Like to laugh? Like to be informed? Then sign up for TheDC Morning email here.
1.) Who will be Mitt Romney’s VP? — It’s looking more and more like it will not be Marco Rubio. It was reported this week that Rubio isn’t even being vetted by Team Romney (though the campaign officially denies this) and now it appears he will be a no-show at a major Romney retreat where the most widely mentioned possible VP candidates will be. TheDC’s Alex Pappas reports:
“Presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney is holding an exclusive summer retreat this weekend that will include appearances by those most frequently mentioned as potential vice presidential choices, according to an invitation obtained by The Daily Caller … The invitation for the ‘Romney Victory Founding Members Retreat’ says the event will take place at the Chateaux in Park City, Utah from Friday to Sunday. The retreat is for Romney’s top campaign donors — those who gave $50,000 as individuals or $150,000 as couples to the Romney campaign … Special guests, according to the invitation, include Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan and South Dakota Sen. John Thune. All have been mentioned as possible running mates.”
More significantly than Rubio’s absence, no Jesse Ventura? Really?
2.) The Euro crisis explained! — By the world’s foremost Europe expert, TheDC’s very own Dear Abby, Matt Labash:
“Don’t get me wrong, I lived in Europe for three years, and it is one of my favorite ecumenical continents — a place where you are free to choose between atheism and Islam … Whatever the various micro-causes of the European debt crisis — real estate bubbles bursting, the unsustainability of members of the Eurozone playing by different rules, obscenely expensive public sector commitments, banking bailouts, general profligacy — the horror is amplified due to one incontrovertible fact: this is the first major crisis since World War II that Europe has been forced to face with the sobering knowledge that the U.S. can’t do anything to save it. At this point, we’re lucky if we can save ourselves. There’s a moral here somewhere, besides, ‘we’re all screwed.’ But damned if I know what it is.”
Editor’s note: Matt Labash said he lived in Europe in order to bolster his expertise on the Euro crisis. The statement is true, if you believe living in a kitchen of an Olive Garden qualifies as living in Europe.
3.) FreedomWorks continues to shower love on Mitt Romney — If only. One gets the impression that the tea party group just doesn’t like the former Massachusetts governor. TheDC’s Jamie Weinstein (ME!) reports:
“The head of a major tea party group says his organization doesn’t plan to endorse presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney. ‘FreedomWorks has not made it a practice to endorse for presidential elections, and I don’t expect we’ll deviate from tradition this year,’ FreedomWorks President Matt Kibbe told The Daily Caller … This prohibition on endorsing presidential candidates didn’t prevent FreedomWorks from attacking Romney during the GOP primary. In fact, one of the tea party organization’s top goals was to prevent Romney from becoming the nominee. In March, as it became increasingly clear Romney would win the nomination, FreedomWorks officially dropped its strident opposition to him.”
Do you think FreedomWorks’ prohibition on endorsing presidential candidates would exist if Sarah Palin, Herman Cain or Michele Bachmann was the nominee?
“California Rep. Darrell Issa’s House oversight committee passed a contempt of Congress resolution against Attorney General Eric Holder late Wednesday afternoon … In a statement, House Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said the contempt vote will happen next week in the full House if Holder does not provide documents. ‘Despite being given multiple opportunities to provide the documents necessary for Congress’ investigation into Fast and Furious, Attorney General Holder continues to stonewall,’ Boehner and Cantor said in the joint statement.”
5.) Poll of the Day: Another poll has Romney up in Michigan — WeAskAmerica poll of Michigan: Mitt Romney 45%, President Obama 43%. President Obama, however, retains a 4-point lead in the RealClearPolitics polling average of the state.
6.) Tweet of Yesterday — Chris Moody: When you outlaw zombies only outlaws will be zombies (or something) RT Drudge_Siren Miami to Outlaw Sale of ‘Bath Salts’