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| US election becomes fundraising battle between Obama and Romney - live | US election becomes fundraising battle between Obama and Romney - live |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 11.25am: Republican vice presidential hopefuls – this is the Twitter account you should follow, retweet and favourite: | |
| As someone who has worked in partnership with @MittRomney for years, I am honored to lead his search for a VP. #Mitt2012 | |
| If Beth doesn't follow you back: forget it, you're off Romney's VP list. Don't bother DMing her either. | |
| 11.20am: In case you were wondering: no the penguin was not radioactive, and no Newt Gingrich has not gained special powers as a result of being bitten by it. That we know of. | |
| 11.10am: ABC's Diane Sawyer has an exclusive interview with the Romneys – Ann Romney and her husband, Mitt – on World News and Nightline tonight. | |
| The nugget that has emerged so far: Mitt Romney says he has put his adviser Beth Myers in charge of the vice presidential vetting process: | The nugget that has emerged so far: Mitt Romney says he has put his adviser Beth Myers in charge of the vice presidential vetting process: |
| I have selected someone who has been a counselor of mine for a number of years, Beth Myers. She was my chief of staff when I was governor," Romney told ABC News' Diane Sawyer in an exclusive interview. | I have selected someone who has been a counselor of mine for a number of years, Beth Myers. She was my chief of staff when I was governor," Romney told ABC News' Diane Sawyer in an exclusive interview. |
| "I've asked her to be the person who oversees the process of the vice presidential selection and vetting an analysis and so she's begun that process and is putting together the kinds of things you need to do to vet potential candidates," Romney added. | "I've asked her to be the person who oversees the process of the vice presidential selection and vetting an analysis and so she's begun that process and is putting together the kinds of things you need to do to vet potential candidates," Romney added. |
| Pressed on when he plans to make an announcement, all Romney would say is: "It would certainly be by the time of the convention." | Pressed on when he plans to make an announcement, all Romney would say is: "It would certainly be by the time of the convention." |
| Ann Romney, meanwhile, says about the vice presidential selection: | Ann Romney, meanwhile, says about the vice presidential selection: |
| This weekend was the first time we seriously really talked about it and there are some wonderful people out there. | This weekend was the first time we seriously really talked about it and there are some wonderful people out there. |
| 11am: The Atlantic's Molly Ball warns that the 2012 election campaign is "going to be a life-sucking slog – a mirthless, grinding blitzkrieg of unrelenting negativity". So there's that to look forward to. | |
| But it's also going to be an expensive grinding blitzkrieg of unrelenting negativity, as Ball runs through the numbers: | But it's also going to be an expensive grinding blitzkrieg of unrelenting negativity, as Ball runs through the numbers: |
| Through the end of February, the Obama campaign had raised $157m, while Romney's had raised $74m. The Democratic Party has another $82m in cash on hand, the GOP $90m. Over the course of the campaign, Romney hopes to raise $600m, Obama $750m or more, according to the New York Times. And then there are the super PACs: They've already spent $86m thus far, mostly on the Republican primary, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. | Through the end of February, the Obama campaign had raised $157m, while Romney's had raised $74m. The Democratic Party has another $82m in cash on hand, the GOP $90m. Over the course of the campaign, Romney hopes to raise $600m, Obama $750m or more, according to the New York Times. And then there are the super PACs: They've already spent $86m thus far, mostly on the Republican primary, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. |
| That, she points out, is "enough to buy a whole fleet of $60m fighter jets, or dwarf the GDP of a small nation like Tonga ($816m)." | That, she points out, is "enough to buy a whole fleet of $60m fighter jets, or dwarf the GDP of a small nation like Tonga ($816m)." |
| 10.45am: In case you missed it, this article by NBC's Alex Moe should win some sort of prize: | 10.45am: In case you missed it, this article by NBC's Alex Moe should win some sort of prize: |
| The day after Newt Gingrich was bit by a penguin at a zoo, he acknowledged he is "the underdog".... | The day after Newt Gingrich was bit by a penguin at a zoo, he acknowledged he is "the underdog".... |
| And that concludes our coverage of the Newt Gingrich "presidential campaign" for this week. | And that concludes our coverage of the Newt Gingrich "presidential campaign" for this week. |
| There is no word on whether the penguin survived. It's in our prayers. | There is no word on whether the penguin survived. It's in our prayers. |
| 10.30am: Money talks – and if it can't sing and dance then both the Romney and Obama campaigns are putting on a show to entertain the deep-pocketed donors they need to equip themselves for the expensive election battle ahead. | 10.30am: Money talks – and if it can't sing and dance then both the Romney and Obama campaigns are putting on a show to entertain the deep-pocketed donors they need to equip themselves for the expensive election battle ahead. |
| Here's a preview of the latest news: | Here's a preview of the latest news: |
| • The Democratic party and the Obama campaign has announced a total of $53m raised in donations during March – a formidable figure that may yet pale into insignificance as this election season goes along. Jim Messina, Obama's campaign manager, said 567,000 people donated to the president's re-election campaign last month, with the average contribution being $50. | • The Democratic party and the Obama campaign has announced a total of $53m raised in donations during March – a formidable figure that may yet pale into insignificance as this election season goes along. Jim Messina, Obama's campaign manager, said 567,000 people donated to the president's re-election campaign last month, with the average contribution being $50. |
| • Is the Romney campaign already planning its victory lap before the race has even begun? A fundraising email circulated to Republicans offers major donors access to a special "Presidential Inaugural retreat" and other benefits. | • Is the Romney campaign already planning its victory lap before the race has even begun? A fundraising email circulated to Republicans offers major donors access to a special "Presidential Inaugural retreat" and other benefits. |
| • Donors to the Romney campaign received a special preview of the candidate's policy ideas from Romney himself during a closed-door briefing in Palm Beach, Florida. NBC's Garrett Haake has the scoop on a series of revealing policy prescriptions laid out by Romney, including a threat to abolish the Housing and Urban Development department among others. | • Donors to the Romney campaign received a special preview of the candidate's policy ideas from Romney himself during a closed-door briefing in Palm Beach, Florida. NBC's Garrett Haake has the scoop on a series of revealing policy prescriptions laid out by Romney, including a threat to abolish the Housing and Urban Development department among others. |
| • On Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace – son of the late Mike Wallace – put both Ed Gillespie of the Romney campaign and David Axelrod of the Obama campaign through the wringer. At various points he managed to get both senior advisors to repeat talking points of their opposition, which is quite a feat. | • On Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace – son of the late Mike Wallace – put both Ed Gillespie of the Romney campaign and David Axelrod of the Obama campaign through the wringer. At various points he managed to get both senior advisors to repeat talking points of their opposition, which is quite a feat. |