The Midday Brief: Nov. 7, 2011

Your afternoon reading:

• "Texas Gov. Rick Perry has an unexpected defender: former president Bill Clinton. … 'It makes my skin crawl when they attack Rick Perry for one of the best things he did,' Clinton says, that is, his support of a Texas law that grants in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants brought to the state as children. 'What would they like?' Clinton demands. 'Would they like the kid to stand on a corner and sell dope or something?'" — Bill Clinton sticks up for Rick Perry on immigration, USA Today

• "A Chicago woman, the first to make a public accusation against Herman Cain, alleged on Monday that Mr. Cain had grabbed her in a sexually aggressive way." — Accuser Details Lewd Behavior by Cain, The New York Times

• "Rick Perry is, a media buying source tells me, increasing his ad buy in Iowa. He spent $175,000 on the first week's advertisement; it's now up to about $380,000 for the week starting November 8." — Perry ups Iowa buy, Politico

• "Rick Perry’s presidential campaign is using today’s visit to Iowa by rival Mitt Romney to criticize him for having a 'record of environmental activism.' In a news release this afternoon entitled: 'Manufactured Mitt: His carefully choreographed, rare Iowa appearances attempt to hide positions on carbon emissions,' the Texas governor’s aides lash out at Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and fellow Republican." — Rick Perry campaign lashes out against ‘Manufactured Mitt’ on climate change, Des Moines Register

• "Calling itself Texas Aggies for Perry 2012, a new super PAC has filed federal paperwork to specifically support Gov. Rick Perry’s presidential bid. Treasurer Douglas J. Brickley wrote to the FEC that the group 'intends to make independent expenditures' and 'intends to raise funds in unlimited amounts.' The new outfit joins Make Us Great Again, another super PAC specifically backing Perry’s presidential campaign, which has promised to spend tens of millions of dollars." — New pro-Rick Perry Super PAC springs up, Politico

New in The Texas Tribune:

• "Railroad Commission Chairwoman Elizabeth Ames Jones will reportedly end her campaign for the U.S. Senate to run instead for the Texas Senate against incumbent Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio." — Report: Ames Jones to Challenge Wentworth

• "The U.S. Supreme Court today denied the appeal of Texas death row inmate Duane Buck, who was seeking a retrial based on race-related testimony given during the sentencing phase of his 1997 trial." — Supreme Court Denies Duane Buck Appeal