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By James Hohmann (
mailto:jhohmann@politico.com
jhohmann@politico.com ; Twitter: @jameshohmann)

TWO BIG DEBATES IN MARQUEE SENATE RACES-

MASSACHUSETTS - BROWN COMES OUT SWINGING: "Senator Scott Brown and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren finally squared off face-to-face in a debate on Thursday night, and when they did, neither backed down from the criticisms they have lodged against each other from a distance on the campaign trail," the Boston Globe's Glen Johnson writes. "Brown, champing at the bit to get at Warren, pounced on the first question about their respective character to bluntly accuse the Harvard Law School professor of faking her claim to Native American heritage so she could gain an advantage in her career. 'Professor Warren claimed she was a Native American, a person of color. As you can see, she's not.
That being said, she checked the box,' Brown said. Warren, however, stood there unfazed and defended the family lore upon which she bases her claim...And from the opening exchange on, a spirited debate unfolded in which Brown worked to seed doubts about 'Professor Warren.' She worked just as hard to hold him accountable for votes he has cast since joining the Senate two years ago."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a849a0daa0e812077e8991a7ac4597ff38f22871b380270e7
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a849a0daa0e812077e8991a7ac4597ff38f22871b380270e7

VIRGINIA - GOP POUNCES ON KAINE'S TAX REMARK: "Republicans attacked Timothy M. Kaine on Thursday after he said during a much-anticipated Senate debate that he would consider a minimum income tax for every American, opening a fresh line of attack in a nationally watched race that until now has turned on mostly predictable and well-worn accusations," The Washington Post's Laura Vozzella writes in the story leading the front page of today's paper. "Kaine, a Democrat, made the comment as he squared off against Republican George Allen, a fellow former governor and his opponent in the Virginia race, in their first televised debate. The hour-long program, hosted by 'Meet the Press' host David
Gregory at the Capital One Conference Center in McLean, was mostly devoid of fireworks. ...Kaine, who had said in the debate that he would be open to 'some minimum tax level for everyone,' later qualified his statement, noting that he had not actually proposed a minimum income tax." The NRSC turns web video calling Kaine an unabashed partisan:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a0a39b2447559013ef71d8f6b9ca61b7269ddbcec32ccd7fc
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a0a39b2447559013ef71d8f6b9ca61b7269ddbcec32ccd7fc . The LA Times and other national outlets play up Allen distancing himself from Romney's 47% comments:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52aa003a774a6562d411773212239b91b0c908348866da29733
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52aa003a774a6562d411773212239b91b0c908348866da29733 . The Post story:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a72702870ee4befd470707391cbd074377ef74e8361ebfd7b
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a72702870ee4befd470707391cbd074377ef74e8361ebfd7b . AP posts 90-seconds of video highlights:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a3778a2e91c26db8499b89690b6e54f41d16d352964fc2e2a
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a3778a2e91c26db8499b89690b6e54f41d16d352964fc2e2a .

As the surge ends, Romney senior staffers get bonuses and early voting begins, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your daily guide to the permanent campaign.

THE TRAIL TODAY-

OBAMA in VIRGINIA: Speaks via satellite at 11:30 to the AARP Life@50+ event/expo (he'll take questions). It will livestream. Then at 12:45 in Woodbridge he speaks at Pfitzner Stadium. Back at the White House by 2:30.

ROMNEY in NEVADA: 5:05 ET rally at UNLV in Las Vegas to talk about housing and Obama's admission that he can't change DC from the inside. Fundraising in San Francisco tonight.

BIDEN in NEW HAMPSHIRE: Rallies with Jill at 1:30 on Dartmouth's campus in Hanover and at 5:15 at the State House in Concord. They're overnighting in Manchester.

RYAN in LOUISIANA: He speaks in person at the AARP event at the New Orleans convention center at 12:35 ET. His mom Betty will join. Then he arrives in Lakeland, Florida, at 3:40.

MICHELLE in MARYLAND: Fundraisers at 5:30 and 7:45 in Baltimore.

JOSH in PENNSYLVANIA: The Romney son spends his second day in the state, focusing on the west with a 9 a.m. rally at the Erie Victory Center.

COUNTDOWN: 46 days.

MESSAGING-

CHICAGO APPEALS TO ELDERLY "VICTIMS": To bracket Ryan's AARP speech, the Obama campaign has prepared a 2-minute video with man-on-the-street senior-types taking umbrage at Romney's leaked comments about the 47%. "I'm not a victim," an older, overweight white guy says. "I'm sorry he sees me as a victim. He would be a tragic president." Watch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a3b4811311bd66907a2264979ee8612d64959d96b76baffa9
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a3b4811311bd66907a2264979ee8612d64959d96b76baffa9 .

Obama went up last night with a new Medicare attack ad in Colorado, Florida and Iowa. "It's true - Mitt Romney would replace Medicare's guaranteed benefits with a voucher system. The Romney-Ryan plan could raise seniors' costs up to $6,400 a year," a female narrator says. "While under President Obama: a 75% increase in health-care fraud prosecutions, lowering seniors' Medicare premiums and out-of-pocket costs and eliminating $156 billion in wasteful Medicare subsidies to private insurance companies." Watch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52adee5588f0259a8b7c7fcb6e4f91cafb4d3aede3c589659e5
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52adee5588f0259a8b7c7fcb6e4f91cafb4d3aede3c589659e5 .

RYAN WILL ATTACK ON MEDICARE: "The first step to a stronger Medicare is to repeal Obamacare," the congressman plans to tell the AARP, according to excerpts shared with Juana Summers. "It represents the worst of both worlds. It weakens Medicare for today's seniors and puts it at risk for the next generation. First, it funnels $716 billion out of Medicare to pay for a new entitlement we didn't even ask for. Second, it puts 15 unelected bureaucrats in charge of Medicare's future." Full story with more excerpts:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a2076a9bb453cafb33cd2bf85599c7e63e8a7906614a398dc
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a2076a9bb453cafb33cd2bf85599c7e63e8a7906614a398dc .

BOSTON HITS ON SEQUESTRATION: To bracket the Woodbridge stop, the Romney campaign's taken out a full-page ad in today's Manassas News & Messenger. It's a picture of a depressed-looking brunette defense worker. The overlaid text: "When President Obama needed our defense workers, they answered the call. Now that our defense workers need President Obama, he's abandoned them. His defense cuts are threatening over 130,000 jobs here in Northern Virginia and across the Commonwealth." See a low-resolution version of it here:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a1662109e48eb26bdcdc0993d57c2f394491d78adf7afd14c
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a1662109e48eb26bdcdc0993d57c2f394491d78adf7afd14c .

THE AIR WAR-

EXCLUSIVE - CLF LAUNCHES NEW ADS AGAINST SUTTON, GALLEGO: The Congressional Leadership Fund, a John Boehner-backed super PAC focused on keeping the House Republican, is going up with fresh attack ads in Ohio and Texas to bolster GOP freshmen. They're spending $330,000 in San Antonio to define Pete Gallego, who is challenging Quico Canseco in TX-23. A narrator says Gallego's record doesn't stand up to scrutiny, noting his support for Obamacare, increased taxes on small businesses and support for new sales taxes in the state legislature. CLF is putting up their second ad in a $1.1 million Cleveland TV buy against Betty Sutton, who is locked in a tight member-on-member contest against Jim
Renacci. The Democrat is portrayed as a Nancy Pelosi puppet, who has taken $25,000 from the unpopular minority leader while voting with her 99% on the time - including votes for Obamacare and cap-and-trade. The Gallego ad:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52ac1c0686d5b1ad6ca368bcabcfc0e7647bdb6d912029e7b27
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52ac1c0686d5b1ad6ca368bcabcfc0e7647bdb6d912029e7b27 . The Sutton ad:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52ac250de073ce6fdd0134f07db8b6e87bfcd4fc1e0ea9f4bb1
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52ac250de073ce6fdd0134f07db8b6e87bfcd4fc1e0ea9f4bb1 .

The American Action Network is spending $90,000 in Indiana's Eighth district against Democrat Dave Crooks, who is running against incumbent Larry Bucshon. A narrator notes that he voted to raise his pay while supporting a nearly 10% increase in utility rates. Exclusive:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a865323aecc0ed0ecbaf361477f20f1d60cf327958479f2cf
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a865323aecc0ed0ecbaf361477f20f1d60cf327958479f2cf .

YG ACTION FUND GOING UP IN PA-12, FL-22: The Eric Cantor-backed super PAC's ad in Pennsylvania says Democratic incumbent Mark Critz acts one way in Pennsylvania and a completely different way in Washington. They say he talks a good game back in Pittsburgh, but his record in Washington doesn't match his rhetoric. They've reserved $507,265 in the Johnstown-Altoona and Pittsburgh markets through the election. The Republican challenger is Keith Rothfus. Watch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52ac29e9b0a5b7b794469245997f19fc3191c7552e8a6f78669
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52ac29e9b0a5b7b794469245997f19fc3191c7552e8a6f78669 .

The Florida hit is called 'Flush Frankel,' a reference to Lois Frankel's behavior as mayor of Palm Beach. The conservative group says she lived under a different set of rules, including using a police helicopter to fly to a posh party and having a designer remodel the mayoral bathroom with expensive marble. They've reserved $408,975 in the West Palm Beach market. The Republican challenger is Adam Hasner.Watch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a0e30dee1f975c8c29fff49536486aa45eea9f8f4f90c5cee
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a0e30dee1f975c8c29fff49536486aa45eea9f8f4f90c5cee .

NORTH DAKOTA SNEAK PEEK - HEITKAMP HITS BERG ON WEALTH: "Rick Berg is worth $24 million but voted to cut college aid to pay for a tax break for millionaires like himself," says Robert Trefethren of Fargo. He introduces himself by saying he "went straight from high school to driving a semi." He wants his two boys to go to college but says he cannot afford it without government aid. Democrat Heidi Heitkamp appears on screen at the end to say "no one should miss out on college to pay for a millionaire's tax break." John Bresnahan has a story about the scrutiny of Berg's business background:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a76b24283872b23f7956dd689ef546417e804f1074966054a
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a76b24283872b23f7956dd689ef546417e804f1074966054a . Watch the ad:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52afa6a462637c374a723b1fbde69c5d34765fbca6f55cd6abc
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52afa6a462637c374a723b1fbde69c5d34765fbca6f55cd6abc .

NEW MEXICO EXCLUSIVE - HEINRICH TIES WILSON TO OUTSIDE GROUPS: The day after the U.S. Chamber went on the air with an attack against him, Democrat Martin Heinrich is responding with a 30-second spot that says national money is pouring in because special interests "know they can count on Heather Wilson to support their agenda." A female narrator says, "Wilson voted four times to ship our jobs overseas [and] voted to bail out Wall Street while supporting a plan that would lead to deep cuts in Social Security, Medicare and education." Here They Come will air in the Albuquerque market. Watch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a3da34f6f2cad01f475537bea1afa963d3e4b883cd18d53f6
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a3da34f6f2cad01f475537bea1afa963d3e4b883cd18d53f6 .

POLLING-

Reason Magazine/Rupe: Obama up 5 nationally (48-43). With leaners factored in, Obama's up 52-45. If Gary Johnson is offered as a choice in a three-way race, he pulls six percent. Story:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52acce166096d66222b57f0e5547505a383af63fad4bc894843
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52acce166096d66222b57f0e5547505a383af63fad4bc894843 . Toplines:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a1c21c6e678a1f2e72b9b0e76d6ad7bc91a849ad64234b019
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a1c21c6e678a1f2e72b9b0e76d6ad7bc91a849ad64234b019 .

Allstate/National Journal: Obamaup7 nationally (50-43) among likely voters. Ron Brownstein's analysis:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52aef177be1a94308530c284e613d4ec7145c772cef3474eea7
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52aef177be1a94308530c284e613d4ec7145c772cef3474eea7 .

NBC/WSJ/Marist-Obama reaches the critical 50% threshold in three swing states among likely voters.

Colorado: Obama up 5 (50-45).
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52ab58c47debc0933ebbfb596245a146f288f1e79afe35b72a0
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52ab58c47debc0933ebbfb596245a146f288f1e79afe35b72a0

Iowa: Obama up 8 (50-42).
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a689dc3500b4c6514ee453126f66b5028816cc48c68e48d7f
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a689dc3500b4c6514ee453126f66b5028816cc48c68e48d7f

Wisconsin: Obama up 5 (50-45). Tammy Baldwin leads 48-46.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a47b518ab632f16e944b468b1fde071882cb4a3247693fe98
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a47b518ab632f16e944b468b1fde071882cb4a3247693fe98

Bad for Boston: Romney's personal favorability is sinking deeper underwater. The governor's fav/unfav is 43/50 in CO, 42/50 in IA and 43/46 in WI. Analysis from NBC's Mark Murray:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52ad2bff9127ddb6bf4757e7422e6d5f1f6d4550ed24f921cf0
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52ad2bff9127ddb6bf4757e7422e6d5f1f6d4550ed24f921cf0 .

FOX NEWS of OHIO: Obama up 7 (49-42).
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a932faadac590bc301904f3d3ea47f7f1f6668db80ade067d
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a932faadac590bc301904f3d3ea47f7f1f6668db80ade067d

FOX NEWS of VIRGINIA: Obama up 7 (49-42).
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a95e11ade3b457cc4c8153b18e0a0e7887c9f29a2b2852655
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a95e11ade3b457cc4c8153b18e0a0e7887c9f29a2b2852655

PPP (D) of WISCONSIN: Obamaup 7 (52-45).
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a41c941b935282614f36c7d95ab2be5442524e55ee0fa4f24
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a41c941b935282614f36c7d95ab2be5442524e55ee0fa4f24 .

Public Religion Research Institute of WHITE WORKING-CLASS voters: Romney leads 48-35. The Atlantic's Molly Ball explains why this is terrible for the Republican:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52aa8bd1ccdf62f02f72b9554b30bfaf2831988373ba13b4e81
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52aa8bd1ccdf62f02f72b9554b30bfaf2831988373ba13b4e81 .

Gallup: 60% have little or no trust in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately and fairly. That's an all-time high:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a1e13a53d979018d31524a3e4a8326c24fd03448cd1afccb7
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a1e13a53d979018d31524a3e4a8326c24fd03448cd1afccb7 .

THE AUGUST MONEY CHASE - Last night was the deadline to file FEC reports for last month:

Obama's fundraising machine operating at full steam: OFA raised $84.7 million - $35 million more than in July. "The campaign spent $83.7 million and ended the month with almost $89 million in reserve," report Dave Levinthal and Tarini Parti. "That easily eclipses the $50 million that Romney's campaign committee reported in the bank through August. The Romney campaign raised about $67 million and spent about $66 million, meaning Obama for America beat it in both categories - a notable turnaround from the past several months, when Romney was largely generating more campaign cash."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a6af6299c892539c5e52ef49c8ae7b92664e3dbe25ff26fb1
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a6af6299c892539c5e52ef49c8ae7b92664e3dbe25ff26fb1

RNC has 10x more cash than the DNC: $75.6 million on hand at the end of August, compared to $7.1 million. The RNC raised $35.6 million and spent $47.8 million. The DNC raised $13.6 million and spent $22 million.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52abff113aa665ad7d9f044c7694ac8605d64828a46fdaecb4c
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52abff113aa665ad7d9f044c7694ac8605d64828a46fdaecb4c

Romney has a grassroots donor problem: He actually got fewer donations under $200 after picking Ryan than before. In August, he raised $9.4 million in "unitemized" donations. In July, it was $11.8 million. For context, Obama raised more than $25 million in this category:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a7cc5d64e87932eea31b8d1291426e6290afa04b748e35e4f
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a7cc5d64e87932eea31b8d1291426e6290afa04b748e35e4f .

Democrats open checkbooks for Obama super PAC: Priorities USA Action raised $10.1 million and spent $9.5 million. Ken Vogel has more on who gave:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a9323522a7d058af9d85c50c9d25aad3e363f67e8e6fe96da
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a9323522a7d058af9d85c50c9d25aad3e363f67e8e6fe96da .

Romney super PAC spent $21 million: "Restore Our Future raised $7 million in August - the second straight month its fundraising has dipped - even as it spent $21.2 million," per Ken. "Restore Our Future finished August with $6.3 million in the bank - its lowest reported cash on hand tally - leaving it in a potentially tenuous position for the stretch run."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52ab496617167eecd5f89f0c56b42379ab80276cac8f3997769
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52ab496617167eecd5f89f0c56b42379ab80276cac8f3997769

American Crossroads raised $9.4 million: They entered the post-Labor Day phase of the campaign with $32 million.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a2e6b5b39707f4f17934b8533df083f292b356d9bc92a1d9f
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a2e6b5b39707f4f17934b8533df083f292b356d9bc92a1d9f

Senate Dems super PAC spent $4.7 million: That's twice what Majority PAC took in.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a588eb96dc4844f3fc880f405890e59bd718010440fd636a6
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a588eb96dc4844f3fc880f405890e59bd718010440fd636a6

DCCC outraised NRCC: The House Democratic campaign arm took in $11.64 million last month, compared to $6.8 million for the Republican counterpart. The NRCC has $49.8 million cash on hand, compared to the DCCC's $39.97 million.

House GOPers kick in $3.2 million for home stretch: Members ponied up at a conference meeting yesterday morning. Jake Sherman scoops:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52aef3f584135471455c96b88e22704fb7da8aa4ae209d1c0ac
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52aef3f584135471455c96b88e22704fb7da8aa4ae209d1c0ac .

GAFFE OF THE DAY - OBAMA SAYS HE CAN'T CHANGE DC FROM INSIDE: Obama said at the Univision forum in Florida yesterday that the most important lesson he's learned in office is, "You can't change Washington from the inside. You can only change it from the outside."

Romney seizes: He said the president had waved the "white flag of surrender."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52ad0d174e26c961bb6ee8bd9428fe4fbca938c2c1e044d4489
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52ad0d174e26c961bb6ee8bd9428fe4fbca938c2c1e044d4489

Chicago counterattacks: A 90-second web video shows the whole answer in context and juxtaposes it against the 47% comment. The tagline: "Do you want a President who thinks change comes from you? Or one who has totally written you off?"
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a6bf0b5213dadbf5f4555ebfa79fe8905ff56e5dfa5d48459
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a6bf0b5213dadbf5f4555ebfa79fe8905ff56e5dfa5d48459

Democrats defend: "Mr. Hope and Change hasn't changed Washington, they agreed, but explaining why not and urging Americans to work together to finally make change happen is a way to inspire voters to take ownership of this election," Edward-Isaac Dovere and Darren Samuelsohn report. "Stop pining for John F. Kennedy, for Nelson Mandela. Just grind out a win and get ready for four more years of the same."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52ad7f0d1e17bd63ec9c33fca826263b7b6a1cc9a2978cb1872
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52ad7f0d1e17bd63ec9c33fca826263b7b6a1cc9a2978cb1872

RNC recalls 2008 Obama rhetoric: A 1-minute web video features four-year-old clips of Obama saying his campaign is premised on fundamentally changing the way DC works. Then it ends with Matt Lauer pressing Joe Biden on the Today show and Obama's Univision sit-down. They'll move a research document on the ways he hasn't fixed DC: "Maybe he's gotten too cozy with the lobbyists he hired in the White House or wasted too many taxpayer dollars on failed green energy companies like Solyndra." Watch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a88d4b8e100cdff0c609444be27d022d88a5eb86224b0f157
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a88d4b8e100cdff0c609444be27d022d88a5eb86224b0f157 .

ROMNEY TALKERS-

PEGGY NOONAN SAYS ROMNEY NEEDS A JIM BAKER: "The Romney campaign has to get turned around. This week I called it incompetent, but only because I was being polite. I really meant 'rolling calamity,'" she writes in her Wall Street Journal column. "A veteran of a previous Romney campaign who supports the governor and admires him-'This is a good man'-said the candidate's problem isn't overconfidence, it's a tin ear. That's hard to change, the veteran said, because tin-earness keeps you from detecting and remedying tin-earness...A campaign is a communal exercise. It isn't about individual entrepreneurs. It's people pitching in together, aiming their high talents at one
single objective: victory. Mitt Romney needs to get his head screwed on right in this area. Maybe advice could come from someone in politics who awes him. If that isn't Jim Baker then Mitt Romney's not awe-able, which is a different kind of problem."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52aad742a9f07ab47e00a6dc6e183813972738b2590e24f8f65
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52aad742a9f07ab47e00a6dc6e183813972738b2590e24f8f65

ANN ROMNEY'S MESSAGE FOR THE CRITICS - "STOP IT!": "This is hard," she told Radio Iowa's O. Kay Henderson last night. "You want to try it? Get in the ring! ... It is time for all Americans to realize how significant this election is and how lucky we are to have someone with Mitt's qualifications and experience and know-how to be able to have the opportunity to run this country...Honestly, at this point, I'm not surprised by anything." Ann will sit down with Jay Leno next Tuesday.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a2f8119eacf169ab2748f77ccac929d7363ee827059e35c1c
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a2f8119eacf169ab2748f77ccac929d7363ee827059e35c1c

OBAMA TALKERS-

PRESSED FOR FAILING TO PASS IMMIGRATION REFORM: "You promised that, and a promise is a promise," Univision host Jorge Ramos told Obama. "And with all due respect, you didn't keep that promise." The president blamed Congress and the bad economy. Later in the hour-long event, asked what has been his biggest failure as president, he said not passing comprehensive immigration reform done. "So we're going to be continuing to work on that," he said. "But it's not for lack of trying or desire."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52aa5fb6b097a9ed65dc09c4107174d0f365df7fbe985b2611b
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52aa5fb6b097a9ed65dc09c4107174d0f365df7fbe985b2611b

USA Today: "Obama's surge in Afghanistan ends."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a3fda6ea4b58cbfffc51256b30560292756b3c6a872534d75
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a3fda6ea4b58cbfffc51256b30560292756b3c6a872534d75

POLITICO Lead story: "World no longer swoons for Obama."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a0e5c0cd05523db82d74b015b8f1f24d61277f17c53ecd2b3
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a0e5c0cd05523db82d74b015b8f1f24d61277f17c53ecd2b3

NYT A1: "Obama's Journey to Tougher Tack on a Rising China."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a9618e2fd30ad898c06e9aba860f11fd9e2e77646a346b1df
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a9618e2fd30ad898c06e9aba860f11fd9e2e77646a346b1df

Washington Post A1: "Obama Record: Rethinking the Classroom; Education overhaul largely bypasses Congress. President Uses stimulus, No Child law waivers to make landmark changes."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a2f8119eacf169ab2748f77ccac929d7363ee827059e35c1c
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a2f8119eacf169ab2748f77ccac929d7363ee827059e35c1c

THE DEBATES - BOTH SIDES MANAGE EXPECTATIONS-

JimMessina in a memo: "He's quick, polished, and ready with a punchy attack against the President."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52affe1df50ea1cbee5f9443ffcfaa9be06d637f9b3f60ecd2c
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52affe1df50ea1cbee5f9443ffcfaa9be06d637f9b3f60ecd2c

Mitt at a fundraiser: 'Now he's a very eloquent speaker and so I'm sure in the debates, as last time in his debates with Senator McCain, he'll be very eloquent in describing his vision."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a1d5fd8a55d4f1c6a6b84de154222ceeb41f61d933dfa0eb9
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a1d5fd8a55d4f1c6a6b84de154222ceeb41f61d933dfa0eb9

PREP HELPING: "Portman's Obama impressions and his ability to get rather aggressive with the Republican nominee have enthused Romney," National Review's Bob Costa reports. "Sources say Romney absolutely hates being badgered, but Portman's task has been to boost Romney's confidence and thicken his skin."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52add01b9484242e83c79a55c26d504a0fe2f1250ef0fd098ac
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52add01b9484242e83c79a55c26d504a0fe2f1250ef0fd098ac

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BATTLEGROUND BRIEFING-THE PATH TO 270:

RNC PULLS STAFF FROM NEW MEXICO: "Party officials confirmed Wednesday that the GOP Victory campaign's director, Hispanic outreach director and communications director will be transferred to more competitive states as part of a shift in the Republican National Committee's resources," the AP reports. "They emphasized, however, that all of the state campaign offices will remain open and staffed through the election." A spokeswoman says some New Mexico staffers are being redeployed to Colorado and Nevada.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a9c0c187e8392e7dae48f25b149eebd91191fde3c30df78b6
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a9c0c187e8392e7dae48f25b149eebd91191fde3c30df78b6

EARLY VOTING STARTS TODAY in South Dakota and Idaho.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a0a0ce0e49bbfcc4861ea28ca90e6a14efba52b686561b4ff
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a0a0ce0e49bbfcc4861ea28ca90e6a14efba52b686561b4ff .

NOTABLE: It looks increasingly likely that Romney and Ryan will be the first ticket since 1972 to lose both their home states:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a0ec5c03a3ef9e2d12dc786b5afb804f0a955828ac473ab05
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a0ec5c03a3ef9e2d12dc786b5afb804f0a955828ac473ab05 .

SWING STATE HEADLINES-

The Washington Post: "Conservative groups reaching new levels of sophistication in mobilizing voters."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52af45fbe7e77a41b2d9d1d2ecfd113984003ef42c32869bb96
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52af45fbe7e77a41b2d9d1d2ecfd113984003ef42c32869bb96

AP: "Black women rally against voter ID laws."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52aaff49d4a2921a814eb029cbda20b67692c12f4f931a5285d
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52aaff49d4a2921a814eb029cbda20b67692c12f4f931a5285d

Columbus Dispatch: "Median income in Ohio hits 27-year low."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a3e24a6f322d76aed6186abd27563f906053adebbf9dfdd66
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a3e24a6f322d76aed6186abd27563f906053adebbf9dfdd66

Cleveland Plain Dealer: "Portman stands with Romney's '47 percent' explanation."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a45f974bd31fbd89c0def80382b6dc8ed9d1e23bcabaccf57
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a45f974bd31fbd89c0def80382b6dc8ed9d1e23bcabaccf57

Tampa Bay Times: "47-percenters share low income but not outlook on Romney."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a0dce6d95899240540287f4ba9a4f2b1a911225b80cf8b5c3
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a0dce6d95899240540287f4ba9a4f2b1a911225b80cf8b5c3

Miami Herald blog: "Wayyyyy down in the FL Jewish vote v. Obama, conservative group plays the Netanyahu card."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a3240954474665e6e309065481743dbf1c600ddf79b87e3f0
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a3240954474665e6e309065481743dbf1c600ddf79b87e3f0

Wall Street Journal: "Incomes Fell or Stagnated in Most States Last Year."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a71354d9f8086972690da7a8650f35f6b41f80da3590cf6af
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a71354d9f8086972690da7a8650f35f6b41f80da3590cf6af

FOX31 (Denver): "Romney's Denver event to mark 1st Colorado stop in 7 weeks."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a7cf47430b1f77e017d2e0fb03a7bc653445b1e411caca8d0
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8b0aa384fe1fe52a7cf47430b1f77e017d2e0fb03a7bc653445b1e411caca8d0

Denver Post: "Obama easily tops past presidential visits to Colorado; President's first-term visits to Colorado outdo any chief executive in the last 40 years."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cfcaee9779742a7df00a0b42dea8c7dba10599e23eec798fd
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cfcaee9779742a7df00a0b42dea8c7dba10599e23eec798fd

Des Moines Register: "Christie, praised by Branstad, tells Iowa GOP Nov. 6 offers 'golden opportunity.'"
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cdef7d3facfd9a687ed793e6f0bc25c6d67c22280d77ad0cd
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cdef7d3facfd9a687ed793e6f0bc25c6d67c22280d77ad0cd

Des Moines Register: "3 charged with election misconduct; DCI says 2 Canadian citizens and 1 Mexican citizen registered and voted."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c61c16fd2f5d7c6a027018be6890672e35266b6c234dd6394
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c61c16fd2f5d7c6a027018be6890672e35266b6c234dd6394

Sioux City Journal: "Santorum returns to Sioux City for a Constitution celebration."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16ca3b49985bea8899a302342412230125189796656db054e25
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16ca3b49985bea8899a302342412230125189796656db054e25

Concord Monitor: "Downtown streets to close for Biden's visit."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c0e7a62b22af922ceb5ae8f19f95a2ad927a279b8f9dfe6a0
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c0e7a62b22af922ceb5ae8f19f95a2ad927a279b8f9dfe6a0

Detroit Free Press: "Michigan's kids suffer as incomes fall, poverty climbs."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cf9f37e31dbbc53f1d2a0e56a7265308d255ae24a37c0ffa0
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cf9f37e31dbbc53f1d2a0e56a7265308d255ae24a37c0ffa0

Philadelphia Inquirer: "Reading no longer country's poorest city."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16ce601ed81313be4703cd74849671f49c051a903a94984cc3c
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16ce601ed81313be4703cd74849671f49c051a903a94984cc3c

Star Tribune: Michele "Bachmann country is now a battleground."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c2eadc08190a406981f19ed166746ea0a87b5dba6faf0495f
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c2eadc08190a406981f19ed166746ea0a87b5dba6faf0495f

THE SENATE - NO ROMNEY COATTAILS FOR DOWN-TICKET REPUBLICANS: "Nervous GOP strategists are now principally focused on a group of seats located well outside the presidential swing states, in Republican-leaning states like North Dakota and Montana and Democratic states like Massachusetts, Connecticut and Maine," write Alex Burns and Maggie Haberman. "Party strategists repeatedly pointed to Senate races in Ohio, Florida and Virginia as places where a more robust presidential ticket could have helped flip Democratic-held Senate seats. Instead, Romney appears to be at least slightly trailing Obama in all three states, forcing Senate candidates to run ahead of their presidential nominee in order
to win. In two other states, Republican-held Nevada and Democratic-held Wisconsin GOP candidates are entering the fall locked in electoral dogfights, rather than clearly in the lead. And several Democratic-leaning states that Republicans once hoped to put in play have fallen off the map entirely. Democrats continue to compete on deeply conservative territory like North Dakota, but the GOP is no longer making a serious run at open Senate seats in New Mexico and Hawaii."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c1ff96fc4d9e3be7031aaf42dd75cb5d06fb8b329038519e2
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c1ff96fc4d9e3be7031aaf42dd75cb5d06fb8b329038519e2

WISCONSIN SENATE - SUNUNU LASHES OUT AT THOMPSON: Republican Tommy Thompson cited Romney's weakness yesterday for his own bad polling:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c1176ecb8f4d78aab6d961c9f66a831d528e45eec88357d37
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c1176ecb8f4d78aab6d961c9f66a831d528e45eec88357d37 . He walked it back a little later in the day. But top Romney surrogate John Sununu insulted Thompson on CNN last night by comparing him to Obama himself, "trying to blame it on somebody else.'
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c4a3f16a55b651b97ef39992de0419e32af66988474fbff1e
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c4a3f16a55b651b97ef39992de0419e32af66988474fbff1e

CONNECTICUT SENATE-MCMAHON PLEDGES TO MAKE GOOD ON 1976 DEBTS: "After a fresh round of criticism that she and her husband had walked away from their creditors in their 1976 bankruptcy, Republican Senate candidate Linda McMahon announced Thursday night she would seek to track down and reimburse any individual creditor," the Connecticut Post reports. "McMahon and her husband, Vince, had racked up about $1 million in debts to a range of creditors -- the IRS, banks, construction companies and a host of small businesses. Throughout her Senate race, McMahon has used a narrative of how she and her husband had overcome their financial woes to build the hugely successful World Wrestling
Entertainment empire as a tale of personal fortitude. But newly found bankruptcy court documents this week ratcheted up pressure on McMahon, who said she had not seen the list of creditors since the time of the bankruptcy filing 36 years ago." Dems plan to attack on this today:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c724b24d833b3802b3bf7e62f54681a40b1d3f40ef66176ea
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c724b24d833b3802b3bf7e62f54681a40b1d3f40ef66176ea .

INDIANA SENATE - CROSSROADS GPS BUYS $1 MILLION IN AIR TIME: "Needless to say, it's a big load of cash for a Senate race that was not supposed to be competitive," reports Alex Burns. "In some ways, this could be the most intense test of Democratic nominee Joe Donnelly's staying power before Election Day."

NEVADA SENATE - HELLER PERSONALLY ATTACKS: "So far, Sen. Dean Heller has mostly left it up to his campaign to take shots at his Senate challenger, Rep. Shelley Berkley, over her pending ethics investigation," the Las Vegas Sun reports. "But Berkley's latest ad appears to have pushed him past the point of caring about such political niceties. 'The most unethical, corrupt person I've ever met in my life is Shelley Berkley,' Heller told reporters [Wednesday] afternoon in the Capitol. Berkley's campaign began airing an ad this week highlighting Heller's past relationship with Eddie Floyd, a radio personality who was sentenced to four years behind bars for drug trafficking and laundering
$175,000 through a front company."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c8d9eef488ae31a8de49499de2e41849190ca6a1168632193
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c8d9eef488ae31a8de49499de2e41849190ca6a1168632193

THE HOUSE - PELOSI SKETCHES PATH TO MAJORITY: Virtually no one believes Democrats have a shot at retaking the House, but Nancy Pelosi insisted to reporters yesterday that her party will pick up "at least" 25 to 35 of the 66 Republican-held seats won by Obama in 2008. "She predicted that Democrats would net 12 to 13 seats in Texas, California, Illinois and New York," per Seung Min Kim. "Then she looked at states such as Maryland, Washington and Arizona, where she believed Democrats could win one or two seats each. (Pelosi said she saw a two-seat pickup opportunity in Arizona.) In key presidential battlegrounds - including Florida, Colorado, Ohio and Nevada - Pelosi said Democrats could win
10 to 12 seats, depending on how well" Obama performs.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cec2c34ef418139a106ca4110332df0cfc7eefdbffac39301
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cec2c34ef418139a106ca4110332df0cfc7eefdbffac39301

INDIANA HOUSE - "RUDY" WILL STUMP FOR MULLEN AT NOTRE DAME: Sean Astin of "Rudy" fame is going to be holding a rally for Democratic House candidate Brendan Mullen at a Notre Dame game this weekend against Michigan. Mullen, who served in Iraq, played football for Army. Like Rudy, he an underdog - running against Republican Jackie Walorski in a district she lost in 2010 but which has become more Republican.

DCCC CANCELS KISSELL, TURNER RESERVATIONS: "The DCCC is set to launch its first independent expenditure advertisement against Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.), but has pulled a week of advertising it had reserved in the districts of Reps. Larry Kissell (D-N.C.) and Michael Turner (R-Ohio)," Roll Call reports. "The committee won't be running any ads in those districts during the week of Oct. 2-8. The California spot comes on the heels of an automated poll from Democratic firm Public Policy Polling that showed physician Raul Ruiz (D) within 3 points of Bono Mack. The spot hits the airwaves tomorrow behind a $126,000 buy and runs through Oct. 1."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cf49d56df33e6c17fb8c8d65e33324d0ce7b22c5e1022919d
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cf49d56df33e6c17fb8c8d65e33324d0ce7b22c5e1022919d

GEORGIA HOUSE - BARROW OPPONENT WON'T DEBATE: The Florida Times-Union reports on a side of GOP confidence. "Democratic Congressman John Barrow committed Thursday to participate in a debate to be broadcast statewide even if his Republican challenger stays home. The Atlanta Press Club announced that the Democratic incumbent will be there despite his having earlier conditioned his participation on the acceptance of GOP challenger Lee Anderson. However, Anderson was quoted in the Atlanta Journal Constitution Thursday saying he declined because the Oct. 21 debate would only give Barrow a wider forum to lie about his record. Anderson has turned down all other debate invitations this fall although
he took part in 17 events during the summer primary when three other candidates shared the stages."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c21226b6161751138bca093ec2a1b0f73d485f11936e158ef
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c21226b6161751138bca093ec2a1b0f73d485f11936e158ef

FLORIDA HOUSE-RIVERA INTERNAL SHOWS HIM UP: Embattled Republican incumbent David Rivera's internal puts him up 44-38 over Joe Garcia, with 19% undecided. Romney leads 50-42 in the district. He's been on the receiving end of lots of negative press. 1-page memo:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c3d7a69740cf580b1b2b355507cb94a1d988eec2566d9fd61
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c3d7a69740cf580b1b2b355507cb94a1d988eec2566d9fd61 .

NEW HAMPSHIRE GOVERNOR - HASSAN LOW ON CASH: "Democrat Maggie Hassan has spent all but $16,000 of the more than $1 million she raised in her primary campaign to be New Hampshire's next governor," per the AP. "Hassan reported she had that much cash on hand to the Secretary of State on Wednesday. Republican rival Ovide Lamontagne also spent $1 million on his primary campaign, but is in better shape than Hassan with $258,000 in cash left heading into the general election."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c57442537792414926dead9796557e7abf7a833d7bff2c1b8
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c57442537792414926dead9796557e7abf7a833d7bff2c1b8

LIGHTER CLICKS -

MITT ROMNEY gave about $200,000 in bonuses to senior employees just after the RNC:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cef8360af1a3dc46668e9461e84e5ab289c6c5f8ab5cafcf3
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cef8360af1a3dc46668e9461e84e5ab289c6c5f8ab5cafcf3 .

BILL CLINTON went on Jon Stewart last night:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c31c25c558c3dabf0f7be4161f19d5b27c078c3681dcafcd1
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c31c25c558c3dabf0f7be4161f19d5b27c078c3681dcafcd1

HERMAN CAIN said he'd have a "substantial lead" over Obama if he was the Republican nominee during an appearance in Florida:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c7ea8bb0cd57341d052b13727e8c69264f7086d05da124459
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c7ea8bb0cd57341d052b13727e8c69264f7086d05da124459 .

THE CAST OF THE WEST WING reunited to cut a four-minute video for Michigan Supreme Court candidate Bridget Mary McCormack, whose sister played deputy national security adviser Kate Harper on the show:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16ce704a12542cd931fbcdfcf4d036491f29a0b156a4c4b98bf
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16ce704a12542cd931fbcdfcf4d036491f29a0b156a4c4b98bf .

SNL WEEKEND UPDATE did a Thursday edition to mock Fox & Friends:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c2179c785522f6eeb4f33db377939e597293203c024608605
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c2179c785522f6eeb4f33db377939e597293203c024608605 .

MITT is imagined as an actor in a host of romantic comedy movie posters in this Tumblr page:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cb305b31fe3f48c062e0b3c6cc3e0be198e38a7055bad328b
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cb305b31fe3f48c062e0b3c6cc3e0be198e38a7055bad328b .

KATE UPTON appears on the cover of a new magazine called CR Fashion Book. The Daily Beast posts a behind-the-scenes video from the shoot:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c48d862d34df891b1967235c17e3d05be44590251bd94ffc9
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c48d862d34df891b1967235c17e3d05be44590251bd94ffc9 .

THE NATIONAL ZOO posts fun updates, videos and a livestream of the baby panda cub (who is the size of a stick of butter!):
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cfef8a59bd2d96f394218e8f37ab13a87ecec255d62731314
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cfef8a59bd2d96f394218e8f37ab13a87ecec255d62731314 .

JAY CARNEY told reporters on Air Force One yesterday that Obama thinks Teddy should be allowed to win the president's race at a Nats game:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cd147da5463b09c943414b69d487803ecfd65557c7cf27977
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16cd147da5463b09c943414b69d487803ecfd65557c7cf27977 .

TIM PAWLENTY will make $1.8 million annually as head of the Financial Services Roundtable. He starts November 1.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c0b75c251b9bcf7043d8d3b33e9d9837d37bb126d01df2f56
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=450d9209ab45b16c0b75c251b9bcf7043d8d3b33e9d9837d37bb126d01df2f56

SLIDESHOW: 20 photos of politicians with their dogs:
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CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'Let's be blunt and acknowledge THE biggest threat to the world's biggest economy are the cranks and crazies that have taken over the Republican Party." - Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan
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