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Romney Goes On Offense Over Priorities Ad In Iowa

Pema Levy — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:09:43 GMT

The Romney campaign ties President Obama to a controversial super PAC ad in a new ad released in Iowa, as Obama continues his bus tour there Tuesday and Wednesday. The Romney ad references a pro-Obama super PAC ad in which a steelworker connects losing his job and his health insurance under Bain Capital to his wife's death from cancer. Even though the super PAC, Priorities USA Action, and the Obama campaign are prohibited by law from coordinating, Romney blames Obama for the ad.

"What does it say about a president's character when his campaign tries to use the tragedy of a woman's death for political gain?" a narrator asks. The ad also accuses the Obama campaign of raising money for the ad, though it was produced by Priorities USA.

"Doesn't America deserve better than a president who will say or do anything to stay in power?" the narrator asks at the end of the ad.

Watch:

Christie To Deliver Keynote Speech At GOP Convention

Pema Levy — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:09:43 GMT

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will give the keynote speech at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., later this month, he told USA Today.

Christie told USA Today that his speech will focus more on why the country should elect Mitt Romney than on why they should vote out President Obama. "I'll try to tell some very direct and hard truths to people in the country about the trouble that we're in and the fact that fixing those problems is not going to be easy for any of them," Christie said. Christie said he is already on the fourth draft of his speech.

Known for his strong personatity, Christie is a favorite among many conservatives and considered running for president this cycle. He was mentioned as a possible running mate for Romney and is considered a potential presidential candidate in 2016 if Romney doesn't win this year.

Obama Stops At Iowa State Fair, Buys Round Of Beers

Pema Levy — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:09:42 GMT

President Obama made an unscheduled stop at the Iowa State Fair on Monday evening on the first day of his three-day Iowa bus tour. Emerging from Ground Force One, Obama shouted "Let's go to the fair," bought his ticket and then bought an "Iowa State Fair, nothing compares" baseball hat which he immediately put on, according to pool reporter Helene Cooper.

The President shook hands and took pictures; he declined a cinnamon roll saying he wanted to save room for porkchop on a stick and declined a smoothie saying "Smoothie sounds ok but a beer sounds better."

At the beer tent, he ended up buying folks a round of beer.

From the pool report:

Finally Potus came over. "Hey everyone whose over 21, you gotta buy a beer!" Someone yelled, "is it on you?"

Potus said: "let me see what's in my wallet," and peered into his wallet.

The beer crowd, meanwhile, started chanting, "four more beers!"

Potus said, "I'll tell you what, except for Romney sign, I'll but beers for ten people."

Earlier in the day, VP candidate Paul Ryan made a speech at the state fair, mentiong that Obama wasn't at the fair: “I heard President Obama is starting his bus tour today, and I heard he wasn’t going to come to the Iowa State Fair.”

Poll: Obama Leads By 3 In New Hampshire

Tom Kludt — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:09:42 GMT

President Barack Obama holds a narrow 3-point edge in New Hampshire, according to a new poll released Monday.

In the latest poll from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, 49 percent of likely Granite State voters support Obama, while 46 percent prefer Mitt Romney. New Hampshire is seen as conducive political territory to Romney, although Democrats have carried the state in four of the last five presidential elections.

The presumptive Republican nominee was governor of a neighboring state, Massachusetts, and his family maintains a home in New Hampshire. In January, Romney won the state's Republican primary in resounding fashion.

The PollTracker Average shows New Hampshire currently leaning toward Obama, who leads Romney, 49 percent to 45.7 percent.

Booker: Obama Indicated Private Equity Flap Was 'Small Potatoes'

Pema Levy — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:09:42 GMT

Newark Mayor Cory Booker told the Wall Street Journal that the Obama campaign was not angry with him about his private-equity flap back in May. As the Obama campaign was attacking Romney over his record at Bain Capital, Booker said on "Meet the Press" that he was "uncomfortable" with the attacks. His remarks ended up being used in GOP attack ads against the president.

WSJ: What was the immediate response from the campaign?

There’s this assumption that they somehow bashed me. It wasn’t like that at all. I talked to a member of campaign, who was in no way telling me to do things, no way being difficult with me. It was more like, help us understand what you were trying to say.

They said, “Mayor, what is your concern. Let’s talk about that concern. And let’s talk about what we are trying to say with this line of attack.”

WSJ: Did the campaign tell you to stay on script?

No. That’s something I really want to make clear.

…

WSJ: Did you talk to the president about it?

I didn’t talk to the president for three or four weeks later. I tried to. Honestly he’s such adult. You have to understand he was my friend way before he was my president. I’ve known him since 2005…

I wanted to talk to him about. I went to talk to him about. I could see, he’s the president and he just knows me…It’s all small potatoes.

Booker said he's still working hard for the campaign, including attending lots of fundraisers. He said he is now classified as a "bundler" for the campaign.

Today On The Trail: Obama, Romney, Biden, Ryan Hit The Stump

Pema Levy — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:09:41 GMT

President Obama continues on day two of his three-day Iowa bus tour Tuesday. His first event is at the the Nelson Pioneer Farm & Museum in Oskaloosa at 11:25 a.m. CDT. The president then heads to Marshalltown, where he will speak at B.R. Miller Middle School at 4 p.m. Finally, Obama will head to Waterloo, where he will deliver remarks at the Waterloo Center for the Arts at 7:55 p.m.

Vice President Joe Biden is campaigning in Virginia Tuesday. At 10:15 a.m. EDT, Biden will speak at a campaign event at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville, Va. At 4:30 p.m., he will deliver remarks at Spiller Elementary School in Wytheville, Va.

Mitt Romney takes his bus tour to Ohio Tuesday, where he will make three campaign stops. His first event in Beallsville is at 12:30 p.m. EDT. From there, he heads to Zanesville, where he will drop by Tom's Ice Cream Bowl around 3:40 p.m. Finally, he will attend a rally at the Ross County Court House in Chillicothe at 7:20 p.m.

Paul Ryan will be in Colorado and Nevada, attending an event in Lakewood, Colo., at 11:35 a.m. MDT and a Las Vegas rally at 4:50 p.m. PDT.

Boston Globe: Ryan Requested Stimulus Funds While Criticizing The Program

Tom Kludt — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:09:40 GMT

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) has ascended to political stardom among conservatives for his staunch opposition to big federal spending programs, but the newly minted Republican vice presidential nominee sought grant money from the 2009 stimulus package he has consistently derided.

The Boston Globe reports today that Ryan penned four letters to Energy Secretary John Chu in 2009 to request millions of dollars for two Wisconsin conservation groups through the federal government's sweeping American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, often simply referred to as the stimulus package.

Both groups ultimately secured the funds — including one that received a $20 million grant — but the letters were submitted at a time when Ryan was in the vanguard of the Republican Party's opposition to the federal program, decrying it as an example of wasteful government spending.

Report: Suicide Attacks Kill 35 In Afghanistan

David Taintor — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:09:40 GMT

NBC News reports:

Update: Suicide attacks kill 35 in Afghanistan, while wounding more than 80, police official says - @nbcnews
— Breaking News (@BreakingNews) August 14, 2012

DCCC Launches Campaign Tying GOP Incumbents To Ryan Budget

Pema Levy — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:09:39 GMT

The DCCC is launching automated phone calls in the home districts of 50 incumbent Republicans tying them to Rep. Paul Ryan's budget plan, the committee announced Tuesday. Since Ryan joined the GOP ticket, the DCCC has doubled down on its efforts to connect House Republicans to the Wisconsin congressman and his potentially toxic budget plan.

“From now until Election Day, Democrats will be on offense and in overdrive, seizing this golden opportunity to define the choice in this election: Republicans putting Millionaires over Medicare and the middle class,” DCCC Chairman Steve Israel said in a press release.

Here's the script of the call to voters in California Rep. Dan Lungren's district:

Hi. This is Julie calling from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to alert you to a new development about Medicare.

Your Congressman, Dan Lungren, voted for a budget that would end Medicare and now the budget’s architect, Paul Ryan, is the Republican candidate for Vice President.

A nonpartisan analysis showed that Ryan’s budget would raise health care costs for seniors by $6,400. The Tax Policy Center also said the Ryan budget would give people making over $1 million a year an average tax break of $265,000. And Congressman Lungren supported all of it.

That’s just wrong.

Call Congressman Dan Lungren at (916) 859-9906 and tell him to stop protecting millionaires at the expense of Medicare and the middle class.

McCain: Reid Wrong About Tax Claim Against Romney

David Taintor — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 10:54:32 GMT

Sen. John McCain says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is wrong about his claim that Mitt Romney didn't pay taxes for 10 years. "Nothing in his tax returns showed that he did not pay taxes," McCain told the Las Vegas Sun's Jon Ralston.

Marco Rubio To Introduce Romney At GOP Convention

David Taintor — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 10:49:42 GMT

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is scheduled to introduce Mitt Romney at the Republican National Convention, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

"We're honored to have him introduce Governor Romney at the Republican National Convention," Romney adviser Matt Rhoades said in a statement. "Since the last night of the convention usually has the largest audience, it's a great opportunity to showcase leaders who will play an important role in shaping the future of the Republican Party. Marco Rubio is that kind of leader."

Gunman Among 3 Dead In Texas A&M Shooting

David Taintor — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 10:37:10 GMT

Reuters reports:

A man killed two people, including a law enforcement officer who was serving him an eviction notice at a home near Texas A&M University, on Monday before police fatally shot the suspect in a gun battle that lasted half an hour, officials said.

Panetta: No Plans For No-Fly Zone Over Syria

David Taintor — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 10:32:42 GMT

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says he is confident a no-fly zone could be enforced over Syria, but there are no immediate plans to implement one.

"We have planned for a number of contingencies that could take place and one of those possible contingencies is developing a no-fly zone. But we've also pointed out difficulties in being able to implement that," Panetta told the Associated Press. "It's not on the front burner as far as I know."

Elizabeth Warren Hits Scott Brown Over Ryan Support

Eric Kleefeld — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:57:01 GMT

Democratic Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren tied her opponent, Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, to Rep. Paul Ryan and his economic policies for Medicare and other programs in an appearance on MSNBC Monday.

"Look, he clearly wants Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan to be the president and vice president of the United States. He wants them to lay out the economic blueprint, and he wants them to execute on the economic blueprint. He can wave his hands all he wants, but he's not backing off from that. Scott Brown has said there is no one he trusts more on the economy than Mitt Romney — and Mitt Romney has picked Paul Ryan."

Cosmo Editor Helen Gurley Brown Dies

Igor Bobic — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:50:39 GMT

Cosmopolitan Magazine's famous editor Helen Gurley Brown has died, reports the Baltimore Sun:

The iconic editor of Cosmopolitan magazine, with its bosomy Cosmo girls on the cover dripping with pearls and promising pleasure, died Monday at the age of 90 after a brief illness. She had reported to her pretty, pink corner office in the Hearst Building in Manhattan almost daily until her death.

"It would be hard to overstate the importance ... of her success... with Cosmopolitan," said a statement from Hearst Corporation, the magazine's publisher. "Helen was one of the world's most recognized magazine editors and book authors, and a true pioneer for women in journalism — and beyond."

Boehner's Office Says Obama Avoiding Personal Responsibility For Drought

Evan McMorris-Santoro — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:39:45 GMT

On its website and in an email Monday, House Speaker John Boehner's office said President Obama needs to take personal responsibility for the drought ravaging the Midwest.

Obama, "continues to blame anyone and everyone for the drought but himself," reads a release from Boehner's office posted online and distributed to reporters Monday. The quote was attributed to Boehner himself in a Financial Times story. The online post and the press release came from Boehner spokesperson Kevin Smith.

The drought became a centerpiece of the presidential race Monday after Obama accused Paul Ryan of being part of the reason a needed farm bill hasn't passed Congress. Meanwhile, the White House announced $170 million in federal assistance aimed at alleviating farmers' suffering from the lack of rain.

UPDATE:

The post on Boehner's website was changed after this post was published, and this addendum added:

UPDATED @ 4:30 PM ET: Clarifies that the president is blaming others for failing to respond to the drought when he has yet to urge Senate Democrats to adopt a bipartisan drought-relief measure passed by the House.

The new version reads, "the president continues to blame anyone and everyone for failing to respond to the drought but himself."

Smith did not immedately did not respond to a request for comment about the change. The original quote -- attributed to Boehner -- still appears in the Financial Times.

Hoyer: Holder Lawsuit Motivated By Politics

Ryan J. Reilly — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 20:14:03 GMT

Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer issued this statement on the lawsuit House Republicans filed against Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday:

“I continue to be dismayed by Republicans’ attempts to distract from the real challenges facing this nation by pursuing an unnecessary and partisan lawsuit against Attorney General Holder. As I said on the House Floor in June, the investigation against him by Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has been motivated by politics, not by the pursuit of justice. Instead of moving forward with this partisan lawsuit, House Republicans would be better off working with Democrats to address the serious challenges we face by achieving solutions that create jobs, move our economic recovery forward, and set our country back on a sound fiscal path.”

Flake: Eliminate Direct Election Of Senators

Eric Kleefeld — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 20:14:03 GMT

Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) argued the popular tea party position that state legislators, not citizens, should choose U.S. senators -- at a campaign event urging voters to choose him as a Senate nominee.

From the Payson Roundup:

Flake advocated additional deep cuts in taxes and spending and the wholesale repeal of federal regulations. He said he opposed any restrictions on guns, ammunition or magazines, despite a string of recent shootings. He also said he favored eliminating both the federal Department of Energy and the Department of Education. He even said he preferred having state legislatures appoint U.S. Senators instead of the voters, a system that changed in 1912 with the adoption of the 17th Amendment.</blockquote>

Repealing the 17th Amendment is an idea that has generated buzz in tea party circles since 2010.

Paul Ryan Interrupted By Hecklers In Iowa (VIDEO)

Igor Bobic — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 19:43:58 GMT

Rep. Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney's new vice presidential running mate, was interrupted by several protesters at a campaign event at the Iowa State Fair Monday.

Update: Cherie Mortice, who participated in the protest, told TPM in a phone interview that it was organized by Iowa Citizens For Community Improvement, a nonpartisan progressive group in the state. They are the same group that heckled Mitt Romney at last year's Iowa State Fair, prompting his famous response that "Corporations are people."

"Our concern with Ryan is that he wants to cut social benefits like Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security, which we feel have been an extremely important safety net for the middle class and poor in this country," Mortice told TPM.

Watch the video:

Benjy Sarlin contributed to this report.

Tommy Thompson Ad Invokes Paul Ryan In GOP Senate Primary

Eric Kleefeld — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 19:39:01 GMT

Tommy Thompson embraces fellow Wisconsinite Paul Ryan in a new radio ad released one day before the hotly contested Wisconsin Senate primary.

The ad includes a clip of Ryan praising Thompson during a weekend rally: "Tommy Thompson — welfare reform, getting people off of welfare, back to work into lives of dignity, personal responsibility, on to a life of hitting their potential."

The announcer says: "Tommy is the conservative we can count on to defeat [Democrat Tammy] Baldwin, help win Wisconsin for the Romney-Ryan ticket, and take control of the Senate from Harry Reid. Vote Tommy Thompson -- the 51st vote to repeal Obamacare, and pass Paul Ryan's Pathways to Prosperity plan."

Obama Congratulates NASA Mars Rover Team (Photo)

David Taintor — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 19:14:25 GMT

President Obama calls to congratulate NASA's Curiosity mars rover team on Monday aboard Air Force One.

[Photo credit: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza]

Exclusive: Planned Parenthood Web Video Calls Romney-Ryan 'Really Wrong For Women'

Pema Levy — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 18:44:47 GMT

Planned Parenthood Action Fund released a new web ad attacking the GOP ticket as wrong for women Monday afternoon.

The ad, which the group will be pushing through social media, shows clips of Mitt Romney saying he wants to "get rid of" Planned Parenthood and that Roe v. Wade should be overturned. The ad then shows Romney introducing his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, whose views on women's reproductive rights are further to the right than Romney's.

"The Romney-Ryan agenda: end funding for Planned Parenthood's basic health care," a narrator says in the ad, running down a list that also includes ending "safe and legal abortion" and dismantling "the Medicare and Medicaid women and families count on."

The narrator ends the ad with: "Romney-Ryan: Really out of touch, really wrong for women."

So far the ad is online-only, but the group said it may be putting money behind it soon.

Watch:

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. Diagnosed With Bipolar Depression

Nick Martin — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 18:41:36 GMT

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) has been diagnosed with a form of bipolar depression, his doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., announced on Monday. The clinic released a statement by email, saying the congressman is still being treated. It offered no timeline of when he is expected to return to public life. He has been on leave from Congress since June 10.

Here is the full statement:

Following extensive evaluation, Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. is undergoing treatment for Bipolar II depression at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Congressman Jackson is responding well to the treatment and regaining his strength.

Many Americans have bipolar disorder. Bipolar II disorder is a treatable condition that affects parts of the brain controlling emotion, thought and drive and is most likely caused by a complex set of genetic and environmental factors. Congressman Jackson underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2004. This type of surgery is increasingly common in the US and can change how the body absorbs food, liquids, vitamins, nutrients and medications.

Congressman Jackson has asked Mayo Clinic to distribute this information on his behalf. He and his family remain grateful for support and prayers offered and received on his behalf.

Note: No time frame is specified for another update on Congressman Jackson’s condition.

Police: 'Multiple Injuries' At Scene Of Shooting Near Texas A&M

David Taintor — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 18:33:22 GMT

College Station Police Department spokesperson Officer Rhonda Seaton tells the Dallas Morning News there are "multiple injuries" at the scene of a shooting near Texas A&M University. Officers are among the injured, Seaton said.

Seaton says “the situation is under control, and at least one person has been [detained].” That person, she says, “is believed to be the suspect.”

Reuters: Shooting Near Texas A&M University

David Taintor — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 18:19:17 GMT

Reuters reports, according to a police spokesperson, that multiple people have been shot near Texas A&M University.

According to reports, the gunman was apprehended near campus.

This is a developing story...