DAY'S END ROUNDUP

FROM THE BLOGS:

The appeal of Chris Christie
The Fix's Chris Cillizza uses a clip from the New Jersey governor's press conference to illustrate the charisma that has elevated him to the short list for Mitt Romney's vice presidential search.

Money missing from Huntsman PAC
More than $200,000 was paid out to a seemingly nonexistent contractor, prompting scrutiny from Utah election officials, BuzzFeed's Ben Smith reports.

MSNBC, Time contributor a 9/11 conspiracy theorist?
Breitbart's Charles Johnson says 2009 tweets from Touré reveal his skepticism about the official account of the terrorist attack.

Romney better at punching back
Slate's Dave Weigel argues Mitt Romney's campaign is far more efficient at punching back when attacked by the president's campaign team.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Romney joke prompts 'Cookie Gate'
The candidate's dismissal of treats from a beloved local bakery near Pittsburgh has turned into a campaign liability, The Hill's Alicia M. Cohn reports.

House Dem attempts to kill 'zombie' earmark
Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) used horror movie imagery to slam GOP earmarks attached to transportation legislation, The Hill's Alicia M. Cohn reports.