MORNING READ

Romney’s bus tour turns into VP tryout extravaganza
The Note's Emily Friedman argues that Romney's bus tour is shaping up to be a series of auditions for possible vice-president picks.

Americans blame Bush for economy
The Huffington Post's Sabrina Siddiqui writes that polls show more Americans place economic blame on George W. Bush.

Senate confirms radical Aponte as ambassador to El Salvador
Red State's Daniel Horowitz argues the Senate's approval of Aponte marks just another radical Obama nominee confirmation.

RNC Latino website features Asian children
US News's Elizabeth Flock flags a potentially embarrassing mistake on a GOP outreach site.


OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Obama vs. Romney in Ohio
Obama and Romney duked it out in Ohio on Thursday as they each delivered speeches on the economy, The Hill's Amie Parnes reports.

Senate Democrats beat back attempts to defund healthcare law
Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee defeated Republican attempts to use the 2013 Labor, Health and Human Services bill to defund President Obama’s healthcare reform, The Hill's Erik Wasson reports.