"Three top Obama administration officials are returning to the Gulf Coast to monitor the massive oil spill that seems to have no end in sight, as BP officials said yesterday that one of their efforts to slow the leak wasn't working as effectively as before," the AP says. The three: EPA head Lisa Jackson, as well as "Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano were to lead a Senate delegation."

The New York Times: "In the days since President Obama announced a moratorium on permits for drilling new offshore oil wells and a halt to a controversial type of environmental waiver that was given to the Deepwater Horizon rig, at least seven new permits for various types of drilling and five environmental waivers have been granted, according to records."    

The AP: "Anxious and angry, Americans are not in a congratulatory mood. That's bad news for President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies," AP writes. "After winning a landmark health care overhaul earlier this year, Obama now stands on the brink of seeing Congress approve the most far-reaching overhaul of Wall Street regulations since the 1930s. Democrats aim to put it on his desk by July 4. Yet with the economy still wobbly and the stock market retreating, Americans remain nervous about the possibility of a double-dip recession. They have seen few concrete benefits yet from the slow-to-unfold health care law. Likewise, it may be some time before Obama can point to results from the advancing legislation to rewrite the rules that govern Wall Street."

Obama is "sending Congress legislation to give him and future presidents the authority to scrutinize spending bills that have already been signed into law for pork barrel projects and other dubious programs," the AP writes. "He could then send Congress a package of spending cuts for a mandatory up-or-down vote on whether to accept or reject them. It's a weaker version of the line-item veto that all but a handful of governors have."

The Washington Post: "Key votes pending in Congress this week on whether to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" law that prohibits openly gay men and lesbians from serving in the military remain too close to call, advocates on both sides say. The Senate Armed Services Committee is expected to vote by the end of the week on an amendment to the annual defense spending bill that would end "don't ask, don't tell," which Congress passed in 1993. Chairman Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.) favors a repeal, but it is unclear whether he has enough votes, with six senators on the panel considered undecided, legislative sources said."

Gay rights groups wonder what Brown can do for them. "Gay rights groups anxious to see Congress move quickly toward repealing the law that bans gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military are training some of their lobbying energy on Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown [Friday]," the Boston Globe reports. "The Senate Armed Services Committee is planning to vote on a provision lifting the controversial Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy when it takes up the fiscal year 2011 defense spending bill [this] week."

And the Tea Party turns on Brown… "Senator Scott Brown yesterday drew scorn from former admirers who had hailed the Massachusetts Republican as a new voice for the conservative cause but now say he has abandoned them by joining Democrats to advance President Obama's plan to overhaul the financial system," the Boston Globe said on Saturday. "As quickly as they had latched onto his campaign four months ago, they repudiated him yesterday through a flurry of blog posts, editorials, and Facebook messages. 'His career as a senator of the people lasted slightly longer than the shelf life of milk,' said Shelby Blakely, executive director of New Patriot Journal, the media arm of the Tea Party Patriots, which includes various Tea Party groups around the country. 'The general mood of the Tea Party is, 'We put you in, and we'll take you out in 2012.' This is not something we will forget.'"

Roll Call profiles Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), who the paper says is showing an "aggressive side." Why? "Cantwell's frustration had been brewing for months, and most of her ire appears to have been directed at Senate Banking Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), who had tried repeatedly to undermine the strict derivatives regulation she personally pushed Agriculture Chairman Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) to adopt."

"Who knew that Kermit the Frog was this into politics," The Hill writes. "The campaign of Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) has put out a video that features a frog puppet -- that looks much like the famous Sesame Street character -- to help sell the state's controversial immigration law."

RNC Chairman Michael Steele on Rand Paul: "I believe ... his philosophy is misplaced in these times," Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee, told "Fox News Sunday." "I don't think it's where the country is right now," Steele said.

The NBC Political Unit, in a Sunday New York Times op-ed, tries to make sense of the Democrats' special election win in Pennsylvania last Tuesday. "[W]hat happened in the only race on Tuesday that pitted a Democratic candidate against a Republican -- a House contest largely overshadowed by the night's Senate primaries in Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Arkansas -- is a reminder that anger alone won't be enough for Republicans to regain control of Congress. The reason: Good campaigns and good candidates can overcome a tough political environment."  

In a similar vein, the New York Times writes, "Republicans remain confident of making big gains in the fall elections, but as the midterm campaign begins in earnest, they face a series of challenges that could keep the party from fully capitalizing on an electorate clamoring for change in Washington." 

"So far this year, 48 percent of the [political] contributions from big business are going to the Democrats," the Washington Post finds. "The pattern represents a distinct change from a year ago, when President Obama was sworn into office. Back then, corporate political action committees made a shift to the Democrats, giving 58 percent of their donations to the party."

ARIZONA: While delivering petition signatures for a position on the August ballot, Sen. John McCain "defended Arizona's tough crackdown on illegal immigration and lashed out at President Barack Obama for criticizing it," the AP writes. "'Overwhelmingly the American people support what the Legislature and governor of Arizona did, and it's because the federal government would not fulfill its responsibilities to secure the border,' McCain said."  
 
CONNECTICUT: "After nearly a week of criticism following revelations that he misrepresented his military record and five days after a press conference in which he expressed regret for his misstatements, Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Richard Blumenthal apologized," The Hartford Courant writes. Blumenthal said in a statement: "At times when I have sought to honor veterans, I have not been as clear or precise as I should have been about my service in the Marine Corps Reserves. I have firmly and clearly expressed regret and taken responsibility for my words. I have made mistakes and I am sorry. I truly regret offending anyone. I will always champion the cause of Connecticut's and our nation's veterans." The paper also notes: "Blumenthal was nominated by Democrats at their convention on Friday." 

"Connecticut Republicans Friday endorsed former World Wrestling Entertainment executive Linda McMahon for the U.S. Senate race, but former Rep. Rob Simmons said he will challenge her in the party's Aug. 10 primary," the Wall Street Journal writes. "Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal Friday night was endorsed by the state's Democrats despite recent questions raised about statements he has made about his service during the Vietnam War."

HAWAII: Just Djou it. "Honolulu City Councilman Charles Djou was elected Saturday to fill a vacant Congressional district in Hawaii, giving Republicans a much-needed if fortuitous win in an unusual race that divided Democrats," Roll Call reports. "With 170,000 votes counted in Hawaii's 1st district, Djou had 40 percent of the vote to 31 percent for state Sen. Colleen Hanabusa (D) and 28 percent for former Rep. Ed Case (D) in the vote-by-mail election."

FLORIDA: "Florida's largest union, the AFL-CIO, is giving a "full'' endorsement to the leading Democratic candidate in the Senate race, U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek," while "Yesterday, the teachers union decided to split its endorsement between Meek and Gov. Charlie Crist, the Republican-turned-independent candidate," the St. Petersburg Times says.

NEVADA: "Nevada banned people wearing chicken costumes from polling places around the state on Friday."

NEW YORK: "Andrew Cuomo, following in the footsteps of dad Mario and two scandal-scarred predecessors, announced his long-expected campaign for governor by promising a crackdown on corruption. 'I don't work for the lobbyists,' Cuomo told his supporters Saturday afternoon in lower Manhattan. 'I don't work for the politicians. I don't work for special interests. I work for the people of New York. Period.'"

A look at the week ahead in politics.

Republicans are poised to win Hawaii special election, Connecticut and Colorado's conventions, Obama speaks at West Point, Meet the Press has Rand Paul and Joe Sestak, Tea Party vs. Menendez in NJ, Cuomo may announce in New York, Idaho's primary Tuesday, an NBC/MSNBC/Telemundo poll on immigration, and behind-the-scenes video of where that White House vole came from.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL VIDEO:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Rand Paul canceled on Meet the Press late Friday afternoon after this video was edited.]

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
After a tough two days following his sweeping Republican Senate primary victory in Kentucky, Rand Paul has canceled on Meet the Press.

"He committed on Wednesday and is now wanting to cancel," the show's Executive Producer Betsy Fischer tells First Read. "We are hoping he will reconsider and keep his commitment."

His campaign told the show he's "exhausted." Paul agreed to do the show on Wednesday before backing out late Friday afternoon.

Fischer said Paul is only the third major guest in 62 years to have canceled on the show. The other two were Louis Farrakhan (1996) and Saudi Prince Bandar (2003).
 

From NBC's Pete Williams
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of New Jersey takes up a legal battle launched by members of a state Tea Party faction, which seeks to recall -- that is, vote out of office -- the state's junior U.S. senator, Democrat Robert Menendez.

A provision of New Jersey's state constitution, adopted 17 years ago, explicitly provides for recalling U.S. senators and representatives. Last September members of a Tea Party group gave notice that they intended to begin gathering signatures, seeking a vote on recalling Menendez. When the secretary of state state refused to allow the effort to go forward, saying it would violate the U.S. Constitution, the Tea Partiers sued, launching the legal battle that is now before the state's highest court.

Ner Jersey's attorney general has dropped out of the case, leaving Menendez to defend the secretary of state's refusal to let the recall effort proceed. His lawyers argue that the U.S. Constitution leaves no room for state recalls, because it sets a fixed Senate term of six years and gives the Senate the exclusive power over expelling its own members. Because the state's law directly conflicts with the U.S. Constitution, the state provision is invalid, lawyers for Menendez tell the court in their written briefs.

Lawyers for the Tea Party group cite the 10th Amendment, which says any powers not claimed by the federal government are reserved to the states. Because the federal Constitution is silent on the issue of recalls, that leaves states free to invoke the recall authority, they claim. They also urge the court to find that the voters have the ultimate political power and should be able to remove senators who become incapacitated or who insist on staying in office even after becoming mired in scandal.

Menendez responds that the states have no power, reserved or otherwise, over the election of purely federal officials. "The U.S. Supreme Court has held that the states could not have reserved any powers over members of Congress, because no such powers could have existed before the federal government was created," they write.

No state has ever recalled a senator or member of Congress.

From NBC's Mark Murray
While the RNC is seeing its fundraising decline, it is zeroing in on Pennsylvania Senate nominee Joe Sestak's (D) claim that the Obama administration offered him a job to persuade him not to challenge Arlen Specter in a primary. Of course, Sestak defeated Specter on Tuesday.

Yesterday, RNC Chairman Michael Steele issued this statement:

It is unacceptable for an administration that touts itself as the 'most transparent' in history to continue to stonewall a significant and potentially devastating accusation of political corruption.  And, until a thorough and public investigation has been conducted and the air is cleared, this matter will continue to cloud the President each time he steps foot in Pennsylvania to place the establishment mantle on Joe Sestak between now and November."

Today, Steele followed up with this blog post:

Was a job promise made by the White House to bait Sestak out of the race and, if so, does the offer still stand? Why is the White House stonewalling on this issue? Are they afraid of what a public investigation might yield? Is it because this type of quid pro quo is considered business as usual in the Obama White House?

While Sestak continues to maintain in interviews that the Obama administration offered him a job, the White House has denied that there anything improper took place. But White House isn't saying anything more than that. Consider White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs's press briefing yesterday:

Q    And Sestak -- several months ago, I asked you on February 23rd if you could find out more about what Sestak said about the White House making him an offer to not run.  And I know that in March you said whatever conversations have been had are not problematic.  But I'm wondering since this has become an issue in Congressman Sestak's campaign and will likely be -- continue to be an issue, if you could -- if you want to put it to rest right now, what exactly was the conversation?
MR. GIBBS:  Jake, I don't have anything to add to what I said in March.
Q    But you never -- you never really explained what the conversation was.
MR. GIBBS:  Then I don't have anything to add today.
Q    But if the White House offers a congressman a position in the administration in order to convince that congressman to not run for office --
MR. GIBBS:  Jake, I don't have anything to add to that.
Q    But you've said a number of times that you would get something for us on that.
MR. GIBBS:  And I did.  And I gave that answer in March, and I don't have anything to add to that.

From NBC's Mark Murray
Earlier this morning, after mentioning the Democratic National Committee's fundraising haul in the month of April ($10 million plus), we asked this question: What will the RNC show after all the bad news the committee suffered that month?

Well, we got our answer: $6.8 million.

That's a significant drop from the $11.6 million the committee raised in March.

In fact, this month brought us the first true disparity in DNC vs. RNC fundraising this year. Consider:

April 2010 fundraising
DNC: $10.4 million
RNC: $6.8 million

March 2010 fundraising
DNC: $13.7 million
RNC: $11.6 million

Feb. 2010 fundraising
DNC: $7.4 million
RNC: $7.7 million

Jan. 2010 fundraising
DNC: $9.2 million
RNC: $10.5 million

*** UPDATE *** RNC spokesman Doug Heye reponds: "When one factors in the DNC's debt (we remain debt free) the RNC has more available cash." Overall, the DNC has $15.1 million cash on hand, versus the RNC's $12.4 million.

From msnbc.com's Carrie Dann
@scotus on Twitter? #notsomuch. 

It hasn't been a such a great week for those who'd like to dismantle a persistent stereotype about the statesmen who roam the halls of power in Washington: some of them are a little bit awed and confused by technology.

Exhibit A: On Thursday, in a scene reminiscent of many American families' multigenerational Thanksgiving dinners, lawmakers and members of the nation's highest court discussed their familiarity with "twitting."

In a hearing about administrative support for the judiciary system, subcommittee chairman Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) asked two Supreme Court justices if either of them have "considered 'tweeting' or 'twitting.'"

"I don't even know what it is," Justice Antonin Scalia responded. "I've heard it talked about."

Scalia, 74, shruggingly added that his unfamiliarity with the social networking site might explain his wife's pet name for him: "Mr. Clueless."

Justice Stephen Breyer, 71, was much more familiar with the social networking site. He noted that his son introduced him to Twitter during the Iranian election protests last summer. He was transfixed, he said, for two hours as he read "Twitters" from Iranians using the medium to document the demonstrations. "It's not something that's going to go away," Breyer predicted. 

(The court is not exactly known for its savvy about cutting-edge gadgetry. TV cameras are still banned from covering its proceedings. And Chief Justice John Roberts was the butt of jokes -- perhaps unfairly -- after his questioning during one oral argument at the court appeared to betray some confusion about the difference between email and pager messages.)

The justices' more-than-140-character exchange happened amidst another barrage of ridicule targeting a Capitol Hill denizen, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), who told a home-state newspaper that he is unfamiliar with ATM fees because he'd never used an ATM. In the interview, Nelson added that he does use plastic to pay for gas and groceries, so he does "know about the holograms." (The cyber-chuckles were enough to prompt Nelson's spokesman to issue a statement to underscore that the 69-year-old lawmaker "understands that many Americans, including many Nebraskans, are struggling to make ends meet and use their ATM cards for convenience and their credit cards to stretch their budgets.")

Of course, Congress is rife with counter-examples to illustrate some lawmakers' embrace of all things virtual. Last week, House Republicans launched a project called YouCut that allows Web users to vote on spending cuts that the GOP pledges to bring to the House floor for a vote once a week. And plenty of lawmakers-turned-social-media-mavens are "twitting," including septuagenarians Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and John McCain (R-AZ).

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
After Rand Paul's comments on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on Rachel Maddow's show, he blamed the "media."

Then, this morning, he went on Good Morning America, and, in addition to charging that the Obama administration's criticism of BP was "un-American," he also accused ABC's George Stephanopoulos of getting his talking points from the "Democrat National Committee" and lamented not getting a "honeymoon" after his "big victory" in Kentucky.

This, based on Stephanopoulos grilling Paul about a letter to the editor he wrote to a local newspaper criticizing elements of the Fair Housing Act.

"So you believe if someone doesn't want to sell their house to someone else based on the color of their skin, that's OK?" Stephanopoulos asked in his first question to Paul after setting it up with a piece on the controversy.

Paul's response?

"Good morning, George. Good morning, Robin. When does my honeymoon period start. I had a big victory," he said. "I thought I got a honeymoon period from you guys in the media."

Stephanopoulos responded, "Well, we're just asking the questions that come up in the context of this campaign."

Paul laughed and said, "Well, they come up in the context of the Democrat talking points. For example, I've been trashed up and down one network that tends to side with the Democrats for an entire 24 hours I've suffered from them saying, 'Oh, he wants to repeal the Civil Rights Act. But that's never been my position, so really this is a lot about politics. This is about, look, we're up 20 points in Kentucky. Democrats are going to have a tough time winning down here, so they're going to make up a lot of stuff and go forward with that."

I may have missed it on MSNBC's air yesterday, but I didn't notice a host saying he wanted to repeal the Civil Rights Act, and on Maddow's show, Paul got ample time to describe his views.

Ideology is one thing. And it would be unfair for people to try and accuse Paul or the Tea Party movement of being racist. But the overarching question that remains for Paul is how does his largely libertarian ideology translate, in practical terms, to legislating. Those are legitimate questions for any candidate who wants to make laws.

As Stephanopoulos said in his follow-up, "With respect, I just showed your own words up on the screen. I'm just asking if you still believe them."

Paul said in reference to the Civil Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act that he's never campaigned on these issues, and they're not part of his platform. And that's fair enough. But it's reasonable to wonder how he would legislate on similar issues going forward.

Paul claimed, "What these are are red herrings that people are trying to bring up because the Democrats are way behind in Kentucky and are going to have a tough time beating us down here."

He said if Stephanopoulos wanted to talk about "40-year-old legislation," bring on Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd, of West Virginia, and make him defend filibustering the Civil Rights Act.

The difference is that Byrd has already had to answer those questions. Paul, a relative newcomer, has not.

Now the White House has to sell financial reform… And if health care taught us anything, it's that selling legislation to the public isn't easy… Dennis Blair steps down as DNI… James Clapper is leading candidate to replace him… Comparing Blumenthal and Paul… NRCC and NRSC outraise their Democratic counterparts in April… Republicans are expected to pick up Hawaii's congressional seat on Saturday… And First Read's Top 10 Senate takeovers.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Selling financial reform: In yet another significant legislative achievement for congressional Democrats and the Obama White House, the Senate last night passed its financial reform legislation by a 59-39 vote. Four Republicans (Brown, Collins, Grassley, and Snowe) voted for the legislation, while two Democrats (Cantwell and Feingold) voted against it because they thought it didn't go far enough. As the Washington Post writes, Democrats are hoping to use the passage -- Democrats are saying that Obama could sign the legislation into law before July 4, after the House-Senate conference -- as a successful campaign issue. But haven't we heard this before? We've already seen the White House's challenge in selling health care (a new Kaiser poll out THIS WEEK shows that just 41% hold favorable views of the law, and it passed two months ago). Here's our theory about the lack of resonance: Nobody, left or right, believes Washington is good at doing things. Just look at the oil spill and the reports of lax regulation.

*** Blair steps down: Late yesterday afternoon, we learned that Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair was resigning from his post, and the resignation is supposed to become official today. One senior U.S. official told NBC's Savannah Guthrie that President Obama asked for Blair's resignation this week. Blair then went back to the chief of staff's office to ask for an opportunity for a "rebuttal." That offer went nowhere. Guthrie adds that while the intelligence failings surrounding the Christmas Day bomb attempt and Ft. Hood, as well as turf wars between the CIA and the ODNI were well-known, some officials say those weren't the immediate reasons for Blair's dismissal. Rather, the president and his advisers had grown increasingly dissatisfied with the quality of Blair's briefings and his ability to present information in a "coherent way... during stressful times." There was a feeling he was not briefing the most relevant issues. Here's one other scoop that one of us got: Blair was almost let go right after the Xmas bomber incident; there had been tensions before it, and his relationship with the president chilled more after the event.

*** An impossible job? Per NBC's Jim Miklaszewski, U.S. intelligence officials at several levels in several agencies say that Blair's forced resignation highlights what they consider a "serious flaw" in the overall structure of the massive US intelligence apparatus created after 9/11. Whatever issues the White House had with Blair, all the sources agreed the "fundamental flaw" in the organization is that "the DNI has all the responsibility without the power or authority." Indeed, as the New York Times points out, Blair's eventual replacement will be the fourth DNI in five years. Wow. As for that replacement, NBC has learned that Lt. General James Clapper is the leading candidate for the post. Clapper is currently Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence. He's former Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. NBC's Andrea Mitchell also learned that CIA Director Leon Panetta told the White House that he does not want to be considered for the job. 

*** Blumenthal and Paul: Richard Blumenthal's struggles in Connecticut (over questions about his military service) and Rand Paul's (over his views of the 1964 Civil Rights Act) are significant tests. Both men have survived to live another day; both still face some serious questions about their chances in the fall; and both haven't seen their colleagues rushing to defend them. In Blumenthal's case, we have yet to see the likes of John Kerry or Jim Webb stick their neck out for the candidate for Connecticut Senate. And then there was this VERY tepid statement from Mitch McConnell's office on Paul's troubles: "Among Sen. McConnell's most vivid memories and most formative events in his career was watching his boss Sen. John Sherman Cooper help pull together the votes to break the filibuster and pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He has always considered the law a monumental achievement for the country and is glad to hear Dr. Paul supports it as well." And here's Jon Kyl's: "I hope he can separate the theoretical and the interesting and the hypothetical questions that college students debate until 2 a.m. from the actual votes we have to cast based on real legislation here." Ouch. Clearly, both parties are waiting to see if these two can show signs they can dig out of their respective holes and if they can, then they'll assist. So far, the jury's out on both.

*** The money chase: As we discovered yesterday, both the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee outraised their Democratic counterparts in the month of April. That reflects two things: 1) Republicans' political momentum last month, and 2) possibly the first sign of money that would ordinarily go to the RNC ending up at other GOP committees. The DNC raised $10.3 in April. But how much will we see from the RNC after all the bad news the committee witnessed last month?

*** Will the NRCC end its losing streak? Speaking of political momentum, the NRCC on Saturday is expected to snap its streak of consecutive House special election losses -- seven by our count, dating back to the 2008 cycle -- in the Hawaii contest to succeed ex-Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D), who's running for governor. The good news for Republicans is that Charles Djou (R) will likely win this contest. The bad news is that the victory will occur not necessarily because of the political environment -- but rather because two Democrats (Ed Case and Colleen Hanabusa) splitting the overwhelming Democratic vote. If Djou wins, Democrats fully expect to re-capture the seat come November. Also, because of the time difference, we likely won't have a winner until very late Saturday night/early Sunday morning. For Republicans, it would be helpful if Djou could get in the mid-to-high-40s; then there is a more plausible argument for them to make that they can hold the seat in the fall.

*** First Read's Top 10 Senate Takeovers: If it's Friday, it's time for another First Read Top 10 list. After those hotly contested Senate primaries in Arkansas, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania, today, we take our monthly look at what we consider to be the Top 10 Senate takeovers. The number in parentheses represents our ranking from April. What's amazing is the number of competitive races NOT in our Top 10.
1. North Dakota (1): Been No. 1, stays No. 1.
2. Delaware (2): Castle is still heavily favored.
3. Arkansas (4): While Lincoln and Halter battle it out, Boozman sits pretty until June 9…
4. Nevada (3): This race keeps moving down our list. Who will Reid face -- Lowden, Tarkanian, Angle? We'll find out in three weeks. Angle's rise is the best news Reid's received in months.
5. Indiana (5): Dan Coats is up in the polls, but the race has the potential to be much, much closer.
6. Illinois (6): This contest has remained stagnant, and we're not sure whether that's good news or bad news for the Dems.
7. Pennsylvania (7): The field is now set: Sestak vs. Toomey. Like Ohio, this race will likely determine whether the Senate Dems or the Senate GOPers have a good night in November. 
8. Ohio (unranked): This is the first potential Democratic pick-up. Lee Fisher's money remains an issue after his Democratic primary, but he's narrowly leading in the polls. Has something simply changed in Ohio?
9. Connecticut (unranked): We'll see if Blumenthal can survive after admitting that he has falsely said on occasion that he served in Vietnam.
10. Kentucky (unranked): The field here is set, too: Conway vs. Paul. If anyone wondered about why this race might be a Toss up, look no further than Paul's views on the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
 
And get this: Our list DOESN'T include Colorado, Florida, Missouri, or New Hampshire. That's fascinating, considering that after the 2008 election New Hampshire would have been at the top of the list. And there are about 15 races we're watching this year, as opposed to the seven or so in 2006.

*** More midterm news: In Nevada's GOP Senate race, the Lowden campaign is going after Sharron Angle…Bob Bennett (R) announced that he wouldn't run as a write-in candidate for Utah Senate… And in Washington state, Sarah Palin has apparently endorsed Senate candidate Clint Didier (R), which could complicate Dino Rossi's (R) campaign if he decides to make a run. 
  
Countdown to HI special election: 1 day
Countdown to ID primary: 5 days
Countdown to CA, IA, ME, NJ, ND, SC, SD, and VA primaries, and AR run-off: 19 days:
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 166 days

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"The Senate approved far-reaching new financial rules on Thursday aimed at preventing the risky behavior and regulatory failures that brought the economy to the brink of collapse two years ago and cost millions of Americans their jobs and savings," The Washington Post says. "The final vote, just after 8:30 p.m., was 59 to 39. Four Republicans voted in favor of the bill, and two Democrats opposed it."

The Wall Street Journal calls it "the most extensive overhaul of financial-sector regulation since the 1930s." 

"With a crucial last-minute boost from Senator Scott Brown, the Senate approved sweeping legislation last night that would restructure the nation's financial industry, adding new safeguards and consumer protections in an effort to prevent another economic catastrophe," the Boston Globe says.  
 
Roll Call calls it a "major win" for Majority Leader Harry Reid. 

The New York Daily News headline: "Obama's Wall Street reform: Senate passes biggest financial regulation bill since Great Depression." Its story: "Landmark finance reform that would rein in ruinous risk-taking on Wall Street and protect consumers passed the Senate last night, all but sealing a victory for another key piece of President Obama's agenda." 

The AP: "President Felipe Calderón of Mexico took his opposition to a new Arizona immigration law to Congress yesterday, saying it 'ignores a reality that cannot be erased by decree.'" 

"Who's discriminated against in America? More people say Hispanics than blacks or women -- and it's far from just Hispanics who feel that way. In an Associated Press-Univision Poll, 61 percent of people overall said Hispanics face significant discrimination, compared with 52 percent who said blacks do and 50 percent who said women." 

"Dennis C. Blair, whose often tumultuous tenure as director of national intelligence was marked by frequent clashes with White House officials and other spy chiefs in America's still fractured intelligence apparatus, announced Thursday that he was resigning," the New York Times reports. 

The AP: "For months, National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair has been a dead man walking -- and he knew it. So constant and vicious were the leaks from the White House and Congress of his imminent departure that he opened a recent speech on intelligence reform with a joke that his replacement would be Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Obama's day: "After morning meetings Friday with his senior advisers, Obama will deliver remarks and sign a presidential memorandum outlining the next steps in his vision for cleaner, more efficient vehicles," AP writes. 

"Mr. President, look out for that mole!" the New York Post writes. "Not the kind that steals state secrets and passes them to our enemies -- but the furry kind that had the bad form to scurry across the steps right below President Obama's feet yesterday as he addressed reporters in the Rose Garden. The gray, short-tailed rodent made its debut before a bank of TV cameras and reporters awaiting Obama's comments on Wall Street reform, suddenly scampering across the stone steps outside of the Oval Office before ducking into some shrubs. Then, before Obama declared that the economy is 'getting stronger by the day,' it emerged again, although the president didn't appear to notice." 

"Paul told CNN he would have voted for the 1964 Civil Rights Act, a statement he declined to make one day earlier" on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show. Maddow asked: "Do you think that a private business has the right to say we don't serve black people?" Paul answered: "Yes. I'm not in favor of any discrimination of any form. I don't want to be associated with those people, but I also don't want to limit their speech in any way in the sense that we tolerate boorish and uncivilized behavior because that's one of the things freedom requires." 

The Washington Post: "Two days after becoming the newest symbol of "tea party" politics, Republican Senate candidate Rand Paul of Kentucky thrust himself, his party and the movement into an uncomfortable conversation about the federal government's role in prohibiting racial discrimination and about a period of history that most politicians consider beyond debate."

The New York Times says Paul "provided Democrats an opportunity to portray him as extreme and renewed concern among Republicans that his views made him vulnerable in a general election."       

The ol' everyone's-jealous-of-you, card. "Rep. Ron Paul said Thursday the criticism of his son Rand Paul's comments regarding the 1964 Civil Rights Act is 'unfair' and dismissed the fracas as an attempt by the left to hurt his son's Senate campaign. 'I think it's contrived because he's done so well and the left has to knock him down,' the Texas Republican said." He added, "Politics can sometime be nasty and I think there is a lot of resentment because he all of a sudden became a star." 

Paul found few defenders on Capitol Hill though. Even Jeff Sessions had this to say, "I think that was settled a long time ago and the country is better off. "Things that welcome the public should welcome everybody… I think he's wrong."
 
And Mitch McConnell's spokesman said this: "Among Sen. McConnell's most vivid memories and most formative events in his career was watching his boss Sen. John Sherman Cooper help pull together the votes to break the filibuster and pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He has always considered the law a monumental achievement for the country and is glad to hear Dr. Paul supports it as well."

"The National Republican Senatorial Committee outraised the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in April, and, perhaps more importantly, the GOP committee is now virtually tied with its Democratic counterpart in cash on hand," Roll Call writes. "The NRSC raised $4.4 million in April and ended the month with $17 million in the bank, according to monthly fundraising reports set to be filed with the Federal Election Commission. The DSCC raised $3.1 million during that time and had just more than $17.1 million in the bank at the end of the month, after leading in cash on hand by a nearly 2-to-1 margin last fall. The Republican committee spent $2.3 million in April while the Democratic committee spent nearly $3.3 million."  
 
And the NRCC outraised the DCCC as well. 

After the results in PA-12, Newt Gingrich says, "I would've said more [than 50-50 chance of taking back the House] if they picked up Pennsylvania. I would've said they'd gain 70 seats. Now they're in the 30-to-50-seat range." 

Charlie Cook: "Holding on in that tough, swing district bolsters the Democrats' argument that even though the national mood is hostile to their party, strong Democratic candidates who run sharp, focused campaigns can still win… Democrats should not have won the special election, but they did. And Republicans should be doing some real soul-searching about the reasons for their loss, their 10th consecutive defeat in special congressional elections. Republicans might have a strong wind at their back this year. But if they fail on campaign mechanics and message, they will not pick up as many seats as they should in this political environment." 

CALIFORNIA: The L.A. Times says Tea Party favorite Chuck DeVore, running for Senate in California, has his own military service embellishment problem: "Throughout the campaign, DeVore has emphasized his service as a military officer and a young Reagan White House appointee at the Pentagon as experiences that helped make him the most qualified candidate. But at times he appears to have overstated those accomplishments, particularly his experience under fire and his role in the development of a U.S.-Israeli anti-ballistic-missile defense program. He also has faced criticism for acting on behalf of a group with ties to political contributors." 

CONNECTICUT: "Connecticut Democrats and Republicans will be endorsing candidates for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Christopher Dodd, who's not seeking re-election," the AP writes. "The parties will kick off their nominating conventions Friday in Hartford. State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and Mystic businessman Merrick Alpert are vying for the Democratic nod." 

A source tells First Read that Democrats are hoping for a vote by acclamation for Blumenthal at the convention. That, Democrats feel, would show unity and "would go a long way."
 
"Blumenthal insisted Thursday, on the eve of the Democratic and Republican conventions, that his reputation will not suffer permanent damage with voters or veterans," The Day reports. He said, "I have been impressed and overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from citizens, veterans really across the state, and I think ultimately people know the truth that I've been standing up for them and fighting for them relentlessly throughout my career. My belief is that the truth is on our side. People know me, they know my record. There may be a couple of instances, a few occasions, when I misspoke and I regret it. And I want people to know the truth."  
 
The Courant, by the way, issued a correction on Blumenthal, saying he "was never captain of the Harvard University swim team. A 1978 Courant story incorrectly reported that he was -- an error repeated in subsequent Courant stories, including profiles in 1980 and 2004."

INDIANA: Tea Party favorite "Marlin Stutzman, considered by many the front-runner for the Republican nomination for the northeastern Indiana seat after his strong showing in the Senate primary, entered the race two days after Souder's resignation announcement. Stutzman said that he confronted Souder about rumors of infidelity a couple of years ago and that the congressman denied them." 

WASHINGTON: Sarah Palin endorsed former Washington Redskin and Tea Party fave Clinton Didier in the race for U.S. Senate in Washington state. The problem: The NRSC's preferred candidate is Dino Rossi, who has yet to declare if he'll run. 

From NBC's Ali Weinberg
A look at the latest gubernatorial and Senate campaign ads.

CT SEN, McMahon, "Real"
5/14
WOMAN #1: "Who is Linda McMahon?" WOMAN #2: "She's a very approachable person." MAN #1: "If you talk to Linda, it's coming out of her heart." WOMAN #2: "I liked her right from the beginning." MAN #2: "For all our sake we need someone like Linda to be in Washington." MAN #3: "Someone who knows what the people's problems are rather than the politicians are." WOMAN #2: "Tough. Dedicated." MAN #4: "Very sincere." MAN #1: "She's just real. She's real." MCMAHON: "I'm Linda McMahon and I approve this message because it's time for something different."

CT SEN, McMahon, "Enough is Enough"
5/14
MAN #1: "Who is Linda McMahon?" MAN #2: "Linda's impressive." WOMAN #1: "A tough cookie." MAN #3: "The real deal." MAN #4: "Linda McMahon is the person, right now, to do the job." MAN #5: "She's not going to be intimidated in tough situations." MAN #6: "She's been in the trenches. She knows what it takes. And she's not afraid to speak her mind." MAN #1: "This is not the good ol' boy, good ol' girl network anymore. This is actually going to Washington with a set agenda and saying, 'You know what, enough is enough.'" MCMAHON: "I'm Linda McMahon and I approve this message because it's time for something different."

PA SEN, Toomey, "Clear Choice" 
5/20
ANNCR: "For Senate, Joe Sestak or Pat Toomey? Two good men, with very different ideas. Joe Sestak voted for the Wall Street bailout, Pat Toomey opposed it. Sestak supports government-run health care, Toomey says no. Sestak wants foreign terrorist leaders tried in Pennsylvania courts; Toomey wants terrorists tried in military courts. This year, Pennsylvanians have a good clear choice." TOOMEY: I'm Pat Toomey and I approved this message."

VT Sen, Britton, "Better Get a Paper Route, Billy"
5/13
SUITS: All right, we're here. I never get tired of this. BILLY: Hey mom, someone's pulling up the driveway. Mom, who do you think that is? MOM: I don't know. I think we've won something! MOM: Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! BILLY: Mommy, Mommy, are we rich? GIRL: I want a pony! SUIT: Mrs Johnson? I have an invoice for you from the United States Federal Governemnt. For you and your children. MOM: What? I thought it was a check. BILLY: Mommy, what's an invoice? SUIT: This is a bill for your family's share of the national debt. It's $168 thousand dollars. GIRL: This is a joke, right? SUIT: Miss, we're from the government. There is no joking. BILLY: That's a lot of money, mister. SUIT: Better get a paper route, Billy. GIRL: Mommy, make the bad man go away. MOM: Yeah, I think so. You know what? Thanks a lot but you need to go. You too. Both of you, out of here. SUIT: But this is for you and your family, this is for you and your family. MOM: No thanks, we didn't ask for it, we're not taking it. Okay, bye bye. SUIT: I'll just slide it through the door. For the kids, for the kids, I'll just leave it there. Thank you. SUIT: That went well. OTHER SUIT: Who's next. BRITTON: Pat Leahy and his friends in Washington have run up quite a tab. Creating deficits we may never be able to repay. Help me fight for our kids' future. I'm Len Britton. I'm running for the United States Senate, and I approve this message.

TX GOV, White, "Texas Roots Texas Values" 
5/19
ANNCR: "Bill White, Texas values." WHITE: "160 years ago one of my first family members to move to Texas said she was bound for Texas or the good world, or both together. Life on the frontier was a struggle. Like so many, she came for a better future. Generations of my family helped build small towns near Abilene, Corsicana, Corpus, and San Antonio. The GI Bill helped my dad, a disabled vet, become the first of the Whites to go to college. My grandmother began working at age 15, saving money so my mom could get a better education. My parents taught in Texas schools, and they also taught Sunday school, as I have. The American Legion helped me pursue my educational dreams. Texas values helped me raise a family, build businesses and lead our state's largest city. As governor, I will work for a better future for your family." ANNCR: "Bill White, a governor for Texas' future."

IA GOV, Roberts, "What I Believe"
5/10
ROBERTS: My name is state representative Rod Roberts, Republican candidate for governor. I would like to tell you what I believe. I believe we need to create new jobs. I have a plan to bring new businesses to Iowa that will create jobs for thousands of Iowans. I believe we need to cut taxes. Iowans work hard, and they deserve to keep more of their paychecks. I believe we need a pro-family governor, who will protect the life of the unborn, and defend traditional marriage. I would respectfully ask for your vote in the June 8th Republican primary election for governor. Thank you.

NH GOV, anti-Lynch (RGA) "John Lynch Has Lost Touch" 
5/19
ANNCR: "John Lynch has lost touch with the people of New Hampshire. Our state is facing a more than 200 million dollar deficit. And what's John Lynch's budget plan? He's put an income tax on tens of thousands of business owners. And more than sixty other taxes and fees. Higher taxes and fees and more than 50,000 of our neighbors are out of a job. After three terms in office, John Lynch has just lost touch" 

 

From NBC's Athena Jones
WASHINGTON -- President Obama hailed the Senate vote to end debate on legislation that would overhaul the financial regulatory system and put in place the biggest revamp of the industry's rules of the road since the 1930's.

The 60-40 vote to invoke cloture paves the way for a final Senate vote on the bill as soon as the end of the week. The legislation will have to be reconciled with the version the House of Representatives passed last year. If it passes both houses, it will mark the president's second major legislative victory of the year, after the health care overhaul.

Three Republicans -- Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe and Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown -- voted to end the filibuster, while two Democrats -- Sens. Maria Cantwell of Washington and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin -- voted against cloture, because they want to see changes made to the bill. In remarks to reporters in the Rose Garden, the president thanked "all the senators who put partisan posturing aside in allowing a vote" and every American who kept pressure on Washington to revamp the rules.

"Wall Street reform will bring greater security to folks on Main Street," he said. "But let me stress that this is not a zero sum game where Wall Street loses and Main Street wins. As we've learned in today's economy, we're all connected. When the economy prospers, we all win, when the financial sector operates under sound rules of the road to ensure fairness and stability, we all win."

As a candidate, Obama often spoke of the need to update the rules of the road to fit 21st century financial markets and as president he has made it one of his top priorities. The administration is seeking a series of changes to financial industry regulations that would give the government resolution authority to unwind failing firms, regulate derivatives and require them to be traded on open exchanges, provide increased protections to consumers through a new agency, limit the size and scope of banks and prevent American taxpayers from having to foot the bill to bail out big firms in the future.

Obama said the changes to the regulatory system were essential to rebuilding the economy on a stronger foundation and preventing the sort of risk-taking and lack of accountability on Wall Street that helped fuel the economic crisis.

"As we continue to emerge from this recession, this reform is one important step that will strengthen our economy," he said.

During the press briefing a few hours before the president's remarks, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs expressed optimism they would get a bill to the president's desk "in the very near future." In the Rose Garden, the president predicted financial industry lobbyists would continue to push for changes to the bill as it goes into conference, but promised the law he signs will be tough.

"I will ensure that we arrive at a final product that is both effective and responsible, one that holds Wall Street to high standards of accountability and secures financial stability," Obama said.

From NBC's Jenna Pfeffer
Here's an interesting excerpt from Jonathan Alter's book about President Obama's first year, "The Promise."

It reveals that the Obama is considering an "online library."

In the fall of 2009 University of Chicago officials approached the White House about housing Obama's presidential library. They were told it was too early. To the extent that he had thought about a library, he mused to a friend that maybe it should be an "online library," not bricks-and-mortar. This almost certainly won't happen; the demand for a splashy museum will likely be too great. But it said something about his state of mind.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
It looks like Richard Blumenthal was a member of a Harvard swim team, after all, according to the Hartford Courant. (Hat tip: Ben Smith)

There are photos that show the Connecticut U.S. Senate hopeful participating in a meet against Princeton. A caption from one of the photos reads, "Bob Padway on the block, with teammate Dick Blumenthal waiting, in the 400-yard freestyle relay against Princeton."

That Blumenthal was on the team is contrary to a New York Times report that said, "Records at the college show that he was never on the team." It also noted that profiles in Slate and The Hartford Courant described Blumenthal as the captain of the team.

The charges -- which appeared in a front-page story in the Times that was largely about Blumenthal having said falsely that he served in Vietnam -- threatened his chances for the Senate, because they reinforced a narrative that he is a serial embellisher. Blumenthal has since said he "misspoke" on a handful of occasions regarding his Vietnam record. But he wasn't asked about the swim team charge, and he didn't address it himself at his Tuesday news conference.

The Courant cites that "Blumenthal campaign manager Mindy Myers said it is her understanding that Blumenthal was a member of the freshman swim team at Harvard."

The Times wrote, "Mr. Blumenthal said he did not provide the information to reporters, was unsure how it got into circulation and was 'astonished' when he saw it in print. It did not go any further into the swim team allegations or quote a Blumenthal campaign source for response.

But there's no record of Blumenthal having corrected the matter.

In fact, the paper writes that Peter Alter -- who apparently actually was captain of the swim team in 1968, "the year after Blumenthal graduated" -- said he and Blumenthal have talked "on occasion" and that "the two men joked about the inaccurate references to Blumenthal being the team captain. The attorney general told Alter 'he had no idea where it came from.'"

Fergus Cullen, executive director of the conservative think-tank Yankee Institute for Public Policy (which unearthed the photos), told The Courant: "[I]f Blumenthal was on the Harvard swim team, he is not included in the team's group yearbook photo that year."

Alter provided eyewitness testimony. He "told the Courant ... that Blumenthal was on the team. He was a freestyler and 'was actually a pretty good one.'"

From NBC's Scott Foster
Congressmen Ed Markey and Henry Waxman today announced they're posting on a House Committee Web site live video feeds of the underwater leaking BP oil well, saying the "public has a right to know what has happened."

But as of 2:30 p.m. ET, an hour after their press conference, the videos have not yet been posted on the Committee on Energy and Commerce Web site. A committee spokesman says they're having "technical difficulties with the live feed."

Markey, chairman of the Energy and Environment subcommittee, blasted BP in the news conference, saying the video feed shows the leak estimates from BP have been "dead wrong" and that the company has lost credibility.

According to Markey, "These videos stand as a scalding, blistering indictment of BP's inattention to the scope of the greatest environmental catastrophe in the history of the United States."

Waxman indicated he believes BP may actually know the total amount of oil leaking but "would rather not talk about it." Because he explained, "their previous estimates have been pretty much low-ball estimates as to the amount of oil that's coming through that pipeline."

Markey added, "I think we're now beginning to understand that we cannot trust BP...BP has lost all credibility, now the decisions will have to be made by others because it's clear that they have been hiding the actual consequences of this spill."

Waxman and Markey said the leak reinforces their believe that the U.S. needs to lessen its dependance on oil.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Jack Conway (D), Rand Paul's general-election opponent in the Kentucky Senate race, is out with his statement on Paul after his comments on the Civil Rights Act on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow show last night:

Rand Paul is promoting a narrow and rigid ideology and has repeatedly rejected a fundamental provision of the Civil Rights Act. He is focused on the Tea Party whereas I am running to be a senator for all the people of Kentucky, who are really hurting right now.

No matter how he tries to spin to the contrary, the fact is that Paul's ideology has dangerous consequences for working families, veterans, students, the disabled, and those without a voice in the halls of power. Kentucky voters have a choice between Rand Paul's ideology and our campaign to create jobs, cut the deficit, and bring accountability to Wall Street and Washington. We are reaching out to Democrats, Independents and Republicans across Kentucky to ask them to join our campaign and stand up for Kentucky families.

Showing shades of Sarah Palin, Paul today blamed Maddow on conservative Laura Ingraham's radio show, Huffington Post's Sam Stein reported.

"It was a poor political decision and probably won't be happening anytime in the near future," Paul said of going on Maddow's show. "Because, yeah, they can play things and want to say, 'Oh you believed in beating up people that were trying to sit in restaurants in the 1960s.' And that is such a ridiculous notion and something that no rational person is in favor of. [But] she went on and on about that."

He also walked back his criticism of the Civil Rights Act:

"These are settled issues in the Civil Rights Act. I have no intention of bringing up anything related to the Civil Rights Act... I think [segregation] is sort of a stain and blight on our history -- so, no, I have never really favored any change in the Civil Rights Act or any of that. But they have seemed to unleash the loony left on me."

From NBC's Savannah Guthrie
The party-hopping couple, the Salahis, notorious for crashing the state dinner for India in November 2009, say their being stopped near the White House last night after their limousine ran a red light on the very night that the president was hosting Mexico for a state dinner was simply an "unbelievable coincidence."

In a telephone interview with NBC News, Tareq and Michaele Salahi said they were on their way to a dinner with friends at the restaurant Kellari -- an event their attorney says had been planned for at least two weeks. They were in a limousine with friends and a camera crew from the tabloid television show "Inside Edition" that the Salahis said had been shooting a "lifestyle piece" on the couple all day. (We learned the crew was from "Inside Edition" separately from the Salahis.)

The couple denies that they had planned the dinner party for that particular day or location (near the White House), because the state dinner was occurring that same night. But by last night, of course, they were aware that there was a state dinner happening. "We knew," Tareq Salahi said. "It was all over the news."

The couple said their limo was pulled over because the driver ran a light. The driver was questioned by a Secret Service officer, who then asked to see who else was in the car. Upon seeing the Salahis, he ordered them, and the rest of the occupants, out of the car and asked for IDs. The Salahis said they did not have their IDs with them.

As this was happening, Tareq Salahi contacted his attorney, David Silek, who had been invited to the dinner and was already at the restaurant, waiting for the couple to arrive. Silek arrived at the scene within minutes. He told the officers of the dinner party and when asked by officers for the name of the restaurant, his companion produced a business card identifying the restaurant.

Silek, the attorney, contends that a Secret Service officer "whisked him away" when he was talking to his client. He said his interaction with the officers was somewhat contentious. He also said it's "not normal" for an officer to require the occupants of a car to step out during a routine traffic stop.

However, the Salahis said they did not feel harassed by the Secret Service. "I would just assume that they were doing the jobs," Tareq Salahi said, describing the officers as "very professional, very courteous."

When I asked whether the Salahis had planned to be around the White House as a publicity stunt, or whether they intended to crash the event, the lawyer replied: "Absolutely not, they would not do that. They would never go where they're not invited."

Michaele Salahi said the incident brought back bad memories. "You get a very sick feeling in your stomach," she said. "I said to people in the car, 'I wanna go home.'"

"You're like, "Wow, can this be happening."

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Each of us has probably returned a library book late on a few occasions. Those nickel or dime late fees can add up, but nothing like this.

Perhaps the latest book of all time to be returned -- 221 years -- was returned yesterday to the New York Society Library.

The culprit: George Washington.

The nation's first president took out the book, "The Law of Nations," on Oct. 5th, 1789, but never brought it back. Washington died 10 years later.

Yesterday, it was finally returned by Washington's Mount Vernon Estate after 80,580 days. The library's current late fee is 15 cents. The late fee at that rate would have been a whopping $12,087. Of course, the overall raw fee would be lower than that because the late fees were much lower in Washington's day. But adjusted for inflation, it's more than $300,000.

"We express our gratitude for your patience ... and for your generosity in erasing the considerable funds that were probably owed by George Washington," James Rees, executive director of Washington's Mount Vernon Estate, told library staff yesterday, per the New York Daily News. "He did not do his public duty."

From NBC's Jenna Pfeffer
In an opinion piece she wrote during college, Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan wished for a future "marked by American disillusionment with conservative programs and solutions, and that a new, revitalized, perhaps more leftist left will once again come to the fore," the Daily Princetonian pointed out just a few weeks ago.

The essay that includes this quote, along with various other publications and supplemental materials, was released yesterday in accordance with Kagan's required Committee Questionnaire.

While the questionnaire did not reveal anything particularly new or controversial, it did provide ample information on how Kagan would handle potential conflicts of interest if confirmed. 

"Principal conflicts of interest that I would encounter arise from my service as Solicitor General" and "from litigation involving Harvard University," Kagan wrote.   

She maintains that she would deal with recusals in the same manner that she did during her time as Solicitor General, in which she recused herself from three appellate and district court cases. She did not participate in these cases because of her friendship with former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, as well as her involvement with Harvard Law School.

She also wrote, "In a questionnaire I submitted to the Senate in connection with a judicial nomination in 1999, I listed membership in the U.S. Association of Constitutional Lawyers, ABA  Forum on Communications Law, and the Society of American Law Teachers, but I have no current memory of belonging to or participating in these organizations."

The White House says Kagan "doesn't remember" being part of those organizations.

It's possible this may have been a case in which she signed a form to join an organization, but never attended a meeting.

The questionnaire also made it apparent that the White House had previous knowledge about Justice John Paul Stevens' decision to resign. Kagan asserts that White House Counsel Bob Bauer and deputy Susan Davies informed her on March 5 that Obama was considering her for the empty seat. Stevens did not announce that he was planning on resigning until March 15. 
 
NBC's Domenico Montanaro contributed to this report.