Romney and Bachmann lead Iowa poll (Reuters)

在 ServiceModel 客户端配置部分中，找不到引用协定“TranslatorService.LanguageService”的默认终结点元素。这可能是因为未找到应用程序的配置文件，或者是因为客户端元素中找不到与此协定匹配的终结点元素。
在 ServiceModel 客户端配置部分中，找不到引用协定“TranslatorService.LanguageService”的默认终结点元素。这可能是因为未找到应用程序的配置文件，或者是因为客户端元素中找不到与此协定匹配的终结点元素。

DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) – Republican front-runner Mitt Romney and U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann led a closely watched presidential poll of Iowa Republicans, the state that holds the first contest in the nomination battle.

The Iowa caucuses, often held on a frigid winter night that can limit turnout to those most committed, often serves to winnow the field of candidates.

Whoever captures the nomination in the unsettled Republican field is expected to challenge Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 2012 general election.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, led the poll of likely caucus-goers with 23 percent, followed by 22 percent support for Bachmann, who is from neighboring Minnesota and a favorite of fiscal conservatives and the Tea Party.

Businessman Herman Cain had 10 percent support in the poll, U.S. Representative Ron Paul of Texas and former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich followed with 7 percent. Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty had 6 percent while former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum got 4 percent and former U.S. envoy to China Jon Huntsman followed with 2 percent.

The Des Moines Register poll has in the past been an accurate barometer of support in the key state, and it often sets a benchmark for candidate momentum as the race takes shape. This is the first Iowa poll for the upcoming election.

The poll of 400 likely Republican caucus-goers by pollster Selzer & Co was conducted June 19 to 22 and had a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points.

In 2008, the poll correctly predicted wins for Republican former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who got support from Iowa's strong contingent of social conservatives, and for then-U.S. Senator Obama. Obama went on to win the presidency over Republican nominee John McCain.

Romney has consistently been the early front-runner in national polls for the 2012 Republican nomination but he has said he would not participate in the informal Iowa straw poll held in August. He had a disappointing second-place finish in the 2008 Iowa caucuses despite pouring resources into the race.

Iowa's first-in-the nation caucuses are widely seen as vital to the presidential hopes of Bachmann and Pawlenty of nearby Iowa.

Bachmann was set to formally announce her candidacy on

Monday in Waterloo, Iowa, where she spent her early childhood.

Last weekend, Texas' Paul won a non-binding preference poll at a Republican conference in New Orleans. Huntsman joined the field last week but said he will not campaign in Iowa, betting on a good showing in New Hampshire's primary roughly a week later.

The Republican field may expand, with the intentions of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and Texas Governor Rick Perry unknown.

(Reporting by Kay Henderson and Andrew Stern; Editing by Bill Trott)

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Romney criticizes Obama economic policies in Utah (AP)

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在 ServiceModel 客户端配置部分中，找不到引用协定“TranslatorService.LanguageService”的默认终结点元素。这可能是因为未找到应用程序的配置文件，或者是因为客户端元素中找不到与此协定匹配的终结点元素。

SALT LAKE CITY – Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney criticized President Barack Obama's economic policies Friday at campaign stops in his one-time home state of Utah.

"Gasoline is too expensive, food's too expensive, there's too many people out of work, and there's nothing to be proud of in Barack Obama's economic policies," Romney said from the back of a bright red pickup outside a popular Salt Lake City drive-in restaurant. "My policies will get Americans back to work and let America lead the world as it has in the past."

Romney's stop at the locally owned Hires Big H was his first public appearance in heavily Republican Utah since he announced his bid for the nomination. The event drew about 200 supporters and was bookended by a pair of private fundraisers, including a $1,000-a-plate luncheon at a private home in Orem and a $2,500 per-person reception at a downtown Salt Lake City.

It wasn't clear Friday how much money Romney had raised during his swing through the state.

This is Romney's second bid for the GOP nomination. He's considered the front-runner in a primary field that includes former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachman and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman.

Romney said that by the end of his first term, Obama will have racked up more debt than all previous U.S. presidents combined — a remark that drew loud booing from the crowd.

"He has spent too much money, he has borrowed too much money ... he's put in place the greatest takeover of states' rights with his Obamacare, which we're gonna repeal and reverse," Romney said with his wife of 42 years, Ann, by his side.

Merle and Robert Fullmer, republicans from Midvale, waited about an hour in the hot sun to see the candidate. They said they think Romney, who like the couple is a member of the Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, can tackle the nation's economic and foreign policy problems.

"He seems to have integrity and he seems to have the right experience at this particular time in politics," said Robert Fullmer, 78.

A registered Democrat, Anne Ryan, of Portland, Ore., interrupted her Utah visit to bring her husband and two teenage sons to the rally.

"I am a Mitt fan. I've followed his campaign for a long time ... and also this is just such an experience for my son to come see a campaign event," said the 43-year-old, who is also a Mormon.

Ryan, a former computer systems engineer, said it was Romney's performances as Massachusetts' governor and head of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City that drew her interest and support.

After the rally, Romney munched on a cheeseburger and talked with local small-business owners and state government leaders about their concerns, including taxes, health insurance costs, entitlement programs and energy policy.

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Republican Romney to tap ex-pat wealth in London (Reuters)

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在 ServiceModel 客户端配置部分中，找不到引用协定“TranslatorService.LanguageService”的默认终结点元素。这可能是因为未找到应用程序的配置文件，或者是因为客户端元素中找不到与此协定匹配的终结点元素。

BOSTON (Reuters) – Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney takes his fund-raising machine to London next month, holding a reception aimed at wealthy American expatriates working at banks and hedge funds.

A handful of London fund-raisers were held during the 2008 presidential election cycle, but Romney's event, scheduled for July 6, will be the earliest ever of its kind.

The reception will be held at Dartmouth House, an opulent mansion in the heart of Mayfair that is often used for weddings and conferences.

The suggested contribution to the "Romney for President" campaign is $2,500, according to an invitation seen by Reuters. Under U.S. law, only American citizens and green card holders can contribute.

Romney is the front-runner for the Republican nomination to take on President Barack Obama in 2012, in part because of his campaign's huge war-chest. He also ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008.

The former Massachusetts governor has held dozens of fund-raisers across the United States this year, including at least three in New York that were hosted by backers from the financial industry.

Co-chairs of the London event include billionaire hedge fund manager Louis Bacon, founder of Moore Capital Management; businessman Robert Wood "Woody" Johnson IV; and Dwight Poler, managing director for Europe at Bain Capital, the venture capital firm that Romney co-founded in 1984.

Overseas fund-raisers were unknown for U.S. candidates until former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, at that point among the top Republican candidates, broke the ice in September 2007.

John McCain, who eventually won the Republican nomination in 2008, also raised funds in London. And Obama raised a reported $400,000 at the London home of Elizabeth Murdoch, daughter of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, in May 2008.

Romney campaign officials did not immediately comment on the candidate's plans while in London.

(Reporting by Ros Krasny; Editing by Paul Simao)

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Romney, Bachmann lead in 2012 Iowa caucus poll (AP)

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在 ServiceModel 客户端配置部分中，找不到引用协定“TranslatorService.LanguageService”的默认终结点元素。这可能是因为未找到应用程序的配置文件，或者是因为客户端元素中找不到与此协定匹配的终结点元素。

DES MOINES, Iowa – A new Iowa Poll shows national Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney and tea party favorite Michele Bachmann leading among the state's likely GOP caucus-goers.

The poll conducted for The Des Moines Register shows Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, with support from 23 percent in Iowa. Bachmann, the Minnesota representative who plans to launch her campaign in Iowa on Monday, has support from 22 percent.

Romney was the No. 2 finisher in the caucuses in his bid for the 2008 GOP nomination. Bachmann is a three-term congresswoman and newer face in the 2012 White House mix.

The results are based on telephone interviews with 400 likely Republican Iowa caucus-goers from June 19 to 22. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.

Romney has said he plans to run a scaled-down Iowa campaign, compared to the all-out, $10-million effort he waged for the 2008 caucuses.

Tim Pawlenty has been the most aggressive about campaigning in Iowa, having lined up top Iowa and national consultants, been a frequent visitor to the state and ran the 2012 campaign's first Republican candidate television advertisements last week.

However, only 6 percent of Iowa Republicans expected to attend the 2012 caucuses prefer the former Minnesota governor as their choice, according to the poll.

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, whose campaign has struggled since widespread staff departures this month, has support from 7 percent, the same as Texas Representative Ron Paul.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum has 4 percent, followed by former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who has said he will not campaign in Iowa, with 2 percent.

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LAST TICKET: Glenn Beck makes Rick Santorum uncomfortable, Romney to London, Pawlenty beefs up media buy in Iowa… (The Ticket)

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在 ServiceModel 客户端配置部分中，找不到引用协定“TranslatorService.LanguageService”的默认终结点元素。这可能是因为未找到应用程序的配置文件，或者是因为客户端元素中找不到与此协定匹配的终结点元素。

Here are the stories we took note of today but didn't give the full blog treatment:

? Days after House Speaker John Boehner played a round of golf with President Obama, GOP Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy said the president should "get off the golf course." (Bloomberg News)

? Mitt Romney is heading to London to raise cash from expats. (CBS News)

? Glenn Beck to Rick Santorum while shaking hands on camera: "I could kiss you in the mouth!" (Mediaite)

? Tim Pawlenty buys $14,000 of radio time in Iowa on top of a $50,000 TV ad campaign. (Ben Smith)

? Romney channels Margaret Thatcher. (Slate)

? Sarah Palin's move "The Undefeated" premieres in Iowa next week. (Des Moines Register)

? Herman Cain continues to endear himself to the press. (The Note)

? Van Jones launches a "liberal tea party." (The Fix)

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Romney revives Thatcher campaign ad (AFP)

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在 ServiceModel 客户端配置部分中，找不到引用协定“TranslatorService.LanguageService”的默认终结点元素。这可能是因为未找到应用程序的配置文件，或者是因为客户端元素中找不到与此协定匹配的终结点元素。

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Mitt Romney Friday compared President Barack Obama's America to the economic blight of 1970s Britain, invoking an iconic campaign advertisement to boost his Republican presidential run.

"Obama Isn't Working" read a mocked-up campaign poster on Romney's website, in tribute to the Conservative Party's devastating "Labour Isn't Working" ad, which helped Margaret Thatcher sweep to power in 1979.

The Romney version, apart from a slogan adapted to Obama, features the same picture of a snaking line of workers outside an unemployment office used by the original ad, designed by the Saatchi and Saatchi agency.

In a posting on Romney's blog, the campaign noted the ad had been referred to as the "poster of the century" and invoked Labour-led Britain's economic climate of high unemployment, rising inflation and a growing national debt.

"Those conditions and the public discontent throughout the country during that election and the parallels that Americans face today cannot be ignored," the post said.

"With 9.1 percent unemployed, record deficits, a soaring national debt, and millions of struggling families, one thing is clear -- Obama isn't working, either."

The blog tribute to former British prime minister Thatcher, a heroine for US conservatives, was released after the Boston Globe reported that Romney would travel to London next month to drum up campaign cash from Americans abroad.

Republican frontrunner Romney is building his campaign for next year's primary and caucus nominating contests on a lacerating critique of Obama's economic management, saying the president has made things worse.

"Now, in the third year of his four-year term, we have more than promises and slogans to go by. Barack Obama has failed America," Romney said when he launched his campaign in New Hampshire on June 2.

The former Massachusetts governor on Friday also released a new web ad, featuring video of Obama taken in February 2009 in which the president said if he had not turned the economy around within three years he could be a one-term president.

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