From NBC's Les Kretman and Mark Murray
The White House yesterday released the participants who will attend tonight's Passover Seder at the White House.

The list includes President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, First Daughters Malia and Sasha, senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett, Obama friend Eric Whitaker, first lady counsel Susan Sher, White House aide Eric Lesser, Obama personal aide Reggie Love, and associate social secretary Sam Tubman.

As the Los Angeles Times and others have noted, Lesser will lead the service.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro
*** The domestic pivot: After spending a week-plus focused on international affairs, President Obama today turns his attention back to the domestic arena. At 9:30 am ET, he attends a roundtable discussion at the White House on housing interest rates (in attendance will be a handful of homeowners who have refinanced their homes to take advantage of the current low interest rates). Then, at 11:45 am, he delivers remarks on improving health care for veterans. This speech comes after his visit with U.S. troops in Iraq on Tuesday; after Vice President Biden's own remarks on vet health care yesterday ("We owe them the obligation to ... provide them the absolute best medical care and service they need"); and after the Obama administration proposed -- then later dropped after opposition -- making veterans use private health-care insurance to pay for combat-related injuries. Also on the domestic front-burner today is chief White House economist Larry Summers' speech at noon in DC before the Economic Club of Washington.

Video: President Obama plans to turn his attention to the contentious battle over U.S. immigration policy. NBC's Savannah Guthrie reports.

*** The push for immigration? And here's another domestic topic, courtesy of a front-page New York Times article: President Obama will address immigration this year, including the contentious path for citizenship for illegal immigrants. The Times says that Obama will give a speech on the topic in May, and it also points out that it will obviously trigger plenty of opposition, especially in this economic climate. "[W]ith the economy seriously ailing, advocates on different sides of the debate said that immigration could become a polarizing issue for Mr. Obama in a year when he has many other major battles to fight." But don't forget this: While there is loud opposition to immigration reform, both the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees last year were on the exact same page on immigration (which is why it wasn't an issue during the general election). Also note that this news about an immigration push comes right before Obama's trip abroad next week to Mexico.

*** Something to thank Bush for: Turning back to Obama's recently concluded international trip, we'd like to make this additional point: While the Obama team regularly likes to blame the Bush administration for the economic problems it's dealing with on a daily -- if not hourly -- basis, Obama would not have had such a great, arguably historic, debut on the world stage without Bush. The low bar Bush set internationally made this trip that much easier for Obama, and gives the new president, at least in the short term, a stronger hand than he would normally have had.

*** Polar opposites: A lot has been made recently about that new Pew poll showing Obama to have the largest gap in partisan approval among recent presidents in their first year in office: 88% of Democrats approve of Obama's job, while just 27% of Republicans say the same thing. But here are a couple of things to consider: One, the Republican Party is more conservative now, and its moderates are now sitting in the independent category now (the Pew poll has Obama's approval among independents at 57%). Two, Obama is still approved by one in four Republicans. When that number gets into the teens or single digits, then the "P" word -- polarization -- can fairly be used. For example, in our January 2009 NBC/WSJ poll, right before he left office, just 6% of Democrats approved of George W. Bush's job.

*** Karl Rove irony watch, part 2: In his weekly Wall Street Journal op-ed, Karl Rove writes about that Pew poll. The op-ed's title: "The President Has Become a Divisive Figure." In it, he concludes: "We don't yet know the price Democrats will pay for Mr. Obama's fiscal radicalism. But we do know that no presidential hopeful in our lifetime has made bipartisanship more central to his candidacy and few presidents have devoted as many eloquent words to its importance. Yet no president in the past 40 years has done more to polarize America so much, so quickly." Last Thursday, as we pointed out, Karl Rove wrote in his Wall Street Journal op-ed that Team Obama was politicizing the White House.

*** Gun talk: We thought that this was interesting: Attorney General Eric Holder says the White House did not ask him to temper his recent remarks on guns, per The Hill. "Asked if the gun issue has become political and if Democrats are getting cozy with the National Rifle Association (NRA), Holder responded, 'I don't think it has and in fact, I look forward to working with the NRA to come up with ways in which we can use common-sense approaches to reduce the level of violence that we see in our streets and make the American people as safe as they can possibly be.'" Just asking, but how many more gun incidents have to happen before the pro-gun control crowd gets any legislative traction? It's truly stunning how mute the Democratic Congress has been in the face of what's been quite a few high profile gun incidents this year. Don't miss this pretty strong New York Times editorial on the subject.

*** Obama's Seder: Finally today the president and his family "host a private White House Seder, a meal celebrating Passover, the Jewish exodus from Egypt after four centuries of slavery. The White House says it's apparently the first time a U.S. president has hosted a Seder." The AP calls it "a signal that the new president intends to fulfill his promise that Jewish voters would have an ally." 

Countdown to Obama's 100th day: 20 days 
Countdown to NJ GOP primary: 54 days
Countdown to VA Dem primary: 61 days
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Countdown to Election Day 2010: 572 days

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The New York Times front-pages that President Obama will address immigration reform this year, including the contentious path for citizenship for illegal immigrants. "Mr. Obama plans to speak publicly about the issue in May, administration officials said, and over the summer he will convene working groups, including lawmakers from both parties and a range of immigration groups, to begin discussing possible legislation for as early as this fall. Some White House officials said that immigration would not take precedence over the health care and energy proposals that Mr. Obama has identified as priorities. But the timetable is consistent with pledges Mr. Obama made to Hispanic groups in last year's campaign."

More: "But with the economy seriously ailing, advocates on different sides of the debate said that immigration could become a polarizing issue for Mr. Obama in a year when he has many other major battles to fight." 

The Wall Street Journal reports that the White House is open to compromise on its climate-change agenda. "'[The president's] preferred approach was 100% auction to create incentives for companies to reduce their greenhouse-gas emissions,' said White House spokesman Ben LaBolt. 'Members of Congress are looking at a variety of policy options to help us make that transition, and the administration will be flexible during the policy-making process as long as those larger goals' of a clean-energy economy, 'green' job creation and cutting oil imports are met, he said in an email."   

The results from the bank stress tests for the top 19 institutions will be delivered to Obama tomorrow, according to Bloomberg. "Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and Sheila Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., will attend the session. The group also will have a 'significant discussion about other aspects of the economy,' said Josh Earnest, a White House spokesman."

The New York Times has a bit more on these stress tests. "What they are discovering may come as a relief to both the financial industry and the public: the banking industry, broadly speaking, seems to be in better shape than many people think, officials involved in the examinations say. That is the good news. The bad news is that many of the largest American lenders, despite all those bailouts, probably need to be bailed out again, either by private investors or, more likely, the federal government. After receiving many millions, and in some cases, many billions of taxpayer dollars, banks still need more capital, these officials say."

The Obama administration is pushing private investment firms who participate in the toxic asset to come up with something akin to Liberty Bonds.

Our only question: Why is the government running this bond program itself? Why not call on private firms to do it?

Also, keep an eye on some insurance stocks today to see how the news of the Treasury Department considering giving TARP funds to some insurance companies. 

Need to learn more on how the Federal Reserve works these days? Here's a good long read in today's Washington Post on Fed Chair Bernanke.

Auto watch: The story of Ford and its decision to avoid federal help is an interesting one. The New York Times has a tick-tock of sorts. CEO "Mulally, 63, is doing all he can to separate Ford in the public's mind from its hometown competitors. To emphasize his point, he pulled out a recent newspaper cartoon that compared college basketball's Final Four to Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen -- and Ford. 'We are competing against the best in the world,' Mr. Mulally said. 'It's not just with the companies in the U.S.'"

"While G.M. and Chrysler wait for more federal aid, Ford is capitalizing on its status as the only one of the Big Three in Detroit to make it, so far, on its own. Some surveys are showing consumers migrating away from G.M. and Chrysler to Ford showrooms. Inside Ford headquarters here in Dearborn, management sees a unique opportunity to expand its market share and further separate Ford from the competition."

"It's Star Wars vs. global warming," the New York Post writes. "President Obama's science adviser said yesterday the United States is considering extreme measures to defeat global warming -- such as shooting pollutants miles above the Earth to block the sun's rays."

And: "Ten priests from the order that founded the University of Notre Dame say the school risks its 'true soul' and could distance itself from the Roman Catholic Church by inviting President Barack Obama to campus next month."

The New York Daily News has an interesting take on Obama's overseas trip: "President Obama's glowing reception overseas was no accident. That's because the new commander in chief's first international tour was as much a campaign swing as it was global summitry. The reason is simple: While Obama and his strategists wanted to come home with some tangible results, they were even more interested in laying the groundwork for bigger prizes later on."

The L.A. Times' Parsons has a good scorecard analysis piece.

Meanwhile, looking ahead at next week's trip to the Summit of the Americas, the New York Times has the news about a leading organization for Cuban exiles calling on the White House to expand relations with the Cuban government. "The proposal stops short of calling for an end to the 47-year-old trade embargo the United States has imposed on Cuba. Mr. Hernandez said the embargo should remain until the Cuban government gives 'more freedom and human rights to people.' But he also described it as 'a symbol' and 'not something that is that important anymore.'"

"In a reversal from the group's founding principles, he said American policy should focus not on sanctions but on proactive policies that direct resources to Cuba."

Look for some major Cuban news before the president leaves for the Summit of the Americas next week.

Also, the Obama administration confirmed it would join the multi-national diplomatic process to deal with Iran, the Wall Street Journal writes.

The AP: "Efforts by the Obama administration to re-engage with Iran advanced a step and skidded backward all in the same day, underscoring the difficulties the new president faces as he tries to improve U.S. relations with its longtime foe." 

The Washington Post reports that Congress is going to slow down the legislative process for the rest of the year. 

"Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) asserted his innocence and said he is cooperating fully with a preliminary investigation by the House's new ethics office into his relationship with former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) and his interest in President Obama's vacant Senate seat."

American Rights at Work launched a seven-figure ad buy urging the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, trying to capitalize on the raw feelings of workers toward Wall Street. Here's the script: "It's the Wall Street way of doing business. Getting rich is everything. Reward yourself for failure. Employees don't matter. Exploiting them is acceptable. Don't let workers get ahead. That's why they think they deserve bailouts and bonuses for bringing our economy down. And then turn around and try to keep workers from joining unions to earn better wages and benefits. Don't let them get away with it. Tell Congress to pass the Employee Free Choice Act now. It's time the economy worked for everyone again."  

Count Chocola: Officials at the fiscally conservative "Club for Growth have zeroed in on former Rep. Chris Chocola (R-Ind.) to lead the group after the current president, former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), leaves later this month to run for Senate in Pennsylvania… Chocola was twice elected to the House before losing a bid for his third term in 2006 to now-Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.). And like Toomey, Chocola has deep pockets: Roll Call reported in 2004 that Chocola was one of the wealthiest Members of Congress with a net worth of almost $15 million."

The New York Times, meanwhile, profiles Minnesota's current lone senator, Democrat Amy Klobuchar. "With only one senator to inundate with advice, to seek help from, or to complain about, six times as many people are calling Ms. Klobuchar's offices than before the election. A new telephone system was installed in her Washington office so calls could be routed to more staff members, not just to the front desk, where the ringing never seemed to stop. And Ms. Klobuchar's meetings with advocacy groups -- like those trying to cure diseases, help injured soldiers, or support ethnic groups in Minnesota -- are up 30 percent." 

Meanwhile, Pawlenty says he's not facing DC pressure to act on the Minnesota Senate recount. "Minnesota state law says the state cannot issue an election certificate, signed by the governor and co-signed by the secretary of state, for the winner of a U.S. Senate election if the election is contested. The state Supreme Court confirmed that in a decision last month: The plain language of Minn. Stat. § 204C.40, subd. 2, provides that no election certificate can be issued in this Senate race until the state courts have finally decided the election contest pending under chapter 209. Many, including Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, have interpreted that to mean that an election certificate can and should be issued after an expected state Supreme Court appeal."

An "amended [RNC FEC] report shows that the committee paid about $23,000 for clothing in the three weeks before and after Election Day -- which is actually $7,000 less than previously reported. That new report brings the total Palin clothing costs paid by the RNC down to about $173,000 and also makes it easier to spot clothing purchases that had previously gone undetected," Politico's Vogel reports. A couple of details: $192 to the Philadelphia Flyers pro shop "previously described as 'campaign accessories' was recategorized as 'candidate clothing,' possibly for either the Flyers hockey jersey Palin reportedly received with her name and the No. 1 on the back before dropping a ceremonial puck or the one that her younger daughter, Piper, wore at the game. And "a $289 payment to high-end shoemaker Stuart Weitzman, which had been described as 'retail' and 'accessories,' became 'candidate clothing.'" 
 
Also, "The conservative group Free American Citizens has created a questionable legal defense fund for Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, apparently to raise money off her popularity," Politico writes. "The home page of 'Sarah Palin's Defense Fund' proclaims that 'SARAH PALIN NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT!!!' But a click on 'donate now' directs the user to the website of Free American Citizens… Palin's staff said the group did not contact either her political action committee or her governor's office before announcing its formation Wednesday" and cannot accept money from it.
 
Levi Johnston said in another interview that Sarah Palin had been lying about him living at the Palins' house before the baby was born. "I was like, 'OK, well, whatever you want to call it. I had my stuff there.'" Asked if the Palin was lying about him, Johnston simply said: "Yes." "Johnston said the biggest misconception about him is 'that my family's white trash.'" 
 
Sanford stumping against the stimulus… "Fort Mill School district leaders and town elders quizzed S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford Wednesday about his stance on federal stimulus funds, pressing him to explain why he opposes federal aid that could keep teachers in the classroom," the Charlotte Observer reports. "But Sanford told a room packed with 200 Fort Mill Rotary Club members that piling up more debt isn't the answer to South Carolina's economic woes. Sanford held up charts and graphs during his talk. Afterward, he fielded questions from people who said they understand Sanford's point, but are worried about what it will mean for cash-starved schools suffering through the recession." 
 
"Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) penned an op-ed today that cites an influential MIT study on cap-and-trade legislation, despite the author of the study complaining that Republicans have misrepresented the findings."

CALIFORNIA: There's now a third major GOP candidate running for governor: former Rep. Tom Campbell.

NEW YORK: Here's an interesting one we caught late yesterday on NY-20: "The 10 county boards of election currently tabulating the vote in the race between Republican Jim Tedisco and Democrat Scott Murphy are rushing to provide party operatives on both sides with reams of data on every person who submitted an absentee ballot." And what are the campaigns doing with these reams of paper? They "are trying to get a sense of how the final tally might look by calling absentee voters and asking them to reveal their choice."

From NBC's Claire Luke
Though all Americans are affected by the recent economic downturn, young adults are bearing the brunt of the recession more than any other group, according to a new poll.

"While everyone in this country is suffering, in almost every respect, it has affected young people more," Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Senior Vice President Anna Greenberg said in a conference call today.

Qvisory, a nonprofit online advocacy and service organization for young adults ages 18 to 34, regardless of employment status, commissioned the poll conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner to reveal the extent to which young adults are affected by the sour economy.

The poll revealed that many young adults are making lifestyle adjustments and buying on credit to cope with unemployment rates and harsh economic conditions, and are also making choices that will affect them in the long run.

Sixty-two percent of those polled say their personal economic conditions are fair or poor, and 19% are unemployed or looking for work, compared to 7% of adults. (It is not clear, however, if this number included students).

The poll also showed that young adults are more likely to work part-time, and are thus more likely than adults not to have health care, Greenberg said. Additionally, 17% of young adults said, according to the poll, that they have been affected in some way by bankruptcy.

So how are young adults coping with these economic burdens?

Many make cuts that will affect them on a more direct, short-term basis, such as staying home instead of going out or refraining from purchasing clothes or music. Two-in-five also said they have even skipped a meal in order to save money.

Young adults are being forced to consider whether it is financially better to attend college or drop out, Greenberg said, or whether to buy a house, get married, start a family, or to acquire debt or not. As high as 35 percent of those polled in the survey said they either have left or delayed school because of the economy.

"Young people are delaying the kinds of decisions that will affect their adult lives," Greenberg stated. Additionally, Greenberg insisted that, because of the economy, many young adults are losing out on opportunities that would have otherwise encouraged self-exploration in the prime of one's life.

Greenberg added that the age group is also coping by "getting by with plastic," and taking on increased debt. Younger people today now have more student-loan debt than they did 20 years ago, Greenberg said.

To help counteract these conditions, Qvisory is implementing new initiatives for unemployed young adults. These initiatives include prepaid card-alternatives for those who have difficulty acquiring credit, a new low-cost dental insurance program for $29 per month, per individual and $34 per family, new expansion of membership benefits, including financial counseling and a safe online deposit box for personal records.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this post incorrectly noted that Qvisory advocates for young adults 18 to 34, who are unemployed. The group advocates for that age group, regardless of employment status, a spokeswoman points out.]

From NBC's Les Kretman
Tomorrow, President Obama will hold a Passover Seder at the White House with family and staff. The Seder, it turns out, is a fulfillment of a vow that a small group of Obama campaign staff made during their Seder last year, on April 19.
 
Unable to go home for the holidays, the group of about 10 held an impromptu Seder in the basement of the Sheraton Hotel in Harrisburg, PA., as the Obama campaign neared the end of its long primary campaign battle in the state.

Obama participated in the Jewish ritual, along with a few friends who were traveling with him that day. At the end of the ritual, after the traditional refrain "Next year in Jerusalem!" Sen. Obama and others in the group jokingly added, "Next year in the White House!"

So this year's Seder "is meant not only to celebrate the holiday but also to reflect on all that has happened in our lives" since the Harrisburg Seder, the official said.

From NBC's Mark Murray
Given that Vice President Biden is in political spotlight -- with his speech today and also his rebuttal to Dick Cheney yesterday on CNN -- Republicans have seized on another portion of that CNN interview, in which Biden talks in the first person about sending troops into combat. 

Asked in the interview if the U.S. is in Afghanistan to defeat the Taliban, Biden replied: "Let's get straight. The Taliban that presents an international threat to the United States of America. The bulk of the Taliban, the phrase that Richard Holbrooke and I have been using, separately but similarly, 5 percent of the Taliban are radicalized Islamists that are no different than al Qaeda."

From the transcript...

BORGER: But wouldn't you use your leverage that you have on an issue like this, which you call outrageous, the president himself has said is abhorrent?

BIDEN: Yes, but that's not -- I am not prepared to send American troops to die for that.

BORGER: OK.

BIDEN: I am prepared to send American troops to protect the United States of America to kill al Qaeda, to root out extremists and to prevent them being able to use Afghanistan once again as a platform to attack the United States of America. Do we find it abhorrent that that law exists or that it's being considered? Absolutely, positively. But we also find abhorrent what's going on in China in some places. We find abhorrent a lot of things. But the question is, if that were the only thing that existed, would we send my son and other sons there to risk their lives to die? I don't think that is a legitimate use.

"Someone want to tell Biden that HE can't send troops anywhere?" a congressional GOP aide emailed First Read. "He's not commander-in-chief."

To be fair to Biden, though, the original question asked him "wouldn't you use your leverage" -- which precipitated the "I" response.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
President Obama, who like many (including two First Read writers), picked the University North Carolina to win the NCAA tournament, called Tar Heels coach Roy Williams last night to congratulate the team.

Here's the readout on the call, according to the White House:

"The President offered Coach Williams his congratulations and thanked him and his team for vindicating him in front of the entire country. The President told him he'd done a great job and asked the Coach to tell the players how proud he was of them and that he looked forward to seeing them at the White House soon."

Obama may have picked the popular Tar Heels to win the championship, but got just one of the Final Four correct. (Though, in the Midwest bracket, Louisville turned out to be a safer pick than, say, Wake Forest. Eh hem.)

From NBC's Mark Murray
In a speech today at Fort Bragg, NC, Vice President Biden welcomed home members of the 18th Airborne Corps, praising their service and other U.S. soldiers in the audience. "You are the best trained. You are the bravest. You are the most conditioned. You are the best force America has ever assembled," he said.

Biden also discussed President Obama's trip to Iraq, as well as the administration's commitment to safely turn over the country's security to the Iraqis. "Because of all the work you've done, all the work our military has done, I am absolutely confident that the Iraqis are in a much better place to take responsibility for their own security."

He later added, "It's time that they do their responsibility, not militarily alone. It's time to reconcile their political differences so they can enjoy the peace that they say they want and do want in their land."

Moreover, Biden told the soldiers in the audience that the Obama administration submitted a budget increasing funding for veterans and vet health care. "We have a lot of obligations, but only one truly sacred obligation, and that's to care for those who we send to war, and to give them everything they need when they return."

He continued, "The best way to honor their memory, of those thousands -- over 14,000 seriously injured coming home from the wars which we are engaged in and have been engaged in -- we owe them the obligation to ... provide them the absolute best medical care and service they need."

Biden's remarks on veterans health care, however, come after the Obama administration initially proposed making veterans use private health-care insurance to pay for combat-related injuries, which they currently don't have to do. But after pressure from members of Congress and veterans groups, the administration dropped the proposal.

President Obama will hold an event tomorrow discussing military health care.

Also in his speech today, Biden referred to the service of his son, Beau, who is in Iraq. Talking about the sacrifices military families make, the vice president said, "So I want you to know I think Jill and I understand. I know my daughter-in-law and my two grandchildren understand the sacrifices your family made. Jill and I proudly wear this blue star. We proudly wear it." 

From NBC's Pete Williams

Attorney General Eric Holder has named a new head of the Justice Department's internal ethics unit, the Office of Professional Responsibility. And he has named an acting director of ATF and put a new person in charge of the U.S. attorneys.

Mary Patrice Brown takes over OPR. She has been supervising criminal cases at the U.S. Attorney's office in Washington. Marshall Jarrett, who had been running OPR, takes over the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys. And Ken Melson, a veteran career prosecutor in Alexandria, Va., will be acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

While some reports have suggested this has something to do with the Ted Stevens case, senior Justice Department officials dismiss that. Jarrett has known Holder since their days together in the U.S. Attorney's office. Far from reflecting any concern about Jarrett's conduct at OPR, these officials say the move actually reflects Holder's confidence in Jarrett by choosing him to run the part of the Justice Department that was the huge problem under Alberto Gonzales -- the U.S. attorneys.

From NBC's Mark Murray
The counting of absentee ballots begins today in the thisclose NY-20 special congressional election. As of now, per the New York State Board of Elections, Jim Tedisco (R) is leading Scott Murphy (D) by 17 votes. And that number will undoubtedly change when the absentee-ballot counting starts.

Given how close the race is, Republicans today fired a warning shot of sorts, suggesting that they will fight any ballot that appears to be questionable. National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions released this statement: "Following the final tally of votes from Election Day, we are confident that Jim Tedisco's current lead will increase given the Republican advantage among absentee ballots. Working with the Tedisco campaign, we remain committed to protecting the integrity of the election process and ensuring that every eligible vote -- particularly those of our military men and women -- is counted. We are thankful to the local officials on the ground who share this commitment."

Added RNC Chairman Michael Steele: "As absentee ballots begin to be counted today, it is important that the integrity of the electoral process be ensured. The only way to achieve that is by making sure every eligible absentee vote is counted -- especially those absentee ballots cast by our fighting men and women serving overseas. I'm confident Jim Tedisco's lead will increase as these votes are counted."

We can also tell you, however, that Democrats are equally confident about Murphy's chances.

From NBC's Jim Miklaszewski

The U.S. crew aboard the Maersk Alabama has retaken control of the ship from pirates, according to U.S. officials.

*** UPDATE *** NBC News has learned that the civilian crew aboard the cargo ship Maersk Alabama has released the one pirate they had in custody, but the four pirates still hold the ship's captain hostage aboard a lifeboat. According to U.S. sources, "there are no pirates aboard the cargo ship, and the captain is still being held hostage by the pirates."

According to U.S. sources, when the when the civilian crew overpowered one of the armed pirates, the three others grabbed the captain hostage and fled the ship in one of the lifeboats. After negotiating with the pirates, the civilian crew released the one pirate they had in custody expecting the pirates to release the captain, who is still being held hostage.

At the same time, international naval forces from several countries, including the U.S. Navy, are "closing on the area fast." According to one source, the pirates are essentially "all alone, more then 300 miles out to sea, and warships from several countries are on the way."

One official says a Navy P-3 surveillance plane and unmanned drones are overhead feeding video of the scene and monitoring the situation.

From NBC's Athena Jones

Per White House press secretary Robert Gibbs in a statement: "The White House is closely monitoring the apparent hijacking of the U.S.-flagged ship in the Indian Ocean and assessing a course of action to resolve this situation. Our top priority is the personal safety of the crew members on board."

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro
*** Stepping on its message? Very late last night, President Obama finally returned home after his surprise visit to Iraq, where U.S. soldiers there greeted him enthusiastically. While it's always a good thing for a president to visit with U.S. troops and while Obama needed to go to Iraq since he was so close by -- remember that Landstuhl controversy during the presidential campaign? -- his Iraq stop did step on his final day in Turkey, costing the White House plenty of "how did the trip go?" coverage. (Of course, that didn't stop many in the media, including us, to ask that very question before today.) But consider: This White House regularly steps on its own message, believing if it doesn't step on its message, someone else will.

*** Not so popular right now: During the first 11 weeks of the Obama presidency, congressional Republicans have achieved this feat: They have maintained (for the most part) a unified opposition to Obama and the Democratic agenda. All Republicans, save for three moderate GOP senators, voted against Obama's stimulus. And every single Republican voted against the Democratic budget. But looking at recent polls, we've got to ask: Where has this gotten the GOP so far? The recent New York Times/CBS poll showed the Republican Party's favorability rating at an all-time low, matching the result from last month's NBC/WSJ poll. One GOP strategist tells First Read that Republicans are hoping that short-term pain leads to long-term gain. "My sense is we are making progress towards reclaiming mantle of fiscal responsibility, which is first step towards rebuilding," the strategist said. "Obama is hugely popular, which makes for a tough environment. But that will/must fade with time, and we'll get our second look from public."

*** The never-ending recount: After yesterday's recount activity in Minnesota -- where Al Franken (D) increased his lead over Norm Coleman (R) -- the question for many is no longer whether Coleman is going to lose; rather, it's when he's going to lose. Coleman's lawyers maintain they're going to appeal to Minnesota Supreme Court, and there's the possibility they might take it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. But from a P.R. standpoint, it wasn't good news for Coleman that the legal challenge he initiated ended up (so far) handing more votes to Franken. (Does that mean that Franken might pick up even more votes if this moves to the state Supreme Court?) "When you contest the results of an election, and you lose ground, you ought to know time is up," Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer said in a statement. Countered GOP Sen. John Cornyn: "Events [yesterday] do not address the main issue that remains unresolved: over 4,000 Minnesotans were disenfranchised by this three-judge panel. That's why it's so critical for this process to move forward before the Minnesota Supreme Court and why Senate Republicans fully support Senator Coleman's efforts."

*** Shiver me timbers: NBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports that pirates have seized the U.S.-flagged, Danish-owned ship Maersk Alabama about 240 miles off the coast of Somalia. Mik adds, "Reports indicate that as many as 21 American crewmen are aboard. The Maersk Alabama is part of a line based in Norfolk, VA and a primary contractor for the U.S. Defense Department. Military officials could not say exactly what cargo the container ship is carrying, but do not believe it is a DOD or U.S. government shipment. At the time the pirates seized the vessel, the nearest U.S. Navy warship was more than 300 miles away.  It is believed that one or more of the Navy's counter-piracy Task Force 151 is headed toward the Maersk Alabama."

*** Biden watch: While President Obama has no events on his schedule after returning to the White House late last night, Vice President Biden picks up the slack. He and his wife travel today to Fort Bragg, NC, where the couple will welcome home the XVIII Airborne Corps, who have just returned from Iraq. Note: This is Biden's second stop this month in this battleground state. (And as we've noted earlier, President Obama and Michelle Obama also have visited the state during these past 11 weeks.) Biden's also in the news after blasting Dick Cheney (calling him "dead wrong" for saying that the Obama administration's policies have made the country less safe), and with the Washington Post reporting that the vice president will be tasked with shepherding the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty through the Senate.

*** Ethics watch: Here's more potential bad news for a political party that campaigned in 2006 on ending a culture of GOP corruption: "A congressional ethics board has launched a preliminary inquiry into U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill), related to President Obama's vacant Senate seat and the corruption investigation of ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich," the Chicago Sun-Times reported yesterday. "Jesse Jackson Jr. is the second member of the Illinois delegation to come under ethical scrutiny this year. The Senate ethics committee launched an inquiry into Sen. Roland Burris's appointment by Blagojevich."

*** Special election rundown: Speaking of Illinois politics, the Democrat running for Rahm Emanuel's congressional seat -- Mike Quigley -- easily won the special general election yesterday. And in that still-undecided NY-20 congressional race, the counting of absentee ballots begins today.

Countdown to Obama's 100th day: 21 days 
Countdown to NJ GOP primary: 55 days
Countdown to VA Dem primary: 62 days
Countdown to Election Day 2009: 209 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 573 days

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The president surrounded by soldiers reaching for him and taking photos is five columns wide on the cover of the New York Times and also the above-the-fold photo on the cover of the Washington Post. 
 
A different photo of troops with outstretched hands to the president is on the cover of the Wall Street Journal. 
 
The New York Times' story: "President Obama made an unannounced trip to Iraq on Tuesday, his first visit as commander in chief to the site of one of the two wars he inherited and must now see through to an end."

The Boston Globe: "President Obama drew praise from troops and veterans groups for his surprise visit yesterday to Baghdad, another step in his concerted effort to win the support of the military despite having opposed the Iraq war and never having served in uniform."

The Washington Post: "President Obama declared Tuesday that Iraqis 'must take responsibility for their country' and predicted that the next 18 months will be trying as U.S. troops start to leave a country stymied by security threats and political problems." 
 
The New York Post's headline: "Barack star!"

The New York Times with this news analysis after Obama's overseas trip: "In eight days in Europe, President Obama has started down the road to remaking the global financial system, reinvigorating the NATO commitment to Afghanistan and Pakistan, rewriting nuclear policy, and repairing relations with the Muslim world. So, 77 days into his presidency, is there an emerging Obama grand strategy?"

"Not yet, but that may have been the point. Pragmatic, conciliatory, legalistic and incremental, he pushed what might be called, with a notable exception or two, an anti-Bush doctrine. There was no talk of pre-emption, or of the American mission to eradicate tyranny. From the Thames to the Bosporus, and at several landmarks in between, Mr. Obama barely mentioned his predecessor. But he emphasized one of their main differences: that the United States planned not only to give greater authority to international institutions that President George W. Bush often shunned, but also to embrace the creation of some new ones. Not surprisingly, these were the applause lines of his journey across the Continent."

The Washington Post on Obama's eight-day trip: "Throughout his trip abroad, Obama portrayed a proud but flawed United States, using a refrain of humility and partnership in an attempt to rally allies around such issues of mutual concern as the global economy, climate change and nuclear proliferation. He talked about the nation's 'darker periods' of slavery and repression of Native Americans, and its past sanction of torture that he has ended. He also spoke with pride about the United States' diversity and its central role in rebuilding post-World War II Europe, while condemning 'anti-Americanism that is at once casual but can also be insidious.'"

"Despite his celebrity reception at nearly every stop on the six-country tour, Obama was unable to persuade European allies to increase fiscal stimulus spending or to send additional combat troops to Afghanistan for long-term deployments."

With Congress on its Easter break, a group of Congressional Black Caucus members went to Cuba, met with Raul and Fidel Castro, and had praise for them. The three who met Castro: Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee, Laura Richardson and Bobby Rush. "It was Raul Castro's first encounter with U.S. officials since formally replacing his brother as head of state," the AP notes. And it was the first time Fidel has met with Americans since he fell ill in 2006. Regarding Cuba policy: "Jeffrey Davidow, the White House adviser for the Summit of the Americas to be held in Trinidad and Tobago April 17-19, said Monday he 'would not be surprised' if the president announces more changes in U.S. policies before that meeting."
 
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA): Fidel Castro was "very engaging and very energetic."
 
Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA) said she got the sense "[Fidel Castro] really wants President Obama to succeed" in his foreign policy goals. "He sincerely wants an opportunity, I think, in his lifetime to see a change in America." She added, Castro "looked directly into our eyes" and asked, "How can we help President Obama?" Richardson said. 
 
Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL): Raul Castro is "just the opposite of how he's being portrayed in the media… I think what really surprised me but also endeared to him was his keen sense of humor, his sense of history and his basic human qualities."

MINNESOTA: After counting some 350 absentee ballots yesterday, Al Franken (D) increased his lead over Norm Coleman (R) to 312 votes -- out of 2.9 million votes cast last November.

The Star Tribune: "Not long after a decisive majority of once-rejected absentee ballots were counted and broke for Franken on Tuesday, attorneys on both sides were already jawing over the merits of an appeal in the 10-week-old U.S. Senate recount trial. Coleman spokesman Ben Ginsberg said the three presiding judges erred in permitting only 351 rejected absentee ballots to be counted. 'We will be appealing this to the Minnesota Supreme Court,' he said."

"Franken attorney Marc Elias brushed aside the threat. 'I don't think there is much of a case on appeal at all,' he said."

The New York Times adds that the case before the three-judge panel "is still not over because the panel has to rule on two outstanding issues: Mr. Coleman is trying to have some ballots removed from the total because he says they have been counted twice, and he says that 132 ballots lost in the recount should not be included in the final tally. Regardless of how the panel rules on these issues, Mr. Franken's lawyers say Mr. Coleman cannot gain enough votes to overtake him."

Roll Call: The three-judge panel is expected to rule on those matters, plus which candidate lawfully received the most votes, in the next few days."

"The Vermont Legislature on Tuesday overrode Gov. Jim Douglas's veto of a bill allowing gay couples to marry, mustering one more vote than needed to preserve the measure," the New York Times reports. "The step makes Vermont the first state to allow same-sex marriage through legislative action instead of a court ruling, and comes less than a week after the Iowa Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriages in that state."

"New York, New Jersey, Maine and New Hampshire are among the states where such proposals have gained legislative support in recent months."

ILLINOIS: As expected, Democrat Mike Quigley won by a wide margin, 69%-24%, in the race to replace Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel in Illinois' 5th Congressional District. Emanuel, by the way, forgot to vote, per the Chicago Tribune. "Quigley said he plans to return to Chicago most weekends and will sleep on his office couch while in Washington."
 
"I recognize in many respects I will be compared to him and that's a tough, tough task. It's extraordinary," Quigley told supporters at an election night party at a North Side Chicago bar. "For a while I will be the guy in D.C. that's recognized as that's the guy taking Rahm Emanuel's seat. We will fight very hard to set our own ground, to establish our own credentials."

And, of course, as the AP notes (as have we), "It's the same congressional seat once held by impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and former House Ways and Means Chairman Dan Rostenkowski."

NEW YORK: Counting of the absentee ballots in the still-undecided NY-20 special election between Scott Murphy (D) and Jim Tedisco (R) begins today.

Politico writes that Tedisco had a 17-vote lead over Murphy as of yesterday. "The official tally is now Tedisco with 77,035 votes, and Murphy with 77,018. Tedisco regained the lead after election officials in Saratoga County apparently misreported its recanvassed tally to the state Elections Board." 

PENNSYLVANIA: "Sen. Arlen Specter on Tuesday said that former Rep. Pat Toomey is too conservative to win a general election race in Pennsylvania, claiming his likely primary opponent 'is to the right of Rick Santorum,'" The Hill writes, adding that on MSNBC's Morning Joe yesterday, "Specter said Toomey fought for deregulation, embraced private accounts in Social Security and, if nominated, would lose the general election and allow Democrats to pass so-called card-check legislation favored by organized labor."

From NBC's Michelle Perry
Rep. Barbara Lee announced that three members of the U.S. congressional delegation that traveled to Cuba met with Fidel Castro today before leaving the island nation.

She said they found him "very engaging and very energetic," and they discussed a wide range of provisions with him as they did with Raul Castro.

Lee said that given the new direction in foreign policy the co-del believes it's time to look at new direction toward Cuba.

"The 50-year embargo just hasn't worked," she said before adding that American citizens should have the right to travel to travel there and the right to do business there.
 
She said they will push the idea with President Obama, the Democratic leadership and Secretary of State Clinton.

The co-del, she said, found that Cubans want dialogue and want discussions with the U.S.