“Typically, presidential candidates lie low while the opposing party holds its convention. But with little more than two months to go until the election and polls showing a tight race, Obama decided to hit the trail for a two-day, three-college-town tour, scheduled to culminate with a rally Wednesday near the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville,” USA Today writes. “At Iowa State, Obama paused before his stump speech to say that the people of the Gulf Coast, who are bracing for Hurricane Isaac to make landfall, were in his thoughts. In Colorado and Iowa, Obama and Romney are locked in close races, according to polls. And the Colorado State and Iowa State campuses — and the communities surrounding them — are crucial areas within the swing states the president is counting on to turn out voters in November.”

“President Obama is tapping Senator John F. Kerry to deliver a speech focused on national security issues during the closing night of next week’s Democratic National Convention,” The Boston Globe writes. “The three-day gathering in Charlotte, N.C., will have a heavy national security focus, underscoring the administration’s intention to highlight its work to end combat operations in Iraq, draw down US forces in Afghanistan, and approve a military raid that killed terrorist Osama bin Laden and contrast these accomplishments with the rhetoric of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney." 

“The Obama camp, eager to showcase what officials view as the president’s sterling record on foreign policy (and Mitt Romney’s lack of experience on global issues), is designating a special night at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte next week as national security night,” the New York Times writes. “And it’s Thursday no less—the night of President Obama’s big acceptance speech.”

In a convention with few reminders of the 2012 Republican primary just a few months ago, Rick Santorum brought everyone back.

The former Pennsylvania senator delivered a somber speech that was more about his personal story than a ringing endorsement of Mitt Romney. It hit on many of the same themes he pushed while pursuing his longshot presidential bid, including family values, marriage and abortion. 

In fact, even though Santorum was the first speaker to raise the welfare issue, his allusion to abortion was the best-received line of his speech.

“I thank God that America still has one party that reaches out their hands in love to lift up all of God’s children -- born and unborn -- and says that each of us has dignity and all of us have the right to live the American Dream,” Santorum said to a standing ovation.

On welfare, Santorum, who touted his work on welfare reform in the 1990s, accused the president of trying to “weaken our republic” and acting as if he were “above the law.”

“President Obama’s policies undermine the traditional family, weaken the education system,” Santorum said. “And this summer he showed us once again he believes in government handouts and dependency by waiving the work requirement for welfare.

“I helped write welfare reform; we made the law crystal clear -- no president can waive the work requirement. But as with his refusal to enforce our immigration laws, President Obama rules like he is above the law. America take heed, when a president can simply give a speech or write a memo and change the law to do what the law says he can’t, we weaken our republic.”

Of course, the welfare attack has been widely discredited, and there is still a work requirement for welfare. There also was limited crowd reaction to the attack, which has become a mainstay of the Romney campaign on the trail and in millions of dollars in television ads.

TAMPA, Fla. -- The two highest-profile speakers Tuesday night at the Republican National Convention sought to paint Mitt Romney as sensitive and relatable, but also resolute and decisive in a way that President Barack Obama is not.

Ann Romney, the wife of the Republican nominee-in-waiting, made an unmasked pitch to women voters, a bloc her husband has struggled with in the polls.

Watch Tuesday night's speeches here

And Chris Christie, the brash governor of New Jersey, used his keynote event to lionize Romney as a problem solver who would prioritize "respect over love" from voters.

Charlie Neibergall / AP

Ann Romney, wife of U.S. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, addresses the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012.

These speeches, broadcast to a national audience, were among the best-received remarks in an evening that sometimes suffered from a lack of energy among delegates who have gathered in downtown Tampa.

"No one will work harder, no one will care more, and no one will move heaven and earth like Mitt Romney to make this country a better place to live," Mrs. Romney said in one of the evening's biggest applause lines.

Slideshow: The 2012 Republican National Convention

Many of Tuesday's various speeches showcased the party's diversity, particularly among women and Latinos.

The speakers emphasized hardscrabble roots and the importance of small businesses in keeping with the evening's theme, "We Built It" -- a play on President Barack Obama's comments in July about government's role in supporting business.

"We ended an era of absentee leadership without purpose or principle in New Jersey; it’s time to end this era of absentee leadership in the Oval Office and send real leaders to the White House," Christie said, adding a degree of immediacy before the crowd of delegates.

"America needs Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan and we need them right now," he added.

The New Jersey governor is regarded as one of the Republican Party's most direct voices, which has made him a star in the GOP -- so much so that some Republicans had recruited him (unsucessfully) to run for president this campaign cycle.

The Republican convention was shortened after inclement weather forced organizers to cancel Monday's programming. In this time span, the GOP is tasked with making their case against Obama and humanizing Mitt Romney, whose personal opinion rating was in net-negative territory entering the convention.

Part of that included an attack on Obama's own words from a Roanoke, Va., campaign event: "If you’ve got a business, you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen," followed by criticism of that "you didn't get there on your own" contention.

"Now if a guy walked into our bar, heard all that, and said, 'If you’ve got a business, you didn’t build that,'" said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, referring to his own family's bar. "You know what we’d do. Throw him out."

The evening was often an excercise, too, in projecting the party's diversity. For a stretch during the evening, no white men were featured as speakers.

Watch Tuesday night's speeches here

Ann Romney's speech was tailored in large part to speak directly toward women, whether single or working.

"It's the moms who always have to work a little harder, to make everything right," she said.

Obama led Romney 51 percent to 41 percent among women in the August NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, and the GOP brand lags significantly behind the Democratic brand among women voters. Forty-five percent of women in the August poll had a favorable impression of the Democratic Party, while 36 percent had an unfavorable view; women voters had a 36 percent positive view of the GOP, and a 47 percent negative view.

Scott Olson / Getty Images file photo

Sen. Kelly Ayotte stands on stage during a soundcheck with stage manager Howard Kolins during the Republican National Convention on Tuesday.

Ann Romney also described her relationship with Mitt as far from a "storybook marriage," recounting difficulties ranging from raising five sons to battling multiple sclerosis and breast cancer.

"I know this good and decent man for what he is -- warm and loving and patient," she said.

But if Mrs. Romney's speech was directed toward softening Romney's public persona, Christie's was intended to project Romney's strength (and boast a little bit of his own).

Indeed, one of the most warmly welcomed Republicans to speak Tuesday evening was Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who pushed a controversial bill curbing collective bargaining rights through his state legislature, and survived a resulting recall effort.

"Now, more than ever, we need reformers: leaders who think more about the next generation than just the next election," Walker said. "That’s what you get from Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan."

According to a family friend of former Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter:

Early in the week of July 15th, the former senator collapsed while playing squash. He required emergency surgery to remove a growth in his abdomen that was affecting his breathing.

At that time, doctors discovered the reemergence of an aggressive cancer. He was severely ill with an infection following surgery and at one point that same week was not expected to survive even hours. 

Defying all medical expectations, since that time, he has responded remarkably well to vigorous chemotherapy and has been moved to a rehabilitation facility. He does go to the hospital for treatments, but is not currently in the hospital.

*** UPDATE *** Vicki Siegel Herson, a former Specter staffer says, “Anyone who knows Arlen Specter knows never to count him out as he will never ever give up."

College journalists from key swing states peppered President Obama with questions on Tuesday as part of the president's push to court young voters this week.

Obama hosted a conference call with student reporters at colleges and universities in swing states, which featured questions ranging from education to job opportunities for recent college graduates.

But the president kept the call on message, answering many of the questions with attacks on Romney featured heavily in his speeches.

"Gov. Romney's message and the whole republican platform basically is: if we cut taxes some more, even if it's paid for by raising taxes on middle class families, even if it means cutting out loan assistance programs, cutting out basic investments in research and science, voucherizing the Medicare program, that somehow we're going to be better off," Obama told students.

While the call was only technically available to student news organizations, NBC News was able to listen in on the conversation.

The president endeavored to explain some of his state-by-state strategy to the students.

One Ohio State University journalist asked why the president was specifically targeting central Ohio, mentioning that the president has visited Ohio State University multiple times in the past few years. The president said visiting the school wasn’t just about getting votes.

“Obviously OSU is a huge university and so there's a lot of students there," he said. "So it makes sense for me to make sure I'm going where I can reach as many people as possible.”

He continued: ”Part of my goal when I go to universities is not only to get votes but also to highlight some of the great work that's currently being done and you know, if Ohio is doing well, then America is going to do well."

He also gave that reporter a little scoop, “I expect if you're not completely tired of me, you're going to see me at Ohio State again."

And Obama wrapped up the call with the overall theme of the three college town stops today and tomorrow, by thanking the reporters informing students of the need to make their voices heard and “know the rules to make sure they're going to be able to vote.”

"Regardless of whether you're voting Democrat, Republican, the key here is to make sure that your voice is heard and hopefully people will get educated on the issues," he said.

Don’t call it a comeback. At least not anymore.

Chris Christie proudly touted the “New Jersey Comeback” in both his 2011 and 2012 State of the State addresses. 

But the hard-charging Republican governor said those three words won’t be in his hotly anticipated keynote speech at tonight’s Republican National Convention.

J. Scott Applewhite / AP

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie looks over the podium during a sound check at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012.

"Let’s make one thing really clear,” Christie said Wednesday, per the New Jersey Star Ledger. “There are three words that are not in my speech Tuesday night: ‘The Jersey Comeback.’ So for all those Democrats real worried or got real excited that maybe I’d have to take it out or maybe I put it in, those three words aren’t in the speech.”

There’s a reason for that. When Christie took office in Jan. 2010 unemployment was 9.7 percent. It dropped to 9.0 percent earlier this year, but has since ballooned to 9.8 percent – the highest it’s been in 35 years.

It declined to 9.4 percent when Christie gave his 2011 State of the State Address.

“New Jersey’s comeback has begun,” Christie declared. He added later: “The unemployment rate has begun to drop— and today is below, not above, the national average.”

By his 2012 address, New Jersey’s unemployment rate fell even further to 9.0 percent -- and Christie was going to capitalize. He mentioned “New Jersey Comeback” eight times during the speech.

“Today, I am proud to report that the New Jersey Comeback has begun,” Christie said. “How do we know it has begun? Just look around you. In the last two years, we have come together to address the mess that was our budget. The decline, deficits, and departures that plagued our State just two years ago have been reversed. The budget is balanced. Our unemployment rate is no longer going up, it is coming down. Job growth has been restored – in the private sector, where we want it. New Jersey is back. … People are recognizing the New Jersey Comeback all around the world.” 

But in the months since that speech, the state’s unemployment rate has since climbed to 9.8 percent.

The stimulus, which allocated $17.5 billion to New Jersey, helped keep teachers, firefighters, and police officers employed. But, since Jan. 2010, the state has lost 26,000 government jobs, a 4 percent decline. On the other hand, private-sector jobs have gained 73,000 jobs, a 2% gain. 

Christie is sure to fire up the crowd with what the Mitt Romney campaign is billing as trademark Christie -- “brash” and “bold.”

He is still popular back home. A Quinnipiac poll in July found his approval rating at 54 percent. But his statewide economic record could also highlight for a wider national audience the potential downside of severe budget cuts when it comes to short-term job creation.

Updated 6:21 pm. - TAMPA, Fla. -- Republicans formally nominated Mitt Romney for president on Tuesday, minting the former Massachusetts governor as the party's official opponent this fall versus President Barack Obama.

Romney has been the presumptive Republican presidential nominee since late spring, when his major opponents ended their campaigns for president. But he will be able to shed the "presumptive" qualifier when he formally accepts the nomination during his Thursday night speech.

David Goldman / AP

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker speaks as as Mitt Romney is nominated by the state delegates for the Office of the President of the United States at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012.

Republicans held the roll call of state delegations late Tuesday afternoon, delayed from its initial scheduled vote during Monday's hurricane-canceled session. Convention Secretary Kim Reynolds presided over the vote.

"I am truly honored to annouce these votes for a man who happens to be my brother, and whom I love: Mitt Romney, the next president of the United States," said Scott Romney, the brother of Mitt Romney, in leading Michigan's delegation in casting its votes.

Shortly thereafter, Republicans nominated Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as their vice presidential candidate by acclimation.

Slideshow: The 2012 Republican National Convention

There were occasional outburts of cheers for Texas Rep. Ron Paul when some states' delegates voted for the retiring congressman. Some delegates abstained from voting in instances, suggesting their dissenting opinion from Romney.

The fanfare on Romney's behalf at the convention hall made the delegate math of the Republican primaries earlier this year almost seem like an afterthought. Romney's battles with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum had seemed, for a time, to threaten to transform the battle for the GOP nomination into a protracted delegate battle.

When Romney accepts the nomination, he'll be able to access and spend tens of millions of dollars he has raised in general election funds. This formal distinction will enable the former Massachusetts governor's campaign to spend millions more on organization and television ads heading into the height of the fall campaign.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Republican leaders pushed through contentious changes to delegate rules over the objection of conservatives and supporters of Texas Rep. Ron Paul.

Loud boos erupted Tuesday on the floor of the Republican National Convention as RNC Chairman Reince Priebus and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, ruled that a voice vote was sufficient to approve credentialing rules for delegates at future conventions.

Shannon Stapleton / Reuters

Delegates shout in protest over changes in Republican party rules that would restrict the impact of grassroots movements, before a vote to adopt the new rules during the second session of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, August 28, 2012.

Chants that sounded like "Seat them now!" did battle with chants of "U-S-A" from supportive delegates seeking to shout the protestors down.

The rules change essentially tightens party control over the manner in which delegates are allocated and bound to candidates.

The proposal prompted frustration from some supporters of Paul, whose campaign was able to appeal to the somewhat arcane rules of delegate allocation to win a majority of four states' delegations, despite having failed to win a single nominating contest.

Other conservatives -- including 2008 vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin -- had protested the move as a power play to shut out grassroots conservatives.

As Priebus and Boehner brought up the controversial rules change for a voice vote, supporters replied with loud "ayes," and almost equally vocal "noes."

When Boehner determined, in his capacity as the convention's permanent chairman, that the ayes had won it, cheers and boos mixed together in the convention hall.

TAMPA, FLa. -- Rick Santorum on Tuesday accused President Obama and liberals of advocating for abortions, an attack aimed at discrediting the notion that the Democratic Party is more inclusive than Republicans.

"I love how the left and this president talk about inclusion as they advocate the discarding and destruction of over one million children every year," Santorum said. "Some inclusion."

The former Republican presidential candidate spoke here at the "Treasure Life" event sponsored by the Republican National coalition for life and Family Research Council. His remarks came just days after Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin's controversial statement that women are unlikely to become pregnant from rape and referred to "legitimate rape." It's also just hours before Santorum will take the stage at the Republican National Convention, where he is expected to deliver a speech centered on work and welfare reform.

In an appearance on CBS earlier today, Santorum delivered much milder words than many of his Republican colleagues who have weighed in on Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin's controversial statement the women are unlikely to become pregnant from rape. He called Akin a "good man" who made a "ridiculous statement."

At the "Treasure Life" luncheon, Santorum received an award for his work as an anti-abortion rights advocate, as did former presidential hopefuls Rep. Michele Bachmann and Gov. Rick Perry. 

This was not the first time Santorum has accused the president of advocating for abortions. While campaigning in Ohio in February, the former Pennsylvania senator accused Obama of requiring free prenatal testing in the Affordable Care Act because it would detect if children were disabled, encourage more abortions and save money. 

"One of the things that you don't know about ObamaCare in one of the mandates is they require free prenatal testing," he said. "Why? Because free prenatal testing ends up in more abortions and, therefore, less care that has to be done, because we cull the ranks of the disabled in our society. That too is part of ObamaCare -- another hidden message as to what president Obama thinks of those who are less able than the elites who want to govern our country."

Santorum was known for his fiery rhetoric on the campaign. His strongest advocates were those in the Republican Party who place the heaviest emphasis on social issues. And though he was presumptive nominee Mitt Romney's biggest critic during the primary, he will defend the former Massachusetts governor when he takes the stage tonight.

"We can walk out of Tampa proudly with a platform and a nominee that stands for life," he told the crowd this afternoon.

Not all who spoke used such harsh words. Perry ended his speech with a plea for compassion for the women who decide to undergo an abortion.

"You know, we talk a lot about protecting unborn children, and we should," he said. "But we also need to recognize that there are women who ache because of the decision that they made to terminate the pregnancy. They live with those emotional scars.... Our message to these women that feel this pain from abortion, is not that we judge you, but we love you. And in you, that your heart aches, the pro-life movement looks upon you with open hearts. Our No. 1 imperative is to protect innocent lives." 

TAMPA, FL -- How much of a bounce in the polls can Mitt Romney expect coming off his official acceptance of the GOP nomination this week at the Republican National Convention in Tampa? 

It depends on whom you ask in Romney World. Indeed, two Romney advisers have given two different answers to this question in the past month.

This morning on a campaign flight from Boston to Tampa, senior strategist Stu Stevens faced a question about the predicted bounce, and replied with these four words: "I have no idea."

Stevens attributed the uncertainty to the extraordinary nature of this convention, including the truncated program thanks to Hurricane Isaac, and the opening of the Democratic National Convention immediately following the upcoming holiday weekend.

"Of course, this convention is different because of the hurricane. I mean, conventions are different now. They’re much later now than we were having them. The way that you’re having back-to-back conventions."  

"We’ve never come into a convention after another campaign has spent half a billion dollars. Plus the outside groups. So I just think all bets are off about any kind of past performance being a predictor of the future," said Stevens, a veteran of multiple past Republican presidential campaigns. 

But on Aug. 10, at a briefing with senior staff and advisers to the Romney campaign, one top campaign official suggested that if history is any guide, Romney stood to gain more political ground from his convention than President Obama would from his. 

The senior Romney adviser cautioned that this convention would be unlike any in recent history because of how close the two conventions run to one another, but added that if history was a guide, Romney should get a substantially bigger bounce than President Obama following the two conventions.

Displaying a power point slide, the Romney adviser showed two sets of historical polling dating back to 1976, and explained:

"The incumbent averaged a minus-four on the ballot going into the convention and came out plus three. The challenger, because the challenger is less well known and not as well defined, came in at minus-four and came out at plus seven. So they picked up about 11 points. So the challenger picks up more points than the incumbent does, which makes sense."

"In terms of image, the incumbent's image on average before and after their convention went up nine points. The challengers image on average went up 18 points," the adviser continued, explaining that while it would be nearly impossible to get a good measurement on a possible Romney bounce before the DNC begins but that history seems to suggest, as the lesser-known challenger Romney could see a big swing in the polls after the convention gavels closed. 

"It just gives you an idea of potentially the convention should be of more benefit to Mitt Romney and our campaign than it will be to Barack Obama because Barack Obama is already pretty well defined," the adviser said.

President Barack Obama set off on a college tour on Tuesday intended to recapture young voters' enthusiasm heading into the height of his re-election campaign.

The president told an audience of Iowa coeds that they should be more invested in his campaign than any other age group, during a stop at Iowa State University in Ames.

"The truth is you've got more at stake in this election than just about anybody. When you step in that voting booth, the choice you make in that one instance is gonna shape your country and your world for decades to come," Obama told about 6,000 students. "I know that's a pretty heavy idea to lay on you on a Tuesday but it's true."

Obama warned that his Republican opponent Mitt Romney, if elected, would enact policies that would be detrimental to college-aged students and recent graduates, seizing on Romney’s opposition to the national health care law, which has allowed students up to age 26 to stay on their parents’ health insurance plans.

"Gov. Romney promised that sometime between taking the oath of office and going to the inaugural ball he'd sit right down, grab a pen and kick 7 million young people off their parents' plan by repealing health reform," the president said.

Playing on the Republicans’ derisive term for the law – "Obamacare" – the president said, "Maybe we should call his plan Romney Doesn't Care. Because I do care."

Speaking in front of thousands of enthusiastic college students is an unusual route for an incumbent to take while his opponent’s party is kicking off its convention, but the president took a full-steam-ahead approach, even taking a jab at the Tampa confab during his Iowa speech.

“It should be a pretty entertaining show,” Obama said. “It will be and I’m sure they’ll have some wonderful things to say about me,” he continued, referring to Republicans gathered in Tampa.

The president’s three-state college tour, which after Iowa takes him to Colorado and Virginia, taps into two key elements of his 2012 re-election strategy: winning a combination of battleground states as well as repeating his lopsided victory among college-age voters.

By the end of this trip, the president will have visited five colleges in August alone, all of them in key swing states: Rollins College in Florida; Capital University in Ohio; plus the three schools in Iowa, Colorado and Virginia.

The good news for Obama in recent polling? He’s still leading Mitt Romney 52 to 41 percent among young voters, a key part of his winning 2008 coalition.

Tonight’s theme at the GOP convention -- “We Built It” -- is a direct reference to President Obama’s “You didn’t build that” remark he made in Roanoke, VA on July 13. 

Republicans have argued that the line typifies Obama’s disdain for the private sector. An example from excerpts the Romney campaign released of Virginia  Gov. Bob McDonnell’s speech tonight:

“We need a President who will say to a small businesswoman: congratulations, we applaud your success, you did make that happen, you did build that! Big government didn't build America: You built America!”

Democrats point out that the line was taken out of context – in a discussion about how no one achieved success on their own. In fact, they have argued that “You didn’t build that… Somebody  else made that happen” was referring to the roads and bridges that preceded the comment, not someone’s business. Here's what Obama said:

If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help.  There was a great teacher somewhere in your life.  Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive.  Somebody invested in roads and bridges.  If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build that.  Somebody else made that happen.  The Internet didn’t get invented on its own.  Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet.

TAMPA, Fla. –  After a one-day delay, the Republican National Convention has kicked off, and the party’s overtures to women and Latinos – two groups with whom the GOP has lagged in this election cycle – will make up the centerpiece of Tuesday’s programming.

Some Republican Latinos regarded as rising stars in the party will be thrust into the national spotlight over the next few days, part of a comprehensive effort by the GOP to court Hispanic voters, an increasingly important voting bloc in several swing states.

Among the Latino speakers appearing at Tuesday's Republican National Convention session are Rep. Francisco Canseco, R-Texas, Sher Valenzuela, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor of Delaware, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, and Texas GOP Senate nominee Ted Cruz.

And Luce Vela Fortuno, the first lady of Puerto Rico, will introduce Ann Romney before her highly anticipated address.

All conventions are choreographed to send a very specific message to voters, and are intended to win additional support that the presidential candidate or party might not have been able to count on.

NBC Latino: Republican Latinos unite behind Romney and focus on the economy

But the stakes are particularly high for the GOP this cycle given Mitt Romney’s deficit with Latino voters, along with a similar disadvantage with women – groups whom the Obama campaign has assiduously courted as it charts a path toward re-election.

“The party has shot itself many times in the foot with the community; it hasn’t done all it could,” said Al Cardenas, the American Conservative Union chairman who’s long pushed for greater efforts to court Latinos. “The good news for Romney is that the party kind of hit bottom, so the arrow has nowhere to point but north.”

Johnny Hanson / AP

Ted Cruz, left, and his general consultant Jason Johnson look at early returns in his war room at the JW Marriott in the Galleria during his runoff election on July 31, 2012, in Houston.

Republicans feel they’re putting forward more powerful voices than ever, though, in their bid to win over Hispanics. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s speech introducing Romney on Thursday is one of the convention’s most highly anticipated, as are the speeches by Cruz and Sandoval.

“I think the GOP putting our five highest-level elected Latinos as speakers at the convention is really a very good thing,” said Ana Navarro, a Florida-based Republican strategist.

Read: Villaraigosa: Republicans 'can't just trot out a brown face'

President George W. Bush won 44 percent of the Latino vote in his 2004 re-election bid, and Arizona Sen. John McCain won 31 percent of the Latino vote in 2008. Both were proponents of comprehensive immigration reform.

In the most recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Telemundo poll, Romney won the support of just 23 percent of registered Latino voters – an ominous sign, especially since Hispanic voters are wielding growing influence in several swing states.

“If the polls are accurate, and Romney is under 30 percent – in the high 20s with Latinos – it really is very concerning,” said Navarro.

“If the needle doesn't move, put a fork in Romney because he's done.”

Democrats have been dismissive of Republican efforts to court Latinos as mere lip service for Hispanic voters and their concerns.

"You can't just trot out a brown face or a Spanish surname and expect people are going to vote for your party or your candidate," said Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at a press conference Tuesday morning.

But arguably just as pressing for Republicans this week is their need to eat into Obama's and Democrats’ advantage among women.

Obama led Romney 51 percent to 41 percent among women in the August NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, and the GOP brand lags significantly behind the Democratic brand among women voters. Forty-five percent of women in the August poll had a favorable impression of the Democratic Party, while 36 percent had an unfavorable view; women voters had a 36 percent positive view of the GOP, and a 47 percent negative view.

Related: “We need the Hispanic vote and we want to win it,” says Craig Romney

Republicans are hopeful that Tuesday evening’s speeches by Ann Romney and Washington Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers will help soften women’s views of the party, especially on the heels of Missouri Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin’s recent comments about rape.

Other prominent GOP women taking the stage tonight are Gov. Nikki Haley, R-S.C., Gov. Mary Fallin, R-Okla., and New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte (a rumored member of Mitt Romney's vice presidential short list).

“We’re not in territory where we can’t win … you can lose women by 7 to 8 points and win the election,” said Sara Taylor Fagen, a former communications director in the Bush administration. “We’re in territory with Hispanics where, if over the long term we don’t improve, we can’t win.”

Jewel Samad / AFP - Getty Images

Mitt Romney's wife, Ann, answers questions from the media on board their campaign plane on Aug. 28, 2012 en route to Tampa, Florida, for the Republican National Convention.

The Obama campaign has seized on instances where Republicans seemed to target access to contraception this past year in order to strengthen its advantage among women; it's backed up that message with millions in television advertising.

California Rep. Mary Bono Mack, a Republican who supports abortion rights, said earlier today on MSNBC that she wished the GOP would use “softer” language in its platform when it comes to reproductive rights.

“I think that we would be better served if we loosened that up a bit,” she said.

But Republicans might be better served to stay the course with their emphasis on the economy and health care rather than contraceptive issues.

“Women in this campaign who are going to vote on the basis of social issues have already probably decided for Barack Obama,” she said. 

TAMPA, Fla. -- Ron Paul's appearance Tuesday on the floor of the Republican National Convention evoked split conventions of the past as the retiring Texas congressman received a hero's welcome from supporters.

The former two-time GOP presidential candidate walked out to greet a roaring group of supporters from the Nevada delegation, one of several he won during the detailed process of allocating delegates to this convention.

When asked by NBC News what he hoped to accomplish by visiting the floor, Paul said, "Just saying hi to some friends from Nevada."

Paul supporters started chanted, "Let Him Speak!" When Romney supporters started chanting "Romney, Romney!" Paul backers screamed "Ron Paul! Ron Paul," drowning out the delegates pledged to the Republican nominee-in-waiting.

After posing for pictures and signing some autographs, Paul left the floor ahead of the official start of the session. The convention will feature a video tribute to Paul, and his son, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, will address delegates this week.

Although the gathered delegates tonight will nominate Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan -- during the roll call vote -- they won’t become the official nominees until they deliver their acceptance speeches, according to Republican officials. 

So for Romney, he doesn’t become the official nominee -- and can’t start spending his money earmarked for the general election -- until Thursday. 

The NBC Politics team is pleased to offer our app and mobile users a live stream of the 2012 Republican National Convention for your convenience. Watch the latest convention speeches and events in real time, on the go, on your iPad or iPhone. Tonight's session will begin at 7:00 p.m. with remarks from House Speaker John Boehner.

Click here to watch the live stream on your iPad or desktop computer.

Click here to watch the live stream on your iPhone.

Presumptive Republican Mitt Romney today has called the three (all GOP) governors in the storm's path. 

"Gov. Romney has spoken with Govs. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Phil Bryant of Mississippi and Robert Bentley of Alabama about the impending storm and their local response efforts," a senior Romney aide told NBC News.

Republicans are going to kick off their delayed first day of their convention today. Romney will be officially nominated later this afternoon. But he will not officially be the nominee until Thursday when he accepts.  

Updated, 1:30 p.m. - TAMPA, Fla. -- Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said that Republicans "can't just trot out a brown face" to make inroads with the Latino community, an increasingly important growing bloc.

As the GOP prepares to showcase some of its rising Hispanic stars during the next two days of its national convention, the Democratic mayor dismissed Republican overtures toward Latinos as insincere.

"You can't just trot out a brown face or a Spanish surname and expect people are going to vote for your party or your candidate," Villaraigosa said at a press conference here organized by the Democratic National Committee.

"People are going to vote just like Anglos do, just like African-Americans do, and virtually every demographic group. They vote for people based on what they say, what they've done, and what they're going to do," he later added.

Among the Latinos speaking in Tuesday's Republican National Convention programming are Rep. Francisco Canseco, R-Texas. Sher Valenzuela, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor of Delaware, Republican Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval and Texas GOP Senate nominee Ted Cruz.

But, other staunch opponents of illegal immigration -- like Iowa Rep. Steve King, who's speaking as well on Tuesday -- will also be among the featured voices in the day's program.

"I don't think it's going to do much for him, frankly," Villaraigosa said of the GOP's overall message.

The Los Angeles mayor predicted that President Barack Obama would win "close to 70 percent" of the Latino vote in his re-election effort; Romney advisers have set a goal in the upper-30th percentile in targeting Hispanic voters.

Latino voters are of particular importance in swing states like Colorado, Florida and Virginia -- a sign of shifting demographics that Republicans have worried would put them at a long-term political disadvantage unless they were to become more welcoming of Latinos.

Ryan Williams, a spokesman for Romney, said in response to today's Democratic bracketing event: "Today, as we learn that more than a quarter of Democrats believe President Obama does not have a clear plan for creating jobs, his surrogates in Tampa continued to launch false and baseless attacks against Governor Romney.  The facts speak for themselves – with 23 million Americans struggling for work, nearly one in six Americans living in poverty, and median incomes declining, the Obama campaign cannot defend a record of broken promises and failed policies.  Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have a plan to strengthen the middle class by creating jobs and turning around our economy."

As the Republican National Convention prepares for the first day of speeches in Tampa, NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro discuss the big speeches to watch including Ann Romney, Chris Christie, and Rick Santorum.  Also, Republican leaders continue to monitor Tropical Storm Isaac as it nears the Gulf Coast.

Video edited by NBC's Matt Loffman.

ABOARD THE ROMNEY CAMPAIGN PLANE -- Only hours before delivering her speech to a national audience, Ann Romney is ready to go (but her outfit is not).

While passing out home-baked Welsh cakes, her specialty, to the secret service and press corps, the former first lady of Massachusetts expressed confidence in the team that helped write her speech, and a bit of dismay that those same strategists would be also be helping to select her wardrobe.

“We’re having a great time. I’m excited about it,” Mrs. Romney said of the speech. “And the funniest thing of all is that Stuart Stevens, who wears his shirts inside-out, is advising me on what dress I should wear tonight. So I know I’ve come really full-circle now.”

“It was going to be like my wedding night -- I wasn’t going to let him know what I was going to wear. But now they have opinions,” Mrs. Romney said of her husband and his staff.

Mrs. Romney, who usually delivers her brief stump speech off the cuff, and almost never uses a teleprompter, said preparing for her speech with a teleprompter was “hard,” and said the ongoing process of refining the speech was exciting, if challenging.

“You know, I think you will see that my speech is heartfelt, and I think a lot of you have been covering me long enough and you know I've never gone off a written text. So this is a unique experience for me,” Romney said.

A reporter asked Romney what she hoped viewers at home would think as they watched the speech on television.

“How important this election’s going to be and how important it’s going to be for them to consider the right things to make their right decisions,” Mrs. Romney said, wrapping up the Q & A session.

“I think that’s it, guys. I’m just going to pass out the Welsh cakes now.”

The show must go on… Tonight’s two big speeches: Ann Romney’s soft sell vs. Chris Christie’s hard sell… Christie second-guesses Romney on the recent birth certificate comment… Keep an eye on Santorum’s speech, as well as Isaac… Obama to campaign in college towns  in Iowa and Colorado… Priorities USA’s latest TV ad… How the GOP might be losing any advantage it had on abortion… And Quinnipiac poll shows McMahon (!!!) leading in Connecticut. 

TAMPA, FL -- At 2:00 pm ET, the Republican convention here will get back to business after yesterday’s cancellation, with the roll-call vote that formally nominates Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan taking place in time for the 6:30 pm evening newscasts. And tonight’s primetime schedule features two main speakers: Ann Romney and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who is delivering the keynote address. “We expect no change over the next three days,” Romney adviser Russ Schriefer said on a conference call with reporters yesterday. “We are full-speed planning ahead with our Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday schedule.” But Schriefer adds that the campaign is monitoring Isaac’s path and is leaving open the possibility of more schedule changes. “Our thoughts are with the people in the path of the storm,” he said. “We hope they are spared any major destruction."  

*** Ann Romney’s soft sell vs. Chris Christie’s hard sell: The Ann Romney and Chris Christie speeches will try to accomplish these two different goals: the soft sell of Romney (which is Ann’s role) and the hard sell (which is Christie’s). In fact, you could argue that those are the dual themes of the entire convention. Ann Romney will attempt to humanize her husband, as well as try to appeal to women. (Romney trails President Obama by 10 points among women in our recent NBC/WSJ poll.) Meanwhile, Christie’s job is to make the hard sell -- that the job of a leader is to make the tough decisions, no matter how unpopular they are. On “TODAY” this morning, Christie previewed part of his speech saying that he would use New Jersey “as an illustrative example” to show you can solve problems when you stick to your principles. (That said, one illustrative example Christie probably won’t point to is New Jersey’s 9.8% unemployment rate.) 

*** Second-guessing Romney: But Christie’s “TODAY” interview also revealed why the Romney campaign might not regard the New Jersey governor as its most loyal and reliable surrogate. While Christie knocked down the New York Post article (which alleged that he took himself out of the VP running because he would have to give up being governor and didn't think Romney would win) by calling it “complete garbage,” he said that Romney probably wished he could take back the crack at Obama’s birth certificate. “If he had to do it over again, he probably wouldn’t make the joke,” he said. And speaking of second-guessing, don’t miss what Karl Rove said yesterday at a breakfast sponsored by Politico. Rove said he was a "little bit mystified" by what he regards as the Romney campaign's handling of the tax-returns issue, Politico wrote. “Rove said Romney could have pressed Obama for making no issue four years ago about Sen. John McCain releasing just two years of returns, a contradiction that shows Obama's supposed concern about disclosure this year ‘is all about politics.’ ‘I would have called him earlier and more forcefully than they have.’” 

*** Keep an eye on Santorum’s speech: In addition to the speeches by Ann Romney and Chris Christie, the Romney camp has been billing Rick Santorum’s address tonight, which he’ll deliver during the 7:00 pm ET hour. On yesterday’s conference call, Schriefer said that Santorum’s speech is “going to be particularly good,” and he reminded reporters that Santorum was a “leader in the fight to reform welfare in 90s,” and that he “believes strongly in dignity of work.” So expect the former Pennsylvania senator and GOP presidential candidate to deliver the debunked welfare attack hitting Obama, which would certainly fire up the crowd here. While Christie might be the keynote speaker for suburban America, Santorum might be the keynote speaker for inside the hall. 

*** And keep an eye on Isaac: While we’re all focused here on the conventions comings and goings, much of the country is watching the hurricane approaching New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. It’s possible that Isaac doesn’t pack much of a punch. But it’s also possible that it could cause plenty of destruction. And if that happens, it could drastically change the tone of the convention. 

Brendan Smialowski / AFP - Getty Images

The Chairman of the Republican National Convention (RNC) Reince Priebus gavels the convention to order and then immediate recess at the Tampa Bay Times Forum in Tampa, Florida, on August 27, 2012.

*** Tuesday’s speaking schedule: 

7:00 pm ET hour: House Speaker John Boehner, RNC Chair Reince Priebus, Utah House candidate Mia Love, Rick Santorum, Cathy McMorris Rodgers

8:00 pm hour: Kelly Ayotte, John Kasich, Mary Fallin, Bob McDonnell, Scott Walker

9:00 pm hour: Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, Texas Senate nominee Ted Cruz, Democrat-turned Republican Artur Davis, and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley

10:00 pm hour: Ann Romney and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie

*** The old college try: Meanwhile, President Obama today begins his two-day swing through college campuses in battleground states. Tuesday’s stops: Iowa State University in Ames, IA at 2:05 pm ET and Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO at 7:20 pm ET. Tomorrow, he heads to Charlottesville, VA, where the University of Virginia is located. While our recent NBC/WSJ poll found that Obama maintains his lead among young voters, they’re not as enthusiastic as they were four years ago. That’s the objective of this two-day swing and the future ones he’s going to make in the next few weeks. To counter the president’s visit in Iowa, the Romney camp is running an advertisement in the Iowa State Daily noting the high youth unemployment rate, and Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R) holds a press conference at 9:30 am ET to pre-but the president’s visit to the Hawkeye State. 

*** Priorities USA’s latest TV ad: In other Democratic news, the pro-Obama Super PAC Priorities USA Action is up with a new TV ad (airing in Colorado, Iowa, Ohio, and Virginia) featuring an independent female from Massachusetts who says she voted for Romney in 2002 but will vote for Obama in 2012. “Gov. Romney promised that he would bring jobs to this state. By the time Gov. Romney left office, we had fallen to 47th in the nation in terms of job growth,” the woman says to the camera. “Gov. Romney cares about big business, he cares about tax cuts for wealthy people and I certainly do not believe he cares about my hardworking employees. I feel like I was duped by Mitt Romney. I’m going to vote for President Obama.” In addition, the DNC has a new web video -- entitled “You Didn’t Build That, You Destroyed It” -- that plays the Bain card. 

*** How the GOP is losing any advantage it had on abortion: Over the past several years, Republicans -- due to advances in technology (like sonograms) -- have largely (but not always) been winning the political fight over abortion. But what the controversy over Todd Akin’s controversial comments on rape and abortion has exposed is that some Republicans are finding ways to surrender any advantage on the topic. The latest example: Tom Smith, the Republican running against Sen. Bob Casey (D) in Pennsylvania, compared conceiving a child out of rape to conceiving out of wedlock. “‘I lived something similar to that with my own family, and [my daughter] chose the life, and I commend her for that,’ Smith said, per the AP. ‘She knew my views, but fortunately for me ... she chose the way I thought.’ Asked how that was similar to rape, Smith said: ‘Having a baby out of wedlock.’ After another follow-up question, about whether the out-of-wedlock pregnancy was similar to a case of rape, he said: ‘No, no, no, but, well, put yourself in a father’s position. Yes, I mean, it is similar, this isn’t, but I’m back to the original, I’m pro-life — period.’”  

*** Q-poll: McMahon leads in Connecticut: And in Connecticut, a new Quinnipiac poll finds Linda McMahon (R) leading Chris Murphy by three points among likely voters, 49%-46%, in that Senate contest. DSCC spokesman Matt Canter emails First Read, “McMahon ran nearly $12 million [in positive ads] over the summer. But all our research shows that once you remind people about McMahon, it all l collapses. She lost by double digits in the best Republican year of our lives. We think 2012 will be far too steep a climb.” That said, this also means Democrats will have to spend in Connecticut. While Dems are catching a break in Missouri, they have some work to do in Connecticut.  

Countdown to Dem convention: 6 days
Countdown to 1^st presidential debate: 36 days
Countdown to VP debate: 44 days
Countdown to 2^nd presidential debate: 49 days
Countdown to 3^rd presidential debate: 55 days
Countdown to Election Day: 70 days

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*** Tuesday’s “Daily Rundown” line-up (live from Tampa): Convention kickoff with Rep. Tim Scott (R-SC), Rep. Connie Mack IV (R-FL), Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-CA), -- yes, both Macks! -- Rep. Tim Griffin (R-AR) and Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT)… Reaction to it all with former Obama White House spokesman Robert Gibbs… Latest 2012 headlines with Politico's Jonathan Martin, the Washington Post's Nia-Malika Henderson, former Bush White House Political Director Sara Taylor Fagen and msnbc's "The Last Word" host Lawrence O'Donnell.

*** Tuesday’s “Jansing & Co.” line-up: MSNBC’s Chris Jansing interviews Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (R),  Jefferson Parish President John Young, Salon.com’s Joan Walsh,  thegrio.com’s Perry Bacon, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser, former Gov. Ed Rendell (D), and  Republican analyst Bay Buchanan.

*** Tuesday’s “MSNBC Live with Thomas Roberts” line-up: MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts talks with RNC Communications Director Sean Spicer, MSNBC’S Melissa Harris Perry, MSNBC Contributor Meghan McCain. And former. RNC Chair Michael Steele, Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson and Democratic strategist Karen Finney join the Power Panel.

*** Tuesday’s “NOW with Alex Wagner” line-up: Alex Wagner’s guests include former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D), former New York Gov. George Pataki (R), MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards, women’s health advocate Sandra Fluke, and MSNBC’s  Lawrence O’Donnell. 

*** Tuesday’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” line-up: Live from Tampa, NBC’s Andrea Mitchell interviews MSNBC’s Tamron Hall and Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) from New Orleans, the Weather Channel’s Bryan Norcross, Gov. Rick Snyder (R-MI), Chris Matthews, the Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza, USA Today’s Susan Page, former Santorum spokeswoman Alice Stewart, Priorities USA Action Co-founder Bill Burton, Politico’s Jim VandeHei, the Boston Globe’s Mike Kranish and NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell, Luke Russert and John Yang.

*** Tuesday’s “News Nation with Tamron Hall” line-up: Anchoring from New Orleans, MSNBC’s Tamron Hall interviews Jefferson Parish President John Young, St. Bernard Parish President David Peralta, NBCLatino’s Sandra Lilley, MSNBC contributor Michael Smerconish, and Republican strategist Danny Vargas.

“Republicans staged a remarkably subdued opening to Mitt Romney’s national convention Monday in the midst of a turbulent election year, wary of uncorking a glittery political celebration as Tropical Storm Isaac surged menacingly toward New Orleans and the northern Gulf Coast,” AP writes, adding, “The week was turning out to be about both meteorology and politics. Romney’s top aides and convention planners were juggling their desire for a robust rouse-the-Republicans convention with concern about appearing uncaring as New Orleans faced a threat from Isaac precisely seven years after the city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina.”

Some front pages – all about the hurricane, not the GOP convention:

Tampa Bay Times: “Isaac whispers old fear: Katrina.”
New Orleans Times-Picayune: “Many will weather hurricane at home.”
Birmingham News: “State coast bracing for Isaac” and Republican convention starts amid storms.”
Jackson Clarion-Ledger: “Coast braces.”
Pensacola News Journal: “Pensacola spared from Isaac’s worst.”

Of course, this was a story that gets written: “As tropical storm Isaac bears down on the Gulf Coast, there should be plenty of money — some $1.5 billion — in federal disaster aid coffers, thanks, in part, to a new system that budgets help for victims of hurricanes, tornadoes and floods before they occur,”  the AP writes. “It’s a system that Paul Ryan, the Republican nominee-to-be for vice president, had hoped to scrap as a way to make his House GOP budget look smaller by about $10 billion a year. Politely, party elders told him no way, at least for now.”

“New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will deliver the most important speech of his surging political career Tuesday night, giving the Republican National Convention’s keynote address as the nation braces for another potential tragedy in the Gulf,” the New York Daily News writes. 

In advance of Artur Davis’ remarks before the GOP convention tonight, members of the Congressional Black Caucus pen a letter to him that highlights what they say are flip-flops by the former Democratic congressman. “Given the magnitude of your recent transformation, we can only conclude that, rather than a true conversion, your actions are the result of a nakedly personal and political calculation or simmering anguish after failing to secure the Democratic nomination for governor of the State of Alabama in 2010.” 

More: “Despite recent news reports that you sought advice from a Virginia political consultant about running for office as a Democrat, you currently proclaim to have switched to the Republican Party.  However, in 2009 you repeatedly criticized former Representative Parker Griffith for the same act, saying, ‘his decision repudiates the hard work of many Democrats who sustained him during his election to two high offices.’ You continued, ‘He leaves a party where differences of opinion are tolerated and respected to join a party that in Washington, marches in lockstep, demands the most rigid unity, and articulates no governing philosophy beyond the forceful use of the word, ‘no.’”  

In a USA Today story on Romney’s path to the GOP nomination, Romney adviser Stu Stevens said this: "At the debate in Michigan, he was giving an answer whether he had changed a position on this or that and just said, 'Look at my life. I'm a man of constancy,' It was very powerful." 

House Speaker Boehner’s on the shortened-convention train: The New York Daily News’ DeFrank reports Boehner told a group of reporters: “These are very expensive propositions to put on. I’m not sure that having a four-day convention, for the future, makes a lot of sense.”

“Rep. Ron Paul’s delegates are trying to mount a floor fight over new GOP rules designed to limit the ability of insurgent presidential candidates to amass delegates to future Republican conventions,” AP writes. “They are getting help from other delegates, though it is unclear whether they can rally enough support to challenge the rules on the floor of the convention Tuesday. Mitt Romney, the party’s presumptive nominee, has plenty of delegates to win any floor fight. Nevertheless, party officials agreed to ease the new rules on Monday in an effort to appease some disgruntled delegates. Still, the dispute could provide an unwanted distraction for party leaders who would rather focus on promoting Romney and defeating President Barack Obama.” 

NBC Latino’s Sandra Lilley attended a press conference for Hispanic journalists yesterday at the convention. “From the start, the questions dominating the press conference focused on the difference between the inclusive language in the [new Romney Spanish-language ad] versus the language proposed in the GOP platform, which states that the goal is for undocumented immigrants to voluntarily leave – in other words, ‘self-deport.’ And in an exclusive interview with Telemundo’s Angie Sandoval, Texas Tea Party senatorial candidate Ted Cruz said he would expect that if Romney were elected, he would rescind President Obama’s deferred deportation for Dreamers.  Ted Cruz will speak tomorrow night.” 

According to Pew, the interest level in Romney’s nomination speech (44%) is lower than any other recent presidential candidate or key speaker. The others Pew has measured: George W. Bush in 2000 (53%), John McCain in 2008 (52%), Bill Clinton in 2012 (52%), John Kerry in 2004 (51%), Barack Obama in 2012 (51%), Paul Ryan in 2012 (46%).  

D’oh: Political Wire: “Philip Klein: ‘All credentialed media checking into the Republican National Convention are being given a swag bag featuring brochures and items from various sponsors such as sunglasses and a pocket fan. But the bag also contains a copy of the original hardcover version of Mitt Romney's book No Apology, in which he suggested his approach to health care in Massachusetts could be accomplished in the rest of the country.’”

A CBS poll shows Obama and Romney essentially tied, with Obama up 46-45%. The headline of the poll story, though: “Ahead of speech, Romney faces empathy gap.” From the story: “Only 41 percent of Americans said Romney understands their needs and problems, compared to 54 percent who feel Mr. Obama understands their needs and problems.” 

“If the presidential election were held today, Romney and Obama would be more or less tied, the latest polls show. But on one voter test, Obama has a clear advantage: Whom would you rather have a beer with?” AP writes. “Or, if you don’t drink (as Romney doesn't), whom would you rather have a cup of coffee with? Or take with you on a road trip (with or without your dog)? Or invite over for dinner? Simply put, there is a likability gap. This may seem trivial compared to questions like, say, which candidate you think will better revive the economy or safeguard the nation’s nuclear weapons. But election after election has demonstrated that how voters feel about their candidate matters. A lot. It buoyed Ronald Reagan and helped sink John Kerry.” 

“A Pew Research Center survey shows an overwhelming majority of people have high regard for those they consider wealthy, with almost half saying they’re smarter and harder workers. At the same time, a majority says the wealthy are greedy and pay too little in taxes. One-third say they’re dishonest,” Bloomberg writes. “More than six in 10 Americans say the Republican Party, which is holding its national convention this week, favors the wealthy, according to the poll released today.”

“The price tags this year are expected to be nearly $55 million for the Democrats and roughly $73 million for the GOP,” the New York Daily News writes. “Funding for the spectacles starts on one’s tax return, with the box titled ‘Presidential Election Campaign’ that offers each taxpayer the option of putting $3 in taxes toward the public campaign financing system. Roughly one-third of taxpayers check the box. From that pot of gold, the Federal Elections Commission this year is throwing each party $18.2 million in convention cash. And Congress gives each party an additional $50 million to offset the convention security costs taken on by state and local agencies.”

CONNECTICUT: “A new Quinnipiac poll in Connecticut finds Linda McMahon (R) edging Rep. Chris Murphy (D) in the U.S. Senate race, 49% to 46%,” Political Wire writes  

The Philadelphia Daily News: “Arlen Specter has been hospitalized with a serious illness, friends of the former longtime U.S. senator have confirmed.”

“As college students return to campus, President Barack Obama’s campaign will be there waiting for them,” the AP writes. “Obama aides sees college campuses as fertile ground for registering and recruiting some of the more than 15 million young people who have become eligible to vote since the 2008 election. As Republicans hold their party convention in Florida this week, the president will make a personal appeal to college voters in three university towns: Ames, Iowa; Fort Collins, Colo.; and Charlottesville, Va. Obama’s victory four years ago was propelled in part by his overwhelming support among college-aged voters, and polls show him leading Republican rival Mitt Romney with that group in this year’s race. But the president faces an undeniable challenge as he seeks to convince young people that he is the right steward for the economy as they eye a shaky postgraduation job market.”

The DNC is out with a video, entitled, “Mitt Romney: You Didn’t Build That – You Destroyed It.” It focuses on his time at Bain Capital.