memeorandum: Former Gov. Charlie Crist: Here's why I'm backing Barack Obama (Charlie Crist/Tampa Bay Times)

10:30 AM ET, August 27, 2012

Top Items:

Mitt Romney outlines his governing plan to POLITICO — POWELL, Ohio — Mitt Romney conceded President Barack Obama has succeeded in making him a less likable person, but he offered a defiant retort to those hoping he will open up this week: “I am who I am.”

Discussion: The Hinterland Gazette, Taegan Goddard's …, No More Mister Nice Blog, TheBlaze.com and Pirate's Cove

Washington Post:

Poll: Obama, Romney neck-and-neck ahead of party conventions — A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows Romney at 47 percent among registered voters and Obama at 46 percent — barely changed from the deadlocked contest in early July. — The findings continue a months-long pattern …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, First Read, Hot Air, The Fix, Jammie Wearing Fools and The Daily Dish

Washington Post:

Poll: Obama, Romney neck-and-neck ahead of party conventions — Despite the attention on these other issues, both campaigns recognize the dominance of the economy and have worked to gain an advantage. The Post-ABC News survey contains some good and bad news for both candidates.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Ballot Box and Business Insider

Marc A. Thiessen / Washington Post:

Romney's play for Michigan — It is no surprise that in the run-up to this week's Republican National Convention, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan made their first joint campaign appearance in the key battleground state of Ohio. More interesting is that Romney and Ryan took their pre-convention tour …

Discussion: Los Angeles Times

Josh Rojas / Bay News 9:

Deputies: RNC protestor arrested with machete strapped to his leg — TAMPA — A Republican National Convention protestor was arrested while he allegedly carried a machete strapped to his leg, according to deputies. — According to Hillsborough County Sheriff's officials, Jason T. Wilson …

Discussion: ABCNEWS, The Hinterland Gazette, CANNONFIRE, Roger L. Simon, The Lonely Conservative, Pirate's Cove, Patterico's Pontifications, The Raw Story, The Other McCain and small dead animals

CNN:

First on CNN: Sheldon and Miriam Adelson coming to Republican Convention — Tampa, Florida (CNN) Nevada billionaire and Republican donor Sheldon Adelson and his wife, Miriam, are getting ready to create more political buzz. They have decided to attend this week's Republican convention, CNN has learned.

Discussion: Politico and Balloon Juice

Javier Manjarres / The Shark Tank:
U.S. Military Presence at Republican Convention, Code Pink Comes Dressed as Pink Vaginas

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Bobby Jindal / CNN:
New GOP convention schedule released

Discussion: Reuters, Towleroad News #gay, The Caucus, Bangor Daily News, Politico, Connecting.the.Dots and Scared Monkeys

James Hohmann / Politico:
Celebration, defiance at Paul rally

Discussion: Capitol Alert and CNN

Michael D. Shear / The Caucus:
Storm Poses Risks for Republican Convention Planners

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Towleroad News #gay and NBC New York

Alexander Burns / Politico:
Organizers: Tampa schedule at Isaac's mercy

Discussion: CNN, Associated Press and Ballot Box

Molly Hooper / The Hill:
Boehner raises $4M over August recess

Discussion: Politico

Tampa Bay Times:
RNC cancels first day in Tampa due to Tropical Storm Isaac

Discussion: American Spectator and Balloon Juice

New York Post:

Christie chose NJ over Mitt's VP role due to fears that they'd lose: sources — Gov. Chris Christie wasn't willing to give up the New Jersey statehouse to be Mitt Romney's running mate because he doubted they'd win, The Post has learned. — Romney's top aides had demanded Christie step …

Discussion: The Hill, Wonkette and Hotline On Call

Adam Nagourney / New York Times:

Republicans Worry About Keeping Factions Reined In — TAMPA, Fla. — Mitt Romney arrives here this week to accept his nomination from the increasingly disparate coalition of factions known as the Republican Party, confronting the challenge of unifying them behind him and — should he win …

Discussion: Washington Wire, Wall Street Journal, Talking Points Memo, The Mahablog and American Power

BuzzFeed:

Ron Paul: If I Was In Charge The People Killed on 9/11 Would Still Be Alive — At a speech today in the Sun Dome at the University of South Florida ahead of the Republican convention, the Libertarian former Republican presidential candidate said if he had been in charge 9/11 wouldn't have occurred.

Discussion: Gothamist, americanthinker.com, Towleroad News #gay and The Right Scoop

Zach Carter / The Huffington Post:

Mitt Romney Reaped Huge Tax Benefits Based On ‘Active’ Role At Bain Capital … REACT: — FOLLOW: — Elections 2012, Mitt Romney, Elections 2012, Taxes , Mitt Romney Bain Capital, Private Equity, ROMNEy TAXES, Tax Return, Bain, Bain Capital, Loopholes, Mitt Romney 2012, Mitt Romney 2012 …

Discussion: Wonkette, McClatchy Washington Bureau, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Guardian and CANNONFIRE

Pat Garofalo / ThinkProgress:

CHART: How Ending The High End Bush Tax Cuts Saves Nearly $1 Trillion — President Obama has promised to end the Bush tax cuts on income in excess of $250,000 when they expire at the end of the year, with his aides saying that he is “100 percent committed” to preventing another extension.

Discussion: Prairie Weather

impreMedia Tracking Poll / Latino Decisions:

Tracking Poll Wave 1: Latino vote uphill climb for Romney — By Pilar Marrero, impreMedia — Just before the beginning of the Republican National Convention in Tampa presidential candidate Mitt Romney continues to overwhelmingly lose the Latino vote and has low levels of favorability among the majority of the Latino electorate.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway

Susan Page / USA Today:

Interview: Romney blasts Obama for a ‘vituperative’ campaign — POWELL, Ohio - Mitt Romney calls campaign attacks by President Obama and his allies “vituperative” and “vicious” and “absurd” and “sad.” Also: Effective. — “I do think that the president's campaign of personal vilification …