"It's business as usual for Rep. John Murtha," The Hill writes. "The FBI raiding a high-profile defense lobbying shop hasn't stopped the powerful Pennsylvania Democrat from dealing with its former clients. He's seeking earmarks for them and accepting campaign contributions from them. Murtha, who chairs the Appropriations Defense subcommittee, on Tuesday reported receiving contributions from three former PMA clients for whom he requested earmarks in the pending appropriations bills." 
 
Roll Call: "After a long silence on the unfolding federal probe of the PMA Group and its ties to senior Democrats, House Democratic leaders are cobbling together a defense to offer political cover to their rank and file. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has enlisted Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) to consult with House Democrats on why they should continue to resist Republican demands for an ethics committee investigation into the matter."

FLORIDA: "Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer may be tipping Gov. Charlie Crist's (R) hand as a new poll conducted for the Sunshine State GOP suggests Crist may be leaning toward a Senate bid," The Hill reports. "Greer, a close ally of Crist's, said the Florida GOP conducted a poll last week testing the Florida electorate on a governor's race without an incumbent."

NEW YORK: As of yesterday afternoon, Democrat Scott Murphy was leading Republican Jim Tedisco by 47 votes (77,982 vs. 77,935), with absentee ballots still yet to be counted in Washington County, which Murphy won, and big Saratoga County, which Tedisco won.

Meanwhile, Republican Jim Tedisco challenged U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's absentee ballot, contending she was in the district on Election Day and should have voted in person. Gillibrand responded with an op-ed in the Huffington Post. She said "Republicans stooped to a new low by challenging my ballot."
 
A spokesman for Gillibrand told The Hill that the senator "wasn't in Columbia County on Election Day, where she is registered to vote, and therefore could not have voted at a polling place." Also: "A spokesman for the New York Board of Elections, John Conklin, said that similar challenges have occurred before but with little success. In most cases, courts have ruled that the ballot should be counted if the voter did not intend to be in the district on Election Day and did not vote at a polling place as well."

VIRGINIA: The Daily Press in Newport News, Va., previews Shad Planking, which takes place today in Virginia. "Partisan insiders, gubernatorial hopefuls and fans of fish and beer gather in Wakefield today for the 61st annual Shad Planking, a rite of spring in Virginia that doubles as an important barometer of the state's political mood. The outdoor festival and barnstorming pileup always features political intrigue with rising political stars wooing voters and opinion makers over bony fish and free cups of brew." Three of the four gubernatorial candidates will be there. Democrat Creigh Deeds is the lone candidate that won't be there. More: "Wet weather could thin out the lines for food and beer, but the event should still draw the die-hard partisan warriors and offer plenty of campaign trail fodder. The most obvious litmus test is the battle for roadside space -- called 'sign wars' -- where staffers and volunteers attempt to post the most political yard signs along every Wakefield road." (Here's the Daily Press' political blog, Shad Plank.)  

From NBC's Athena Jones

WASHINGTON -- The First Dog made his debut on the South Lawn of the White House Tuesday afternoon before at least 60 members of the press.

"Here he is," President Obama said as he and his family walked out of the house.

"I've finally got a friend; it took some time," the president joked at one point when a reporter made a reference to President Harry Truman's famous advice that "if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog."

Video: The presidential puppy Bo makes his debut on the White House lawn. MSNBC's Tamron Hall reports.

Bo Obama, a Portuguese water dog, frolicked with his new owners before a herd of cameras and scribes, before the president, first lady and the Obama daughters took him for a walk down the hill toward the fountain and the first lady's new garden.

"He's a star; he's got star quality," Obama said. "He's a rock star."

The long-awaited and much-talked-about arrival of Bo, perhaps the most famous dog in America, fulfilled a promise Obama made to his daughters during the election.

"That's a good-looking dog," the president added. "The only concern we have is apparently Portuguese water dogs like tomatoes. Michelle's garden is in danger."

A few minutes later, 7-year-old Sasha piped up, telling the assembled reporters, "He doesn't know how to swim."

Obama explained that the breed apparently had to be taught to swim -- even though they are famous for their aquatic abilities.

The president said the family would take turns walking the pup, that "of course" he would be allowed in the Oval Office and that the family wanted to make sure they were responsible dog owners.

From NBC's Athena Jones

In a lengthy speech he said would be "prose and not poetry," President Obama set out to explain to the American people what his administration has done to jump-start the economy, and how the policies together would help move the country "from recession to recovery and ultimately to prosperity."

The president used the roughly 45-minute address not to make news -- but instead to summarize the first three months of his presidency, defend his spending policies, lay out the challenges remaining, and connect all of this with his larger vision for America.

He touted his administration's actions -- from his $787 billion stimulus package and his efforts to help stabilize the financial system and the housing market, to his support of the auto industry -- arguing these steps were starting to generate "signs of economic progress." Still, he tempered his remarks, as he often does, reminding his audience that the hard times were not over and that this year would be a difficult one.

"The severity of this recession will cause more job loss, more foreclosures, and more pain before it ends," Obama said, adding that there was much more work to be done, before reprising the kind of populist "fighter" rhetoric he often employed during the fall campaign. "But all of this also means that you can continue to expect an unrelenting, unyielding, day-by-day effort from this administration to fight for economic recovery on all fronts."

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs later drove home the point that the economy was not yet out of the woods. "We are likely to see many more months of hundreds of thousands of jobs lost," Gibbs said during the press briefing. "I don't think anybody is under illusion that -- particularly as it relates to the employment statistics or the employment market -- that we're gonna see an instantaneous turnaround."

The larger vision for America Obama described this morning involved "five pillars," including modernized rules to regulate Wall Street, investments in education, clean energy and health care and "new savings" to reduce the budget deficit over the long term -- all goals he has spoken about frequently since Inauguration Day, most notably in his February address to a joint session of Congress. Today, he called on Congress to deliver a new regulatory framework for the financial industry to his desk this year.

Obama stressed his long-term goals with a biblical reference, discussing the story of two men that Jesus relates in the Sermon on the Mount. "The first built his house on a pile of sand, and it was soon destroyed when a storm hit," he began. "But the second is known as the wise man, for when the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock."

Obama went on to say the economy could not be rebuilt on the "same pile of sand" but must be rebuilt on a rock.

The president also answered critics of his spending plan, saying the $787 billion package represented just a fraction of the long-term deficit. He pointed to Social Security and health care as two important areas where reform would dramatically lower government spending, again urging action on health care reform this year.

A few hours after the president's speech, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke delivered a somewhat more technical progress report on the economy to students at Atlanta's Morehouse College. Calling the crisis one of the most difficult financial and economic episodes in modern history, Bernanke pointed to some positive news.

"Recently, we have seen tentative signs that the sharp decline in economic activity may be slowing, for example, in data on home sales, homebuilding, and consumer spending, including sales of new motor vehicles," he said, explaining that a leveling out of economic activity was the first step toward recovery. "I am fundamentally optimistic about our economy," Bernanke said.

Responding to Obama's Georgetown speech, House Republican Leader John Boehner repeated early criticism about the president's spending plans and said Democrats were only paying lip service to working across party lines.

"The president's trillion-dollar 'stimulus' was loaded with wasteful spending that has nothing to do with job creation, his $410 billion 'omnibus' spending bill was chock full of 9,000 unscrutinized earmarks, and his $3.5 trillion budget paves the way for a bigger and costlier federal government that will not create new jobs, help rebuild Americans' savings, and get our economy moving again," Boehner's statement read in part. "Instead of embracing tough decisions, Democrats have avoided them in favor of saddling our children and grandchildren with mountains of debt that we know they cannot afford."

From NBC's Pete Williams

An assessment of right-wing radical groups in the United States, done by the Department of Homeland Security, says the current economic and political climate in the U.S. may help extremists recruit more members.

The report, dated April 7 and distributed to police nationwide, was made public by a conservative blogger. Its main conclusions closely track with a much more detailed assessment done in February by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which identified 926 active hate groups, up from 888 the year before.

The Homeland analysis says threats from white supremacist and anti-government groups "have been largely rhetorical and have not indicated plans to carry out violent acts." But it says they seek to expand their recruitment by trying to capitalize on:

-- insecurity brought on by economic troubles and loss of jobs
-- the rise in illegal immigration
-- fears of renewed efforts to limit gun ownership
-- and racist reaction to the election of President Obama.

Law enforcement organizations agree with these broad themes, but say fear of rising immigration is the No. 1 motive driving these hate groups.

The DHS analysis also says these groups may seek to recruit returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, to take advantage of their training. The FBI first called attention to that possibility last summer, but concluded that although around 200 military veterans have joined radical right groups since 9/11, "they have not done so in numbers sufficient to stem declines" in overall membership in these organizations.

From NBC's Mark Murray
Now to that other unresolved race... The latest tally in the NY-20 special election (as of 10:00 am ET) has Democrat Scott Murphy leading Republican Jim Tedisco by 56 votes (77,972 vs. 77,916).

Absentee ballots still haven't been counted in Washington County, which Murphy won, or big Saratoga County, which Tedisco won. Per Politico's Josh Kraushaar, "Saratoga County is expected to release its results today, according to a county elections official, which could (at least temporarily) put Tedisco back in the lead."

*** UPDATE *** As of 4:00 pm ET, Murphy's up 47. (The headline's been changed to reflect that.)

*** UPDATE 2 *** NBC's Harry Enten adds that Tedisco's campaign has even challenged Democratic U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's ballot. "This just in from Columbia County: when Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's absentee ballot came up in the queue, the poll watchers for Jim Tedisco objected to it, saying the senator was in the county on election day and should have voted in person," the Albany Times Union reports.

From NBC's Mark Murray
Earlier today, we noted that national Republicans have been silent about yesterday's unanimous three-judge ruling confirming Al Franken the winner in Minnesota's never-ending Senate contest.

Until now.

In a fundraising email to supporters -- rather a typical press statement -- National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn (R-TX) blasted the so-called tripartisan ruling, as well as the entire re-canvassing/recount process.

"Since Sen. Norm Coleman was first ahead by hundreds of votes at the end of election night, the Democrats have aggressively worked to change the rules of the game after it's been played," Cornyn said. "Last night, they succeeded in convincing a three-judge panel to issue a fundamentally misguided ruling that disenfranchises over 4,000 Minnesota voters. They did so by imposing a different, and stricter, standard for votes to be counted rather than following the rules that were in place in Minnesota on Election Day. In doing so, constitutionally-valid Due Process and Equal Protection concerns have been raised."

More from Cornyn: "It's frankly shocking that many of the same Democrats who so loudly decried voter disenfranchisement during the Florida recount in 2000 have so quickly run away from that principle when it no longer fits their political agenda. Nonetheless, Republicans, and the NRSC in particular, remain committed to a full and fair resolution of this election contest and stand firmly behind Sen. Norm Coleman."

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
In a widely expected move, Pat Toomey announced he's going to challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in the Republican Senate primary in Pennsylvania.

Toomey, who stepped down as president of the fiscally conserative Club for Growth, made the announcement yesterday in an e-mail to supporters.

"I personally believe that it is time for him to go," Toomey wrote of Specter, per Roll Call. "And that job falls on me. Very soon, I intend to announce my candidacy for the United States Senate in a Republican primary challenge against Arlen Specter."

Specter-Toomey will be a rematch from 2004, when Specter edged him out by about 17,000 votes, or 51%-49%. Specter went on to win re-election by 11 points.

Specter still gets high marks from Democrats and independents, but because of, in part, his support for the stimulus, party faithful have soured on him. Specter knows the trouble he's in. He was already up on air with ads attacking Toomey -- before he even officially entered the race.

Democrats welcome the fight and hope Toomey's successful. They believe, as does National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Jon Cornyn, that Specter would be Republicans' best candidate in a general election.

But the major hurdle for Specter is the closed primary. Independents and Democrats can't vote in the Republican primary, nullifying Specter's support from moderates.

Democrats don't yet have a candidate to run against Specter, but several would be chomping at the bit if Toomey pulls it off.

According to data compiled by First Read weeks before the 2008 election, Democrats had gained more than 520,000 in registration since the 2004 election; Republicans, in contrast, lost more than 71,000 voters, leaving a more hardened, more conservative base of primary voters.

It's why, as the Washington Post's Perry Bacon reported today, Specter is asking Democrats to register as Republicans -- even for just that day.

The state has also trended much more Democratic in the past decade.

On the presidential level, from 1980 to 1988, the state voted Republican (for Ronald Reagan twice and George H.W. Bush). But no Republican has won it since. Bill Clinton won it -- with the help of Ross Perot -- in 1992 and 1996; Al Gore won the state by five percentage points in 2000; John Kerry won it by just three. But in 2008, buoyed by a grassroots registration push and, arguably, the lengthy Democratic primary, Barack Obama won it by double digits -- almost 11 points, 55%-44%. He won not only the cities, but also swept populous Eastern counties, including the Philadelphia suburbs.

In 2004, the Keystone state had two Republican senators -- Specter and Rick Santorum. But Santorum, a staunch social conservative, was ousted in 2006 by Democrat Bob Casey by a significant 59%-41% margin.

Since 1963, five of the state's eight governors were Republicans. From 1995 to 2001, Republicans held the governor's seat (with Tom Ridge and then Mark Schweiker, who replaced Ridge after Ridge was appointed head of the new Bush administration Department of Homeland Security). Democrat Ed Rendell became governor in 2002 with less than 55% of the vote. (He beat Mike Fisher 53%-44%.) But in 2006, Rendell walked to re-election, 60%-40%, over former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann.

From NBC's Mark Murray

The White House just released excerpts of the economic address President Obama will deliver 30 minutes from now. In the speech, according to the excerpts, he will discuss what the administration has done so far:

All of these actions – the Recovery Act, the bank capitalization program, the housing plan, the strengthening of the non-bank credit market, the auto plan, and our work at the G20 – have been necessary pieces of the recovery puzzle. They have been designed to increase aggregate demand, get credit flowing again to families and businesses, and help them ride out the storm. And taken together, these actions are starting to generate signs of economic progress.

He also will say the hard times aren't over:

2009 will continue to be a difficult year for America's economy. The severity of this recession will cause more job loss, more foreclosures, and more pain before it ends.

He will talk about establishing a new economic foundation "for growth and prosperity":

There is a parable at the end of the Sermon on the Mount that tells the story of two men.  The first built his house on a pile of sand, and it was destroyed as soon as the storm hit.  But the second is known as the wise man, for when "…the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house…it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock." We cannot rebuild this economy on the same pile of sand. We must build our house upon a rock. We must lay a new foundation for growth and prosperity – a foundation that will move us from an era of borrow and spend to one where we save and invest; where we consume less at home and send more exports abroad.

And he will call for a new politics:

For too long, too many in Washington put off hard decisions for some other time on some other day.  There's been a tendency to score political points instead of rolling up sleeves to solve real problems. There is also an impatience that characterizes this town – an attention span that has only grown shorter with the twenty-four news cycle, and insists on instant gratification in the form of instant results or higher poll numbers... This can't be one of those times. The challenges are too great. The stakes are too high.  

From NBC's Mark Murray

While the Democratic National Committee and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee released statements last night congratulating Al Franken and ratcheting up the pressure for Norm Coleman to bow out, we haven't heard a peep from national Republicans.

Nothing yet from Michael Steele's RNC. Nothing from John Cornyn's NRSC. And we've yet to spot a post on yesterday's three-judge decision from prominent conservative blogs like Red State or National Review's The Corner.

The silence is pretty deafening...

*** UPDATE *** Just after we published, National Review's The Corner posted a quick update on Minnesota: "The three-judge panel's unanimous decision hands the Senate election to Al Franken (D), but Norm Coleman (R) will appeal to the state Supreme Court. Later today, his legal team will hold a conference call with reporters."

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro
*** Walking a tightrope: At 11:35 am ET, President Obama will deliver yet another major address on the economy -- this time at Georgetown University. The speech comes after Obama has talked optimistically about the economy in recent days. ("What you're starting to see is glimmers of hope across the economy," he said on Friday. "We're heading in the right direction," he said yesterday.) Previewing the speech yesterday, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the president would update the country on the current state of the economy, would discuss the actions that administration has taken to tackle the economic problems, and would lay out the steps it still needs to take. As we have pointed out before, the president has to walk a tightrope: giving people hope about the economy, but also not ignoring the real structural problems it's currently facing. In short, things for many Americans will get worse -- not better -- in the next few months. Obviously, the statistics that the White House sees are optimistic. Walking this tightrope is no easy task. By the way, for those wondering, the entire White House team is buying into Larry Summers' analysis right now. So while it's Barack Obama who publicly is putting himself on the line, inside the West Wing, it's Summers.

Video: The White House is calling President Obama's address from Georgetown University today a 'major speech' on the economy. NBC's chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd reports on the administration's progress to date.

*** When Congress is on recess: As Obama addresses the economy today and addressed the stimulus yesterday, we've got to ask: Where have all the GOP voices gone? The short answer: They're on recess. Indeed, if this Easter recess has taught us anything, it's that the principal Republican opposition to the White House has been the GOP Congress. But when they're on their CODELs, who else has stepped up to the plate -- outside the congressional leadership's communication teams? The RNC? Hardly. We haven't heard a peep from them (although the Washington Times reports that chairman Michael Steele has issued a fundraising letter accusing Obama of belonging to the "blame America first" crowd). The people who have stepped into the void include Rush Limbaugh, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, and Glenn Beck. And as one of us wrote last week, those folks might not be the GOP's best voices of opposition against this current administration. They could only be exacerbating the GOP's problems right now.
 
*** The never-ending recount: We'll say it again: The question increasingly is no longer whether Al Franken will be the next U.S. senator from Minnesota; it's when he'll be the next senator. Last night, 161 days since Election Day, a bipartisan three-judge panel confirmed that Franken received more votes in November than Norm Coleman did. Coleman now has 10 days to appeal the ruling to the Minnesota Supreme Court, a move his lawyers say he'll make. But after last night's decision, Democrats began ratcheting up the pressure for Coleman to bow out. "Enough is enough," said DNC chairman Tim Kaine. Added DSCC chair Bob Menendez: "Al Franken won the election, Al Franken won the recount, Al Franken won the contest, and now Al Franken should be allowed to get to work for the people of Minnesota." Indeed, Democrats argue that unless Coleman can demonstrate 1) that the recount and three-judge trial were biased and wrong, and 2) that he has a real and provable path to victory, then any further appeal would seem like he's putting his personal and his party's interests above his state's interests.

*** Franken's discipline: By the way, and it's a point we've made before, but it's been pretty impressive how Franken has been so disciplined during this recount period. Indeed, until last night, when had we heard from him. Clearly, the GOP thought they were dealing with the stereotype that was Al Franken -- not the guy who proved to be a candidate who, well, got more votes than Norm Coleman. In fact, this has been a problem for the GOP in general the last few years when it comes to dealing with Democrats: They believe their own stereotypes about their opponents, rather than actually dealing with their opponents at face value.

*** Going rogue: The pirate episode brings sunlight to another rogue state, which years ago was thought to be a safe haven for al Qaeda terrorists. Believe it or not, Somalia has had approximately 15 governments in the last 20 years -- with the U.S. most hopeful actually about the current one in power, which barely controls most of the country's capital of Mogadishu. And that government has been in power since January. Think about all of the headaches this current administration is facing on the foreign policy front: Most of them have to do with countries that are either rogue states or aren't completely in charge of everything within its borders. They include Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan, Pakistan, Iraq, and even Iran. All of these countries are or have been safe havens for terrorists or other bad guys like the Somali pirates. Can one doctrine or policy deal with all of these hotspots? It's unclear. The Bush administration hoped that would be the case, but each one of these countries has proven to be its own challenge. In many ways, all of them define the difficulty both the Pentagon and the State Department have in coming up with a coherent foreign and military policy. Conventional 20th Century foreign policy may not work.

*** The times, they are a-ahangin': Meanwhile, it's amazing this morning how easily accepted Obama's new Cuba policies have been. They're barely registering as a political blip. For those over the age of 50 -- or who spent significant time living in South Florida -- this must be quite surprising. Relations with Cuba have defined the lives of so many. For those over 50, it's the memories of the Cuban Missile Crisis; for those in South Florida, it's been a political defining part of life where kowtowing to the Cuban community has been tantamount to winning Miami-Dade county (or keeping it close). But as the New York Times points out today: Times, they are a-changin'. "In a sense, the policy shift is an admission that a half-century of American policy aimed at trying to push the Castros out of power has not worked — as the Cuban American National Foundation, the most powerful lobbying group for Cuban exiles in Miami, conceded last week."

*** How not to please a book publisher: Is the Rhodes Scholar and policy wonk Bobby Jindal really going use a co-author to help him write a book? Says Jindal, "One of the reasons I'm doing this with a co-author is to make sure there's somebody else doing a lot of the heavy lifting… This isn't something that will take a lot of my time." Something tells us that his book publisher won't be happy with those remarks. More importantly, this underscores that Jindal is still trying to compete with Sarah Palin to see which 2012 Republican wannabe is having the worst first 100 days of 2009…

*** Other odds and ends: Sometime today, the Obamas will formally introduce their new dog, Bo, to the American public… Also today, indicted former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) will be arraigned.

Countdown to Obama's 100th day: 15 days 
Countdown to NJ GOP primary: 49 days
Countdown to VA Dem primary: 56 days
Countdown to Election Day 2009: 203 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 567 days

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The AP previews Obama's economic speech. "President Barack Obama is trying to strike a careful balance between highlighting economic progress and underscoring continued challenges as he seeks to reverse the recession he inherited but now owns… Aides billed the address as major but acknowledged that it was expected to contain no significant policy announcements. Rather, they said, the speech would outline the state of the economy when Obama took office in January, steps his administration has taken in its first three months, and what still needs to be done to right troubled sectors, including the housing, banking and financial industries."

"Three months into his presidency, Barack Obama stands out as perhaps the most trusted figure in American politics," Politico writes. "In a new Public Strategies Inc./POLITICO national survey of 1,000 registered voters, Obama outdistances figures on both the left and the right in earning the public's trust, with two-thirds of respondents saying they trust the president 'to identify the right solutions to the problems we face as a nation.' Of those who said they trust the president, 31 percent said they trust him 'a great deal.' An additional 35 percent said they have 'some' trust that Obama will find the correct solution. Thirty-one percent said they trust Obama either 'not very much' or 'not at all.'"

"Voters were asked the same question of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Republican Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, former Massachusetts Republican Gov. Mitt Romney, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh and the two major political parties. Among those choices, only the Democratic Party was trusted to find the right solutions by a majority of voters, 52 percent to 40 percent. Forty percent of those surveyed said they trusted the Republican Party, compared with 54 percent who did not trust the GOP."

Bloomberg: "The U.S. government is considering swapping some of the $13.4 billion General Motors Corp. owes it for an equity stake in a stripped-down version of the carmaker, people familiar with the matter said."

Politico looks at the areas in which the pro-business U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been able to work with Obama.

Howard Dean "is using a call for universal coverage to raise his profile once again," The Hill reports. "Now, Dean is using Democracy For America -- the organizing group that grew out of Dean's presidential campaign -- to build a 50-state strategy advocating for public healthcare. Dean has added his name to five DFA e-mails since the beginning of March, aiming to build a list of grassroots supporters in each state. So far, DFA says it has gathered more than 250,000 signatures for a petition through a website, StandWithDrDean.com -- signatures that have generated about 34,000 letters to the editor."

The New York Times front-pages, "The Obama administration and its European allies are preparing proposals that would shift strategy toward Iran by dropping a longstanding American insistence that Tehran rapidly shut down nuclear facilities during the early phases of negotiations over its atomic program, according to officials involved in the discussions. The proposals, exchanged in confidential strategy sessions with European allies, would press Tehran to open up its nuclear program gradually to wide-ranging inspection. But the proposals would also allow Iran to continue enriching uranium for some period during the talks. That would be a sharp break from the approach taken by the Bush administration, which had demanded that Iran halt its enrichment activities, at least briefly to initiate negotiations." 

The Boston Globe: "President Obama yesterday loosened travel and financial restrictions on ties to Cuba, a policy shift that advocates say signals the beginning of the end of a decades-long, Cold War-era relationship with the communist nation." It adds this context: "For decades, foes of the Cuban regime have argued that shutting off money and visits to the country would lead to the downfall of its dictator - first Fidel Castro, and now, Castro's brother, Raul. But the Obama administration argues that engaging more with Cuba will lead to a more informed and empowered populace there."

The New York Times: "The announcement represents the most significant shift in United States policy toward Cuba in decades, and it is a reversal of the hard line taken by President George W. Bush. It comes as Mr. Obama is preparing to meet later this week in Trinidad and Tobago with Latin American leaders, who want him to normalize relations with Cuba and its leader, Raúl Castro."

"The new Democratic administration is benefiting from a political shift among Cuban Americans, one that Obama was well aware of in 2007," Politico writes.

The Washington Post: "The moves were hailed by many advocates of greater openness toward the regime, including the business community, which sees new opportunities for commerce. But they were immediately criticized by those on the right and the left who said they went either too far or not far enough."

"Two Cuban-American GOP lawmakers blasted President Obama's decision Monday to allow more travel by Cuban-Americans to the island. Reps. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) and Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) said Obama's move was a 'serious mistake' and a concession to a dictatorship that has increased its repression of pro-democracy activists. Besides lifting the travel restrictions, Obama said he would allow Cuban-Americans to transfer money to relatives in Cuba." 
 
But Republican Sen. Mel Martinez essentially backed the policy. 
 
The New York Post's headline: "O eyes Cuba libre."

Meanwhile, what to do about those pirates? "A day after the dramatic rescue of an American sea captain held captive by Somali pirates, US officials said yesterday that they are considering launching attacks on the staging areas from which pirates have hijacked a rising number of international merchant vessels," the Boston Globe writes.

"[A]s president, Obama has to keep his promise of revitalizing relations with the rest of the Western Hemisphere -- not just to create a better mood, but to achieve real results. The work begins in earnest this week when Obama travels Thursday to Mexico City. The stop is a clear signal of support for President Felipe Calderon as the U.S. and Mexico grapple with the deadly flow of drugs and weapons hurting both countries." 
 
"The Obama administration said Monday night that the president's trip to Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago later this week will focus on the global economic crisis, climate change and the escalating problem of drug cartel violence on the Mexican-U.S. border," The Hill's Youngman reports.

"A Minnesota court confirmed Monday that Democrat Al Franken won the most votes in his 2008 Senate race against Republican Norm Coleman, who immediately announced plans to appeal the decision," the AP says. "Coleman has 10 days to appeal to the state Supreme Court. Once the petition is filed, it could further delay the seating of Minnesota's second senator for weeks."

The Star Tribune: "After a trial spanning nearly three months, the judicial panel dismissed Coleman's central argument that the election and its aftermath were fraught with systemic errors that made the results invalid. 'The overwhelming weight of the evidence indicates that the Nov. 4, 2008, election was conducted fairly, impartially and accurately,' the panel said in its unanimous decision. The panel concluded that Franken, a DFLer, 'received the highest number of votes legally cast' in the election. Franken emerged from the trial with a 312-vote lead, the court ruled, and 'is therefore entitled to receive the certificate of election.'"

Franken issued this statement last night: "I am honored and humbled by this close victory, and I'm looking forward to getting to work as soon as possible… I want to say a word to those on both sides of the aisle who have followed every twist and turn of the recount and contest, whether it was on the Uptake's live blog or a discussion with friends in a coffee shop, whether it was with patience or frustration: Let's not forget why this election mattered. Let's commit ourselves with the same energy and passion to addressing the challenges we face, improving the lives of our neighbors, and building a better future for Minnesota."

Replied Coleman attorney Ben Ginsberg: "More than 4,400 Minnesotans remain wrongly disenfranchised by this court's order. The court's ruling tonight is consistent with how they've ruled throughout this case but inconsistent with the Minnesota tradition of enfranchising voters… For these reasons, we must appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court so that no voter is left behind."

In an interview with a local TV station, Coleman himself didn't rule out an appeal even to the U.S. Supreme Court, or perhaps a run for governor in 2010 if he ultimately loses. "My fight ends when the ballots are counted," Coleman said.

The Star Tribune adds, however: "[E]xperts who read the panel's 68-page ruling say it effectively attacks some of the very arguments that Coleman would use on appeal."

More from the Pioneer Press: "[A]fter a seven-week trial, 1,717 exhibits, 142 witnesses and 19,181 pages of pleadings, motions and briefs, the trial court left little doubt about its decision. Point by point, the judges dissected Coleman's case in their … decision Monday. Point by point, they dismissed it."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he won't press for Franken to be seated now. BUT if Coleman loses his state Supreme Court appeal, then "we look forward to a prompt decision from that court so that Gov. Pawlenty can issue an election certificate and we can finally bring an end to an episode that has left the people of Minnesota without full representation for too long and has cost taxpayers too much money," he said.

And then there's this... "One of the state Supreme Court justices who could rule on Norm Coleman's appeal contributed $500 to his two Senate campaigns before the justice joined the bench, and another gave $1,000 to Coleman's 2002 Senate opponent when she was still working as a lawyer."

"Republicans have struggled to emerge from the president's shadow during his early months in the Oval Office," Politico writes. "When they have, it has often been through their overwhelming opposition to his signature measures. GOP leaders don't shy from those votes but want to insulate themselves from the 'party of no'"

The Hill: "As he considers whether to run for president a second time, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) is involving himself in the debate over the Employee Free Choice Act, a measure that is a top priority for labor groups and the focus of a massive public lobbying campaign by business groups that oppose it. Romney used a Monday conference call to attack a little-noticed provision in the bill that would require binding arbitration if a union and a business cannot come to a labor agreement within 120 days, which Romney called "about as un-American a thing as I can imagine."
 
"Former Rep. Vito Fossella pleaded guilty Monday in Alexandria Circuit Court to driving while intoxicated after fighting the charge for almost a year. The New York Republican's trial was set to begin Monday morning, but Fossella entered a plea before the proceedings. The decision was a surprise; Fossella's attorneys have been preparing for months to appeal his December conviction… Fossella agreed to serve five days in Alexandria city jail."

CALIFORNIA: We're going to party like it's 2006? "Democrat Francine Busby is set to announce later this week that she will run again next year in California's 50th district, a seat currently held by Rep. Brian Bilbray (R)," Roll Call writes. "Busby won 44 percent in the initial all-party primary, but she fell to Bilbray in the second round of balloting — taking 45 percent to his 50 percent. She ran again in the 2006 November general election, losing by 10 points." Busby cites Obama winning the San Diego area 51%-47% as evidence of a changing demographic that could give her an opening.

KENTUCKY: Per Roll Call, Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway got several high-profile Democratic endorsements yesterday in his bid to upend embattled Republican Jim Bunning. "Joining Conway for his announcement Monday afternoon at the Muhammad Ali Center in downtown Louisville were Kentucky Democratic Reps. Ben Chandler and John Yarmuth. Also at the event were state Speaker Greg Stumbo (D), state Auditor Crit Luallen (D) and Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson (D)."

NEW YORK: Democrat Scott Murphy's lead in NY-20 is down to 25 votes, but his campaign says Republicans are challenging an extraordinarily high number of absentees favorable to Murphy in an attempt to stall and change perception. 
 
"Still to be counted is Saratoga County, which favored Tedisco on Election Day and is the biggest county in the district," The Hill writes. "Officials there are not revealing any partial numbers and will only report final totals when they are ready. Two big counties that went for Murphy, Warren and Washington, have also neglected to report much."

PENNSYLVANIA: The Washington Post dives into the heated 2010 Republican Senate primary. "The competitive Democratic primary between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama last year spurred tens of thousands of Pennsylvania Republicans to switch their registration to Democratic. Specter is openly encouraging them to switch back, even telling a group of retailers he met with Monday in Philadelphia, 'I don't know if there are any Democrats in this room. If there are, I'm going to need you to become Republicans, Republicans at least for a day.'"

From NBC's Madeline Peters
This morning's White House Easter Egg Roll might have been the highlight of children's lives, but it was achieved by surviving the nightmare that was the entrance. The air was cold and the crowd was in the thousands. Parents, children, and bystanders joined the herd of anxious ticket-holders on the outskirts of the South Lawn to reach the start of the line.

The lawn was filled with eager parents in a frenzy to get to the correct letter and color line for their allotted tickets. (Sounds similar to the inauguration, doesn't it?) They scrambled to push their strollers over the grassy mounds then suddenly paused to smile and encourage their kids to follow directions for a picture in front of the "welcome" sign. 

The ticketed entrance began approximately a quarter of a mile from the White House. The space in between included a rope maze for ticketed individuals to conquer in order to reach the portable metal detectors. To reach that point, parents had to raise their voices over the loud humming noise from the generators set-up to sell candy bars and assorted snacks -- just what children need early in the morning!

Outside the gates, people had mixed emotions. A little boy turned to his mom and asked, "Why do we have to have tickets to everything?" Some parents stood to the side and slyly asked, "Do you have any extra tickets?" (Was ticket-scalping taking place at the White House?) 

When the families allotted time expired, they made their way home for early naps. The lucky participants that had 7:00 am ET tickets were easily distinguishable walking along the city sidewalks. Little girls were seen hanging onto their parent's arms while they dragged their white patent high-heeled shoes that caused discomfort from walking though the treacherous lawn. The parents that chose to travel by Metro, boarded and settled on the train to then rest their heads against the windows. The tightly gripped strollers held exhausted and agitated children trying to find comfort and warmth in their holiday laced dresses and fitted suits. These catalog-worthy outfits were surely saved to debut at this once-a-year -- and maybe once-in-a-lifetime -- event.

From NBC's Mark Murray
A pretty big endorsement from the Cuba-born Republican senator, Mel Martinez.

The announcement today is good news for Cuban families separated by the lack of freedom in Cuba. Likewise the change in remittances should provide help to families in need. Given these changes will benefit the regime in Havana, it would be wise in the implementation to place some reasonable limits on this type of travel and the amounts that can be sent to Cuba.

The president has expressed his commitment to freedom -- libertad -- for the Cuban people, and policy implementation should advance that objective. To this end, the administration is right to call on the Cuban government to end the onerous charge of 20 percent on remittances. Lowering remittance charges and allowing travel for Cuban families wishing to see relatives abroad are two steps the Cuban regime could immediately take that would show change in Havana.

From NBC's Harry Enten
With the Iowa Supreme Court's ruling on April 3 legalizing gay marriage, attention has turned to how this decision might impact the 2012 Republican Iowa caucuses.

Possible presidential candidates Charlie Crist (governor of Florida), Mike Huckabee (former governor of Arkansas), Jon Huntsman (governor of Utah), Bobby Jindal (governor of Louisiana), Sarah Palin (governor of Alaska), Tim Pawlenty (governor of Minnesota), Mitt Romney (former governor of Massachusetts), Mark Sanford (governor of South Carolina), and former Speaker Newt Gingrich are all against gay marriage.

The key difference: Crist and Huntsman favor civil unions for gay couples, while the other seven are against.

That difference could possibly sway socially conservative Iowa caucus-goers. In 2008, despite a sagging economy and focus on the Iraq war, 45% of Republican caucus-goers listed "shares my values" as their most important candidate consideration. That number could climb even higher in 2012, if social issues jump to the forefront.

The question is whether Crist's and Huntsman's support for civil unions will ultimately cost them more votes than they will gain. A recent University of Iowa poll offers a mixed answer. According to the poll, 53% of Iowa Republicans wish to ban gay marriage and civil unions through a constitutional amendment. On the other hand, just 30% of Iowa independents -- who have made up about 15%-25% of Republican caucus attendees in recent competitive contests -- favor such an amendment. 

Of course, we do not know if those in favor of a constitutional ban of civil unions are more likely to base their caucus preference on this issue. But one thing is for sure: The issue of gay marriage won't be going away anytime soon.

From NBC's Mark Murray
On the very day that President Obama was touting his economic stimulus, the National Republican Congressional Committee announced a new ad campaign targeting congressional Democrats who voted for the stimulus and other new spending.

Tellingly, this ad campaign -- in the form of television ads, radio ads, and robo calls -- links these Democrats with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, not President Obama.

Here's an example: A TV ad hitting Ohio Rep. Zack Space (D).

[Youtube:q-p8FPMw0co]

"We will continue to hold these Democrats accountable for rubber-stamping Nancy Pelosi's agenda that will burden middle-class families and inflict further damage on an already fragile economy for years to come," NRCC communications director Ken Spain said in a statement.

Spain tells First Read the ad campaign is a "significant" buy.

In addition to Space, the NRCC is targeting 42 House Democrats, including Reps. Jason Altmire (PA-4), Michael Arcuri (NY-24), Chris Carney (PA-10), Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD), Larry Kissell (NC-8), and Ron Klein (FL-22).

From NBC's Athena Jones

WASHINGTON, DC, April 13 -- The Obama administration kicked off the week with an event meant to highlight what it says are the early successes of the $787 billion stimulus package.

After a morning spent with children and their families at the annual Easter Egg Roll on the White House South Lawn, the President Obama spoke at the Department of Transportation about what has been accomplished since he took office nearly three months ago.

"Faced with an extraordinary economic crisis, we've responded with extraordinary action -- action that's both unprecedented in scale and unprecedented in its speed," he said. "We developed plans to stabilize our housing market, to unfreeze our credit markets, and to ensure the survival of our auto industry in this new century. We passed a budget that cuts our deficit in half while making investments to spur long-term growth and lasting prosperity."

Obama was joined by Vice President Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood at an event to mark the approval of the 2,000th transportation project under the stimulus -- a $68 million road-widening project in Kalamazoo County, MI.

"Today, I think it's safe to say that this plan is beginning to work," Obama said, going on to cite new jobs at clean energy companies, jobs that were saved at police departments, tax cuts for middle class families, and plans to expand health care clinics.

As he has throughout his young presidency, the president sought to remind people that the road to recovery would be long and imperfect -- even as he spoke optimistically about the future. "We'll face some setbacks along the way. There will be some projects that don't work the way we want them to," he said. "But it is now clear that we're heading in the right direction. It's now clear that day by day, project by project, we are making progress."

Today's event was in line with the administration's recent upbeat language about the economy. Obama and administration officials like Larry Summers, a top economic adviser, have spoken recently about signs of progress and "glimmers of hope" on the economic front, citing as examples data on the housing market showing an jump in mortgage refinancing, and increased access to credit for small business.

In his brief remarks opening the event, LaHood touted the speed at which infrastructure projects were being approved, and he said many projects were coming in under budget, allowing for recovery dollars to go further. The Transportation secretary said updating the nation's infrastructure was key to restoring America's competitive edge, and he spoke about major new transportation legislation this year that would enable officials to "rewrite the rules for the future of transportation in this country."

"As Congress tackles this new legislation, we're going to make sure that new and creative solutions are included that help fight climate change, allow communities to support alternatives to driving, and offer taxpayers a strong return on their investment," LaHood said. "I'm very encouraged by the progress we've made so far to put our recovery dollars to work, and I look forward to working closely with Congress on finding new ways to build and finance our transportation needs."

Saying the road to recovery must be "re-paved", Biden highlighted the jobs created by infrastructure projects during a short speech introducing President Obama.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Overseas and military ballots are due today in NY-20. Counties have been counting since last week. We reported this morning that there are two counties that still have to count their absentee ballots -- Washington County, which Democrat Scott Murphy won, and Saratoga County, which Republic Jim Tedisco won and represents about a third of the whole congressional district.

More votes have now trickled in. After another 216 votes have been reported, Democrat Scott Murphy's lead is now 25 votes, down 10 from 35 this morning:

*** UPDATE *** Murphy's shop wants to get across that -- even though it's possible, even likely, that the Democrat falls behind before all's said and done -- Tedisco's campaign is trying to stall the counting of votes potentially favorable to Murphy.

Because of that, the spokesman says, Murphy may fall behind but may well still win. The campaign estimates that there are between 3,000 and 3,500 votes still not counted.

A spokesman says he feels "confident once all the absentees are counted, we win the election." Tedisco's team, on the other hand, is "trying as much as they can to muck it up, so they can be perceived" either as the winner or help fundraising.

"They're just slowing this to a crawl," the spokesman said. "They're trying to make this Coleman-Franken part two. We want to get a representative."

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell and Mark Murray
The day after the daring rescue of Capt. Richard Phillips from Somali pirates, Reuters reported this disturbing news: "Somali insurgents fired mortars toward U.S. congressman Donald Payne as he left Somalia on Monday." More from Reuters: "'One mortar landed at the airport when Payne's plane was due to fly and five others after he left, and no one was hurt,' an officer at the airstrip [said]." 

Video: U.S. Rep. Donald Payne came under mortar fire by Somali insurgents while his plane was waiting to take off at the Mogadishu airport.

A senior aide to Payne, a Democrat from New Jersey, says the State Department has told his office that the congressman has landed safely in Nairobi.

Payne left Thursday April for a three-country tour in Africa: Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya. The 10-term congressman was due to return home tomorrow.

Officials say this was not a typical congressional delegation trip (CODEL) with members of both parties traveling on government aircraft. Payne flew commercially to Africa and was only expected to be on the ground in Somalia four to five hours. Payne is traveling with an Africa expert from the Library of Congress. An aide says Payne was on the tour in his role as chairman of the House subcommittee on Africa and Global Health. Officials say they do not believe the State Department was aware of Payne's Africa trip until the airport mortar incident.

*** UPDATE *** An administration official says the State Department was aware of the trip and had discouraged Payne from visiting Somalia.

From NBC's Chuck Todd and Domenico Montanaro
Ahead of Friday's Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, President Obama was thought to change portions of U.S.-Cuba policy. When he'd make an announcement, though, was an open question. The end of the week is busy for the president, on Thursday, he heads to Mexico City.

Video: White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs announces the lifting of travel and other restrictions against Cuba.

The White House now is confirming a Miami Herald report, outlining what President Obama will announce with regard to Cuba. Here are some bullet-point details from the report:

• Lifting travel restrictions for Cuban Americans, allowing them to travel more freely to the island
• Lifting gift restriction for Cuban Americans, allowing them to send additional financial help to family members. (-- Expanding the items that can be sent to the island, including clothing, personal hygiene items and fishing equipment."
• "Licensing steps to open up greater communication to the island"

But:

• The trade embargo remains in place
• And still prohibited: "Sending items to senior government officials and Communist Party members"

The Herald calls the policy "the most significant U.S. gesture to Cuba in decades."

"This is an effort to reach out to the Cuban people in an effort to support the Cuban people's desire to freely determine their country's future," a senior administration official told the paper. "The president has said this is the most direct means to open up the kind of space that is necessary to see democratic change in Cuba."

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro
*** A successful outcome: While it might not have been the 3:00 am moment that Hillary Clinton's campaign described in that now-famous TV ad, President Obama passed his first military test as president, when Navy SEALs rescued Capt. Richard Phillips, killing three Somali pirates who had captured him and detaining a fourth. The bottom line, the Washington Post says, "Had yesterday's rescue at sea gone badly, the political damage for Obama might have been severe. But aides said the outcome should be seen as a success." We also can tell you that the Obama administration is pleased with the communication between the Navy, Pentagon, White House, FBI and Department of Homeland Security -- as a lot of agencies and departments had a piece of this crisis. Obviously, Obama and the Navy will get the most credit for taking action. The questions that remain: Doesn't this highlight the issue of the rogue state that is Somalia? After all, the country was the scene of the first embarrassing foreign policy crisis on Bill Clinton's watch, and its previous ties to al Qaeda make it a country that may end up popping back up on this president's radar. Congress is the ultimate reactionary institution, so what legislation having to do with maritime operations will Congress pass that will add to the burdens of either the DHS or the Pentagon, or both? Meanwhile, per NBC's Jim Miklaszewski, Pentagon sources say the current plan is to reunite Captain Phillips with his 19-man crew from the Maersk Alabama in Mombassa, Kenya.

Video: TODAY's Amy Robach talks to NBC's Chuck Todd about President Obama's approval of necessary force in the high-seas standoff with Somali pirates.

*** Selling the stimulus: At 11:35 am ET, President Obama, Vice President Biden, and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will gather at the Transportation Department to highlight the 2,000th project (a highway expansion in Michigan) funded through the economic stimulus' $48 billion in transportation spending. Obama's message will be somewhat of a victory lap, as he'll tout how most of the infrastructure projects are coming under budget, allowing for states to tackle more projects. "The Recovery Act is being implemented with speed, transparency and accountability," Biden will say, according to the AP. "Don't take my word for it -- just look at what's happening today. We have the 2,000th transportation project now under way -- that's going to help create jobs, make it easier for folks to get to the jobs they have and improve our nation's infrastructure all at the same time." Also, today's event is part of a continuation of what President Obama did late last week: promoting real results coming from the administration's early actions.

*** The rest of today and this week: Before today's stimulus event, Obama and his family will attend the White House Easter Egg Roll at 10:00 am. Tomorrow, the president is going to give a major speech on the state of the U.S. economy, which may include his vision of the "new normal" (our words, not his). And then squeezed in somewhere before he leaves for Mexico and Trinidad later this week will be an announcement on a softening of the Cuba trade embargo. The plan will be similar to what the president touted on the presidential campaign.

*** A scholarship -- and an apology: Arizona State University received a lot of grief on Friday, after it said it wouldn't be giving President Obama an honorary degree when he delivers the commencement address at the school next month. The school's reason: Obama hadn't accomplished enough -- yet. Well, late Saturday afternoon, Arizona State tried to make amends by apologizing and naming a scholarship in Obama's honor. "I apologize for the confusion surrounding our invitation to President Obama to address ASU students at commencement," the school's president said in a statement. "The entire ASU community has been electrified with excitement since we learned of his participation in our commencement ceremony. We hope that the recent discussion of honorary degrees will not detract from the honor and thrill that ASU - and indeed all of Arizona - is experiencing in anticipation of his visit."

*** NY-20 update: As of Friday afternoon, Democrat Scott Murphy held a 35-vote lead over Republican Jim Tedisco (77,804 vs. 77,769). The only counties that have yet to count their absentee ballots are Washington County, which Murphy won, and Saratoga County, which Tedisco won and which represents a large chunk of the congressional district. Today is the deadline for properly postmarked military and overseas ballots to be received.  

*** A dog named Bo: As the Washington Post first reported, the Obama family got their dog -- a Portguese water dog named Bo -- and he'll be introduced formally on Tuesday. It's worth noting that there are some similarities between President Obama and the new dog: 1) his name is Bo (get it? Obama's initials); 2) he's black and white; and 3) the Kennedys had a hand in getting him in the White House. More on Bo… MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell got the exclusive photo for TODAY, which shows the president and Bo running along the White House east colonnade toward, guess what, a bust of Abraham Lincoln. O'Donnell also learned that the name Bo is a tribute to First Lady's Michelle Obama's late father, who was nicknamed Diddley. Sources also tell O'Donnell that it's not the first pet in the extended family to have the name Bo; Craig Robinson, Michelle Obama's brother, has two cats named Bo and Diddley. The dog will meet the press on Tuesday after the kids return from school. 

Countdown to Obama's 100th day: 16 days 
Countdown to NJ GOP primary: 50 days
Countdown to VA Dem primary: 57 days
Countdown to Election Day 2009: 204 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 568 days

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