memeorandum: Presidential race in Florida is a ‘coin toss’ (Adam C. Smith/Tampa Bay Times)

6:40 PM ET, July 14, 2012

Top Items:

Emily Schultheis / Politico:

Obama ad hits Romney on outsourcing, offshore investments — The Obama campaign is out with a new ad this morning, “Firms,” that hits Mitt Romney on outsourcing jobs over audio of Romney singing “America the Beautiful.” — “In business, Mitt Romney's firm shipped jobs to Mexico.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Hinterland Gazette, Liberal Values and Crooks and Liars

Jordy Yager / The Hill:

Ron Paul: Romney campaign scared to let me speak at GOP convention — Rep. Ron Paul said that the Republican Party is scared to let him speak at the national convention in Florida next month. — The Texas Republican candidate for president said he thinks the prospects of him having …

Rick Santorum / CNN:

Santorum buries hatchet with Romney in high-profile event — Greensburg, Pennsylvania (CNN) - It appears the hatchet is officially buried. — After a bitter and prolonged primary battle involving Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney, Santorum on Saturday attended his first high-profile campaign event …

Discussion: Ballot Box

Gail Collins / New York Times:
Mitt's Political Vortex

Discussion: Daily Kos and Althouse

Jonathan Easley / Ballot Box:
Romney says he will release no more than two years of federal tax returns

Discussion: PERRspectives and The Raw Story

CNN:
What we learned from Mitt Romney

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, The Impolitic, The Reaction, Washington Post, DownWithTyranny!, naked capitalism, The Reality-Based Community, TBogg, Talking Politics and ABCNEWS

Michael D. Shear / New York Times:
Romney Demands Apology From Obama on Bain Allegations

Discussion: emptywheel, The Caucus, Mediaite, Wall Street Journal, Talking Points Memo, New York Magazine, Right Wing News, The Mahablog, Washington Monthly, Weasel Zippers, Althouse, First Draft and CNN

Erick Erickson / RedState:
Meet Bainers, the New Birthers

Discussion: The PJ Tatler and The Right Sphere

Molly Ball / The Atlantic Online:

Why Obama May Be Safe in Virginia — The president's chances to win this Southern swing state look surprisingly strong, even as other states trend away from him. — HAMPTON, Virginia — At first glance, this former Confederate stronghold might seem like one of the harder swing states for the president to hang onto in 2012.

Discussion: Politico

Robert L. Pollock / Wall Street Journal:

George Shultz: Memo to Romney — Expand the Pie — George Shultz, the former secretary of state and Treasury says America's current problems are large, and its power in the world is diminished. But the policies for revival are obvious with the right leadership. — Stanford, Calif.

Discussion: EconLog

Rolling Stone:

Romney's ‘Free Stuff’ Speech Is a New Low — Wow. If you live long enough, you'll see some truly gross things in politics, but Mitt Romney's work this past week “courting black support” was enough to turn even the strongest stomach. — Romney really showed us something …

Discussion: Althouse, Hullabaloo, Suburban Guerrilla, Prairie Weather and CANNONFIRE

Jo Becker / New York Times:

Joe Paterno Got Richer Contract Amid Jerry Sandusky Inquiry — In January 2011, Joe Paterno learned prosecutors were investigating his longtime assistant coach Jerry Sandusky for sexually assaulting young boys. Soon, Mr. Paterno had testified before a grand jury, and the rough outlines …

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and The Moderate Voice

Sally Jenkins / Washington Post:
Joe Paterno, at the end, showed more interest in his legacy than Jerry Sandusky's victims

Discussion: Poynter and The Moderate Voice

Mark Gongloff / The Huffington Post:

New York Fed's Libor Documents Reveal Cozy Relationship Between Regulators, Banks … FOLLOW: — The Fed, Timothy Geithner, Libor Manipulation, New York Fed, Tim Geithner, LIBOR, Libor Rate-Rigging Scandal, New York Fed Libor Documents, New York Federal Reserve, Business News

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, FT Alphaville and Guardian

Ben Chu / The Independent:
Libor: They all knew - and no one acted

Discussion: ProfessorBainbridge.com

DealBook:
New York Fed Knew of False Barclays Reports on Rates

Discussion: Balloon Juice, Politico, New York Magazine, Firedoglake, NO QUARTER, American Power, Calculated Risk and Hullabaloo

David Taintor / 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com:

TPM2012 — Iowa GOP State Senate Candidate Joins ‘Alternative’ U.S. Government — A Republican state Senate candidate in Iowa has decided to bow out of the race and become a U.S. senator of an alternative form of government. — In a letter released Friday, Randi Shannon informs supporters …

Discussion: Booman Tribune

BuzzFeed:

Anthony Weiner Is Back On Facebook — And on a mobile device. It's a return to social media for a Congressman felled by over sharing.

Adam C. Smith / Tampa Bay Times:

Presidential race in Florida is a ‘coin toss’ — Brace yourselves for another nail-biter presidential election in Florida. — A new Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald/Bay News 9 poll finds Barack Obama and Mitt Romney essentially tied in America's biggest battleground state …

Discussion: Politico, CNN and Ballot Box

ZIP / Weasel Zippers:

Liberal Non-Profit Group Sending Out Pre-Filled Voter Registarion Cards To Dogs, Dead People, Non-Citizens... But . . . but . . . but . . . voter ID laws are raaaaacist! … HT: Jon

Mike Baker / Associated Press: Dogs, dead people get election docs from nonprofit

Reid J. Epstein / Politico:

Obama uses the ‘tax’ word to describe mandate — RICHMOND, Va. - President Obama used the word “tax” to describe the health care mandate under his reforms, a departure from his prior etymological stance that it is a penalty. — “By the way, if you've got health insurance …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Wake up America, The Right Sphere and Riehl World View