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

2012 EXCLUSIVE - PERRY SPEECH SELLS OUT IN 'BAMA - Rick Perry is turning into such a big draw for the Alabama Republican Party's summer dinner that the state GOP may have to move the event to a larger venue, according to a senior party official. The Texas governor is scheduled to address Alabama Republicans in Birmingham on August 12 - the eve of the Ames straw poll. The state GOP has sold out a 600-seat venue for Perry's speech in about a week and a half, and now a 300-seat overflow tent is booked up, too. The event may move to a 2,000-seat location if officials feel confident they can fill it. There's "lots of chatter from Alabama GOP activists wanting to see the next president of the
United States and thinking Rick Perry could be that person," the party official said. More on the event here:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a3d2ca202cbbb2f9c5d4a5ac1c078b8c47c942449f5fffa0bba98911ae2d37f8
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a3d2ca202cbbb2f9c5d4a5ac1c078b8c47c942449f5fffa0bba98911ae2d37f8 (h/t Jmart)

SNEAK PEEK - PAWLENTY VS. 'DECLINE, RETRENCHMENT AND WITHDRAWAL' - Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty will urge his party not to "shrink from the challenges of American leadership in the world" in a speech to Council on Foreign Relations in New York City. A week after staking out a hawkish position on Afghanistan in an interview with POLITICO, Pawlenty will broaden the scope of both his own agenda and his criticism of President Barack Obama. "President Obama has ... adopted a murky policy he called 'engagement,'" Pawlenty will say, according to prepared remarks shared with Morning Score. "'Engagement' meant that in 2009, when the Iranian ayatollahs stole an election, and the people of that
country rose up in protest, President Obama held his tongue. His silence validated the mullahs, despite the blood on their hands and the nuclear centrifuges in their tunnels ... History repeatedly warns us that in the long run, weakness in foreign policy costs us and our children much more than we'll save in a budget line item. America already has one political party devoted to decline, retrenchment, and withdrawal; it does not need a second one."

MORE - ON ISRAEL - Pawlenty: "Israeli-Palestinian peace is further away now than the day Barack Obama came to office. But that does not have to be a permanent situation. We must recognize that peace will only come if everyone in the region perceives clearly that America stands strongly with Israel."

FIRST IN SCORE - TEA PARTY NUMBERS TANK - The tea party label is turning into an electoral anchor, with nearly half of Americans saying they'd be less likely to support a candidate who's associated with the conservative activist movement, according to the latest SEIU/Daily Kos State of the Nation poll. In numbers set for release today, 49 percent of registered voters - and 48 percent of independents - say they'd be less likely to vote for a candidate who is "associated with the Tea Party." Only twenty-four percent of registered voters are more likely to vote for a tea party candidate. The tea party brand is more toxic with upper-income voters: The label is a net negative with 41 percent of
voters who make under $30,000 a year, but that proportion grows to 58 percent of voters who earn $100,000 or more annually. The poll was conducted by PPP and tested 1,000 registered voters.

As Michele Bachmann finds the spotlight, Herman Cain hits a speed bump and Mike Haridopolos makes another friend, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your daily guide to the permanent campaign.

MONEY TALKER - ROVE PITCHES FOR THE RNC - Via Jonathan Martin: Former White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove has penned a financial appeal for the Republican National Committee, asking former fundraisers for President George W. Bush to "help the RNC lay the foundation for battling the Obama fundraising juggernaut." Rove, who is closely identified with several of the outside conservative groups that have sprung up since last year, reminds donors that the RNC is "the only Party committee, by law, which can directly spend funds in coordination with our presidential nominee. The RNC is the only national group that can provide the leadership and resources to insure state parties can execute
the critical ground game so essential to win." The letter is a sign that Rove and other GOP super-operatives want to see the RNC to recover from the Michael Steele years and play a major role in 2012, despite the growth of independent groups like American Crossroads. Rove closes his message by thanking recipients for "your support of President Bush and our Party."

SENATE SCOOP - DEMS DEFEND MCCASKILL - Catanese reports: "Majority PAC is striking back in Missouri ... The Democratic-aligned super PAC created by a cadre of longtime operatives is answering the American Crossroads radio campaign against first-term Democrat Claire McCaskill with a 60-second ad of its own. The spot's focus is, not surprisingly, Medicare and it places the listener at the scene of a retirement party for 'Eddie,' before warning that the GOP plan will force him to 'keep working a lot longer' ... Majority PAC's Jim Jordan [said] that the size of the radio campaign is 'proportional' to the $50,000 Crossroads buy that began last week. 'It's an easy proportional response to a cheap
bit of right-wing propaganda,' Jordan said."
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POPPING IN THE HOUSE CAMPAIGN - NRCC VS. CAPPS - The National Republican Congressional Committee will go up today with an ad attacking California Rep. Lois Capps on the issue of Medicare. The congresswoman has traditionally held a safe Democratic seat, but Republicans hope that her district may become more competitive thanks to California's nonpartisan redistricting process. "Congress is debating big changes for Medicare and Congresswoman Lois Capps voted for the most extreme plan," the 30-second ad says, charging the Democrat with doing nothing to rescue Medicare. "Capps voted for the plan the media says would 'decimate Medicare' ... Lois Capps, putting partisan politics ahead of what's
best for seniors." Watch the ad here:
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ELSEWHERE IN CALIF. - NARAL FOR HAHN - NARAL Pro-Choice America will endorse Los Angeles Councilwoman Janice Hahn in the race for California's 36th Congressional District, a Hahn campaign source told Morning Score. It's an endorsement that could help the Democrat turn out women voters in her low-energy special election fight with Republican Craig Huey. The endorsement comes a day after Hahn rolled out two more cable TV ads, one of them a sharp attack on the Republican candidate.

THE BACHMANN KICKOFF - FLOODING THE TV ZONE - Michele Bachmann will appear in New Hampshire this morning and then fly to South Carolina, following a round of early morning television hits that underscore just how much free media the Minnesota congresswoman will be able to command during her presidential campaign. Check out this schedule: 6:30 a.m. ET - ABC's "Good Morning America" with George Stephanopoulos; 6:45 a.m. - CBS's "Early Show" with Erica Hill; 7:00 a.m. - NBC's "Today" show with Matt Lauer; 7:15 a.m. - Fox News's "Fox and Friends"; 7:30 a.m. - CNN's "American Morning." And all of that on a day when she'll hold only one public event in an early primary state, a 10 a.m. "backyard
chat" in New Hampshire. Bachmann's team is thrilled at the overwhelming attention her launch received yesterday, winning her all the free media she could ask for despite not holding a single event outside of Waterloo.

BUT - IT GETS HARDER FROM HERE: Bachmann's John Wayne (Gacy) gaffe was damaging for a couple of reasons: It undercut Bachmann's message that she's an authentic Iowan at heart, and also sent a signal to the national media that this is the same gaffe-prone Bachmann they've known for years. The AP wove her comment into a larger piece about Bachmann's penchant for shooting from the lip: "Bachmann's claim that she has 'never gotten a penny' from a family farm that's been subsidized by the government is at odds with her financial disclosure statements ... [O]n a less substantive note, she flubbed her hometown history when declaring 'John Wayne was from Waterloo' ... Those were among the latest
examples of how the Minnesota congresswoman has become one to watch - for inaccuracies as well as rising support - in the Republican presidential race."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1a80f3c8c08589e3090064a0e8503713d9b1cd1f2c85b98d60f0c6b988f40d37
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IN BACHMANN'S WAKE - PALIN DOES PELLA - Sarah Palin will make her only stop in Iowa this year when she visits Pella today for a screening of Stephen Bannon's enthusiastic film about her. The MSM will be kept at bay during both the 5 p.m. screening and the "cookout" planned for 7:45 p.m. A press advisory says it's "closed to media, but, there will be good positions for cameras to shoot stills and video of Gov. Palin mingling with people at the cook-out in the alley between the back of the opera house and the square." Here's the published schedule:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1a80f3c8c08589e304b60a4be97143f2e98640f640f4dfabe615ea7c8a11989f
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AND THEN IT'S BACK TO NORMAL: Far from kicking off a new, more disciplined and political phase of Palin's public life, the visit to Iowa is only a brief interruption in Palin's heavily commercial schedule. Tomorrow, she'll be back on the book circuit with a trip to the Mall of America in Minnesota, signing books with her daughter, Bristol: "HarperCollins Publishers announced Monday that the two will sign copies of their latest books ... Bristol Palin's memoir, 'Not Afraid of Life,' came out last week and Wednesday is her first public event."
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ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IOWA - Obama's coming to the state today, per the White House guidance: "In Iowa, the President will visit the Alcoa Davenport Works Factory in Bettendorf, where he will tour the facility and discuss the critical role that the manufacturing sector plays in the American economy." The president delivers remarks at 2:05 p.m.

THE S.C. PRIMARY - CRISIS AVERTED? The South Carolina state government can help administer the 2012 presidential primary, whether or not the legislature gives official funding for the GOP nominating contest, state Attorney General Alan Wilson said Monday. The advisory opinion could help tamp down concerns that a feud between Gov. Nikki Haley and the legislature may take a toll on the 2012 presidential calendar. The State: "Haley has threatened to veto sections of the budget that allow the Election Commission to use $680,000 in its savings to help pay the primary's estimated $1.5 million cost ... In addition, lawmakers failed to add a section to the budget making it clear the state Election
Commission could contract with the S.C. GOP to conduct the primary."
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TROUBLE IN PARADISE - "Herman Cain's NH campaign director, regional field director resign" - The Union Leader: "Herman Cain's state director and lone New Hampshire staffer has resigned, leaving the campaign without a New Hampshire presence at least for the time being ... The Cain campaign also lost its regional field director. Jim Zeiler confirmed this afternoon that he 'resigned last week to return to my home in Wisconsin' ... [Former N.H. director Matt] Murphy pushed to have the candidate spend more time in the Granite State. As the lone New Hampshire staffer, he asked the national campaign for funding for staff hires and office space. But, Murphy said, his request was denied."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1a80f3c8c08589e3880eb2030391c0dc9458b52d26f6e73d81b1138617b70080
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1a80f3c8c08589e3880eb2030391c0dc9458b52d26f6e73d81b1138617b70080

POLL OF THE DAY - TOSS-UP IN WASHINGTON STATE - The race for Washington's open-seat governor's office starts out in a near-tie between Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna and Democratic Rep. Jay Inslee, who launched his campaign yesterday. Inslee drew 47 percent support in a SurveyUSA poll published yesterday, versus 44 percent for McKenna. More: "Inslee and McKenna both have Plus 15 favorability ratings: Inslee is 31 percent Favorable, 16 percent Unfavorable. McKenna is 36 percent Favorable, 21 percent Unfavorable."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1a80f3c8c08589e3b7d35b85c0087ebe8a4475c65f3159e658598a0ea7b8c632
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THE FLORIDA (SENATE) PRIMARY - MACK FOR HARIDOPOLOS: Florida state Senate President Mike Haridopolos keeps picking up establishment backing in his campaign against Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson. Yesterday, he was endorsed by Rep. Connie Mack, who once considered entering the primary against him. Earlier this month, Haridopolos - who faces a competitive GOP primary - picked up support from Florida CFO Jeff Atwater and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. The Palm Beach Post: "Mack was considered a leading contender for the nomination to challenge Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, but announced in March he would not seek the seat."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1a80f3c8c08589e3847e258c14a45648806a130e9711af5ca2fb7a83ce84e855
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1a80f3c8c08589e3847e258c14a45648806a130e9711af5ca2fb7a83ce84e855

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I'm not going to engage in this conversation and I'm not going to fuel the speculation. I have a very important job to do, I just started doing it and I'm going to focus on this job." - New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, expressing impatience with 2016 speculation - but not ruling out an eventual run for the White House
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