Subject: POLITICO’s Morning Score--Presented by POLITICO Jobs: AFP makes big buy for conventions--Isaac trending to the west--Gingrich in Greece--Mitt’s Mad Men--Paul will not be formally nominated at RNC--Booker might challenge Christie
From: "Morning Score" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2012 06:10:05 -0600

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

TAMPA, Fla.-

EXCLUSIVE - AFP WOOS DISENCHANTED OBAMA VOTERS:In an ad that they will put $6 million behind over the next week, Americans for Prosperity features real voters who regret supporting Barack Obama in 2008. "I think that now we've given Obama a fair chance, and I don't think he's able to do what we need him to do," says a woman named Connie, one of four featured. "Obama said that he was going to help the middle class, and that's where I am: I'm the middle class. And instead it has hurt me." Soft music plays as a man adds that he has not received the hope and change he believed in four years ago. The tagline: "Has President Obama earned your vote?" This is the largest buy any group is currently
 running, part of a $25-27 million express advocacy effort which started in early August and runs through the first week of September. The ad will run in especially heavy rotation on North Carolina and Florida TVs during both conventions. In the Sunshine State alone, the conservative group is putting $1 million behind this spot over the next week:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4b5092d4ef2905904921da44f31f2453c3f4fc3b197df93b26081bd990034b1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4b5092d4ef2905904921da44f31f2453c3f4fc3b197df93b26081bd990034b1 .

WISCONSIN EXCLUSIVE - 60 PLUS HITS BALDWIN ON SPENDING:The 60 Plus Association, a conservative independent expenditure group that focuses on moving older voters, is putting $535,000 behind a new ad campaign, launching today, that targets Democratic Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin. Seniors talking to the camera fault her for supporting a $1 trillion stimulus, $750 billion in Medicare cuts and a health care law "that could cost $2 trillion." The 30-second spot juxtaposes the mess in Washington against Scott Walker's reforms in Madison. Though the governor is not mentioned by name, the narrators say that she should follow the state's lead. Watch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4b5092d4ef290598929a84288992a44c6e177f8b51d24009a907471d498a7c3 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4b5092d4ef290598929a84288992a44c6e177f8b51d24009a907471d498a7c3 .

MASSACHUSETTS SNEAK PEEK - BROWN AD FEATURES MEDAL OF HONOR WINNER:"Today we're going to meet with a real American hero," Scott Brown says in his new ad, part of the "from the road" series the campaign is rolling out through the summer. "Tom Hudner was a Navy pilot in the Korean War.When his wingman was shot down, Tom deliberately crash landed his plane behind enemy lines to rescue him. And for that, he got the Congressional Medal of Honor." Then Captain Hudner, standing at his door, welcomes Brown in. Brown, admiring his medal, thanks him for his service. "Well, we thank you, Scott, for all the support," Hudner tells him. "You do a great service for all the veterans in our country." This
 will begin airing tomorrow in the Boston, Springfield, Providence and Albany markets, as well as on statewide cable. Watch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4b5092d4ef29059c7e543557dbda3ee3e8789ec4829b41003257cd5d78fd6ca 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4b5092d4ef29059c7e543557dbda3ee3e8789ec4829b41003257cd5d78fd6ca .

As Akin keeps running in Missouri, Clinton robocalls in Arizona and Brown receives an unwelcome endorsement in Massachusetts, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your daily guide to the permanent campaign.

THE TRAIL TODAY-

RYAN and ROMNEY campaign together in MICHIGAN:At anoonrally at Long Family Orchard, Farm & Cider Mill in Commerce, they will discuss "Obama's failures on the economy and the Romney-Ryan Plan for a Stronger Middle Class." Tomorrow the running mates rally again at Village Green Park in Powell, Ohio.

OBAMA IS AT THE WHITE HOUSE:He has no public events and flies to Camp David at 6 p.m.

BIDEN FUNDRAISING IN NEW YORK:Joe and Jill Biden will travel to Bridgehampton for fundraisers at 4 and 6:15. Then the couple will overnight in Chatham, Massachusetts.

COUNTDOWN:75 days.

POLLING-

FOX NEWS: Romney leads 45-44 among LIKELY voters. "Independents back Romney by 42-32 percent (one in four is undecided). Among undecided voters Romney is viewed more negatively than positively by 28 percentage points, while Obama is viewed more negatively by 12 points."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4b5092d4ef2905972f023423fc8fe4a75b9b2a3d8050f1850a411a3d96392b1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4b5092d4ef2905972f023423fc8fe4a75b9b2a3d8050f1850a411a3d96392b1 

USA TODAY/GALLUP - OBAMA LIKABLE, ROMNEY COMPETENT:"Americans are more likely to say that each of seven personal characteristics or qualities applies more to Obama than to Romney, by margins stretching from one percentage point for 'can manage the government effectively' to 23 points for being 'likable.' ... Romney beats Obama on two economic issues, the federal budget deficit and the economy, while Obama wins by at least nine points on each of the other five -- including 12- to 14-point advantages on foreign affairs, energy, and Medicare."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4b5092d4ef29059340786df380152aca92294083c476aba88dd97ecbb6c45b1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4b5092d4ef29059340786df380152aca92294083c476aba88dd97ecbb6c45b1 

PPP of MISSOURI:Despite Akin fallout, Romney leads 52-42.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4b5092d4ef290599f18fa06054c5f80dff30e588aa30b1586c31eee4161d9b2 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4b5092d4ef290599f18fa06054c5f80dff30e588aa30b1586c31eee4161d9b2 

MORNING CALL of PENNSYLVANIA:Obama leads 49-40.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c470b194122be5710a1b70d5f93e95cd2385658a47a40ed7b 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c470b194122be5710a1b70d5f93e95cd2385658a47a40ed7b 

CONVENTION TALKERS-

MY STORY FROM TAMPA-ROMNEY QUELLS THE RON PAUL REVOLUTION:Using a mix of charm and procedural hardball, Romney's campaign and his allies who control the Republican National Committee have ensured that the Texas congressman will neither speak nor be formally nominated at next week's convention. It's a significant victory for Romney, who could have been faced with a raucous rebellion from the Paul crowd if he hadn't extended an early, and diplomatic, olive branch to what's become a key constituency. The libertarian septuagenarian controls the state delegations from Nevada, Iowa and Minnesota. But a candidate needs five states to be officially recognized on the floor. Paul supporters have made
 claims to Louisiana, Massachusetts, Oregon, Oklahoma and Maine. But Romney's coterie of lawyers skillfully used the rules and interpersonal negotiations to peel each away. The 168-member Republican National Committee approved a report Thursday by the Romney-friendly "committee on contests" that invalidated Paul delegates elected in Maine based on irregularities at the state convention. The RNC voted to split the at-large delegation in half, effectively depriving Paul of control. Read the rest:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c4c53ca3e4abf93f80c63f708d3fd6ad0839a6724aabe17e2 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c4c53ca3e4abf93f80c63f708d3fd6ad0839a6724aabe17e2 .

ISAAC UPDATE - RNC PLANS PROCEED:"With the projected path of Tropical Storm Isaac trending to the west, officials sounded increasingly confident Thursday that the storm wouldn&#39;t disrupt the Republican National Convention," the Tampa Bay Times' Michael Van Sickler and Jessica Vander Velde report. "The RNC will have the final decision about whether to change its plans, but [Rick] Scott said 'it&#39;s way too early' to have that conversation. 'If you look at the projected path, it looks like we&#39;ll have some rain and some wind,' Scott said. 'Really, the time to have a discussion about this is after it leaves Cuba. But right now, it&#39;s full-speed ahead. We&#39;re going to have a great
 convention. We&#39;re looking forward to the delegates coming. We&#39;re going to keep them safe.'" Preparations:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c44004387c08f5c8121c707452c58d64653bcc4256afdb76d 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c44004387c08f5c8121c707452c58d64653bcc4256afdb76d . Latest on the storm itself:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cde8632646621e730ce369dab121ececb2ebb41b5d93e772d 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cde8632646621e730ce369dab121ececb2ebb41b5d93e772d .

ANN ROMNEY SPEECH MAY MOVE TO TUESDAY:Dylan Byers says the campaign is considering moving her speech to Tuesday night so it gets on network TV. "The debate over the move is ongoing but appears likely, as sources at multiple networks said that it is highly unlikely that the nets would decide to add an hour of primetime coverage on Monday night. Such a move would be expensive, require a great deal of last-minute planning, and could also lead to calls for an extra hour of Democratic convention coverage. Ann Romney&#39;s keynote speech, originally scheduled for Monday, has been in flux since campaign officials learned that the three broadcast networks -- NBC, ABC, and CBS -- would not be airing
 primetime coverage of the GOP convention&#39;s opening night."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c37481aa17832819938df4c1a05285d4c29786f6f48e9bee2 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c37481aa17832819938df4c1a05285d4c29786f6f48e9bee2 

DNC ROLLS OUT ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS:Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, Former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy (ret.), Congresswoman Barbara Lee of California, CarMax co-founder and former CEO Austin Ligon, Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, Costco co-founder and former CEO Jim Sinegal and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Booker, Kennedy and Lee will present the platform to the convention on Tuesday.

RNC SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY:Senate candidates Rick Berg (ND) and Deb Fischer (NE) will address the convention. So will incumbent House members Dan Benishek (MI-01), Quico Canseco (TX-23), Jason Chaffetz (UT-3), Sean Duffy (WI-07), and Tim Scott (SC-01). Ten House candidates get turns on stage: John Archer (IA-02), Andy Barr (KY-06), Steve Daines (MT-AL), Ricky Gill (CA-09), Richard Hudson (NC-08), Mark Meadows (NC-11), Keith Rothfus (PA-12), David Rouzer (NC-07), Rick Snuffer (WV-03) and Jackie Walorski (IN-02).
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cfbc0d9fc417b7b1da8aae32f63c795d7a0ae2fd2452d312d 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cfbc0d9fc417b7b1da8aae32f63c795d7a0ae2fd2452d312d 

ROMNEY CAMPAIGN ROLLING OUT NEW WAY TO DONATE AT CONVENTION:The campaign will announce a convention-wide rollout of Square, a device on the cutting edge of mobile donations. Square-enabled phones and devices will be used throughout the 2012 Republican national convention providing a quick and easy way for delegates and visitors to make donations and buy souvenirs with a simple swipe of their credit card onto a mobile device. 'We are excited to be the first Presidential campaign to make serious use of Square devices at a major event like a national convention.' Zac Moffatt, Digital Director of the Romney campaign, says in a forthcoming statement. This lets grassroots supporters accept credit
 and debit card donations, which should help Mitt with small-dollar donors. Square devices will also be provided to each Victory location. More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cc5d3a297cc8d0987f002a820eae3e673dc010f706c039f02 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cc5d3a297cc8d0987f002a820eae3e673dc010f706c039f02 .

FRIDAY MESSAGING PREVIEW-

RESEARCH HIT SEIZES ON SALE OF SOLYNDRA'S HEADQUARTERS: In bankruptcy court, Seagate Technologies is purchasing Solyndra's vacant headquarters for $90 million. It cost more than $300 million to build. The Romney campaign notes that private investors will be repaid ahead of taxpayers and that Obama advisers approved the restructuring that made it so.

NINE REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS SENDING WELFARE LETTERS TO SEBELIUS:Republicans governors are sending letters to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius "expressing their support for welfare reform's work requirement and calling on the Obama Administration to restore it." They are Jan Brewer (Arizona), Phil Bryant (Mississippi), Matt Mead (Wyoming), Scott Walker (Wisconsin), Terry Branstad (Iowa), Mary Fallin (Oklahoma), Sam Brownback (Kansas) and Gary Herbert (Utah). Here is Walker's:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cac809e2e6576fa5a96eb825f3068e9f5925ccc17167146fd 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cac809e2e6576fa5a96eb825f3068e9f5925ccc17167146fd .

MOVEON PROTESTING AT MICHIGAN EVENT:MoveOn.org Political Action will hit Mitt Romney for not answering Akin questions. They'll fly a 99airlines banner over the Romney/Ryan Michigan stop that reads:'Sign of a wimp: dodging Akin questions.' Protesters on the ground will hold signs that say: "Ryan=Akin' and "Romney-Ryan, Wrong for Women."

ROMNEY'S BAIN-

PLAYING OFFENSE - MITT AUTHORS OP-ED IN WSJ:Romney starts off by noting that many people will pick up school supplies at Staples, which he helped build. "In the 1990s, when the 'old-technology' steel industry in the U.S. was failing, Bain Capital helped build a new steel company, Steel Dynamics, which has grown into one of the largest steel producers in America today, holding its own against Chinese producers. Here are two lessons from the Steel Dynamics story: First, innovation is essential to the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing...The second lesson is that we must have a level playing field in international trade." Key line:"I&#39;m not sure Bain Capital could have grown or turned
 around some of the companies we invested in had we faced today&#39;s anti-business environment." The Obama campaign pushes back this morning with a fact check. Read the op-ed:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c1ce7265d98bc047857d9e24a8663aad706b593bd5a128ed1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c1ce7265d98bc047857d9e24a8663aad706b593bd5a128ed1 .

GAWKER DUMPS A CACHE OF DOCUMENTS:The provocative gossip site posts more than 950 pages of confidential finance reports and investor correspondence, what they call "the Bain files." They use one document to accuse Romney of being "the National Enquirer's banker" because of a loan that the magazine's parent company received from an LP partnership that Romney had a stake in:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cd1575f09a5dd4b7fcb5940797c3f2d3b0de68cbd88d2f126 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cd1575f09a5dd4b7fcb5940797c3f2d3b0de68cbd88d2f126 .OTHER NEWS ORGANIZATIONS SCOUR THE DOCUMENTS:Bloomberg emphasizes that Romney, like all very wealthy people, has access to investment vehicles that normal people do not:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cf53c16a96ab37ebd2a86a42a142563cfee17aa91e1aa834f 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cf53c16a96ab37ebd2a86a42a142563cfee17aa91e1aa834f .

RYAN BY THE NUMBERS - CONGRESSMAN COURTED CONSERVATIVE ELITES:"One good way to understand how 42-year-old Paul Ryan vaulted over a generation of politicians into the top tier of national Republican politics is to dive into some numbers. 190 times. That's how often the Wisconsin lawmaker's name appeared in the opinion pages of the Wall Street Journal between Election Day 2008...and the day this month when Romney tapped him as his running mate. Another revealing number: Ryan and his plans for overhauling the federal budget drew at least 72 mentions in the conservative Weekly Standard magazine, according to a POLITICO count. There were at least as many references in the equally influential
 National Review. These billings, in turn, helped Ryan drive an even bigger number: 1,050 is how many times Ryan and the Ryan budget were talked up on Fox News.

THE WAY TO WIN - TAKE CONSERVATIVES SERIOUSLY:"In Ryan's case, say people who have worked closely with him, they are the result of a years-long effort to cultivate relationships with a small but influential corps of commentators, policy intellectuals, and impresarios of the conservative movement. Ryan invites these people to off-the-record dinner briefings to talk about ideas and his policy proposals. He calls them to say how much he liked their articles. He attends their going-away parties and hires young people from their staffs. Above all, he has made clear that he takes these people seriously and wants to be taken seriously by them. And these Washington and New York
 influentials-including writers Bill Kristol and Stephen Hayes of the Weekly Standard, and Rich Lowry of National Review, and policy provocateurs like Bill Bennett and Pete Wehner-have repaid the favor."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c7ffab819f00cf0917c3b72eb3ecf6aafc881048de3e0c2fe 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c7ffab819f00cf0917c3b72eb3ecf6aafc881048de3e0c2fe 

ROMNEY TALKERS-

DEFENDS WITHHOLDING TAX RETURNS TO KEEP TITHING PRIVATE:"Romney says in a new interview that one of the reasons he's distressed about disclosing his tax returns is that everyone sees how much money he and his wife, Ann, have donated to the LDS Church, and that's a number he wants to keep private," the Salt Lake Tribune reports. "Our church doesn't publish how much people have given,' Romney tells Parade magazine in an edition due out Sunday. 'This is done entirely privately. One of the downsides of releasing one's financial information is that this is now all public, but we had never intended our contributions to be known. It's a very personal thing between ourselves and our commitment to
 our God and to our church.'
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4b5092d4ef290599f18fa06054c5f80dff30e588aa30b1586c31eee4161d9b2 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4b5092d4ef290599f18fa06054c5f80dff30e588aa30b1586c31eee4161d9b2 

AKIN QUESTIONS WERE OFF LIMITS IN DENVER CBS INTERVIEW:"It's the sort of statement that leaves journalists slack-jawed: 'The one stipulation to the interview was that I not ask him about abortion or Todd Akin,'" the Times' Brian Stetler notes. "That's what Romney's campaign demanded, said Shaun Boyd, a reporter for the CBS-owned television station in Denver, when she interviewed the Republican presidential candidate on Thursday. Ms. Boyd was one of four Denver reporters to be granted five minutes with the candidate via satellite, and the only reporter to tell viewers about any preset restrictions. In response to Ms. Boyd's claim, the Romney campaign suggested that it does not demand that
 reporters swerve around certain topics during interviews." NYT:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c7dcf6ed891f17617fb75cb150a051ad405e365eb33fc3971 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c7dcf6ed891f17617fb75cb150a051ad405e365eb33fc3971 . Here's a Trip Gabriel on the Ryan press corps' hunger for more access:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c5399fca1328f6afddab1f154cf7345cbae0e4de1a173539a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c5399fca1328f6afddab1f154cf7345cbae0e4de1a173539a .

TWO REPUBLICAN PROS OFFER ADVICE ON ROMNEY'S RNC SPEECH -

PEGGY NOONAN (in Saturday's Wall Street Journal):"How will voters judge Mr. Romney&#39;s speech? The answer comes in some questions: Is it fresh? Is it true? Does it substantiate-add substance to-what we think we know of Mitt Romney? Does it deepen and broaden our understanding of him? Does it make us, as we listen, begin to see him as a possible president?Presidents are in our face 24 hours a day now. Is this someone we&#39;d let in our living rooms for four years? Can he inspire? ... Emphasis is everything. Emphasize dynamism. Mr. Romney shouldn&#39;t just repeat what he thinks but tell people why he thinks it, what life has taught him that formed his views. He shouldn&#39;t shy away from
 religion." She also wants him to be funny.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cf6e5c20a1aaaa5e9546dcfd5fe094c0b7e2ef32d565ef08d 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cf6e5c20a1aaaa5e9546dcfd5fe094c0b7e2ef32d565ef08d 

MIKE MURPHY (in next week's edition of Time):"Romney needs to break out of the cage of doubt that the Obama campaign&#39;s negative-ad makers have created around him...if he is smart, Romney will avoid the often powerful temptation inside the convention hall to chase the cheap applause that comes from endlessly bashing the opponent. If Romney finds himself standing at the podium merely giving a hastily repainted version of his primary stump speech, he will lose the night."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c9a27128b9a2c0823397e8b4d7ad7e017dc937b5e6cb8a7aa 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c9a27128b9a2c0823397e8b4d7ad7e017dc937b5e6cb8a7aa 

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BATTLEGROUND BRIEFING-THE PATH TO 270:

DEM STATE PARTIES HAVE MONEY ADVANTAGE:"Democratic state parties overall have raised more money than their Republican counterparts, although their cash available as of July 31 was more mixed, with the G.O.P. holding cash advantages in Florida and Wisconsin," Derek Willis notes in the Times. "That is in part because of heavy spending by Democratic state parties in states such as Nevada, Colorado, Ohio and Virginia."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c088a11840e7ecd788390270da0cefb1cc7e33e5b91709dbf 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c088a11840e7ecd788390270da0cefb1cc7e33e5b91709dbf 

SWING STATE HEADLINES-

AARP VOTER GUIDE ON MEDICARE:The seniors' advocacy group features quotes from the presidential candidates - in their own words - on what they'd do to strengthen Social Security, Medicare and financial security. Here is the guide as it will appear in "AARP The Magazine," which hits mailboxes starting next week:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c6a01016a7ed78890c28f483232eee6b8f53af2f813bb777b 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c6a01016a7ed78890c28f483232eee6b8f53af2f813bb777b .

LAS CRUCES (NM) SUN-NEWS:"Romney, in Hobbs, pledges to make North America energy independent, teamwork with Mexico, Canada."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cc09341e55a67e262c834e2a506d6b653ccbec95c6fa618ce 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cc09341e55a67e262c834e2a506d6b653ccbec95c6fa618ce 

FAYETTEVILLE (NC) OBSERVER:"Ryan says Romney would work to avoid defense cuts."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5ca6df17670413879a2d61f2a66bbd516dd6865dcba98aac9f 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5ca6df17670413879a2d61f2a66bbd516dd6865dcba98aac9f 

THE SPOKANE (WA) SPOKESMAN-REVIEW:"Romney to be on Washington ballot, judge rules."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cab0df1327611dd29aea7e753ea66475b394e162f84b94849 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cab0df1327611dd29aea7e753ea66475b394e162f84b94849 

RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL:"Harry Reid makes it clear: he will continue to criticize Romney about his tax returns."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c8ad78a3ef2806e23171b04b78e0e58ed29e522374199aba7 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c8ad78a3ef2806e23171b04b78e0e58ed29e522374199aba7 

THREE BAD ECONOMIC HEADLINES-

WSJ:"Jobless claims hint at another middling employment report."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5ce24f49d71e664c0a777d9ed7d1478d5cfb5d5f5655c1b868 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5ce24f49d71e664c0a777d9ed7d1478d5cfb5d5f5655c1b868 

NYT:"Half of homeowners under 40 are still underwater."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5ca42a2627cea4e807158abd0eb63cc4aeb22789fc73912f81 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5ca42a2627cea4e807158abd0eb63cc4aeb22789fc73912f81 

BLOOMBERG:"U.S. incomes fell more in recovery."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cb336f4fc1fe82c0bada4b8e00a588be3640f0692b01bdc54 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cb336f4fc1fe82c0bada4b8e00a588be3640f0692b01bdc54 

NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR - BOOKER MAY CHALLENGE CHRISTIE IN 2013:"Newark Mayor Cory Booker and his political consultant Mark Matzen are meeting face-to-face with county chairs and making it known that Booker is weighing a run for governor and plans to decide by December, according to party sources," PolitickerNJ's Max Pizaro reports. "Some Democrats see Booker as the only 2013 option against Republican Gov. Chris Christie. By virtue of his fundraising ability, charisma and potential to transcend a fragmented state party, others see him, at the very least, as the preferred nominee. 'He's the most viable candidate who comes to mind at this moment,' said Charlotte DeFilippo, chair of the Union
 County Democratic Committee."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5caf13a2c512b9740dd0eeb0c1068904cccf1b98030c24999a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5caf13a2c512b9740dd0eeb0c1068904cccf1b98030c24999a 

FLORIDA SENATE- AD HITS "THE CHARLIE SHEEN OF FLORIDA POLITICS":Majority PAC, the Super PAC focused on maintaining Democratic control of the Senate, will go up today with an ad that suggests Florida Rep. Connie Mack belongs more on reality TV than Congress. "Republicans call him the Charlie Sheen of Florida Politics," a narrator says. "Congressman Connie Mack THE FOURTH: His record includes bar brawls, road rage, and resisting arrest. A past of debts and liens. An overdrawn checking account while in Congress. A loan from Dad to pay his taxes. His yacht club sued him. The Condo Association took him to court. Now he's running for Senate. But, Florida Families can't afford Connie Mack's party
 tab." This is the group's first ad in Florida, where Mack is challenging Bill Nelson. Research backup:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c6ef7ebe5499bba72528d2e76a9c03debfa0d8ad760540e38 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c6ef7ebe5499bba72528d2e76a9c03debfa0d8ad760540e38 . Watch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5ca4edc464a37363de0cc9de5640b90f284a608d7bfeb37637 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5ca4edc464a37363de0cc9de5640b90f284a608d7bfeb37637 .

MISSOURI SENATE -

NRSC ED ASKS SENATORS TO LOBBY AKIN TO QUIT:Rob Jesmer, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, sent a private email to Senate chiefs of staff urging them to "keep up the pressure over the next several weeks," Manu Raju scoops. "One method, he suggested, was if senators publicly pressure Akin to step aside or directly lobby Akin and his son Perry Akin, who is his campaign manager."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c3ff1c091a61399c65b12500e64e16fe463f2ab976860a7df 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c3ff1c091a61399c65b12500e64e16fe463f2ab976860a7df 

STATE GOP DIVIDED OVER AKIN'S DEFIANCE:"Missouri&#39;s top Republican candidates are refusing to take a stand on their ticket mate," the Columbia Daily Tribune reports. "The anger at Akin is intense. With his refusal to step aside, they see serious damage to GOP chances in many races this year. 'I, personally, and a lot of people like me, want to punish Todd Akin,' one insider said. 'This is about getting you freaking people out of our party.' Akin is spending almost $500,000 on ads this week, the GOP source said. Akin raised $100,000 yesterday, according to a message posted on his Twitter feed. Akin&#39;s defenders express bitterness over the speed at which the Republican establishment has
 sought to end his campaign. 'The slavering, slobbering hyenas in the Republican party, by tearing at the flesh of their own senatorial candidate Todd Akin, are doing their best to blow their shot at taking control of the Senate. By eating their own, they are consuming themselves. And they seem too brainless to know it,' Joel McDurmon wrote on the American Vision website."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c4344c86feb5f8835664e2c7c764677f20a13ef28a63698e3 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c4344c86feb5f8835664e2c7c764677f20a13ef28a63698e3 

VIRGINIA SENATE - KAINE SPANISH AD SHOWCASES HONDURAS MISSIONARY WORK:"The 30-second spot, titled 'Valores' (Values), touts Kaine's experience as a Jesuit missionary in Honduras (where he learned to speak Spanish) and emphasizes his positions on education and immigration, two top voting issues for Latinos," Univision's Jordan Fabian reports. "A 60-second version is going on the radio."A campaign official tells Score that this is part of a $250,000 Spanish-language media buy. Watch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c4035a429bd46aa39ea40869c9b5c025a1a9c17a15ed6c511 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c4035a429bd46aa39ea40869c9b5c025a1a9c17a15ed6c511 .

MASSACHUSETTS SENATE - BROWN GETTING PRO-LIFE ENDORSEMENT:"Thestate's leading antiabortion group said Thursday that it plans to support Senator Scott Brown's reelection campaign, potentially undercutting the Republican's effort this week to distance himself from his party's support for strict antiabortion measures," the Boston Globe's Michael Levenson reports. "Brown said he would not reject the backing of Massachusetts Citizens for Life but reiterated that he considers himself a supporter of abortion rights...Still, Brown received the backing of Massachusetts Citizens for Life in his 2010 run for Senate and has sided with the National Right to Life Committee on four of its five key votes
 since he arrived in Washington, earning him an 80 percent approval rating." Watch for Democrats to pounce on this:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c8c519c642149e035a2fd7f8d9c22e9e0c8ee6ffcc2e1069f 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c8c519c642149e035a2fd7f8d9c22e9e0c8ee6ffcc2e1069f 

OHIO HOUSE - CHARLIE WILSON ATTACKS OPPONENT ON TRADE:The former Democratic congressman, trying to get his seat in the Ohio River Valley back, uses his first ad of the cycle to attack freshman Rep. Bill Johnson for "protecting" tax breaks that allow companies to ship jobs overseas. He says there's a two percent tariff on Chinese cars coming to the U.S. and a 22 percent tariff on American cars going over there. "No wonder Ohio has lost more than 100,000 jobs - just to China," he says. "Hey, in a fair fight, our guys win every time. But this is a million miles from fair." Watch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c05ae00e37c00bf89202b5b6f5c6732d7b24c7086b4db2c65 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c05ae00e37c00bf89202b5b6f5c6732d7b24c7086b4db2c65 .

IOWA HOUSE SNEAK PEEK - LANGE BIO SPOT EMPHASIZES RURAL VALUES:Republican Ben Lange, challenging Bruce Braley, highlights his upbringing in the rural town of Quasqueton, Iowa, in his first bio spot. He juxtaposes the small town against the brokenness of Washington. Watch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c5b3c8f54cfba9e035a3cf7791d6d52042c1365f93c473efa 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c5b3c8f54cfba9e035a3cf7791d6d52042c1365f93c473efa .

ARIZONA HOUSE - CLINTON ROBOCALLS FOR CHERNY:President Clinton records a robo-call to help Andrei Cherny ahead of his August 28 primary in the AZ-09 race. Listen:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cbcd2aa49610e9ba6630937890a614f681c85e1b446d6ffb9 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cbcd2aa49610e9ba6630937890a614f681c85e1b446d6ffb9 .

FLORIDA HOUSE - FINANCIAL REPORT AMENDED IN RIVERA RACE:"A failed Democratic congressional candidate whose campaign is under federal grand jury investigation abruptly amended his financial disclosures to show he loaned himself nearly $53,000 more than he originally reported," The Miami Herald's Marc Caputo and Manny Garcia report. "Before filing the new report, Justin Lamar Sternad, 35, insisted his finances were in order and steadfastly refused to say how he paid for tens of thousands of dollars' worth of campaign-mail services. Many of the transactions were in cash - sometimes in the form of $100 bills stuffed in envelopes, a campaign vendor said. The big cash payments drew the attention
 of the FBI, which began examining the working-class hotel employee, a political unknown who now claims to have dropped about $64,000 of his own money in his Aug. 14 primary loss. Campaign vendors told The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald that Sternad's congressional Democratic primary run was backed by Republican Rep. David Rivera, who says he has never met or helped Sternad. During the campaign, Sternad bashed Rivera's main rival, Joe Garcia. Garcia handily won and faces Rivera in November."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c2cf52d1c29a9b2acbd4b3d8da01fa5e1b95a663b3271586b 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c2cf52d1c29a9b2acbd4b3d8da01fa5e1b95a663b3271586b 

LIGHTER CLICKS -

SHELDON ADELSONaccompanied the House GOP delegation for part of its Israel trip, but he was not with the group when Kevin Yoder went skinny dipping in the Sea of Galilee. Jake Sherman and John Bresnahan look at some of the ethical issues raised when AIPAC's nonprofit arm picked up the bar tab that night:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c93a651e140216ac746eafa2b351828d84e4650b57481ec61 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c93a651e140216ac746eafa2b351828d84e4650b57481ec61 .

THE MAD MEN,how Romney's ad-makers apparently describe themselves, get profiled by Phil Rucker in the Washington Post:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c77a0ca89e73d9140df15ffb72e31f27d849f25a1021a35d4 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c77a0ca89e73d9140df15ffb72e31f27d849f25a1021a35d4 .

JANNA LITTLE, the former Democratic lobbyist who became Paul Ryan's wife, took a road trip to DC as a student at Wellesley to march for women's rights. The Times' Susan Saulny and Christine Haughney look at their marriage:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c61f9604a346fc4262c1ad5b452eb3d7343764b4a49661da3 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c61f9604a346fc4262c1ad5b452eb3d7343764b4a49661da3 .

ANDERSON COOPERcalled out DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz last night for saying in a fundraising appeal that Romney directed the RNC platform committee to include no exemptions on abortion. Watch the contentious 7-minute interview:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cdddcd705a9a959a6760e7ca3a1c65c750c3ddbedae15f115 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cdddcd705a9a959a6760e7ca3a1c65c750c3ddbedae15f115 .

JENNIFER GARNERplays a character inspired by Michele Bachmann in a new movie called "Butter." Trailer:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cb750332dd5ca9689a76897fcde982625cfe6d42a0ed29215 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5cb750332dd5ca9689a76897fcde982625cfe6d42a0ed29215 .

CALLISTA GINGRICHhas been posting a flurry of Instagram photos from her ongoing trip to Greece on Twitter:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5ca96e8f457a87f7b9c383d4fc300166f9572aa145001220f7 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5ca96e8f457a87f7b9c383d4fc300166f9572aa145001220f7 .

OBAMAloves to fist-bump. A slideshow with nearly two dozen photos:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c94da6b87fedc6ec711ff6345b2e5239a57533371a8a2babf 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c94da6b87fedc6ec711ff6345b2e5239a57533371a8a2babf .

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY:"Nothing cures broken relationships like victory." - Todd Akin's media consultant, Rex Elsass, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c181bc35c5f4a6f7efc16e3e1ced3597b85ff43ae71f2eb90 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=be11670a40c08b5c181bc35c5f4a6f7efc16e3e1ced3597b85ff43ae71f2eb90 

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