Political uncertainty abounds as ruling looms

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney campaigns at Electronic Instrumentation and Technology in Sterling, Va., Wednesday, June 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney campaigns at Electronic Instrumentation and Technology in Sterling, Va., Wednesday, June 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama waves as he arrives to speak at a Congressional picnic on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, June 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Supreme Court ruling on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, now just hours away, marks a key pivot point in the presidential race. But neither side knows which direction the high court's decision will turn the contest.

"My guess is they're not sleeping real well at the White House tonight," presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney told supporters Wednesday in northern Virginia.

Anticipation of Thursday's decision could be equally unnerving for Romney, whose opposition to the law has become a central pillar of his campaign.

Neither candidate has any direct influence over the ruling. The court could uphold the health care law, strike it down or deem the requirement that most Americans carry health insurance unconstitutional while retaining other aspects of the law.

The announcement is expected to be followed almost immediately by a barrage of advertisements and fundraising appeals from Democrats and Republicans, all trying to cast the decision in the most advantageous light for their candidates.

Secrecy has marked each campaign's planning for the critical moment.

Obama will be in Washington and is expected to respond, but his specific plans to do so were unclear. Romney's campaign has refused to disclose the location of a Capitol Hill venue where he will face reporters shortly after the announcement.

It is clear, however, that the Supreme Court's ruling on Obama's sweeping federal health care law will shape the contours of the presidential campaign through the summer and fall. Both Obama and his Republican rival are primed to use the outcome ? whatever it is ? for political gain.

Obama has expressed confidence the court will uphold his signature legislative initiative. But he won't be shocked if a conservative majority overturns the most controversial provision, those familiar with his thinking say. Romney aides say the Republican candidate will get a political boost if the court strikes down the measure. But they don't want celebrations that could alienate voters who could lose health care benefits through the decision.

The court's ruling could have a far-reaching impact on the nation's health care system. If the law is upheld, about 30 million of the 50 million uninsured Americans would get coverage in 2014 when a big expansion begins.

Overturning all or part of the law could leave as uninsured the more than 3 million young adults who gained coverage through a provision allowing them to stay on their parents' insurance up to age 26, according to the Health and Human Services Department. Another 60,000 people who gained coverage through a plan for those with pre-existing conditions may not be able to get coverage elsewhere if the entire law is struck down.

Obama recently has avoided mentioning the impending court ruling directly, but he has vigorously defended the health care overhaul as critical to the public's health and well-being in campaign events this week.

"I think it was the right thing to do. I know it was the right thing to do," he told supporters in Boston.

Romney, who as Massachusetts governor signed a health care law on which the Obama's federal law was modeled, has focused more than usual on the Supreme Court ruling this week. In campaign appearances in Virginia, New Jersey and New York, he offered supporters and donors a preview of his likely response to the decision and said Obama's first term would be essentially wasted if the law is overturned.

If the court upholds the law, Romney told supporters at a northern Virginia electronics manufacturer Wednesday, it's still bad policy. "And that'll mean if I'm elected president we're going to repeal it and replace it," he said.

And if the court strikes down the law, Romney said, "They're going to be doing some of my work for me. "

Obama advisers say the Supreme Court showed reasonableness earlier this week in a ruling on an Arizona immigration case, and they see it as a hopeful sign for how the court might rule on health care.

If the court upholds the law, Obama could get an election-year gust of wind at his back, with his vision and leadership validated. If the court strikes down the overhaul, the White House would seek to cast the decision as detrimental to millions of Americans by highlighting popular elements of the law that would disappear, such as preventive care and coverage for young adults on parents' plans.

The Romney campaign has coordinated its response directly with the Republican National Committee and House Republicans, who have agreed not to "spike the ball" ? as one Republican put it ? should the law be struck down. His campaign worries that an over-celebratory tone may turn off voters affected by the decision.

Indeed, the stakes are high for both candidates. Polling suggests that most Americans oppose the law, but an overwhelming majority want Congress and the president to find a new remedy if it's struck down.

Romney so far has spent little time crafting a comprehensive plan to replace the overhaul. And the Obama campaign already has seized on Romney's opposition to the most popular provisions in the law. For example, Romney would not prevent health care companies from denying coverage to new customers with medical conditions. Nor would he force them to cover young adults on their parents' plans through age 26.

Still, both sides will use it to raise money and motivate supporters. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee issued a fundraising appeal for a "health care rapid response fund," telling supporters in an email Wednesday that however the court rules, "Democrats are in for a tough fight."

___

AP White House Correspondent Ben Feller contributed to this report.

___

Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC and Steve Peoples at http://twitter.com/sppeoples

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-06-28-Presidential%20Campaign/id-16a3c1314ddf4b7e99dd2526dfb06957

gary carter dies oolong tea survivor one world lil kim progeria what will my baby look like gary carter died

Unlimited Abundance Review ? free online energy clearing session ...

Will Unlimited Abundance really make a difference in your life and help you gain more self confidence?
==> Click here to find the Truth! <==

Unlimited Abundance Overview:

Unlimited Abundance Can you suddenly start being reliant on yourself?

If you compare the Unlimited Abundance to other products you will learn which one is better rather quick. In order to use this product you will need to find a quiet place to relax. Self-help is necessary to become a leader and gain confidence in oneself and change your attitude and how other people feel about you.
No one is perfect so everyone can utilize the Unlimited Abundance to gain confidence. Self-improvement originates with self-help and self understanding and this product can assist you in changing your lifestlye and improving your life. We have already explored and compared Unlimited Abundance to other corresponding products and found out that the Unlimited Abundance rates very well.
The Unlimited Abundance has inspired numerous people from around the globe to improve their lives. Within two weeks you?ll be able to observe that this product really worked and you?ll see a noticeable difference in the way you think.
Self-reliance is important and this product promises that it will help you gaining confidence and improving your mindset for the better. One of the great parts about this product is that it is affordable, it is also highly recommended by consultants.

Why Should You Buy Unlimited Abundance:

Get out of that funk
Pretty much every individual has gone through periods when they had low self-esteem. The low self-esteem problem is more serious than people realize, it can mess up your judgment, affect your decision-making, and even cause you to hate yourself, fortuitously there? s a product out there which can help you in regaining your confidence. We can assurely say that this product really works and you should try it out for yourself and reap its benefits.
It Will Assist You Change Your Mindset
The most poised people in the world all of something in common, they are mentally tough and believe in themselves. If you want people to take advantage of you and respect you, you?ll have to change your mindset and the best way to that is with Unlimited Abundance.
So Much to Gain and Nothing to Lose
The creators of the Unlimited Abundance are so sure that their product works that they will give a 60 day money back guarantee to anyone who isn?t fully satisfied and hasn?t received results.

Now what?

What are you waiting for? Still want to feel sorry for yourself and allow people walk all over you? Turn your life around, stop killing time and start improving your life today, purchase your copy right away.
Try out Unlimited Abundance ? it?s completely RISK-FREE when you follow this LINK!

Christie Marie Sheldon, Unlimited Abundance, Unlimited Abundance Review, Unlimited Abundance Reviews, Unlimited Abundance scam

Source: http://internetmarketingleprechaun.com/unlimited-abundance-review-free-online-energy-clearing-session-with-christie-marie-sheldon?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=unlimited-abundance-review-free-online-energy-clearing-session-with-christie-marie-sheldon

new black panther party lost in space elizabeth banks battle royale key largo arnold palmer invitational ryan madson

Excellent Advice For Fixing Your individual Personal Finance.

Finances can certainly receive really messed up in case they are really not correctly maintained. In the event that you get a hold of yourself inside this particular situation, it is very time in order to get the entire knowledge about loan you ought to untangle the entire mess. This particular article contains regulations for taking back control of the financial situation and also staying more organized.
?
Once you come with a strong thirty days which at long last puts you ahead on your finances, buyers should not spend this particular additional cash. Instead, you need to save it. Establish a stern budget you can easily follow as well as maintain understanding regarding cash advances finances.
?
Stop charging a credit card that you really have issues paying off. Cut the extras spending off, not to mention see in case indeed there is actually some other option to create payments on the card to ensure that it does not get maxed out. The actual best thing to be able to do is to pay off a card before you employ it once again.
?
Certain debt pay day loans typically is actually suitable for your credit score. Debts which can work inside your prefer usually are items like actual estate. Nearly all of the time, residential and additionally commercial home will certainly go up within exactly how a great deal it?s value and also the interest from that loan typically is deductible from your own taxes. If perhaps you have university loans, it is actually wise debt. Educational loans are low interest, and also payments is deferred until eventually soon after graduation.
?
Reflect upon financial mistakes us have created within the previous, as well as learn from them. Spending many years recovering from credit card debt is a learning experience to be able to discourage further credit card incorporate. In the event that your own salary was crappy as a person did not negotiate enough, then negotiate like a pit bull next time your needs attain a raw job. When chatting regarding a own finances, it?s very best that would treat each lesson as a valuable you. Grasp that precisely what your needs grasp currently is much more consequently us knew yesterday, as well as every bit of knowledge puts your needs within a better financial situation inside the future.
?
Younger individuals seeking to remain out inside front of their finances would certainly do perfectly that would discover the particular wonders of compounding interest. Save the income inside a account where you can create money off associated with the interest that a person earn and also your individual initial investment.
?
By purchasing healthy protein within increased quantities, buyers can conserve money plus time. With regard to most cases, buying products within bulk is among the most budget-friendly choice. Conserve time by cooking meals within a single week utilizing this particular meat that last a week.
?
A emergency savings will need to contain 3 months value of money. Think about putting 10 per cent of your pay into a savings account that may offer significant interest.
?
Avoiding debt is a terrific option to be financially stable. A A home loan or alternatively automobile typically is fine because those happen to be important elements a person need. Regarding the actual smaller, everyday expenditures, though, credit typically is a bad option to meet your necessities.
?
Try to be able to negotiate a bit of options whenever a debt collector contacts you for a payment. Debt collection agencies buy the debt for a small fraction of just what was actually primarily owed. The two can make a profit actually if buyers do not pay an especially large amount. Making a reduced payoff typically is a good option to place older debts to rest.
?
Currently have your credit cards paid directly by a checking account monthly. This might be a marvelous option to make sure that anyone never forget in order to pay a bill.
?
Do a person employ air travel a great deal? If perhaps thus, it could very well pay to sign upwards alongside a particular airline?s frequent flier system. Frequent flier kilometers are a favored shape of specificamong the lots of rewards that credit card firms supply. Miles may add up rapidly and also then be redeemed at hotels for discounted rates, or simply additionally free areas.
?
It?s usual for people that would create errors, as well as it happens to be able to all the people, particularly with regards to finances. In the event you normally do well alongside the checking account and in addition come with a single overdraft due to be able to several mistake and / or condition, you are able to more than likely receive your bank in order to waive the particular fee. This particular trick is actually usually only for somebody whom has a consistent record of keeping balances and also avoiding overdrafts, plus is actually probably in order to be efficient only once.
?
Because far because placing a finances with regard to order typically is worried, generally there is not any these thing because beginning too late. By carrying this out, you can be a great deal more equipped at 60 than when you did not begin at just about all. It?s usually a superior time to be able to commence performing toward greater finances.
?
In the event you are utilized in order to spending a great deal of income on Christmas presents, make your own presents instead. You can conserve hundreds of dollars about the actual holidays by reducing spending at department stores. Imagine of creative techniques to cut bills, plus demonstrate your own pals and family your creative side.
?
It may be probable which your credit score is going to go down while you may be striving to repair a credit. Which doesn?t signify you have screwed upwards somewhere. Because we continue adding positive products in order to your individual credit history, your individual score might heighten.

cash loans

Source: http://headfuel.com/2012/06/excellent-advice-for-fixing-your-individual-personal-finance/

nitrous oxide rihanna thug life tattoo chuck pagano arizona governor seal team 6 patrick witt leprosy

Ultrabook sales up in first half of 2012, Windows 8 waits patiently

We've seen so much Ultrabook news recently we're beginning to think they're catching on. Market research firm the NPD Group has stepped in to confirm our suspicions, reporting a 39 percent jump in sales of premium Windows laptops (900 bucks and up) during the first five months of this year, compared with the same period in 2011. Despite a three percent drop in sales of $700-plus Windows notebooks, the Ultrabook share of this bracket increased steadily to nearly 11 percent. The analysts predict sales of these lower-end models will pick up as back-to-school purchases sooth the post-summer blues, with a general boost to the whole Ultrabook market expected when Windows 8 arrives. One thing the figures don't tell us is what impact these sales are having on the revenue of Apple's skinny flagship, but we'd sure like to know. If numbers are your thing, the PR is past the break.

Continue reading Ultrabook sales up in first half of 2012, Windows 8 waits patiently

Ultrabook sales up in first half of 2012, Windows 8 waits patiently originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 07:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink CNET  |  NPD Group  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/xk2V79fIAH0/

kareem abdul jabbar karl rove miramonte elementary school mark jenkins super bowl commercials 2012 mia amar e stoudemire

Greensboro Grasshoppers Baseball Game

Please complete the following information. Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).

Are you a registered user?

If you are a registered user, click the I'm Registered! button.??Your personal information and address will then be pulled from your profile and entered in the form below.

Event Details
Event title: ??Greensboro?Grasshoppers?Baseball?Game
Event date: ??July 12, 2012 7:00 PM
Event end date: ??July 12, 2012 10:00 PM
Location: ??NewBridge?Bank?Park 408?Bellemeade?Street? Greensboro,?NC?27401 (336)?268-2255
Add this event to my calendar.
Description:
Join Emory alumni from Greensboro and Winston-Salem for an evening at the ballpark! Cheer on the Greensboro Grasshoppers as they take on the?Hagerstown Suns. As a special promotion, July 12 is Thirsty Thursday at NewBridge Bank Park, and soft drinks and beer are only $1.? Our seats are in section 102, rows A and B. Tickets for Emory alumni and friends are only $5 - $3 off the regular admission price!? Register below and we'll save you a seat! Alumnus event coordinator: Raffi Simel 10C Photographic images from this event may be used in Emory marketing materials.
Please?enter?number?of?attendees:	?@??$5.00
Attendees?already?holding?a?ticket:	?($0 No ticket needed)
Total:$
How did you hear about the event? (check all that apply)
If?you?selected?Emory?staff?member?or?other,?please?indicate?here:

View?Attendance?List

Display my name in the attendance list for this event.

Personal Information
Title:?(Mr.,?Ms.,?etc.)?*
First?Name:?*
Middle?Name:
Maiden?Name:
Last?Name:?*
Email?Address?*
Class?Year/School:?*

Guests

Add?another?guest

Billing Address
Street?Address1:?*
Street?Address2:
Street?Address3:
City:?*
State:?*
Postal?Code:?*
Country:?*
Home or Business??*
Please enter your phone number in the following format: xxx-xxx-xxxx.
Daytime?Phone?Number:
Evening?Phone?Number:

Update my profile

Update my profile with changes I've made on this form.

Payment Information
Name?as?it?appears?on?credit?card:
Credit Card Type:
Credit?Card?Number:
Expiration Month:
Expiration Year:
CVN?Number:

Confirmation

Please check your information carefully for accuracy, and then click "Submit."

???

jay z patsy cline pierre thomas beyonce gives birth portlandia kelly clarkson playoffs

Hi Fives! Real Estate Investing Education Hits Milestone ? Investing ...

Hi Fives! Real Estate Investing Education Hits Milestone
Happy Birthday to the Foreclosure.com Education Department, which celebrates its five-year anniversary this month (June 2012). What started as an ambitious idea, considering the nationwide housing market was showing major signs of fracture back in 2007, has evolved into a tremendous resource that helps people learn to make serious cash investing in distressed real estate? [Continue Reading]

Happy Birthday to the Foreclosure.com Education Department, which celebrates its five-year anniversary this month (June 2012).

What started as an ambitious idea, considering the nationwide housing market was showing major signs of fracture back in 2007, has evolved into a tremendous resource that helps people learn to make serious cash investing in distressed real estate throughout the United States.

Whether it?s informational articles, online webinars, comprehensive training courses and even one-on-one mentoring, the Foreclosure.com education department has something for everyone.

Even if you?re just looking to land a great real estate deal, we tell you all about how to go about doing that on the cheap, too.

The June 2012 edition of Foreclosure.com?s free educational newsletter, ?Investment Exchange,? is now available, which honors the education department?s five-year anniversary. In that spirit, we?re going to talk in ?fives? this month.

Articles include:

You?re just steps away from becoming a smashing real estate success ? and we?re showing you how right here, right now.

Let?s get cracking!

To read this month?s free educational newsletter from Foreclosure.com CLICK HERE.

beverly hills hotel whitney houston national anthem dolly parton i will always love you beverly hilton hotel whitney houston found dead i will always love you whitney houston 2012 grammy awards

Vizio's Google TV box emerges as the Co-Star Stream Player, goes up for pre-order in July with OnLive gaming

Remember the Vizio VAP430 Stream Player that we tried during CES? Half a year later, the Google TV hub is getting full launch details, just in time for Google I/O. Along with receiving the much more elegant title of Co-Star Stream Player, the set-top box now bakes in OnLive streaming game support -- the Co-Star could, in theory, replace a game console for any American with a good broadband connection. Whether or not playing Just Cause 2 on a TV is in the cards, the hub ticks all the 2012 Google TV checkboxes, including a hybrid keyboard and remote, 3D-capable 1080p video and DLNA media sharing. Before you rush to the local big-box store to pick one up, be warned that pre-orders don't start until July, and then only on Vizio's website. The $100 price, however, will make it considerably easier to wait.

Continue reading Vizio's Google TV box emerges as the Co-Star Stream Player, goes up for pre-order in July with OnLive gaming

Vizio's Google TV box emerges as the Co-Star Stream Player, goes up for pre-order in July with OnLive gaming originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 09:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Vizio Blog  | Email this | Comments

sinead oconnor braylon edwards jimmer fredette mall of america mennonite smokey robinson smokey robinson

HBT: Rollins has been on fire for past month

Philadelphia?s decision to re-sign Jimmy Rollins looked like a mess two months into his three-year, $33 million contract, as the former MVP hit just .224 with one homer and a .558 OPS through 47 games.

At age 33 and coming off back-to-back sub-.400 slugging percentage seasons it was starting to look like Rollins? power was gone, but instead he?s been an extra-base hit machine since then.

Rollins went 2-for-5 with a homer and a double last night and is now 38-for-110 (.345) with seven homers, 10 doubles, and two triples in his last 25 games. During that time he raised his batting average from .224 to .268 and his OPS from .558 to .734, both of which are right around his career marks of .272 and .760.

Whether or not that means the Phillies will eventually regret giving Rollins a three-year commitment remains to be seen, but as they try to claw their way back into the playoff picture his re-emergence along with Chase Utley?s impending return has to have fans feeling at least a little bit optimistic.

cbi the shins atomic clock daylight savings time john mccain game changer selection sunday

Romney says U.S. can "learn a lot" from Wisconsin governor (reuters)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

316 william daley truffles truffles alabama vs lsu alabama vs lsu bcs championship game

Face.com deal takes Facebook centre stage in smartphone photography craze

Face.com?s smartphone app lets the user take a photo and improve it with filters

Facebook's acquisition of Israeli facial recognition firm Face.com, which follows its swoop on photo-sharing service Instagram, suggests the world's largest social network is collecting the tools to control our personal photo archives.

With smartphones doubling as high quality digital cameras, taking pictures and sharing them has become a daily event, leading celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz to describe her iPhone as the "snapshot camera of today".

Technology which makes it easier to caption, share and organise our ballooning digital photo albums will play an increasingly central role in social and family life, and Facebook is positioning itself to take advantage of these trends.

The Face.com cash and shares deal was reported to be worth up to $100m ? although the sum could be lower now due to Facebook's share price drop.

Announcing the deal on his blog, Face.com founder Gil Hirsh said his team used Facebook every day. "We keep up with our friends and family, share interesting (or mundane) experiences from our daily lives, and perhaps most importantly for us, we share a LOT of photos."

Hirsh's technology is already integrated on the Facebook site. It is used to auto-tag friends in photos uploaded by users, and can guess the subject's age, gender and even mood. Not surprisingly, such advanced information sharing has already privacy concerns. But Face.com will now give its new owner the ability to offer these services not just on the website but direct from the mobile phone.

Face.com's smartphone app lets the user take a photo and improve it with filters. It then scans photo archives to suggest the name of the subject, and uses geo-positioning to suggest the location. Labelling happens at the touch of a few buttons, rather than by laboriously typing on a touchscreen keyboard. It then uploads the tagged snaps to a Facebook page.

Tagging is important to Facebook because it triggers notifications to those featured in the snapshots. Most people's response to these messages is to immediately visit Facebook and check whether the camera has been kind.

Facebook is now centre stage in the smartphone photography craze. Instagram's user base had rocketed to 30 million users in 18 months thanks to the ability of its filters to lend a professional appearance to the most amateur snapshots and then share them with like-minded users.

Zuckerberg's ability to integrate acquisitions by retaining talent and expanding rather than suffocating the fledgling businesses he takes possession of is largely untried. His success will determine whether Instagram and Face.com retain their gloss.

kennedy assassination kennedy assassination jfk assassination pie crust recipe heritage foundation dancing with the stars results 2011 ali fedotowsky

Analysis: ANZ's Asia gamble; time to splash the cash?

SYDNEY (Reuters) - HSBC banker Michael Smith's 2007 presentation on how he would grow ANZ , Australia's No.4 lender, across Asia to rival his own bank and Standard Chartered so impressed ANZ's board they appointed him CEO.

Five years on, Smith looks set to miss his initial target - to more than double Asia Pacific's share of ANZ's profits to 20 percent by this year - and will need stellar 25 percent profit growth over the next five years to hit updated goals.

The new target has been widened and lengthened - to double the profit contribution from Asia Pacific, Europe and America (APEA) to 30 percent by 2017. APEA currently brings in 15-16 percent of overall profit.

Missing those targets five years down the line would risk relegating ANZ to an also-ran in Asia, where Standard Chartered gets four-fifths of its income and more banks are looking to build a regional profile.

Analysts say ANZ needs to throw its customary caution to the wind and make some acquisitions. Its "super regional strategy" aims to capture booming Asian growth, trade, investment flows and cash deposits as Western lenders pull out and a highly concentrated Australian banking market slows.

Smith arrived at ANZ with more than a decade of Asian banking know-how and a reputation for deal-making, including HSBC's 19 percent stake in Bank of Communications and Hang Seng Bank's stake in Industrial Bank , both in China in 2004. At ANZ, he's made just one Asian acquisition, but has overseen capital invested in APEA markets rise to $9 billion, or a fifth of group capital.

"Our view is that the 2017 target is not achievable at the current run rate. ANZ will need to make some bolt-on acquisitions," said Paul Dowling, principal analyst at banking analytics firm East and Partners, adding that his analysis shows APEA will account for below 25 percent of ANZ profits by 2017.

MISSED OUT

After its most visible move into Asia, paying $550 million for Royal Bank of Scotland assets in six countries in 2009, ANZ has missed out on other buys, such as a $4 billion auction for Korea Exchange Bank in late 2010.

The current global economic turmoil should put more assets on the block in Asia as banks move to free up capital, and advisers who have worked with ANZ say it should target mid-sized, family-owned Hong Kong banks where valuations have slipped. It should also look at breaking into markets such as Thailand and Myanmar, they said.

In Thailand, ING is selling its stake in TMB , the country's seventh-largest lender, while General Electric is likely to sell its one-third stake in Bank of Ayudhya .

"ANZ has been quite cautious so far. Sometimes one needs to loosen the purse strings. ANZ can't keep waiting," said one source who has worked with ANZ, noting the bank is the best capitalized among its local rivals and can easily raise the funding for acquisitions.

ANZ has an experienced M&A team and has taken a look at a number of assets, but prides itself on its cost discipline, though Smith, who owns a collection of Jaguar and Aston Martin cars, admits his M&A team can't "twiddle their thumbs" for long.

Large shareholders, who have been burnt in the past when Australian banks forayed overseas and had to take big writedowns, are content with domestic profits and so aren't pushing Smith to chase acquisitions. Despite the hype over Asia's growth prospects, clients still hold ANZ as a domestic play rather than in their regional portfolios.

"To me, they're still an Australian bank with an Asia focus," said Simon Burge, chief investment officer at ATI Investments, which owns ANZ shares.

M&A DISCIPLINE

Smith, 55, may have to move swiftly.

Brian Hartzer, one of the ANZ insiders Smith pipped to the CEO post five years ago, is now at rival Westpac Banking Corp and is seen there as CEO-in-waiting. Smith's other rival then, Graham Hodges, is ANZ's deputy CEO. Also, other Asian banks have renewed regional aspirations, such as Singapore's DBS and Malaysia's CIMB .

"Mike Smith has been among the most accurate callers of global economic conditions in the banking industry in the past few years," said Chris Hall, senior investment officer at Argo Investments, which owns ANZ stock.

"He's been astute and cautious even when things looked to be picking up a couple of years ago. He knows assets and business lines will come up for sale from the national banks soon and he's in a good position to cherry pick," he said.

A spokesman for ANZ notes that the bank's Asia earnings are in US dollars and so have faced forex headwinds as the currency has run up nearly a quarter between 2008 and now, as well as the impact of the global financial crisis.

"We've moved from being a bank with a presence in Asia to an integrated and growing, regionally focused international bank," he said, adding ANZ would look at acquisition opportunities, though these will have to pass "consistent and disciplined M&A criteria" such as price and strategy fit.

"The main focus of our strategy is organic growth, but as some European banks retreat to their home markets, we expect there may be opportunities. However, that's not our main focus.

ANZ shares have lost a quarter of their value since Smith took over in October 2007, in line with most local rivals, but have outperformed the benchmark index <.axjo>, Standard Chartered and HSBC.

HIGH COSTS HAMPERING GROWTH

The Asia growth strategy has come at the expense of ANZ's wealth management arm. The bank's share of Australia's $1.4 trillion wealth market, at under 10 percent, is little more than half that of its peers.

But, at around 1.5 times book value and with a 12-month median price target of A$24 a share, ANZ trades in line with local peers National Australia Bank , Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Westpac, and carries almost the same upside.

In a recent presentation, ANZ said it was keen to get into Thailand and Myanmar and expand in China, Indonesia and India. Last month it invested A$300 million in its Chinese operations, taking its spending there to A$700 million.

ANZ's APEA net profit has seen compound annual growth of 31 percent since 2007, on 38 percent revenue growth, but most of that came in the first three years. Growth has slowed to around 20 percent and will slow further as the base gets bigger and competition increases, analysts said.

The bank has acquired over 1,300 Asian customers, including 250 global corporates in Asia Since 2009, and seen its trade finance and cash management businesses grow by more than 40 percent in June-December last year. Its global markets business revenue last year was $1.7 billion, well below HSBC's $11.6 billion and $4.6 billion at Standard Chartered.

And costs are a persistent nag.

Analysts estimate ANZ's APEA business return on equity (RoE) at 13 percent - versus the overall group's 19 percent. This is largely due to its Asia cost-to-income ratio of 56 percent, 11 percentage points higher than the group level and higher than the 52 percent for Asia at HSBC and Standard Chartered.

ANZ blames those high costs on its investments, and has re-focused on cost controls by using cheaper locations, improving processes and reducing a focus on costly retail banking. Getting all its systems to comply with local regulations in different countries is likely to keep the pressure on costs.

"It'd be great if ANZ says Asia technology and structure will take precedence. Tech investment is woefully slow and there are just too many role duplications," said a current ANZ staffer in Asia, who did not want to be identified.

ANZ counters that it has made "significant progress" in building the technology and risk systems that underpin its super regional strategy. "These are not things you can build overnight, and given the capacity we've created over the past four and a half years we're now in a position to further accelerate execution of our strategy," the spokesman said.

(Reporting by Narayanan Somasundaram; Editing by Ian Geoghegan)

mass effect 3 launch trailer yelp huntsville al channel 2 news adrienne bailon yelp stock honda classic

Trail Of Fears: Angst About Obama Overheard Along Romney's Route

By MICHAEL FALCONE ( @michaelpfalcone ) and AMY WALTER ( @amyewalter )

NOTABLES:

EXCLUSIVE: MARCO RUBIO SPEAKS OUT ON NEW IMMIGRATION POLICY. ABC "World News" weekend anchor David Muir was with Senator Marco Rubio and his wife Jeanette at their Miami home on Friday when Rubio learned of the Obama Administration's immigration policy change. Rubio told Muir: "The White House never called us about this no one reached out to us and told us this was on its way. And, I mean, if they were serious about a real solution to this problem and not politicizing it then why don't you reach out to people?We're trying to work out a real solution." Muir's interview with Sen. Rubio airs tonight on "World News with Diane Sawyer" and "Nightline."

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Interviews with swing-state voters on the opening days of Romney's five-day, six-state bus tour turned up a remarkably consistent airing of concerns about President Obama ("He just kind of scares me - he really does," said one New Hampshire voter) but the conversations also revealed a Republican electorate still warming up to their nominee ("It's not so much what I like about him, it's what I dislike about Obama," a Pennsylvania Republican told ABC News).

MAPPING MITT'S ROUTE: We've created a Google map to help you track Romney's path. It includes today's stops in Janesville, Wisc. and Dubuque and Davenport, Iowa as well as all of Romney's previous stops in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire with links to ABC News' coverage. We'll continue updating the map on the final two days of the tour. It's just like being along for the ride : http://goo.gl/maps/AhUK

THE NOTE:

As Mitt Romney's "Every Town Counts" bus wound its way through New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Ohio over the last three days, one overarching sentiment came through loud and clear.

"I think people are here more because they are against Obama than for Romney," Don Ross from Englewood, Ohio said in an interview with ABC News at Romney's rally outside a Troy Ohio burger joint on Sunday evening.

"I'll be honest," said Mike Hain, a supervisor at a cereal company in Pennsylvania who turned out to see Romney at a rally in Cornwall, Pa. on Saturday, "it's not so much what I like about him, it's why I dislike about Obama."

And at a New Hampshire farmhouse where Romney kicked off his tour on Friday, GOP voter Pee Ide said of President Obama, "He just kind of scares me - he really does."

Interviews with swing-state voters on the opening days of Romney's five-day, six-state bus tour turned up a remarkably consistent airing of concerns about President Obama, but the conversations also revealed a Republican electorate still warming up to their nominee. They want to see Romney get fired up.

"I think he's so methodical," Ide, a Mirror Lake, N.H. resident, said of Romney, but added a word of advice when it comes to how the Republican candidate deals with Obama: "Sometimes I wish he would give him a little bit more hell."

Passion or not - a vote is a vote, and most of the Republicans ABC News spoke to along Romney's route said they planned to cast a ballot for the former Massachusetts governor in November. That was the case with Pennsylvania Republicans Marty and Ciri Daigle, for whom Romney was not their first choice. "I was a Newt fan," Marty said. "And I was a Santorum fan," his wife, Ciri, chimed in.

Nevertheless, Marty, a lumber company sales manager, and Ciri, who works at a Cornwall, Pa. nursing home, told ABC News they would ultimately vote for Romney in November.

Marty said the reason was simple: "He's not Obama."

TRAVELS WITH MITT: Romney's bus tour takes him to two more states that Barack Obama won in 2008, but that the presumptive GOP nominee hopes to put in the Republican "win" column come November:

-WISCONSIN has enjoyed a spot at the center of the political universe in recent weeks, and Gov. Scott Walker's success in battling back a hard-fought recall challenge from Democrats was viewed as a win for Republicans nationally. And while the GOP says its efforts on behalf of Walker have not only given the party a psychological boost but also a grassroots organizing advantage, President Obama remains on top of Romney in recent public opinion polls. A St. Norbert College-Wisconsin Public Radio poll taken in mid-May gave Obama a 49 percent to 43 percent lead over Romney. Romney will be joined at his morning stop at Monterey Mills in Janesville, Wisc. by Gov. Walker and Rep. Paul Ryan, architect of the GOP budget proposal.

-IOWA provided President Obama with a key win in his quest to become the Democratic presidential nominee four years ago, and he went on to win the state by a comfortable margin in the general election. But times have changed. According to a late May NBC News-Marist University poll, Obama and Romney are all tied up at 44 percent a piece. Both campaigns have boasted about their ground game in the Hawkeye State. Today Romney hops on the "Spirit of Dubuque," a Mississippi river boat in Dubuque and later holds a rally at Le Claire Park in Davenport, Iowa.

COUNTER-PROGRAMMING:

-OBAMA CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCES KEY HISPANIC ENDORSEMENT. On the heels of President Obama's executive order on immigration policy last week, the Obama campaign announced on Monday morning the endorsement of Emmy award-winning talk show host and community leader Cristina Saralegui. From the campaign: "This is the first time that Saralegui has endorsed a president or actively participated in a presidential campaign. For 21 years, Cristina and 'The Cristina Show' entertained, uplifted, and educated the Hispanic community in the U.S. and throughout the world." WATCH Saralegui's endorsement: http://bit.ly/Kf3e8v

-DEMOCRATS SEND ROMNEY POSTCARDS FROM THE MIDDLE CLASS. A Democratic National Committee official e-mails The Note: "Mitt Romney is going to WI and IA tomorrow - but he needn't stop to pick up postcards to make the occasion - we have them all picked out. I mean - if you're going to throw the middle class under the bus - the least you can do is send a post card." The DNC's postcards from Wisconsin http://bit.ly/NECdSVand Iowa http://bit.ly/MAwESd

NOTE IT!

Our virtual political roundtable:

ABC's AMY WALTER: Among Washington, D.C., political insiders, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman is considered one of the most likely to be picked as Mitt Romney's running mate. But, in northeastern and central Ohio, even among the GOP faithful, his name draws more question marks than exclamation points. Theresa, Tami and Tim Clark, siblings from Lancaster Ohio, stood in a sunny town square in Newark waiting for Romney to arrive and address the assembled crowd. All three were supportive of Romney, though Tim said he drove the 26 miles to see what Romney has to say "straight on" instead of relying on what he gets from TV ads and news reports. When asked what they thought about Portman as a potential VP pick, Theresa admitted she didn't know much about him. "What state is he from?" she asked. Her brother Tim, replied that "he's a senator or a representative" from Ohio. http://abcn.ws/N9aB5U

AMY NOTES: My experience wasn't a scientific sample of all Ohio voters, though I heard the same sentiment about him at every one of the three stops we made on Romney's bus tour on Sunday. Many of the voters who turned out to see Romney are fierce partisans who are looking for a rock-em-sock-em guy running mate - they even want Mitt to get more aggressive.

ABC's RICK KLEIN: President Obama's Friday surprise, enacting a mini-DREAM Act on his own, had the simultaneous result of changing the discussion and leaving his opponents without much to say. Without this announcement, Sen. Marco Rubio's own plans to help children of illegal immigrants stay and achieve in the United States might have stolen the issue from Democrats. With it, Rubio and Mitt Romney are left simultaneously describing the move as welcome to the young men and women impacted, but as illegal and somehow counterproductive in the long view. Romney was asked repeatedly on "Face the Nation" whether he would undo the executive actions that are making the policy shift possible. He wouldn't answer, beyond saying he would "look at that setting as we reach it."

MARCO RUBIO SITS DOWN WITH ABC NEWS' DAVID MUIR: Exclusive excerpts from ABC "World News" weekend anchor David Muir's interview with Sen. Marco Rubio.

RUBIO'S REACTION TO PRESIDENT OBAMA'S POLICY CHANGE:

RUBIO: I know that a lot of these kids will take this as good news because they are desperate for some form of resolution. This is a short-term solution. This is a short-term solution to something that requires a long-term answer. And my bigger concern is that by doing this by executive order by ignoring and going around the Congress this may make it harder in the long term to solve this problem and I'm concerned about that.

MUIR: So the President should not have done this?

RUBIO: I don't think he should have done this by executive order. I think he should have worked with the Congress to try to get something balanced done like something I'm working on. The White House never called us about this no one reached out to us and told us this was on its way. And, I mean, if they were serious about a real solution to this problem and not politicizing it then why don't you reach out to people, we're trying to work out a real solution?

MUIR: In front of a group of supporters you said that President Obama is the most divisive figure in modern American history?

ON PRESIDENT OBAMA AS 'MOST DIVISIVE FIGURE' IN MODERN HISTORY:

RUBIO: Absolutely, by design, deliberately. He is deliberately dividing Americans against each other for purposes of political gain? If you look at this White House they never pass up an opportunity to pit one group of Americans against another for purposes of improving his electoral chances. Time and again whether it is one group of Hispanics against another, men against women, rich against poor, he is constantly looking for opportunities to tell one group of Americans that they would be better off if one group of Americans was worse off. I think that while that is common in politics, it's not just Obama, it's common in politics but what I think is really sad is that he had a chance to be different and in 2008 he was different.

Muir's interview with Sen. Rubio airs tonight on "World News with Diane Sawyer" and "Nightline."

WATERGATE AT 40. ABC's David Kerley interviews Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein about their view of the Watergate scandal four decades later. WATCH: http://abcn.ws/Mf5e4j (h/t ABC's Daniel Steinberger)

"THIS WEEK" REWIND.

-GOOLSBEE: A 'MEA CULPA' FOR OBAMA. ABC News consultant Austan Goolsbee, speaking on 'This Week' Sunday: " The president should have a mea culpa, that we have gotten into a place that was very different from what the campaign wanted it to be from 2008, one in which - and, look, I think you could blame more the Republicans, but I'm sure the Republicans would say more you blame the president. http://abcn.ws/MmBLkV

-PAWLENTY: No RIBBON FOR OBAMA. Also from 'This Week,' former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty: " The president's message, it could be worse and it's somebody else's fault four years into his presidency, that's not a basis to re-elect somebody. We don't give out participation ribbons for being president of the United States. You actually have to do something. His signature accomplishment, Obamacare, is unconstitutional." http://abcn.ws/LwuqSw

ROMNEY'S BUS TOUR: WHAT THE LOCALS ARE SAYING.

-The Cleveland Plain Dealer (Ohio) chronicled Romney's rainy stop in Brunswick Sunday morning. Sarah Jane Tribble reports: "The crowd seemed relieved but excited when the campaign bus pulled up. Many had arrived by 7 a.m., parking in a muddy lot and shivering in the cold breeze. Romney's bus arrived after 9 a.m. They had already listened to a slew of state Republicans, including state Treasurer Josh Mandel, who is challenging Sen. Sherrod Brown, and Ohio Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor. They both spoke through the rain. By the time Romney's family took the stage, there was no mistake, though, that Ohio and the small towns in it are officially part of the campaign battleground. Romney's campaign bus seems to underline the significance of the Buckeye State in this year's election, featuring a picture of the Ohio Statehouse on the side." http://bit.ly/Kvro3t

-The Cincinnati Enquirer (Ohio) led with protesters heckling Romney in Ohio. Paul E. Kostyu reports: "For the second time on a three-stop Ohio bus tour, presumptive presidential Republican candidate Mitt Romney heard very vocal protestors tell him to 'go home.' At his stops in Troy, southeast of Dayton, and Newark, east of Columbus, Romney's speech was often drowned out by a couple dozen protesters representing unions and community activists. They were also at the bus tour's first stop in Brunswick, south of Cleveland, but were so far away from the speech site they couldn't be heard. ? In both Newark and Troy, Romney gave a speech about half as long as that he gave in Brunswick." http://cin.ci/LV7VHy

-The Mansfield News Journal (Ohio) noted Sen. Rob Portman's VP tryout. Jessical Alaimo writes: "U.S. Sen. Rob Portman's appearances around Ohio with GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney are, in a way, an audition for the vice presidency. The Romney campaign will be watching Portman's campaign style, and critiquing his ability to stay on message. ? Portman, Ohio's junior senator, is widely considered a favorite for the vice presidential nomination. He's touring with Romney in and out of Ohio, and also stumping for him as a surrogate." http://ohne.ws/KNwfcZ

-The Lebanon Daily News (Pennsylvania) reported on excited Romney supporters in Cornwall, Pa. Steven Snyder reports: "Still two hours before Mitt Romney stood in front of a lone microphone atop a grassy mound just outside the entrance to historic Cornwall Iron Furnace on Saturday, the Burtko family of North Cornwall Township was bubbling over with excitement to see the Republican likely to face Barack Obama for the presidency in the fall. 'It's not every day something like this happens,' Kelly Burtko said as her children, Emily, 9, and Zachary, 7, watched her mother answer questions. ? Several hundred Republicans - some of whom arrived more than an hour before the gates opened at 3 p.m., like the Burtkos - came to hear the former Massachusetts governor say he would fight to win Pennsylvania, something no Republican presidential candidate has accomplished since Bush's father, George H.W. Bush, defeated Michael Dukakis in 1988." http://bit.ly/KWw1OW

-The Des Moines Register (Iowa) previewed Romney's stops in Dubuque and Davenport, concluding there's opportunity for him among voters in the Mississippi River Valley. Jennifer Jacobs reports: "Virtually deadlocked in national polling with President Barack Obama, Romney is barnstorming states in the upper Midwest, trying to pressure the Democrat in the heart of places where the Republicans think his challenges lie. ? Romney is unlikely to spell out any new policy prescriptions, but could make contrasts between Iowa, which has a Republican governor and an improving economy, and Illinois, a state with spending and debt woes where the governor is a Democrat. The slices of eastern Iowa he's visiting today are swing areas carried by Republican Terry Branstad in 2010 but by Democrats in 2006 and 2008. In the Iowa caucuses in January, the Mississippi River Valley was Romney's strongest region - and GOP strategists see opportunity there for him with economic voters, white working-class voters and suburbanites." http://dmreg.co/MZ54LQ

-The Dubuque Telegraph Herald (Iowa) notes that Romney will cruise the Mississippi. The paper reports: "Presidential candidate Mitt Romney will cruise the Mississippi River in Dubuque this afternoon. A campaign release Sunday afternoon confirmed that Romney will board the Spirit of Dubuque for an 'invitation only' Mississippi River boat tour beginning at 1:30 p.m." http://bit.ly/LwqilC

-The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin) posts an AP story about Romney seeking to build on Scott Walker's GOP momentum in Wisconsin. Kasie Hunt and Scott Bauer report: " Mitt Romney is looking to capitalize on a big Republican victory in Wisconsin as he visits the state for the first time since GOP Gov. Scott Walker survived a contentious recall election. Wisconsin hasn't voted for a Republican for president since 1984, and President Barack Obama won big here in 2008. But now that Walker has challenged public sector unions and survived a Democratic push to oust him as governor, Republicans sense an opportunity - and Romney plans to continue his six-state bus tour in Janesville, about 75 miles southwest of Milwaukee. ? Romney will appear in Wisconsin with Rep. Paul Ryan, the architect of the House Republican budget that would restructure America's entitlement programs. http://apne.ws/MAGp2w

THE BUZZ

with ABC's Chris Good ( @c_good)

NEW ABC/YAHOO! VIDEO: INSIDE OBAMA'S DRONE PROGRAM. One of President Obama's most enduring legacies will be his use of drone strikes, and ABC's Jake Tapper talks with Newsweek/The Daily Beast's Daniel Klaidman about his new book on Obama's global drone campaign. http://yhoo.it/LggMVp

ROMNEY'S GRANDSON: 'HAVE YOU BEAT OBAMA YET?' ABC's Emily Friedman reports: Mitt Romney's grandchildren have been getting an up-close look at the political process, but at least one - 4-year-old Nate - seems to have had enough of the long, drawn-out campaign. "Nate, the first thing he said when he saw me was, 'Have you beat Barack Obama yet?' That's our 4-year-old," Romney said today, as he, his wife Ann and three of his 18 grandchildren - Nick, Chloe and Parker - visited with reporters on the back of his tour bus. "Not yet, hoping to do that," Romney said with a smile. http://abcn.ws/M6Bjcv

MITT JOKES: ANN'S ADDICTED TO HORSES. After the news that Ann Romney's horse, Rafalca, is headed for the Olympics, ABC's Shushannah Walshe reports: Romney noted the expensive world of dressage is not a sport "many people are familiar with," but said it's something his wife "has a passion" for and she believes has helped her control her symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. Mrs. Romney was diagnosed in 1998, but Romney told CBS News' Bob Schieffer she has been "almost symptom free ever since 2002 so almost ten years." "She cares very deeply about this sport and about the horses," Romney said. "I joke that I'm going to have to send her to Betty Ford for addiction to horses." The Betty Ford clinic is a drug and alcohol addiction center in California founded by former First Lady Better Ford. http://abcn.ws/LVpO9d

ROMNEY'S V.P. TRYOUTS: PORTMAN, PAWLENTY AND RYAN. The New York Times' Jeff Zeleny reports: "'He said everything is fine. Do you think it's fine?' Senator Rob Portman of Ohio asked a crowd gathered here in the town square on Sunday, reminding them of the president's recent remark on the condition of the private sector. Several hundred people roared back 'No!' A day earlier, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota fired up a Pennsylvania audience as he shouted, "Have you had enough of Obamacare?" As the Republicans loudly replied 'Yes,' Mr. Romney clapped his hands and joined in the revelry. ? Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, the chairman of the House Budget Committee and a favorite of many fiscal conservatives, takes his turn on Monday when he welcomes Mr. Romney to his hometown, Janesville. ? With some advisers pushing for an announcement as early as July, the roster of potential running mates is being whittled down by Mr. Romney, who has said that one quality rises above all: his vice-presidential nominee must be unquestionably prepared to be president, not simply to grow into the job." http://nyti.ms/KvvGrr

BOEHNER ON THE TRAIL. Yahoo! News' Holly Bailey reports from Troy, Ohio: "House Speaker John Boehner made his first public appearance with Mitt Romney this campaign, touting the Republican nominee as someone who has the ability to put 'the economy back together again.' Speaking to several hundred supporters at a rally along a cordoned-off downtown street in this Western Ohio town, Boehner cast Romney as someone who would be an ally to a Republican-led Congress. He called President Obama a 'roadblock' to GOP-led efforts to revive the economy. 'Ladies and gentlemen, the president's policies have failed,' Boehner said, as Romney stood over his left shoulder. 'They are actually making the economy worse, and it's time we put someone in the White House who understands how to put the American people back? to work again.'" http://abcn.ws/M3blcD

DON'T INTERRUPT ANN ROMNEY. From ABC's Emily Friedman: A group of protesters learned a quick lesson today: Don't interrupt Ann Romney. While the wife of candidate Mitt Romney introduced her husband and her sons, all on hand to help their dad celebrate Father's Day on the trail, a group of about 25 protesters could be heard chanting "We are the 99 percent." ? "So we're going to start," she said, the protestors still chanting. "You know, we've got some distracters out there, but you know what? We love this country and we love families." Drowned out by applause from the crowd, Romney paused before continuing, "We can be just as loud about how much we love this country." http://abcn.ws/M3lgid

WHITE-WHALE DISTRICTS. For each party, Roll Call's Shira Toeplitz runs down the districts that always get away: "On paper, these districts should be easy targets - the lowest-hanging fruit to pick off the national map. But for myriad reasons over the past decade - or decades, in some cases - the parties have failed to flip these seats, no matter how strong the recruit or how many millions of dollars are spent. Last week, Arizona's 8th district moved one step closer to becoming a white-whale seat for Republicans. The special election to replace ex-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) marked the GOP's best chance to pick up the Tucson-based district, and their nominee lost by 8 points. This fall, Rep.-elect Ron Barber (D-Ariz.) will seek a full term in a district that is slightly more favorable to Democrats thanks to redistricting. These white-whale districts represent a small collection of targeted seats that survived the wave elections of the past three cycles. They are Republicans who represent districts that overwhelmingly voted for President Barack Obama - as much as 61 percent. And they are Democrats, like Rep. Jim Matheson (Utah), in districts where the president received as little as 40 percent of the vote in 2008." http://bit.ly/Kf3fsQ

GOLFER IN CHIEF. ABC's Matthew Larotonda reports: President Barack Obama's love of golf hit a milestone today as he marked his 100th time on the links. His Father's Day achievement was reached at the Beverly Country Club in his hometown, the windy city. Mark Knoller, CBS radio correspondent and chronicler of all things presidential, pointed out the quiet occasion to the traveling press. Like 15 of the 18 presidents since Theodore Roosevelt, Obama has used golf as a way to unwind outdoors, but away from the prying eyes of press and onlookers. And despite the fact that he had never golfed before taking office, his love of the game is well known. http://abcn.ws/NJMYlM

SECRETARY SANTORUM? NOT SO MUCH. From ABC's Shushannah Walshe: "I want to help Mitt Romney get elected president," Santorum told CNN's Candy Crowley. "I'll be happy to help him and advise him if ? (he) wants my advice as president. But, no, my ? objective right now ? is to serve my family and provide for them." Santorum mentioned that the two eldest of his seven children are in college, but when Crowley pointed out it wasn't a "flat no," Santorum said it "pretty much" was. "It's pretty much a flat no," Santorum said. "And it's not because I don't want to help Gov. Romney. ? It's just, for me ? it's a matter of my priorities and my time of being a husband and father and ? I have to take care of them." http://abcn.ws/L8ou5L

ROMNEY UNCLEAR ON ILLEGALS. The New York Times' Trip Gabriel reports: "Responding to the challenge that President Obama posed in his order last week to stop deporting some illegal immigrants, Mitt Romney declined to say on Sunday whether he would reverse the president's decision if he takes up occupancy of the White House. ? 'With regards to these kids who were brought in by their parents through no fault of their own, there needs to be a long-term solution so they know what their status is,' Mr. Romney said on 'Face the Nation' on CBS." http://nyti.ms/NFfciO

VEEP BEAT: ABC News' Arlette Saenz rounds up all the news in the world of #veepstakes:

-RUBIO'S AUTO-BIOGRAPHY OUT TUESDAY: Sen. Marco Rubio's autobiography, "An American Son" will be released Tuesday, and the Miami Herald reported that the book reveals two sides of the young Florida senator whose parents emigrated to the United States from Cuba. "Marco Rubio felt out of place for a moment. On the cusp of being sworn in as Florida's newest senator in 2011, the Miami-born son of Cuban exiles had wandered away from his family during a tour of George Washington's Mount Vernon home. 'I watched them from afar for a minute, laughing and talking in Spanish and English,' Rubio writes in his new book, An American Son. 'My first thought was how different my family was, how different I was, from the men and women who had lived in this place, and from the Americans who had founded our nation,' he writes." http://bit.ly/MZ8LRJ

PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR GIVES MITT ADVICE ON V.P. PICK: Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett doled out a bit of advice for Romney as he considers who to select as his running mate this fall: Pick a governor. "According to the Republican governor of Pennsylvania, Mitt Romney's short-list of potential running mates can get a lot shorter," ABC News' Michael Falcone reported. "Tom Corbett, the first-term governor of the Keystone State, cited only fellow state chief executives when asked on Saturday who he viewed as the top contenders to join the presidential ticket. 'I'm leaning towards the executives who had to make tough decisions,' Corbett said in an interview. 'Because I think where the president has stumbled when he came into office - he was never in that executive position where - it's not just a vote, it's the decision.'" http://abcn.ws/M2XC5C

DID CHRISTIE MISS HIS W.H. CHANCE? N.J. Gov. Chris Christie made the decision last October to stay out of the presidential race, and Newsweek's Peter J. Boyer looks at whether Christie's verdict was his missed opportunity to be commander-in-chief. http://bit.ly/Kf5Inn

WHO'S TWEETING?

@dickstevenson : How much will crises abroad affect Obama campaign at home? @peterbakernyt on foreign policy and reelection. http://nyti.ms/MmdvPZ

@jmartpolitico : How the freak show works> MT @Fahrenthold: The vibrant, viral life cycle of a falsehood in politics: EPA 'drones' http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/reining-in-the-rumors-about-epa-drones/2012/06/16/gJQAwWjkhV_story.html

@BenLaBolt : Congressional GOP on Romney: "He's our guy" http://on.wsj.com/KGKkxi. #rubberstamp

@CHRISMAL0NEY : PIC: Gov @MittRomney admires a '61 Rambler on Main Street in Troy, Ohio #EveryTownCounts http://pic.twitter.com/Gx8M2dur

@HuffPostPol : Elizabeth Warren, Scott Brown avoiding airing attack ads http://huff.to/MZjATE #MAsen

POLITICAL RADAR

-Mitt Romney continues his bus tour holding an event at Monterey Mills in Janesville, Wisc. with Gov. Scott Walker and Rep. Paul Ryan. Romney then flies to Iowa for events in Dubuque and Davenport before ending his day in Michigan.

-President Obama wakes up in Los Cabos, Mexico for the first day of the G20 Summit. In the morning, he meets with Mexican President Calderon followed by a meeting with Russian President Putin. Later, the president attends a plenary session of the summit and a working dinner.

-Vice President Biden holds a campaign event in Chicago before heading to Los Angeles.

ABC's Joanna Suarez and Mary Bruce

Check out The Note's Futures Calendar : http://abcn.ws/ZI9gV

Also Read

brandon phillips summerfest summerfest usher fidel castro rick santorum ozzie guillen castro comments