GET THE FACTS ON THE GOP CONVENTION: ROMNEY ECONOMICS — WRONG FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS 

New ad hits Romney’s record in Mass [Tampa Bay Times] “The Democratic SuperPAC Priorities USA has a new ad running in Florida, Colorado, Iowa, Ohio, and Virginia, featuring a Massachusetts independent voter ripping Mitt Romney’s record as governor.” WATCH “OLIVE” HERE. 

New Video, Mitt Romney: You Didn’t Build That — You Destroyed It [DNC] “Mitt Romney made millions of dollars bankrupting companies, shuttering factories, offshoring jobs and putting profits before people. The theme of the Republican National Convention paints a rosy picture, but the theme of Mitt Romney’s time as a corporate raider is less flattering. Mitt Romney didn’t build that — he destroyed it.” WATCH IT HERE. 

Still looking for what Romney stands for [Tampa Bay Times editorial] “Those are just three examples where it’s difficult for voters to determine where Romney stands…It’s much fuzzier what the Republican candidate for president would actually do if he won”

The high art of getting nothing done [Tampa Bay Times column] “Ryan’s saying seems to be that as long as you make sure that nothing gets done, it doesn’t matter who gets the credit…Ryan is the author of a budget plan that Democrats say would result in the greatest transfer of wealth from the middle class to the rich in American history. The plan would result in a dramatic change to Medicare, eventually turning it into a voucher system. So it is not being touted much during the Republican National Convention here in Florida, where the elderly like changes in Medicare about as much as they like butterfly ballots.”

THE GOP’S HISPANIC, AFRICAN AMERICAN PROBLEM Mitt Romney’s convention speakers belie GOP reality with Hispanics [Tampa Bay Times] “Romney is far behind President Barack Obama among Hispanic voters, and his campaign so far has shown little interest in aggressively courting that vote. Party leaders fret that unless they reverse current trends, the long-term implications are dire as white voters represent a shrinking share of the electorate…Obama is winning the race on the ground, outpacing voter outreach by Republicans, and in the air.” 

Black Republicans: Lack of Romney outreach to blacks ‘shameful’ [The Grio] “But one thing you won’t find on the site: African-Americans for Romney. And some black Republicans are not happy about it.” 

Reprieve from deportation frees American DREAMers [Tampa Tribune] On a larger scale, the leanings of Hispanic voters nationwide could be a problem for Republicans on Election Day. Immigration tied with health care and unemployment as top priorities among Hispanics in a recent Gallup/USA Today poll, with all three earning 20 percent responses. Just 8 percent of all U.S. adults listed immigration as their main concern, far behind health care, economic growth, the deficit and unemployment. That translates to an Obama lead of 66 percent to 25 percent among Hispanics”

THE PROTESTS Protesters in Tampa march on the RNC with a host of complaints [WMNF] “Hundreds of activists rallied at a park in downtown Tampa this morning against the Republican Party. After hearing from dozens of groups representing interests from healthcare to women’s rights, protesters marched through the streets of Tampa under tight police control. William Sloan, a Vietnam veteran, ignored the sweat cascading down his face to demand peace.”

Code Pink members dressed as vaginas protest Republican convention in Tampa [WMNF] “On Sunday Code Pink members dressed in vaginas chanted “Hey Hey GOP – Women want equality.” They’re protesting the Republican National Convention in Tampa.”

FLOOR FIGHT Paul delegates mounting floor fight over new rules [AP] “Rep. Ron Paul’s delegates are trying to mount a floor fight over new GOP rules designed to limit the ability of insurgent presidential candidates to amass delegates to future Republican conventions.” 

OTHER (NON-CONVENTION) NEWS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW 

Long-Grayson contest is an apparent mismatch [Orlando Sentinel] “Todd Long won an improbable victory in the Aug. 14 Republican primary, but he may have to hit the political equivalent of the lottery to beat Democrat Alan Grayson when the two congressional candidates face each other in November.” 

Dems Launch Phone Blitz Tying Paul Ryan, Others to Akin’s “Outrageous Beliefs” [The Slate] “Democrats are hoping that Rep. Todd Akin’s “legitimate rape” comments (and general abortion views) will be the gift that keeps on giving this campaign season.” 

Florida: Prepare for another voting fiasco [Tampa Bay Times guest column by Sen. Bob Graham] “Only 12 years ago, Florida was embarrassed by a voting tornado. As the nation became familiar with hanging chads and butterfly ballots, Florida was the State That Couldn’t Vote Straight. Fellow Floridians, we have a similar humiliation headed for us now.”

Fewer Students Receiving Scholarships [Capital News Service] “Thousands of Florida college students are back to class today with fewer scholarship dollars to pay for school. Nationwide students receiving scholarships is down 10 percent. As Whitney Ray tells us, the reduction comes as tuition prices continue to rise.”