The Note's Must-Reads for Friday, April 06, 2012
The Note's Must-Reads are a round-up of today's political headlines and stories from ABC News and the top U.S. newspapers. Posted Monday through Friday right here at www.abcnews.com
Compiled by ABC News' Jayce Henderson, Amanda VanAllen, Carrie Halperin, and Alicia Tejada
PRESIDENT OBAMA: ABC News' Emily Friedman: " Obama Campaign Seizes on Report on Mitt Romney's Assets" The Obama re-election campaign tonight is seizing on a report that suggests Mitt Romney is using ethics exceptions to avoid disclosing some of his financial investments. Obama's team has gone as far as using the president's Twitter handle to lob attacks on the GOP candidate. LINK
The Washington Post's Philip Rucker: " Obama to Romney: Release more tax returns" President Obama and his top aides took aim at Mitt Romney Thursday night, calling on the likely Republican presidential nominee to release more of his tax returns and questioning whether he has used loopholes to avoid publicly disclosing more information about his personal wealth. LINK
MITT ROMNEY: Bloomberg's Julie Hirschfeld Davis: " Romney Goes for PA Knockout While Blasting Obama" Mitt Romney is remaking his campaign into a machine to take on President Barack Obama while keeping one eye on finishing off his Republican rivals, as chief challenger Rick Santorum grasps for a strategy to keep his nomination bid alive. Romney barnstormed Santorum's home state of Pennsylvania yesterday after a run of primary victories that solidified his hold on his party's nomination. LINK
New York Daily News' Aliyah Shadid: " Mitt Romney buying his way to the nomination? Former gov outspends Santorum 4 to 1 per vote" The GOP White House hopeful - fresh off a primary hat trick in Maryland, Washington and Wisconsin on Tuesday night - has approximately half of the delegates needed to sew up the nomination, and the political world seems united in the belief that he's the party's all-but-certain nominee. LINK
RICK SANTORUM: USA Today's Catalina Camia: " Santorum talks next steps with key conservatives" Rick Santorum reportedly met with key conservatives today to figure out a path forward for his presidential campaign. Richard Viguerie, a pioneer in using direct mail for politics, told National Review Online that the Republican candidate is "re-engineering" his campaign. LINK
The New York Times' Katharine Seelye and Trip Gabriel: " Santorum Meets with Conservative Leaders to Consider Possible Next Steps" A group of conservative leaders met with Rick Santorum on Thursday to consider various strategies to help his faltering campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, including some discussion of how to persuade Newt Gingrich to drop out of the contest. LINK
The Washington Times' Seth McLaughlin: " For Santorum, Pennsylvania is a double-edged sword" Rick Santorum is in a difficult place politically in his home state of Pennsylvania, where he hopes to revive his flagging presidential bid. A win for the state's former two-term senator in the April 24 primary wouldn't shock the world, while a loss to rival Mitt Romney could stick a fork in his White House hopes. LINK
Politico's Emily Schultheis and Charles Mahtesian: " Rick Santorum's Pennsylvania primary problem" Rick Santorum acknowledges that his home state of Pennsylvania is a must-win for his campaign. Right now, his prospects don't look very good. The polling is moving in the wrong direction. Mitt Romney has a good bit of the state's GOP establishment locked up. LINK
SUPER PAC / OTHER: The Wall Street Journal's Peter Nicholas and Carol E. Lee: " Super PAC Money Stalled Despite Obama Greenlight" After Bill Burton failed to win the job of White House press secretary last year, he took a position nobody else wanted-helping lead a super PAC to help re-elect the president. At the time, President Barack Obama was openly hostile to super PAC fundraising for giving rich donors more influence. LINK
The Boston Globe's Callum Borchers: " Obama, Romney say women should be allowed at Augusta National" With the opening round of The Masters Thursday, President Obama and his likely Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, became the latest to endorse female membership at the Augusta National Golf Club, where the tournament is held. "If I could run Augusta … of course I'd have women into Augusta," Romney said. LINK
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