News roundup: Romney remains coy on his Veep pick

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White House buddies up to Herbert. Lawsuits may delay election results. Romney up in Colorado, down in Virginia.

Happy Wednesday. The political world is hyperventilating over Mitt Romney's impending choice of a running mate, a decision that could happen as soon as Friday, with the Olympics coming to a close and Romney scheduled to start a multi-state bus tour. [LATimes] The Drudge Report even floated the name of CIA Director David Petraeus, which the former general rejected quickly. [Politico]

Topping the news: Mitt Romney launched an all out attack on President Barack Obama's welfare waiver program and the White House countered with outrage and ... Utah Gov. Gary Herbert's request for flexibility. [Trib] [Reuters] [NYTimes]

-> A new poll shows President Barack Obama has the advantage in Virginia and Wisconsin but is trailing Mitt Romney in Colorado. [CBSNews] [NYTimes]

-> Legal battles over absentee ballots and early voting in battleground states could result in the nation not knowing the results until weeks after the election. [CNN]

Tweet of the day: From @jeremyscahill: "Sorry, but Obama campaign emails are getting creepy: 'Jeremy, I'm so jealous of you that I can barely write the rest of this email.'"

Happy Birthday: to SLC chief of staff David Everitt and Kate Sackas, a now 21-year-old Hinckley Institute of Politics intern wrapping up a semester at the Treasury Department.

In other news: The Salt Lake County Council goes along with Mayor Peter Corroon's request to put a $50 million bond to build and improve parks before the voters. [Trib] [DNews]

-> Advocates say an expansion of Utah's Medicaid won't break the bank like many opponents fear. [Trib] [KCPW] [KUER]

-> Herbert says a decision on expanding Medicaid needs to wait until after the election. [DNews]

-> Former gubernatorial and congressional candidate Morgan Philpot dives head first into the world of political media. [UtahPolicy]

-> Salt Lake County Council members withhold saying yes to partnering with Salt Lake City on a performing arts center, saying more analysis is needed. [Trib]

-> Herbert names the interim director of the problem wrought liquor-control board to the permanent position. [Trib]

-> Paul Rolly says Salt Lake County fire departments paid $300,000 for injuries and workers compensation, but not for job related injuries, instead for basketball. [Trib]

-> Utah Democrats say the one-third of documents on redistricting handed over "aren't worth the paper they're printed on." ABC4 requests the rest of the documents. [ABC4]

-> Jon Huntsman says he longs for the Republican party of old. He's not ashamed to be a moderate GOP, something he says the party is leaving behind. [KSL]

-> Democratic candidate for governor Peter Cooke challenges Herbert to seven debates. [Trib] [DailyHerald]

2012 watch: The Obama camp rolls out the big fundraising guns. What's better than winning a dinner with the president? How about dinner with the president and Michael Jordan? [CNN] [AP]

-> Obama says the country doesn't have a gun problem, but a violence problem that requires soul-searching. [Reuters]

-> No Olympic Gold glory for Ann Romney's dressage horse Rafalca. [NYTimes]

-> "Romney Hood" jabs back at the president's gesture, calling it "Obamaloney." [CNN]

-> Republicans in Congress dissent with Romney on not extending the wind power tax credit for battleground state Iowa. The industry employs 7,000. [AP]

-> Just because they're listed as a speaker at the GOP Convention, it doesn't rule them out of Romney's VP pick. And no, it's not General David Petraeus. [TheHill] [ABCNews]

-> Making just under $2 million in a day, Romney holds the biggest fundraiser in Iowa history. [CNN]

Where are they?

Rep. Jason Chaffetz goes to Colorado to offer response to the president's campaign visit.

AG Mark Shurtleff speaks to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Enforcement Division.

SLC Mayor Ralph Becker participates in a Project for Public Spaces Workshop in Vancouver, British Columbia.

WVC Mike Winder meets with Kirk Jowers at the Hinckley Institute of Politics, then attends a China briefing at World Trade Center Utah.

President Barack Obama appears at several campaign events in Colorado.

Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven't already, sign up for our weekday email and get this sent directly to you inbox. [Trib]

— Matt Canham and Andreas Rivera Twitter.com/mattcanham and Twitter.com/andreascrivera