“I was extremely concerned when I saw that Romney embraced [proposed state-constitution personhood amendments]. It’s extreme legislation and it’s deceptive. It goes far beyond anti-choice,” DeGette told reporters on a conference call. She underlined the fact that personhood initiatives would outlaw birth control pills and would place in jeopardy millions in private and public money being invested in medical stem cell research.

Coloradans have roundly voted down personhood measures twice at the ballot box in recent elections, she said.

“I think voters in Colorado reject this. Families dealing with parkinsons and diabetes and alzheimers, they’re not in favor of passing edgy bills that endanger [the search for cures].”

Palacio said the fact that the GOP presidential frontrunner has now come out in support of personhood will rightly focus more attention on the groups pushing personhood and the kind of laws they seek every year to write into state constitutions.

“Personhood places the rights of rapists above the rights of their victims,” he said, referring to the fact that personhood initiatives would outlaw abortion in all cases. There would be no exceptions for rape or incest or if the life of the mother were in danger.

“Voters have to know how dangerous these [laws] are.”

Palacio pointed out that Colorado voters during the Republican wave election of 2010 rejected the U.S. Senate candidacy of Republican Ken Buck due in part, he said, to the fact that Buck embraced personhood and admitted he would support a complete ban on abortion in all cases.

Critics of the personhood measure proposed for Colorado in 2010 argued that it would shut down large parts of the thriving biomedical research industry here. Not just stem cell research but basic fertilization research and practices would suffer. In-vitro fertilization, for example, would be outlawed. Legal analysts said the laws would force the state constitution to be altered in hundreds of instances. Pregnant women who used drugs or drank too much or otherwise endangered the fertilized eggs they were carrying could be confined. Penalties for damaging or destroying fertilized eggs would have to be written and funds allocated to cover related difficult to enforce laws.

Asked about the legal consequences of the initiative, Keith Mason, co-founder of Personhood USA, said he would “worry about the [legal] details later,” after the bill had passed.

Yet Buck wasn’t the only Republican candidate last year to support personhood. Although in 2008 most Colorado Republican candidates rejected personhood as extreme, in 2010 nearly every major Republican candidate in the state embraced the proposed amendment. Fourth District Republican Cory Gardner told Tea Party supporters that he was passing out the personhood petition at his church. Gardner won a seat in Congress and has voted for a slew of sweeping anti-abortion bills passed by the GOP-controlled Congress this year.

Beyond Colorado, the national Democratic Party is pushing hard to highlight Romney’s support for personhood, betting the vast majority of voters will shy away from electing a president who will work both to outlaw birth control pills and risk resurrecting the blackmarket abortion industry.

Democratic National Committee launched a video campaign this week and Executive Director Patrick Gaspard sent a letter to supporters going hard at Romney on the issue.

“Personhood” amendments are the notorious measures now being considered in states like Mississippi, Florida, and Ohio, that would elevate a fertilized human egg to the status of a legal person. They would ban IUDs, the morning-after pill, in-vitro fertilization, and all abortions — with no exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest or in cases where the life of a woman is at stake…

“If Romney wants to take the position that abortion and birth control are equal to murder, that’s up to him, but we’ll hold him accountable for it, and not let anyone forget that he’s made the choice to go this far to the right on this issue.”

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Authored by Maryland state legislator and Democratic national committeewoman Heather Mizeur — who drew fire from the natural gas industry this year after pitching a bill to “pause” the extraction technique of hydraulic fracturing in the Free State — the resolution won an endorsement from Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), a DNC vice chairman, as well as five other state-level DNC representatives. Its emergence on the heels of a two-week White House sit-in against Keystone XL suggests that liberals are coming to embrace the pipeline as a grass-roots touchstone and could portend more inter-party ire at Obama if the project is approved…

“The president alone has the authority to reject this pipeline,” the summary states, echoing many of the anti-XL arguments made by green groups during a years-long clash over its still-pending permit bid with the State Department. The new pipeline, Mizeur’s supporters add, “would increase carbon emissions, place one of America’s largest aquifers in the line of danger, and do little to improve America’s energy security.”

DNC rules ask that resolutions come 21 days before an upcoming meeting in order to merit consideration, meaning that Mizeur’s effort may not reach formal debate in the committee until after the Obama administration makes its final decision on Keystone XL.

Whether this will have any influence over the president remains to be seen.

“Having Iowa lead off the nominating process provides Americans with a unique opportunity to learn more about the candidates and their views,” said Iowa House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, speaking with the group at a National Speakers Conference.

“The living room settings and retail political climate Presidential hopefuls must navigate in Iowa brings out the honesty and authenticity in each individual seeking the office of President. I continue to support the RNC’s calendar of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.”

Although calendars set by the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee have slated the Iowa caucuses to lead off the nomination process on Feb. 6, the New Hampshire primary to follow eight days later, and the Nevada caucus and South Carolina primary to serve as the third and fourth contests to close out February, both Florida and Michigan are considering moving their primaries forward and disrupting the calendar.

Political parties have threatened those states that jump ahead with loss of national delegates if they elect to hold contests before March 6. In addition, earlier this year, Iowa joined with South Carolina in calling for the Republican National Convention to be moved from Florida if the state refused to abide by calendar rules.

“New Hampshire remains 100 percent committed to standing shoulder to shoulder with Iowa and South Carolina to ensure that the traditional primary process is preserved and strengthened. The Granite State has shown time and again that we have the right people to decide who should lead the nation. Other states have tried to leapfrog the current calendar and move ahead of us, but none have shown that they have what it takes to do a thorough job of vetting presidential candidates like we do in local, retail setting,” said New Hampshire House Speaker William O’Brien.

South Carolina House Speaker Bobby Harrell added, “As the stakes continue to rise nationally, it has never been more important that Republicans stand united and select a Presidential nominee who will lead our nation back to economic recovery and prosperity. South Carolina has solidified it’s place as a conservative proving ground for presidential contenders, and our conservative voters are once again dedicated to picking our Party’s nominee. We will continue to play a pivotal role in that process with our ‘First in the South’ Presidential Primary, and I stand strong with my Republican counterparts from Iowa and New Hampshire in support of the RNC’s approved presidential nominating calendar.”

U.S. House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) sent out a supporter email Tuesday, asking for donations to help him mount a new ad campaign in Iowa. The campaign is needed, he said to counter an effort already announced and underway by national Democrats.

On Monday, the Democratic National Committee sought to connect the dots between cuts to senior citizens and the middle class to the tea party, congressional Republicans and, subsequently, to the 2012 GOP candidates n their own video, “Extreme Aims,” which is, of course, a play on the Ames Straw Poll scheduled for Saturday.

The ad features head shots of congressional Republicans, including Ryan, and mentions the U.S. House budget he authored and named as the “Path to Prosperity,” which has come to be known as the “Ryan plan.”

“We have to fight back,” the Ryan email relayed to supporters. “With your support, I’m planning on launching a counter-attack to educate Iowa voters about the Path to Prosperity and how it’s the only plan currently on the table that saves Medicare.”

The Ryan budget won approval in the U.S. House, but did not pass in the U.S. Senate. It sought to completely end the Medicare program in its current form and replace it with a system in which senior citizens purchased a private health insurance plan which would be, at least in part, reimbursed by the government. Health care reforms passed by Democrats and signed by President Obama would have been entirely repealed as part of Ryan’s plan, and there would be massive overhauls to other entitlement programs, such as Medicaid.

If Ryan is successful, it won’t be the first time his campaign dollars have flowed into Iowa politics. U.S. Rep. Tom Latham, an Ames Republican who will face Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell in 2012 as a result of redistricting, received $5,000 from Ryan’s Prosperity PAC. Democrats were quick to draw attention to the donation Monday, insinuating that it was payback for Latham’s support of the Ryan budget plan.

The missive by Ryan to Wisconsin supporters hit on the same as voters in the state decide the fate of six Republican state senators who are facing recall. The recall votes were triggered by winter battles that resulted in public sector unions being stripped of collective bargaining rights in the state. If Democrats are able to pick up half of the seats on ballot, they will reclaim control of the Wisconsin Senate — at least until two Democratic incumbents face their own recall elections on Aug. 16. Special interest groups have been hard at work — on the ground and in their pocketbooks — on both sides of the political aisle in an attempt to influence the outcome.

In an email sent out to supporters, Michelle Obama wrote:

Charlotte is a city marked by its southern charm, warm hospitality, and an “up by the bootstraps” mentality that has propelled the city forward as one of the fastest-growing in the South. Vibrant, diverse, and full of opportunity, the Queen City is home to innovative, hardworking folks with big hearts and open minds. And of course, great barbecue.

Barack and I spent a lot of time in North Carolina during the campaign — from the Atlantic Coast to the Research Triangle to the Smoky Mountains and everywhere in between. Barack enjoyed Asheville so much when he spent several days preparing for the second Presidential debate that our family vacationed there in 2009.

The Republican National Convention will be held in Tampa, Fla.

Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar, as well as DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton, are pressing the Democratic National Convention Committee to host the DNC in Minneapolis in 2012. The state’s most populous city is on the short list along with Charlotte, N.C., St. Louis and Cleveland. Also shortlisted in 2008, Minneapolis lost out to Denver, but partnered with St. Paul in hosting the same year’s Republican National Convention. Protest groups are opposing any efforts to bring the DNC to Minneapolis.

Anti-war groups filed for a permit to march on opening day of the DNC should it come to town, but were denied by the City of Minneapolis. The RNC in 2008 resulted in more than 300 arrests; of those, 15 people were charged with wrongdoing and only five were convicted.

Here’s the letter from Franken, Klobuchar and Dayton:

To the Members of the Democratic National Convention Committee,

We are writing to you on behalf of the State of Minnesota urging the Committee to select Minneapolis as the host city for the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
Each finalist city presents valid reasons politically, socially and economically as to why it should be chosen to host the Convention. As you know, Minneapolis is resourceful, reliable and ready to serve Democratic National Convention goers. With vibrant cultural attractions, efficient transportation and world-class dining and hotel accommodations, we would be thrilled to host delegates, nominees and attendees alike. But, you know this and we know this decision has as much to do with politics as it does with logistics.
To that end, please keep in mind that history shows the national political convention site doesn’t necessarily influence the outcome of the election. In fact, only half the time has the state in which the DNC was hosted, went for the Democratic Party in the general election.

The objective now is to select a city that will establish the proper political setting for the 2012 election. With this in mind, we firmly believe Minneapolis is the best choice for the Democratic Party. Located in the country’s heartland, Minnesota is often on the list of swing states and winning the heartland has proven to be a key region in many presidential elections. Key constituencies for the Democratic Party, including labor, have a strong presence in this region and are eager to serve as hosts of this convention.

Like many others, we have seen a significant shift in our political atmosphere following the mid-term elections. Our state legislature turned from Democratic to Republican control for the first time in 38 years. We lost a 35 year veteran of the U.S. House and our congressional delegation is now split evenly between Democrats and Republicans. The one positive coming out of the election is that we appear to have elected a Democratic governor – a significant victory and one that no other finalist host city can boast. Minnesota proved that despite a tough election year across the country, Democrats can still win here – in a place Democrats will need to win to be successful in re-electing President Obama.

Remember, not only is Minnesota the state in which President Obama decided to accept his nomination but it’s also the state Republicans chose for their National Convention in 2008. Our state is in play and has political importance. It’s time again for Democrats to lay claim to Minnesota and help regain control in 2012.

We respectfully urge you to select Minneapolis as the site for the 2012 Democratic National Convention.

Sincerely,

Senator Amy Klobuchar
Senator Al Franken
Mark Dayton

President Obama, speaking at a rally in Philadelphia, said “the American people deserve to know who is trying to sway their elections” and raised the possibility that foreigners could be funding his opponents.

“You don’t know,” Obama said at the rally for Senate candidate Joe Sestak and other Democrats. “It could be the oil industry. It could even be foreign-owned corporations. You don’t know because they don’t have to disclose.”

Karl Rove, Ed Gillespie: They’re Bush cronies. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce: They’re shills for big business. And they’re stealing our democracy. Spending millions from secret donors to elect Republicans to do their bidding in Congress. It appears they’ve even taken secret foreign money to influence our elections. It’s incredible: Republicans benefiting from secret foreign money. Tell the Bush crowd and the Chamber of Commerce: Stop stealing our democracy.

On election day itself, the DNC can spend time and money on the “knock and drag” — it will have a pretty good idea, down to the individual voter, who it needs to turn out in order to be competitive in House districts.  Republicans have access to the same technology, but there are doubts within the party about whether the RNC has the metabolism and structures to build votes like the Democrats. Republicans in places like Ohio are just this cycle beginning to focus hard on the early vote. Democrats have been doing this for several cycles.

In several states, parties can figure out quite easily who has voted and who hasn’t. No one knows precisely who a person has chosen, but targeting strategists use formulas to guess.  Let’s assume that seven out of every ten first-time voters who chose Obama will vote Democratic this year if they vote at all. So if Democratic operatives, canvassing a precinct, see that 20 people who fit this category have cast their ballots, they’ll assume that they’ve netted at least 8 votes. These formulas tend to be conservative.  How would the DNC know that these people voted for Obama in 2008? The party has been tracking these voters religiously for months. Many of them self-report to call-takers.

The DNC’s better organization and funding than its GOP counterpart is one of those things that will provide small advantages to Democrats in close races. If its a landslide, it’ll make no difference, but if its a nail-biter, look to their use of voter rolls and get out the vote efforts to make the difference.

Helped by looser fundraising rules, about two dozen organizations intended to benefit Republicans are active this fall in House and Senate races; fewer than 10 are aimed at helping Democrats. Ad spending by GOP allies over the past two months has totaled nearly $30 million in 15 states with competitive Senate or House races; Democratic outside groups have spent less than $5 million. And even more money, perhaps from even more groups, is expected to roll out in the final month of the campaign.

“There’s no even playing field here,” said Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Conservative groups are quick to counter that all three Democratic committees — the DNC, the DCCC, and the DSCC — have outspent and outraised their GOP counterparts by substantial margins, meaning the question of which side ultimately spends the most money during the current election cycle is still open.

A crucial difference worth pointing out, however, is that while individual contributions to candidates and committees are strictly capped under current campaign finance law, contributions to the outside conservative groups that are outspending Democrats are not. This allows a conservative group like American Crossroads to receive all its money from just a few billionaires, while the DNC, for instance, cannot.

Despite being down in a number of key races, the Democratic committees’ continued ability to bring in cash means that voters, or at least donors, haven’t yet written Democrats off, notes the Washington Post’s Chris Cilizza:

While money isn’t always determinative in elections — particularly when the national playing field is heavily tilted toward one party — it is often a sign of momentum. Given the doom and gloom predictions for Democrats over the past month, the expectation was that Republicans would easily win the cash dash.

That didn’t happen — which means Democrats are not only guaranteed to have a spending advantage in many of the most competitive races in the county but also could benefit from a bit of unexpected momentum just six weeks before the November midterms.

But as we’ve all learned, comparing the Democratic and Republican committees this year is like comparing apples and, well, rotten oranges. Instead, groups like American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS are filling in the gaps — not just running ads but also promising at $10 million get-out-the-vote effort in key battlegrounds states — and their August numbers indicate they’ll reach their goals. The two groups together raised about $14.5 million in the 30-day period that ended Sunday, and they’ve scheduled a new round of ads this week in Missouri and Colorado in addition to brand new spots in Nevada and New Hampshire.

As far as the nature of the groups’ donors, the Associated Press’s Jim Kuhnhenn notes that they are few, but heavy:

While Crossroads GPS donors are secret, American Crossroads filings with the Internal Revenue Service and with the FEC show that the group initially built itself with large contributions.

Companies controlled by major Republican donor Harold Simmons have donated $2 million. Simmons bankrolled ads in 2008 linking then-candidate Obama to William Ayers, a Vietnam-era militant who helped found the violent Weather Underground. Other million-dollar donors include Bradley Wayne Hughes, founder and chairman of Public Storage; former Univision president Jerry Perenchio; and Trevor Rees-Jones, founder of Chief Oil and Gas.