12:30pm John Rossomando on The Republican: Q&A with Amb. John Bolton: Defense cuts send message of "continued American decline"

12:00pm Ryan Streeter on The Republican: Whatever happened to upward mobility as a goal for policy makers and politicians?

Questions about debate performance continue to dog Rick Perry

"Of all the punches thrown at Gov. Rick Perry during last week's Republican presidential debate in Florida, few landed harder than questions about Perry's support for a Texas bill allowing illegal immigrants to pay in-state college tuition. ... The political damage became clear Saturday, when Perry finished a distant second to businessman Herman Cain in a presidential straw poll conducted at the gathering." - CNN

"Texas Gov. Rick Perry had back surgery on July 1. Saturday night David Carney (Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s chief campaign strategist and long-time advisor) ... denied that Perry is now experiencing any back pain or is on any medication. 'He is not in any pain — why would he need pain medicine? No he is not taking pain medicine,' he emailed me. I asked if he was tired during the debates. He answered, 'Not that I know of.'" - Jennifer Rubin in the Washington Post

• Obama says GOP debates "not reflective of who we are" - LA Times

Three reasons why Chris Christie should run for president - and three reasons why he should not - Chris Cillizza in the Washington Post

Other GOP 2012 news:

• "With the third-quarter fundraising deadline looming Friday, all eyes will be on what the two top GOP presidential contenders have raised." - Politico
• By showing willingness to compete in Nevada, Perry may have "singlehandedly saved the Nevada caucuses" - Politico
• Florida Gov. Rick Scott wants to beat Rick Perry at job creation - Daily Caller
• Romney using wife's story to connect with voters - Associated Press
• Santorum sees Cain win as sign of GOP dissatisfaction - LA Times
• "President Barack Obama is swiping at Texas Gov. Rick Perry, criticizing him as 'a governor whose state is on fire, denying climate change.'" - Politico
• GOP looks for a winner in Midwest swing states - WSJ
• "Florida Republicans want the GOP presidential field to tread lightly on the subjects of Social Security and Medicare. Very, very lightly." - Politico

After no spending progress over the weekend, government shutdown looms

"Despite promises to work together following a public backlash against the bickering that consumed much of the summer, Republicans and Democrats face the reality that disaster aid could run out Tuesday and the government could partially shut down beginning this weekend unless they strike a deal quickly." - WSJ

"The Democratic-led Senate, which on Friday blocked a GOP House measure to fund the government through Nov. 18, will vote late Monday on its own version of the bill. The Senate bill includes dollars for disaster relief without an offsetting spending cut elsewhere that the House GOP demands." - Washington Post

• Political brinkmanship becomes the new normal for Boehner - Roll Call
• "Democrats and Republicans continue feuding over the same issues -- taxes and entitlement programs -- that have dominated the deficit discussion for more than a year." - CNN
• The New York Times Caucus blog profiles Sen. Lamar Alexander, who is taking "a stand for compromise"

GOP's "Young Guns" head to Facebook

"Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg is holding an online “Facebook Live” conversation with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). On Monday, the three leaders will be at Facebook headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif., where they’ll take questions in front of an audience of about 100 Facebook employees and guests" - Politico

As the deficit reduction supercommittee "digs in", expectations for spending cuts get even lower

"Few in Washington see a politically realistic way for the 12 members of the joint House-Senate deficit committee, six from each party, to meet their mandate to identify at least $1.2 trillion in deficit reductions over 10 years. People in both parties worry that the panel, which plans to meet privately this week, could fall far short of that goal or deadlock altogether, with potentially damaging economic consequences." - New York Times

• "Tea party leaders can be found this fall hawking a Constitution-themed coloring book, riding a tour bus across the country and endorsing 2012 candidates — but not issuing policy proposals for cutting the deficit." - Roll Call
• "It's a move that's been dismissed as a budget gimmick, but it's also one that could make the supercommittee's job a whole lot easier: counting the savings of withdrawing troops from Iraq and Afghanistan." - The Hill

GOP to sink its teeth deeper into Solyndra and White House

"Unlike other GOP-led probes of the White House that quickly faded away, Republicans are vowing to intensify their investigation into the California-based Solyndra. Republicans have seized the moment, launching investigations, leaking damaging emails from the White House and blasting the administration on television and the radio. And it’s not over yet. Not even close." - The Hill 

Sen. Susan Collins: The economy needs a regulation time-out

"American businesses need pro-growth economic policies that will end the uncertainty and kick-start hiring and investment. American workers need policies that will get them off the sidelines and back on the job. In sports, time-outs are called to give athletes a chance to catch their breaths and make better decisions about the next play. American workers and businesses are the athletes in a global competition that we must win. They need a time-out from excessive regulation so that America can get back to work." - Sen. Susan Collins in the WSJ

Sen. Lindsey Graham doesn't rule out military action against Pakistan

"Arguing that Pakistan has made a 'tremendous miscalculation' in allowing the Haqqanis to operate without consequence, Graham said the U.S. won't make the same mistake with Pakistan. 'The sovereign nation of Pakistan is engaging in hostile acts against the United States and our ally Afghanistan that must cease. I will leave it up to the experts, but if the experts believe that we need to elevate our response, they will have a lot of bipartisan support on Capitol Hill,' the South Carolina senator told 'Fox News Sunday.'" - Fox

Obama is away in California, fundraising

"President Barack Obama will spend part of Monday hobnobbing with celebrities and other power-brokers in Los Angeles ... Then, Obama will head to the Fig and Olive, a restaurant on Los Angeles' trendy Melrose Place, for a private fundraiser co-hosted by investment manager John Emerson, consultant Andy Spahn, Hollywood producer Jeffrey Katzenberg and Tennis Channel CEO Ken Solomon, a Democrat with knowledge of the event told CNN. The campaign official said the cost to attend is $17,900 per person." - CNN

Other Obama 2012 news:

• Obama gaffe: President says billionaires should pay ‘Jew’ tax rate - Daily Caller
• Pelosi and Reid at odds with Obama over trade - The Hill
• Some on the left say the Obama administration’s communication strategy often cuts them out - Roll Call
• A campaign finance ruling turned to labor’s advantage - New York Times

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