf195517c12b1f852c99250b3118eb3f3b1fee59bca 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=226f9438a968a603324feaf195517c12b1f852c99250b3118eb3f3b1fee59bca .

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY:"Personally, I'll shoot anyone who won't vote for him. I mean if he is the only guy in the race, what are we going to do? So I'll personally shoot anybody, using my Sharron Angle Second Amendment rights." - Washoe County, Nevada, GOP chair Dave Buell pressing the central committee not to mess around in approving the candidacy of a Republican running for state assembly.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=226f9438a968a603da373046cfe725df77d762e1a0789d5044f6439a18effcf0 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=226f9438a968a603da373046cfe725df77d762e1a0789d5044f6439a18effcf0 

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