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By Alexander Burns (
mailto:aburns@politico.com
aburns@politico.com ) and James Hohmann (
mailto:jhohmann@politico.com
jhohmann@politico.com )

IOWA SIREN -- CHRISTIE DIPS A TOE -- The New Jersey governor still doesn't plan on running for president, but he told a group of Iowa GOP bigwigs last night that he'll visit the crucial caucus state this summer. The Des Moines Register: "Chris Christie thanked the team of seven Iowa campaign donors and GOP activists for coming to his home, but said his job is in the governor's office - not the White House. 'It was exactly what we intended it to be, short of him saying he'd run,' Iowa ethanol entrepreneur Bruce Rastetter said of the supper at the New Jersey governor's mansion ... Rastetter said Christie told the Iowans he has accepted an invitation from Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad to keynote an
education summit this summer." http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=83d2c56baa835c047e47c6e3c8216ba0de950a1b0ac4977209e27189c486cd54 PLUS - Making the rounds in Trenton - this state GOP memo, "Christie Hits the Summer and Enters Budget Season in Strong Standing" -
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=cf6f558a6299c549842c65a22373c49f1af4c637c666b22c6bbe20061077f9a5
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=cf6f558a6299c549842c65a22373c49f1af4c637c666b22c6bbe20061077f9a5

MEANWHILE, IN NH. - RUDY PAYS RESPECT -- JMART SCOOPS -- "Rudy Giuliani plans to meet with Joe McQuaid, the influential publisher of the Union Leader newspaper, during a trip to New Hampshire this week. McQuaid said Giuliani requested to meet on Friday, a day after Hizzoner is to address the New Hampshire GOP. 'He wanted to drop in,' McQuaid told POLITICO."

MORE-- "While the still-mulling Giuliani presumably wants to feel out the powerful conservative, McQuaid said he had something very specific on his mind: convincing the former and perhaps future candidate to appear at the debate the Union Leader, WMUR and CNN are sponsoring later this month. 'If I have to, I'm going to break his legs,' McQuaid joked, noting that he'd have a 'big baseball bat' at the ready for the sit-down. Turning more serious, he said that the debate isn't restricted to declared candidates and that a candidate like Giuliani who is still considering the possibility could participate."

THE BIGGER 2012 PICTURE -- MEDICARE, MEDICARE, MEDICARE - The hits just keep coming for Paul Ryan's budget. The liberal-leaning group Protect Your Care will release a poll later today showing voters oppose the GOP plan by a 16-point margin (38 percent for, 54 percent against) after they're told it includes a Medicare voucher program for Americans under 55. Among seniors, opposition spikes to 58 percent. When a description of the plan is read over the phone, 60 percent of independents say they are against it.

AND - DEM ADVANTAGE: Overall, voters say they trust President Obama more than congressional Republicans on the issue of Medicare, by an 8-point margin. Forty-seven percent of respondents said they trust the president, while 39 said they trust the GOP. The poll was taken May 18-24 - in the final days of the Medicare-driven New York special election - and tested 800 likely voters nationwide. Protect Your Care and the Herndon Alliance cosponsored the survey.

As Jon Huntsman bear-hugs Ryan, Herman Cain keeps finding the spotlight and Michelle Obama plans a West Coast swing, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your daily guide to the permanent campaign.

MEET YOUR NEW HOST -- For the first time ever, Morning Score has a co-author. Please welcome POLITICO's James Hohmann: campaign reporter, presidential historian, Minnesotan, former Stanford Daily editor -- and now, one of the anchors of the predawn political beat. You can reach him at the email above (
mailto:jhohmann@politico.com
jhohmann@politico.com ) and follow him on Twitter at @jameshohmann.

THE PALIN TOUR - ARIZONA MOVE, CONFIRMED: The Palin family has indeed purchased a home in Scottsdale, the former Alaska governor told Fox's Greta Van Susteren in an interview that aired last night. But Sarah Palin insisted that she has "not moved from Alaska," saying: "Many, many Alaskans purchase property in Arizona, Nevada and Texas." More from Palin, who dined last night in New York City with Donald Trump in the latest leg of her bus tour: "Van Susteren, who was the only reporter allowed on the bus, asked if Palin was tweaking and teasing the mainstream media on purpose. 'It has always been unintentional, my tweaking of the media,' she said ... In the wide-ranging interview, Palin said
the bus tour was her husband Todd's idea."
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=cf36cce386dc6b0eb2bde987cd1263b077defe4a75d5b6c5ae4bd076c9f7963b
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=cf36cce386dc6b0eb2bde987cd1263b077defe4a75d5b6c5ae4bd076c9f7963b

STRAIGHT TALK FROM DAN BALZ -- The Washington Post scribe takes stock of Palin's eccentric reemergence on the political scene, wondering "whether she could ever run for president this way." The answer is probably not, but Balz wonders if that's even the point: "One Republican with considerable campaign experience, who wouldn't agree to be identified in order to be as candid as possible, called the 'One Nation' bus tour that Palin and her family are on 'a joke' ... Palin wouldn't have it any other way ... Stop to think about what Palin is trying to perfect as the most unconventional of politicians. She has the ability to connect with people personally. She has, as one Republican said long
ago, the ability to be interesting. That has long been her strong suit, and while she has done little to persuade her many doubters that she could or should be president, she retains a loyal and passionate following."
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=92ce9cef49a4edf1b0d1354ec9212ff996504447222b78840f4d65458d9ed9be
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=92ce9cef49a4edf1b0d1354ec9212ff996504447222b78840f4d65458d9ed9be

HONEST QUESTION: Can any Score reader make the case that Palin's bus tour is good politics? If so, please email us with your thoughts -- anonymity guaranteed, if desired.

What we're watching today - 3 essential events:

- Herman Cain on "Early" - The former Godfather's Pizza CEO - riding momentum in the polls and coming off a Washington Post Style profile - will appear on the CBS "Early Show" at 7 a.m. Eastern, according to a tweet from Cain.

- Giuliani in his comfort zone - At 6 p.m., Rudy Giuliani is scheduled to keynote the Voices of Sept. 11 gala at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan.

- Pawlenty's Iowa schedule resumes - Flooding forced TPaw to cancel his Sioux City town hall Tuesday night, but he's still on for a 9:30 a.m. event at Tish's Restaurant in Council Bluffs.

POPPING IN WISCONSIN - SNEAK PEEK: A coalition of Democratic politicians and liberal groups are launching a "money bomb" today to raise money for Wisconsin Senate Democrats, who just got the green light for recall elections against six GOP state legislators. Participants in the fundraising push include former Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold, Reps. Tammy Baldwin and Ron Kind, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer and the California, Texas, Iowa, Hawaii and Minnesota Democratic Parties. From Wisconsin Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller's appeal: "In six weeks we can retake the majority in the Wisconsin State Senate by picking up three seats in July's recall elections ... Now is the time to raise our
voices together and put a stop to Governor Walker's agenda once and for all."

WEINER, COOKED? New York Rep. Anthony Weiner dodged a series of straightforward questions Tuesday about his claim that someone hacked his Facebook and Twitter accounts and sent out a lewd photo to a college student. And for perhaps the first time ever, Weiner said that talking to the media is not an essential part of his job. CNN reports on the worst media appearance since Mark Sanford admitted his affair: "Weiner told reporters ... he already issued statements over the Memorial Day weekend after news of the photo of the lower body of a man wearing underwear turned up on his Twitter account on Friday night. When asked if the photo was of him, he deflected the question ... Asked several
questions about the Twitter situation, Weiner stuck to his message. 'I understand you're doing your job, but I'm going to go back to work now.'"
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=f30994d6b75e7544122cfb5291e2e75e6bf5bb73bd0f950f3a7c72a6608850f3
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=f30994d6b75e7544122cfb5291e2e75e6bf5bb73bd0f950f3a7c72a6608850f3 Must-see video:
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=a3057c38d88071403a3a2ed3df62ae6932d1f08fb5ff324ec293590356c9eda6
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=a3057c38d88071403a3a2ed3df62ae6932d1f08fb5ff324ec293590356c9eda6

PERRY WATCH -- "Rick Perry to replace Donald Trump at New York dinner" -- POLITICO's Maggie Haberman reports: "Perry will be the replacement speaker for Donald Trump at a Manhattan GOP dinner next month, officials said Tuesday - a move that comes as the Texas governor has left the door open a crack on a 2012 campaign. 'The feeling of excitement that Governor Perry will join us at the dinner and address the attendees is palpable,' said Manhattan County GOP chairman Dan Isaacs in a statement ... Trump had been scheduled, but canceled the appearance when he bowed out of the race to renew his contract with NBC."
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=0c06b4bbe964dfc8254d340b213c6cf02422bf8207a16b48dad00396e7f0bc9e
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=0c06b4bbe964dfc8254d340b213c6cf02422bf8207a16b48dad00396e7f0bc9e

JMH CHANNELS RWR: Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman is doubling down on his praise for the Paul Ryan budget in today's Wall Street Journal, writing that the entitlement crisis represents this generation's "time for choosing." Huntsman: "I admire Congressman Paul Ryan's honest attempt to save Medicare. Those who disagree with his approach incur a moral responsibility to propose reforms that would ensure Medicare's ability to meet its responsibilities to retirees without imposing an unaffordable tax burden on future generations of Americans."
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=f06a7b202c2f7dba30c0129f94f41670051ef2ae724475ea09388c9d485423f6
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=f06a7b202c2f7dba30c0129f94f41670051ef2ae724475ea09388c9d485423f6

MISCHIEF-MAKING POLL OF THE DAY - JON WHO? Public Policy Polling is expected to release a survey from Iowa later today, showing Herman Cain gaining ground and tied for second place in the early presidential state. But Democratic-leaning pollster Tom Jensen has already written a lengthy post teasing one buzzy result: The survey found just one voter who says he supports Huntsman for president. Some facts about this individual: He's: a 46-to-65-year-old white guy who identifies himself as "somewhat conservative," lives in the northeastern part of the state and voted for Obama in 2008. He said he'd vote for Mitt Romney over Obama but would support the president over Palin or Cain. Huntsman
hasn't visited Iowa since returning from his post as ambassador to China - and it's not clear whether that's going to change.
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=381d59aac11e6cc4d2b6bf4316a740d78c2a90c6f65015cb914e6c9b71b7c0ea
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=381d59aac11e6cc4d2b6bf4316a740d78c2a90c6f65015cb914e6c9b71b7c0ea

FLOTUS HITTING THE TRAIL -- From the first lady's advance guidance -- June 13: "First Lady Michelle Obama will deliver remarks at a Democratic National Committee luncheon in Pasadena and dinner in Los Angeles." And June 14: "Michelle Obama will deliver remarks at a Democratic National Committee breakfast in Oakland and luncheon in San Francisco."

REDISTRICTING READ - DEMS DO THE DELAY - That's as in Tom DeLay, the former House majority leader who cut up Texas's House map for partisan advantage. Now, both chambers of the Illinois legislature have voted to send Gov. Pat Quinn a gerrymandered congressional map that Democrats - led by state House Speaker Michael Madigan - believe could net them as many as six House seats. The Dem-friendly playing field is already drawing candidates into the 2012 mix: Former Rep. Bill Foster announced plans Tuesday to run in a new district that's expected to be up for grabs after redistricting.
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=f61dc81ce7e713db908017b2dafa7fffa5a681d0facfd27c3eafa7c1c176b933
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=f61dc81ce7e713db908017b2dafa7fffa5a681d0facfd27c3eafa7c1c176b933 and
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=847008fb43912d975046a9a0afbf976f63eaae2c09edd820cbddc678108179b0
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=847008fb43912d975046a9a0afbf976f63eaae2c09edd820cbddc678108179b0

AFTERSHOCKS - CORWIN'S CHIEF EXITS: Last week's special House election in NY-26 was more about Medicare than any other issue - but several voters told your new Score correspondent that a bizarre tracker-gone-wild episode didn't help Republican Jane Corwin. The Republican state legislator's chief of staff claimed he was assaulted by third-party candidate Jack Davis, releasing a 14-second clip of the confrontation. Now, WGRZ reports Michael Mallia is on his way out: "One source told 2 On Your Side the resignation happened either Tuesday night or will happen Wednesday morning. Another said the resignation is expected. 2 On Your Side reached out to Corwin's campaign, but our calls and e-mails
have not been returned."
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=3c83beadfd914720409d914774a98f4348d9c69cfe4da111e46798816feba887
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=3c83beadfd914720409d914774a98f4348d9c69cfe4da111e46798816feba887

CODA -- QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Any time you go to New York you want to say hi to Donald Trump." - Sarah Palin, quoted by National Review
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=ad2d6a0e0e8a24ff9c50d27f59c7f585b52d9010a94c8ba55cdf08cddc764462
http://click.politicoemail.com/?qs=ad2d6a0e0e8a24ff9c50d27f59c7f585b52d9010a94c8ba55cdf08cddc764462

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