Poll shows Americans want to see Romney's tax returns
July 22, 2012

A majority of Americans say presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney should release income tax information beyond the two years he's already disclosed.
The USA Today/Gallup survey showed 54% of those surveyed felt Romney should release tax returns from additional years, compared to 37% who said Romney should not release more returns.
Romney has released his tax return from 2010, and an estimate for his 2011 information. He filed for an extension on submitting his taxes in April, and has vowed to release the full return when the documents are finalized and filed.
Democrats, and some Republicans, have urged Romney to disclose more of his tax information. Democrats say additional returns will clear up questions about offshore accounts and his rate of income tax, while Republicans say it would be politically advantageous to disclose more information. President Barack Obama's campaign immediately blasted out the poll Thursday as an indication their campaign push is working.
In Thursday's poll, 30% of self-identified Republicans said Romney should release more of his returns, compared to 75% of Democrats and 53% of Independents who said the same.
The survey also showed respondents were divided on whether or not the tax return information was relevant to the campaign. Forty-seven percent said having more tax return information from Romney would be "largely irrelevant" to making a decision at the voting booth, compared to 44% who said the returns would provide ""legitimate information that helps voters make better decisions."

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Zimmerman apologizes, relaunches website in TV interview
July 21, 2012

In his first interview, George Zimmerman apologized for what happened to Trayvon Martin and for the controversy it sparked.
"I'm sorry that this happened," he said in an interview with Fox News Channel. "I hate to think that because of this incident, my actions, it has polarized America."
Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of Martin in Sanford in February. Zimmerman said it was self-defense.
Prosecutors filed a supplemental discovery notice with one item on Thursday -- the interview. They say they may use his comments at trial.
Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, said he is prepared to deal with what comes from his client's interview, but said he's not surprised by the state's decision to use the interview at trial.
"We'll deal with the fallout. It will be minimal," said O'Mara. "The timing wasn't great, but it was out of necessity. The family and defense fund is basically broke."
O'Mara said the interview was to publicize the relaunch of Zimmerman's own website, therealgeorgezimmerman.com, a website that Zimmerman himself controls.
Many legal experts said they aren't sure why Zimmerman would give a television interview and be so specific about the facts in the case.
"It's just a weird time. It didn't seem necessary," said former prosecutor Jeff Deen. "I'm not sure what they could have possibly gained."

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Oil Prices Higher From Bernanke's Comments
July 20, 2012

Brent crude oil rose on Wednesday, up for a sixth session, with bloodshed in Syria highlighting worries about Middle East supplies while positive comments on the economy from the U.S. Federal Reserve's Chairman Ben Bernanke added to the lift.
Brent crude was up 91 cents to $104.91 a barrel by 1527 GMT, after hitting a high of $105.41. U.S. oil rose 41 cents to $89.63 a barrel.
"There was not much cause for the drop yesterday due to Bernanke's statements and it is equally unexplained the sharp rise on his comments today," said Christopher Bellew at Jefferies Bache in London.
"Crude has broken above yesterday's high. China's softening growth is also not as hard a landing as people thought."
Investors were anxious about prospects for the U.S. economy, Bernanke in his testimony to the Senate Banking Committee said the Fed stood ready to offer more stimulus as needed but stopped short of signaling action in the near term.
But Bernanke's statements on Wednesday, during a question and answer session of a House Financial Services Committee, have temporarily assuaged investor concerns on the economic health of the world's largest crude buyer.

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Romney risks playing running mate hand too early
July 19, 2012

Mitt Romney has a reputation for pragmatism, deliberation and playing it safe.
But if Romney reveals his vice presidential pick this week, as the latest round of campaign chatter suggests, he'll be throwing out the traditional campaign playbook that says a running mate should be announced around a national party convention for maximum impact, just as voters are starting to pay attention to the campaign.
Rarely has a presidential hopeful gone public with his running mate selection more than a week before his party's convention.
As the Washington Post noted on Monday, John Kerry became the lone exception to that rule when he announced John Edwards as his running mate on July 6, 2004 -- at the height of summer vacation season and almost three weeks before the Democratic National Convention in Boston. The move did little to boost Kerry's standing in the polls.
Both Barack Obama and John McCain announced their running mates just days before their conventions in 2008 in order to maximize media attention on the campaigns and their messages.
Still, speculation has swirled for months that Romney might break with tradition and play the vice presidential card early, as Republicans wondered if the nominee might need a sidekick to assist with a robust campaign and fundraising schedule in the wake of the divisive GOP primary fight.

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Ralph Lauren Responds To U.S. Olympic Uniform Controversy
July 18, 2012

When it was reported that the U.S. Olympic Opening Ceremony uniforms were actually made in China, many people spoke out, criticizing the uniforms. The Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid even went so far as to say they should be burned.
But amidst all the controversy, the brand behind the clothes - Ralph Lauren - remained quiet. Until this weekend, when the company broke its silence. They seemed to acknowledge their misstep with the following statement:
"For more than 45 years Ralph Lauren has built a brand that embodies the best of American quality and design rooted in the rich heritage of our country. We are honored to continue our longstanding relationship with the United States Olympic Committee in the 2014 Olympic Games by serving as an Official Outfitter of the US Olympic and Paralympic teams. Ralph Lauren promises to lead the conversation within our industry and our government addressing the issue of increasing manufacturing in the United States and has committed to producing the Opening and Closing ceremony Team USA uniforms in the United States that will be worn for the 2014 Olympic Games."

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Witness claims George Zimmerman molested her as a child
July 18, 2012

Two damaging claims are being made against George Zimmerman by a woman. The charges are being made by a person identified only as "Witness Number Nine" and are contained in audio tapes released on Monday by prosecutors. The woman claims Zimmerman grew up in a racist family and that he molested her for ten years.
Phone calls Zimmerman made from the Seminole County Jail were also released. A total of 140 calls made in April of this year were included in the evidence made public.
Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty, claiming self-defense.
The woman told police that Zimmerman started abusing her as a child. She made her claims in an audio recording with police during an interview which lasted 45 minutes.
The witness claims Zimmerman grew up in a racist family. She tells investigators, "They like black people if they act white, and other than that, they talk a lot of bad things about black people."
When investigators asked the woman if she could recall any specific racist comments from George Zimmerman, she replied, "No." When asked if Zimmerman ever took action against anyone based on their race, she again said, "No." The woman also claims Zimmerman's mom told her she does not like President Obama, because his mom is racist.

She says, "I just could not believe that she said so loud and proud, saying that she was a racist."

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Clinton regrets only wasted tomatoes in Egypt protest
July 17, 2012

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Monday she was "not offended" by protesters in Egypt who pelted her motorcade with tomatoes, calling the demonstrations a sign of greater freedom and anxiety, and mainly regretting what she saw as wasted food.
Asked about the assault on Sunday in Alexandria, where protesters threw tomatoes, one of them hitting an Egyptian official in the face, Clinton attributed the outburst to nervousness about the changes taking place in Egypt.
"The sooner that there can be a government that takes responsibility, whose actions can be judged and held accountable, then people will be able to draw decisions because words don't mean as much as actions and therefore I was not offended," Clinton said in Jerusalem hours after arriving from Egypt.
"I was relieved that nobody was hurt and I felt bad that good tomatoes were wasted but other than that, it was not particularly bothersome," Clinton said.
She also saw the protest as "a sign of that freer environment that Egypt now enjoys. It is also evidence that the Egyptian people are still concerned about the future."
A senior U.S. official said neither Clinton nor her vehicle, which was around the corner from the incident, were hit by the projectiles, which also included shoes and a water bottle. The objects were thrown as U.S. officials and reporters walked to the motorcade after her speech.
Protesters chanted "Monica, Monica," a reference to the extramarital affair conducted by Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, while in the White House. Others earlier chanted "leave, Clinton," an Egyptian security official said.

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Romney aide: No decision on running mate
July 17, 2012

A top aide to Mitt Romney denied Monday that the presumptive GOP nominee had settled on a pick for his vice presidential running mate.
Eric Fehrnstrom, speaking to reporters in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, following a fund-raiser, said "No decision's been made on V.P."
His remarks came after a report in the New York Times that cited friends of Romney saying the candidate had made his choice for running mate and was preparing to announce his pick as early as this week.
Fehrnstrom would not speculate on the timing of the announcement.

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GOP governors differ on Obama change to welfare, amid larger 'safety net' debate
July 17, 2012

Republican governors differed Sunday on the Obama administration's announcement to allow states more flexibility on the work requirement for welfare, as the issue of a safety net for the poorest Americans emerges as an election-year issue.
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad lashed out at the plan, suggesting the administration has exceeded its authority, while Florida Gov. Rick Scott suggested the flexibility would allow him to keep the work requirement.
"This is a huge step in the wrong direction," Branstad said on Fox News Sunday. "I think it's illegal."
The Department of Health and Human Services told states Thursday that they may seek a waiver for the program's strict work requirements.
Scott made clear that Floridians seeking benefits will still have to look for a job.
"People need to be going out and looking for a job," he said. "We believe in personal responsibility, and we're going to have that in our state."
Following the policy directive Thursday, Mitt Romney and other Republicans accused the administration of unilaterally gutting welfare reform, thus overhauling one of the most important bipartisan agreements of the past several decades.
The argument continues amid debate on Capitol Hill over a proposed five-year, $500-billion farm and nutrition bill that pays for food stamps and a controversial ad campaign that encouraged Americans to apply to that federal program.
The bill has cleared the Senate and was approved last week by the House Agriculture Committee with some changes.

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Cheney helps Romney raise $4 million
July 15, 2012

Mitt Romney's campaign roped in more than $4 million in a single campaign stop here in Western Wyoming with a boost from one of the most controversial political figures of the last decade: former Vice President Dick Cheney.
Cheney, who has not previously appeared with Romney on the campaign trail, was effusive in his praise for the presumptive GOP nominee, calling him the only man he would want at the helm in the event of another crisis like the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
"Sooner or later there is going to be a big surprise," Cheney said. "Usually a very unpleasant one. Whether it's 9-11 or the other kinds of difficulties or crises that arrive, they always do. That's when you find out what kind of leader your president is."
He continued: "When I think about the kind of individual I want in the Oval Office in that moment of crisis, who has to make those key decisions, some of them life and death decisions, some of them decisions as the commander-in-chief who has the responsibility of sending our young men and women into harm's way -- that man is Mitt Romney."
Romney returned Cheney's praise but did not mention Cheney's former boss, George W. Bush.

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