A new Vanderbilt University poll shows President Obama has pulled into a virtual tie with Mitt Romney in traditionally conservative Tennessee.Romney barely edged Obama among likely, 42% to 41%. However, Romney led by a much larger margin among registered voters, 47% to 40%.

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"For all the policy disagreements that we may have with the president, it is hard to understate how much he inspired people across this country four years ago, with his promises to unite America and lift it up. The man who today occupies the White House and is running for president is a very different person. We have not seen such a divisive figure in modern American history as we have over the last three and a half years."-- Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), quoted by ABC News, at a South Carolina Republican dinner.

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Despite President Obama's backing of same-sex marriage, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) told C-SPAN that the president was not invited to his wedding this summer.Said Frank: "If he and Michelle wanted to come, I would be delighted and honored to have him, but he will bring the Secret Service. I would be flattered to have the president do that, but it would ruin the party to have the Secret Service. I'm not critical of them, but they can go take their layered protection of the president somewhere else. Not to my party.

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The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel endorses Gov. Scott Walker (R) in next month's recall election:"No governor in recent memory has been so controversial. No governor in America is so polarizing. Everyone has an opinion about Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin. Here's ours: We see no reason to remove Walker from office.

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Christine Quinn, the speaker of the New York City Council and a leading candidate to be mayor, married her longtime partner, Kim M. Catullo "in one of the most prominent same-sex weddings of a public official to date," the New York Times reports.Among those in attendance were Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Sen. Charles Schumer; New York police commissioner Ray Kelly, several members of New York's congressional delegation, several members of the New York State Legislature and a dozen members of the City Council.

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Dan Balz: "Big issues are on the table as President Obama and Republican Mitt Romney begin the general election campaign: jobs and the economy, the future of health care, taxes, spending, the size and scope of government. What is missing is any serious discussion of the one question that overrides all others: Can Washington govern?

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Just 100 days away from the Republican convention and the Tampa Bay Times reports organizers are "starting to tackle one of the trickiest and most important elements of the convention -- selecting the speakers.""It's a matter of juggling monumental political egos, precious little time for maximum TV exposure, appeasing people whose help is needed, and ensuring the best message comes through to win over swing voters just starting to focus on the presidential contest.""The job is daunting. The networks at best will devote five or six hours over four days to convention coverage, and a good chunk of that is taken by all-but required speeches -- the nominee, his spouse, the vice presidential nominee -- so planners have to make the very most of the limited time they have.

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The New York Times looks at the evolution of the President Obama's thinking on Afghanistan."Not long before, after a highly contentious debate within a war cabinet that was riddled with leaks, Mr. Obama had reluctantly decided to order a surge of more than 30,000 troops. The aide told Mr. Obama that he believed military leaders had agreed to the tight schedule to begin withdrawing those troops just 18 months later only because they thought they could persuade an inexperienced president to grant more time if they demanded it.""A year later, when the president and a half-dozen White House aides began to plan for the withdrawal, the generals were cut out entirely.

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A must-read report from the Chicago Tribune: "The average American baby is born with 10 fingers, 10 toes and the highest recorded levels of flame retardants among infants in the world. The toxic chemicals are present in nearly every home, packed into couches, chairs and many other products. Two powerful industries -- Big Tobacco and chemical manufacturers -- waged deceptive campaigns that led to the proliferation of these chemicals, which don't even work as promised."Nicholas Kristof: "This campaign season, you'll hear fervent denunciations of 'burdensome government regulation.' When you do, think of the other side of the story: your home is filled with toxic flame retardants that serve no higher purpose than enriching three companies. The lesson is that we need not only safer couches but also a political system less distorted by toxic money.

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Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D) said on Meet the Press he was "uncomfortable" with the Obama campaign's attacks on Mitt Romney's record with Bain Capital.Said Booker: "I'm not about to sit here and indict private equity. If you look at the totality of Bain Capital's record, they've done a lot to support businesses -- to grow businesses. And this to me, I'm very uncomfortable."Meanwhile, The Hill reports Democrats have accepted more political donations than Republicans from executives at Bain Capital, "complicating the left's plan to attack Mitt Romney for his record at the private-equity firm."Steve Kornacki: "Financial support from Wall Street and, more broadly speaking, the investor class has been key to Booker's rise, and remains key to his future dreams.

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"I've never been shy about leading. But you know, leaders need followers. And we've got 89 brand new members. We've got a pretty disparate caucus. It is hard to keep 218 frogs in a wheelbarrow long enough to get a bill passed."-- House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), in an interview on This Week.

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"After years of quiet, relentless organizing, followers of libertarian-leaning GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul have exploded inside the Minnesota Republican Party, becoming its most potent army," the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.Paul won 12 of 13 open delegate spots to the GOP national convention. The 13th went to Michele Bachmann -- "and only after a Paul supporter dropped out to let her have that spot.""In Minnesota, more than almost any other state, Paul forces have completed a historic party takeover. They proved their might Saturday, but also firmly established Minnesota as a remote GOP outpost nationally. Now state GOP activists will march to the national convention firmly backing Paul rather than presumed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

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