Updated 3:32 p.m. - Mitt Romney criticized the Obama administration's handling of a diplomatic dispute with China over that country's treatment of dissident Chen Guangcheng.

In a campaign trail appearance in Virginia, Romney suggested that the Obama administration had not acted forcefully enough to ensure the safety of Chen, a blind dissident who escaped house arrest and made it to a U.S. embassy.

"Now just in the last day or two we've heard some disturbing things from across world which suggest potentially if the reports are true some troubling developments there where an individual, Mr. Chen, has sought freedom in an embassy of the United States of America. Aren't we proud of the fact that people seeking freedom come to our embassy to find it?" Romney asked.

He also suggested that the U.S. might have sped up Chen's exit from their embassy to facilitate economic and diplomatic talks this week between the U.S. and China.

"If these reports are true, this is a dark day for freedom," Romney said. "And it's a day of shame for the Obama administration."

"We are a place for freedom here and around the world and we should stand up and defend freedom wherever it is under attack," he added.

The incident has become a flashpoint in U.S.-China relations, especially in terms of the pressure on the Chinese to improve their human rights record.

Chen had sought refuge at the U.S. embassy, though the administration wouldn't initially acknowledge that detail.

"Obviously, I’m aware of the press reports on the situation in China, but I’m not going to make a statement on the issue," President Obama said Monday at the White House. "What I would like to emphasize is that every time we meet with China, the issue of human rights comes up. It is our belief that not only is that the right thing to do because it comports with our principles and our belief in freedom and human rights, but also because we actually think China will be stronger as it opens up and liberalizes its own system."

Chen left the U.S. embassy and went to the hospital seeking treatment for a broken foot. That followed discussions about a deal to resettle in China in exchange for guarantees from the Chinese government about Chen's family's safety.

However, Chen made clear on Thursday that he now wishes to leave China, possibly on the same plane as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is currently traveling in China.

Romney didn't directly address how he, as president, would handle the situation differently, or whether a Romney administration would allow Chen to travel to the U.S. seeking asylum.

A campaign aide followed up, though: "Gov. Romney is deeply concerned about the safety of Chen Guangcheng and his family and believes that Chen would certainly meet the asylum requirement of a “well-founded fear of persecution” had he requested asylum while at the Embassy.  But at this point, it’s not an option, and the Obama administration must redouble efforts to protect him."

The Obama administration has been wary of being seen as publicly pressuring the Chinese government, a nation whose economy and national security strategy is closely attuned to the U.S.

Obama goes unchallenged on Hispanic media … Could the GOP use a man like George W. Bush again? … The gender gap … New polls in OH, FL show toss up, Obama expands lead in PA … China issue to become political hot potato … Today’s veepstakes audition – Bob McDonnell … Romney should address Grennell issue … and Elizabeth Warren finally addresses Native American controversy.

By NBC’s Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, Natalie Cucchiara, and Brooke Brower

Charles Dharapak / AP

President Barack Obama's campaign has yet to see any competition from the Romney campaign on Hispanic media outlets.

*** Obama unchallenged on Hispanic media: Restore Our Future, the pro-Romney Super PAC, is up today with a $4.3 million ad buy across nine battleground states. But what’s been amazing is that even though the president is getting outspent by outside groups left and right, the one place opponents aren’t even COMPETING is on Hispanic media outlets. Republicans are not on air on Hispanic media AT ALL so far, according to NBC/Smart Media Delta. President Obama, on the other hand, is going unchecked for two weeks, spending $435,000 – and $730,000 total so far this cycle – through mid-May with Hispanic media buys in Denver, Las Vegas, Orlando, Tampa, and Miami. If the president is wining by huge margins with Hispanics and women (more on that below), the math becomes very precarious for Romney. Look at those states where the president is advertising: Colorado, Nevada and Florida. Can Romney win the White House without winning at least ONE Western state?

*** Could the GOP use a man like George W. Bush again? Republicans are rarely eager to tout the “Bush” brand these days, but, as the headline of this Univision article asks, “Is ‘Dubya’ the GOP’s missing link to Latinos?” We wrote about Romney’s challenge with Latinos last month, and it’s striking with the pivot to the general, that there hasn’t been more of an overt push to win over the group in ways that the Bush White House did. Former Bush Attorney General Alberto Gonzales told Univision earlier this week: “Gov. [George W.] Bush had some kind of personal quality that made it easier to connect with the Hispanic community, despite his privilege.” He added, “I’m not talking about a marketing campaign to sell himself [Romney] to the Latino community, that would be too slick. He has to develop some sense of trust that’s not there right now.” How the Romney campaign pivots and begins its wooing of Hispanics will be fascinating to watch. It’s a must-do for them especially if Romney finds himself facing a bigger gender gap than McCain dealt with.

*** Speaking of the gender gap: The Obama campaign up with an online tool, targeting women, using a made-up person named Julia, comparing Obama and what it’s dubbing the Romney-Ryan plan.  Folks, in talking with Democratic strategists and watching the rhetoric that regularly comes from House and Senate Dems, it’s clear that the goal of the Obama campaign and the Democratic Party in general is to do whatever it takes to WIDEN the gap if it’s possible with women. We’re guessing a week won’t go by without some NEW effort by the Obama campaign to try and woo women. This online tool is an interesting “Sim City” attempt to try to put a face to their charges against Ryan.  One state where the gender gap may be a hurdle: Pennsylvania; in particular those Philly suburbs.  By the way, Restore Our Future (the Romney SuperPAC) isn’t advertising in Wisconsin or Pennsylvania, and two polls out, show Obama with high-single digit leads, up nine in Wisconsin and eight in Pennsylvania. A source in the know says Restore’s not up in Wisconsin, because it’s saturated right now with recall ads, and Pennsylvania just saw the ad for two weeks

*** Race tightens in Ohio, Florida: Romney may have some deficits with Hispanics and women to start, but the paths to 270 he has go through Ohio and Florida. And this morning, new Quinnipiac polling shows the races there have tightened and are pure toss ups. Romney leads Obama 44%-43% in Florida and Obama is ahead 44%-42% in Ohio (both within the margin of error). What’s also noteworthy from the poll is that two-thirds of people say we’re still in recession, but a majority also we’re starting to recover. It’s why the economy can be a more nuanced argument. People think the environment’s not good, but getting better. The Romney campaign is out with another in its series of “Broken Promises” videos, this one on energy. The RNC is starting a new message campaign against Obama called, “Hype and Blame” ahead of his campaign events Saturday. It’s going up with online advertising and bumper stickers as a fundraiser.

*** China hot potato: The “be tougher on china crowd,” which includes some Republicans and some Democrats, are going to pop up today, saying the Obama administration didn’t do enough for Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng, especially after his release from a U.S. embassy and with Secretary of State Clinton and Treasury Secretary Geithner in China today for high-level economic talks. On cue this morning, House Speaker John Boehner’s out with a sharply worded statement, saying he’s “deeply disturbed” that Chen “was pressured to leave the U.S. embassy against his will amid flimsy promises and possible threats of harm to his family. In such a situation, the United States has an obligation to stand with the oppressed, not with the oppressor. Having handed Chen Guangcheng back over to the Chinese government, the Obama administration is responsible for ensuring his safety. While our economic relationship with China is important and vital to the future of people in both countries, the United States has an obligation to use its engagement with China to press for reforms in China’s human rights practices, particularly with respect to the reprehensible 'one-child’ policy."

*** Today’s veepstakes audition: Virginia Gob. Bob McDonnell is with Romney today in Portsmouth, VA, for a 1:15 pm ET event, where, by the way, former candidate Michele Bachmann is going to officially endorse Romney. McDonnell and Romney have campaigned together before, but this will be another chance to see how the two gel. By the way, though, with McDonnell and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker both up with ads talking about how good the economy’s gotten in their respective states, that complicates Romney bad economy message. In other veepstakes news, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal both talk education in New Jersey at the Alliance for School Choice National Policy Summit, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan holds “listening sessions” in Wisconsin, and New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte holds a town hall in New Hampshire. Jindal’s on “Daily Rundown” today to talk education and veepstakes.

*** Romney should address Grenell: By the way, does Mitt Romney need to do a press avail to get the Richard Grennell question out of the way? The story hasn’t gone away. Sure it’s a “process” story. But, there’s more coverage of it today (see: The New York Times). Clearly, it does say something about the fact that, as we wrote yesterday, that Romney’s got to continue to look over his right shoulder. How much was this fear about creating a stir with social conservatives? It’s a tiny story that most aren’t following, but Romney has a big enough problem with suburban women. It’s the socially moderate, Independent, formally Republican women that the GOP is struggling with and stories like this can only make it worse.

*** Warren speaks up about Native American controversy: After days of not much of an answer, Elizabeth Warren admitted yesterday to listing herself as a minority in law professor directories: “I listed myself in the directory in the hopes that it might mean that I would be invited to a luncheon, a group, something that might happen with people who are like I am. Nothing like that ever happened. That was clearly not the use for it. And so I stopped checking it off. That was it.” “Asked whether she considers herself to be a minority,” the Boston Globe writes Warren said, “Native American is part of my family. It’s an important part of my heritage.’” And then she pivoted to hit Brown on women: “You know, if we’re going to ask questions about qualifications, maybe the most appropriate person to ask is Scott Brown. What does he think it takes for a woman to be qualified?” Brown, meanwhile, derided Warren as having an “elitist attitude” yesterday. The Globe also reported yesterday that Brown has gotten $2.9 million in donations from the financial sector, noting he “played a critical role in the battle over the 2010 financial regulatory overhaul.” And both candidates are up with ads (Brown here, Warren here) trying to tie themselves to President Obama.

*** Pro-Lugar poll has Lugar up 2: A pro-Lugar group – in a one-day poll – showed Lugar up 44%-42% over state Treasurer Richard Mourdock.

Countdown to Indiana Senate/Wisconsin recall primaries: 5
Countdown to Wisconsin recall election: 33
Countdown to Election Day: 187 days

Click here to sign up for First Read emails.

Text FIRST to 622639, to sign up for First Read alerts to your mobile phone.
Check us out on Facebook and also on Twitter. Follow us @chucktodd, @mmurraypolitics, @DomenicoNBC, @brookebrower

Here’s NBC’s Rock Center’s Inside the Situation Room. President Obama said the killing of bin Laden was “most important single day” of his presidency.

***Thursday's "The Daily Rundown" lineup: Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) on education, jobs and the 2012 fight… latest on the politics of the Chinese dissident diplomacy developments and a deep dive with Woodrow Wilson Center President and former Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) into why and how China has become such a bogeyman for both political parties here in the U.S…. More 2012 news and analysis with National Journal's Ron Fournier, CQ Roll Call's David Hawkings and Neera Tanden of the Center for American Progress.

*** Thursday’s “Jansing & Co.”: Labor Sec. Hilda Solis, Washington Post’s EJ Dionne, Real Clear’s McPike, GOP strategist Ron Bonjean, Social Media mag’s Eric Yaverbaum, TheGrio.com’s Perry Bacon, Publisher and journalist Karen Hunter, Neurosurgeon Dr. Julian Bailes, and NFL Hall of Famer Harry Carson.

*** Tuesday’s Andrea Mitchell Reports: Chris Cillizza, “No Labels” co-founder Mark McKinnon, USA Today’s Susan Page, Amnesty International Executive Director Suzanne Nossel and the National Journal’s Beth Reinhard.

*** Tuesday’s News Nation with Tamron Hall: Roger Cressey on Bin Laden documents, Michael Smerconish on 2012, Dave Zirin on Junior Seau.

"Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has pulled into a virtual tie with President Barack Obama in the crucial swing states of Ohio and Florida, but Obama retains a solid lead in Pennsylvania, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released on Thursday," Reuters reports.

McKay Coppins on Mitt Romney’s Hispanic problem, as reported by Political Wire: "As his campaign hurdles toward election day — aggressively expanding its operation, and sharpening its focus on general election battleground states — Mitt Romney appears to be testing one of the central tenets of campaign conventional wisdom. The question: Can he win a national election in 2012 without courting the Spanish language media? While there's still plenty of time for a campaign course correction, Romney has exhibited little urgency in building a relationship with the Hispanic press, according to Latino reporters, activists, and political surrogates on both sides of the aisle." 

In First Read, NBC's Jamie Novogrod and Garrett Haake report Rep. Michele Bachmann will endorse Mitt Romney today. The tea party favorite is expected to announce the endorsement during a campaign event in Virginia.

“[W]hen Massachusetts Republicans went to their caucuses on Saturday, many didn’t vote for Mitt Romney’s picks. Instead, they went for Ron Paul,” the Boston Globe writes. “Less than half of Romney’s 27 chosen delegates won, and the losers included some notable Massachusetts Republicans - including Kerry Healey, the former lieutenant governor, and the House minority leader, Bradley H. Jones Jr., according to two Republican State Committee members who did not want to be named. Even some prominent alternate delegates lost - including 2010 gubernatorial candidate Charles D. Baker and Sheriff Frank G. Cousins Jr., the Republicans said. … The complexion of the delegation may not matter much to Romney’s nomination: All delegates and alternates are committed to vote for him. But the delegates will get to choose the chairman, vote on a platform, and support whomever they choose for vice president. And the team that Romney brings to the convention may not all be rooting for the home-state nominee.”

Mitt Romney had a tough act to follow. The Republican presidential contender was stumping in the Virginia 'burbs on Wednesday, just hours after President Obama basked in the glory of a prime-time, nationally televised victory speech from an Afghanistan war zone. The contrast was one of the first of what will be many reminders in the 2012 campaign of the disadvantages of running against a sitting president," The Atlantic writes. "What's more, Romney's first trip to Virginia since he emerged as the presumptive nominee underscores the challenges he faces in catching up to a Democratic campaign that is well under way. Obama already has 13 campaign offices in Virginia, a decisive battleground in his bid for a second term. No wonder Romney decided to beat him to the state; Obama's first "official" reelection rally is slated for Saturday in Richmond."

The Los Angeles Times on the veepstakes: "Mitt Romney tries out potential running mates"

"President Obama's reelection campaign is emphasizing women's issues today, and seeking to undermine Mitt Romney's attempts to improve his standing with them," USA Today reports. "The campaign sent supporters an interactive tool -- named "The Life of Julia" -- that spotlights differences between the two candidates. "The tool tracks how President Obama and Mitt Romney's policies will affect Julia, a typical middle-class woman, at each step in her life -- from early childhood, through her school years, until she has a child of her own, starts a business and retires," the campaign says. The issues range "from equal pay for equal work to expanding access to quality, affordable health care, child care and education," it adds."

AP: "The 10-year security compact that President Barack Obama signed with Afghan President Hamid Karzai contains promises the United States and Afghanistan cannot guarantee they will keep, and loopholes for both nations. The deal signed Tuesday also allows either nation to walk away on a year's notice. That could allow the next U.S. president, or the next Afghan leader, to scuttle a deal negotiated by his or her predecessor."

MASSACHUSETTS: The Boston Herald reports: Fending off questions about whether she used her Native American heritage to advance her career, Elizabeth Warren said yesterday she enrolled as a minority in law school directories for nearly a decade because she hoped to meet others with tribal roots. “I listed myself in the directory in the hopes that it might mean that I would be invited to a luncheon, a group, something that might happen with people who are like I am,” Warren said. “Nothing like that ever happened, that was clearly not the use for it, and so I stopped checking it off.”

"Senator Scott Brown said today that “it’s sad” for rival Elizabeth Warren to criticize his decision to continue insuring one of his daughters through the Obama administration health care law that he has opposed and tried to repeal," The Boston Globe reports. "“For her to call me a hypocrite as to how Gail and I provide for our family, it’s sad,” Brown told reporters after a speech at Bunker Hill Community College."

NEVADA: The RNC warned Nevada Republicans that if Ron Paul delegates "are allowed to take too many slots for the national convention, Nevada's entire contingent may not be seated in Tampa," the Jon Ralston reports via Political Wire.

TEXAS: “After a decade of building a solidly Republican resume, Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is finding it more difficult than expected to make the next step to higher political office. The man considered the likely choice to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison finds himself under attack in the Republican primary,” AP writes.

CHRISTIE: On Wednesday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie received an unusual request at a town hall meeting.  AP writes, "Eleven-year-old Peter Schwarz asked the governor for a note excusing him from school. Christie pulled out a pen, flipped over a "reserved seating" sign, scribbled a note to the boy's 6th grade teacher and then signed his name. Christie said he asked that the Point Pleasant Beach student be excused "because you were with me." When Christie called on the boy during the question-and-answer portion of an event in Garfield, the boy asked what he should do about being bullied by someone in authority. The governor told Peter to enlist his parents' support and tell the bully's boss."

HALEY: The State via The Miami Herald reports Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC) was cleared Wednesday of claims she lobbied and broke ethics laws while serving as a state representative.

MCDONNELL: In an editorial on Virginia Voter ID legislation, The Washington Post writes: "Faced with voter ID legislation that would disenfranchise thousands of Virginians, Gov. Robert F. McDonnell is in a quandary. He can veto the bill and incur the wrath of fellow Republicans, or sign it and reinforce the GOP’s image of hostility toward young, poor and black voters. Mr. McDonnell is all too aware that the bill, passed by Republican lawmakers despite his warning about legislative overreach, is gratuitous at best. That’s why he sent it back to the General Assembly with amendments that would eliminate its most obnoxious feature: a requirement that ballots cast by voters who lack identification be thrown out unless the voters make a separate trek to local electoral offices to prove their identity. But the General Assembly restored that provision and sent the bill back to Mr. McDonnell, who now faces a decision: Does he want to be known as a partisan street brawler, or as a grown-up who governs with restraint?"

PORTMAN: "U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, is not answering questions as to whether he would consider becoming Mitt Romney's running mate in the November election," The Portsmouth Daily Times reports. "Instead, Christine Mangi, of Portman's office is saying to reference earlier interviews for his answers "He has said he is very happy doing what he is doing," Mangi said."

RUBIO:  National Journal's Jim Geraghty on Rubio's vet-aches: "Many suspect Rubio will make the cut; the benefits of a young, Cuban-American, telegenic, articulate conservative from a key swing state are obvious. But if Rubio accepts consideration from Romney — he repeatedly denies interest in being vice president — the Florida senator will be required to turn over enormous amounts of personal information to a campaign full of former employees of Rubio’s 2010 rival, former Florida governor Charlie Crist."

On Rubio's DREAM Act, the National Journal writes: "Right now, immigration groups and activists on the right are generally holding their fire on Senator Marco Rubio’s DREAM Act, waiting for the legislation to be released. But many of those who opposed the 2010 version of the DREAM Act are likely to oppose Rubio’s as well — and just as vehemently."

The Massachusetts Senate race took a bit of a sharper turn Wednesday, when Sen. Scott Brown (R) accused Democratic opponent Elizabeth Warren of harboring an "elitist attitude" by way of communicating her policies.

Following a speech on the need for bipartisanship in Washington, in which Brown emphasized his work across the proverbial aisle, the senator took one of his toughest shots personally at Warren.

Asked about a release by his campaign, which labeled Warren an "elitist hypocrite" for declining to pay a slightly higher income tax rate in her Massachusetts filing, Brown told reporters:

"Listen, the bottom line is the way that she's approaching things, knowing better than others how to do things. The federal government can do things better than individual businesses and individuals, I think there is an elitist attitude there in the way that she's communicating to us as citizens and telling us how to do things, who should be taxed, who should not be taxed. I'm going to continue to do what I've always done and that's find solutions.”

That marks a bit of a nastier turn in this race, in which both candidates have emphasized good governance and reformist policies versus each other.

Brown also defended his own solicitation of donations from the Wall Street and financial services community, pointing to the large concentration of that sector in Massachusetts. But he also took a shot at Warren for raising money from liberal heavyweights, too.

"I'm raising money like every other member of the delegation," Brown said. "The president has taken more money than anybody, as you know, and I have raised money on Wall Street and from financial services industries.  As you know, we have the 2nd highest financial industries in the country in Massachusetts. And she's raised money from Wall Street and from George Soros who's a convicted felon, an insider trader. So I have to chuckle at that.”

Matt Loffman contributed.

ARLINGTON, VA -- Newt Gingrich finally ended his presidential bid on Wednesday at a hotel just outside of the nation's capital, where he once led the Republican Party in Congress.

After a week of broadcasting his intent to suspend his campaign -- including the release of a video earlier this week thanking supporters and previewing the announcement -- Gingrich formally ended his bid for the Republican presidential nomination at an event his campaign had billed as a "press conference to announce suspension of campaign."

Benjamin Myers / Reuters

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich speaks next to his wife Callista Gingrich as he suspends his presidential campaign May 2 in Arlington, Va.

"Today, I'm suspending the campaign but suspending the campaign does not mean suspending citizenship. Callista and I are committed to be active citizens. We owe it to America. We owe it to Maggie and Robert," Gingrich said, referring to his only two grandchildren, here in his home state of Virginia.

Once bitter rival of Mitt Romney, the presumptive GOP nominee, Gingrich vowed during his 26 minute speech to do whatever possible to beat Barack Obama but came short of actually endorsing Romney.

"I'm asked sometimes is Mitt Romney conservative enough. And my answer is simple: compared to Barack Obama? You know, this is not a choice between Mitt Romney and Ronald Reagan. This is a choice between Mitt Romney and the most radical leftist President in American history," Gingrich said while addressing roughly 100 members of the media inside the Hilton Hotel.

Romney said in a statement: "Newt Gingrich has brought creativity and intellectual vitality to American political life.  During the course of this campaign, Newt demonstrated both eloquence and fearlessness in advancing conservative ideas. Although he long ago created an enduring place for himself in American history, I am confident that he will continue to make important contributions to our party and to the life of the nation."

Gingrich’s spokesman said an official endorsement of Romney is still to come.

The news was far from surprising, given the way the former House speaker had been openly discussing the prospect of his exiting from the race ever since he finished poorly in the Delaware primary.

After finishing nearly 30 percent behind Mitt Romney in DE -- a state Gingrich frequented leading up to the election -- the speaker basically  gave two concession speeches while campaigning in North Carolina last week. He began calling Romney the "nominee" and said it was time to "be honest about what's happening in the real world as opposed to what you would like to have happen."

Gingrich's campaign had been considered virtually dead for weeks, though the winner of the South Carolina and Georgia primaries vowed to contest the nomination all the way through the Republican convention this summer in Tampa. Gingrich had assailed Romney's conservatism, and, to boot, President Obama's campaign circulated a video this morning featuring the ex-speaker's greatest hits against Romney.

That said, the month of May is far later in the election cycle than most political observers thought Gingrich would last. After suffering missteps in the launch of his campaign, most of Gingrich's senior staff quit on him last June.

Gingrich must also still work to erase millions of debts incurred during his campaign, mostly during its tail end.

But at today’s event, the Speaker seemed cheerful and unfazed by the $4 million hole he is in. He rather spent time talking about one of his most memorable ideas from the past 10 months – his proposed moon colony.
 
“My wife has pointed out to me approximately 219 times, give or take three, that the moon colony was probably not my most clever comment in this campaign. I thought, frankly, in my role providing material for Saturday night live it was helpful but the underlying key point is real,” Gingrich joked.

Oh, not that kind.

Take a good look at the familiar front of the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, because it's about to go under wraps.

Starting next week, workmen will begin putting up scaffolding along the entire West front of the building, the side that faces the U.S. Capitol, according to a court official. After the scaffolding is completed, a huge fabric covering will be stretched over the framework, concealing both the scaffolding and the building.

Joshua Roberts / Reuters

A dentil molding from the facade of the Supreme Court is damaged after a piece of the marble detail fell from the building in Washington, D.C., November 28, 2005. The marble chunk, above the allegorical figure representing "Order," fell about an hour before the court opened without causing any injuries.

However, the fabric will be imprinted with an image of the court building, so it will be like looking at a huge sketch or photo, reminding passersby of the splendid building hidden beneath.

The reason for this extensive work goes back to one morning in November 2005, when a chunk of marble about the size of a loaf of bread came loose from the building and crashed onto the steps below. No one was hurt. 

The piece came from a section just above the figures carved into marble in the triangular pediment over the steps. A short time later, a wire mesh surrounding that area was installed as a temporary measure to prevent any further pieces from falling. But conservators decided the building needed more extensive work to avoid any similar disasters.

During the roughly two years that the covering will be in place, mortar in the 80-year-old building will be examined and replaced, and carved elements on the marble facade will be strengthened as needed.

Restore Our Future is out with the ad for its more than $4 million buy. (The buy is up to $4.3 million in nine states.)

Notably, the ad that's being run is, "Saved," the same positive Mitt Romney ad that the Romney CAMPAIGN ran in 2007 and Restore Our Future ran during this past primary season. That raised questions in February of just how close to the line campaigns and the Super PACs that support them come.

Here's what we wrote, in part, Feb. 23 about Restore recycling this ad:

"The pro-Romney Super PAC Restore Our Future is going up with an ad in Michigan and Arizona, starting tonight, that focuses on the story of Mitt Romney helping to lead the search for his business partner's daughter who went missing in New York City in the 1990s. The story is true, but the ad is recycled. In fact, the ad run by a SUPER PAC, called 'Saved,' is word-for-word the same ad that the Romney CAMPAIGN ran in 2007, called 'The Search.'"

The Super PAC is run by people close to Romney, who were key 2007-2008 campaign staffers. Running this ad is an acknowledgment of the image problems Romney has. He has been upside down in his likability ratings (33 fav/36 unfav) in polls for months, though, they have improved slightly since the GOP primary ended.

Here's Restore's press release on this ad buy:

Restore Our Future Launches $4.3 Million Ad Campaign

Group targets Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Restore Our Future today launched a $4.3 million TV ad campaign that targets nine states:  Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia.  The group is currently running the ad "Saved," which touts Gov. Romney's tremendous efforts to find his former business partner's 14-year-old daughter after she went missing in New York City.

"Barack Obama had his chance to lead and failed.  Now, it is time to exchange empty rhetoric with a proven record," said Charlie Spies, Treasurer of Restore Our Future.  "The choice this November is clear:  Mitt Romney, an experienced leader and job creator who fixed an economy without raising taxes, or Barack Obama, a politician whose way forward hinges on bolstering the government's power - and budget - at the expense of private-sector jobs."

The $4.3 million TV buy begins on May 3 and will run through May 16.  To view the video, please click here.

Ad Buy by State:
·    Colorado:  $293,000
·    Florida:  $857,000
·    Iowa:  $490,000
·    Michigan:  $465,000
·    Nevada:  $278,000
·    New Hampshire:  $231,000
·    North Carolina:  $773,000
·    Ohio:  $581,000
Virginia:  $354,000

Updated 3:40 p.m. - Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is virtually tied versus his prime Democratic challenger in a June 5 recall election, according to a new poll released Wednesday.

A Marquette University Law School poll found that Walker, whose efforts to overhaul collective bargaining laws in his state prompted the recall, leads Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett (D) by a single point among likely voters, well within the margin of error. (Among registered voters, Barrett leads 47-46 percent.)

If the recall election were held today, 48 percent of likely voters said they would choose to retain Walker, versus 47 percent who said they would pick Barrett, the Democratic challenger to Walker in the 2010 general election.

Barrett also leads his main challenger in the Democratic primary, former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, heading into next week's primary. Thirty-eight percent of Democratic primary voters prefer Barrett, while 21 percent would vote for Falk; that's a wider advantage for Barrett than in a late March poll.

If Falk, who enjoys the support of organized labor, were to somehow win the primary, she would face a somewhat tougher race versus Walker. Forty-nine percent of likely Wisconsin voters would support Walker in a recall versus Falk, who would win 43 percent of the vote.

The Marquette poll also tested the general election matchup this fall between President Obama and Mitt romney. Obama leads at 51 percent of likely voters to Romney's 42 percent share.

The poll, conducted April 26-29, 2012, has a 3.8 percent margin of error for the full sample. Democratic primary voters had a margin of error is 4.7 percent, and the margin of error for "likely voters" is 4.2 percent.

Update: The most recent figures from NBC's ad-tracking sources indicate that Walker and supportive groups have spent a total of $16.6 million in favor of Walker, while Democratic and labor groups have spent $6.3 million.

The Bible may describe God's eternal redemption of mortal souls in a more soaring spiritual fashion, but Rick Perry has a more, well, personal way to describe it. 

"Every one of us has ‘oops moments’ every day,” the Texas governor and former presidential candidate told his audience at an Austin breakfast to celebrate the National Day of Prayer. “America may not forgive you for it, but God will.”

According to the Associated Press, Perry's self-effacing joke -- referencing the infamous Nov. 9 debate when he was unable to remember the third of three federal agencies he would pledge to eliminate -- won laughter and applause from the crowd. 

The November gaffe proved fatal to Perry's already-struggling presidential campaign, despite his team's attempts to diffuse the moment with light-hearted humor and a frenzy of interviews explaining why he "stepped in it." 

Perry also took the occasion of the faith event this morning to pray for the current president, as he did at several prayer rallies during the campaign. 

He says he hopes that President Barack Obama will "truly understand God's will to protect innocent life. I pray for his true understanding of God's will for this country," he said, per the AP. 

CHANTILLY, VA -- Mitt Romney turned sharply on Wednesday to refocus his campaign on jobs and the economy after days' worth of focus on the war in Afghanistan and the anniversary of Osama bin Laden's death.

Romney described the economy as "still bumping along the bottom" in a speech directed especially toward women voters, a core general election constituency, among whom he trails President Obama.

At a campaign messaging event in suburban Virginia, Romney surrounded himself with female business leaders, and opened his remarks by praising them, and the small businesses they run as being "what helps the economy come out of a doldrum."

Jae C. Hong / AP

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks May 2 at a campaign stop in Chantilly, Va.

The presumptive GOP nominee, who trails Obama by double digits among female voters according to polls, also brought along his most effective surrogate with women -- his wife Ann, who cheerfully told the crowd, "We know what women can do, and how wonderful is the world, and how women actually do make the world go round."

In Romney's roughly 20 minutes of remarks, he did not mention Afghanistan or the president's remarks last night there on the anniversary of the killing of bin Laden. Instead, the former Massachusetts governor's speech revolved around the president's economic policies, which he argued were lethal to small business development and expansion.

"It was the most anti-small business administration I’ve seen probably since Carter," Romney said of the Obama administration. "Who would’ve guessed we’d look back at the Carter years as the good 'ol days, you know? And you just go through the president’s agenda over the last, uh, the last several years and ask yourself, did this help small business or did it hurt small business?”

Romney, who supports right-to-work legislation resembling the law on the books here in Virginia, also slammed the president's support of so-called "card check" legislation as another attack on small business.

"The attempt to change the playing field between management and labor is particularly frightening to a small business," Romney said. "If you're told that the government is going to now set the wages of the people that are working for you through mandatory arbitration, because they've been unionized in a way that the people themselves didn’t want, why you scare away entrepreneurs from starting businesses."

The Obama re-election campaign quickly fired back:

"Mitt Romney continues to double down on his familiar economic scheme: more budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthy and letting Wall Street write its own rules -- the same formula that benefited a few, but crashed our economy and punished the middle class," Obama campaign spokesperson Lis Smith said in a statement.

Underscoring the importance of this battleground state and its 13 electoral votes, Romney will spend two consecutive days campaigning here, appearing Thursday at a marine construction company in Portsmouth, Virginia with the state's Republican governor, Bob McDonnell, an early Romney endorser and frequently mentioned possibility on Romney's vice-presidential short list.

The two will also appear together tonight at a fundraising event in Arlington, the first Romney fundraiser at which press coverage will be allowed.

This weekend, President Obama will hold one of his first two official campaign rallies in Richmond.

This is Roland Sledge, running for Texas Railroad commissioner. He tries to go all Dale Peterson. It's the first extreme ad of this campaign, but don't expect it to be the last. This one depicts someone peeing on an electric fence.

"Isn't it about time we elected political leaders, that have sense enough not to pee on electric fences?"

That's a reference to what he says is a Will Rogers quote about politicians needing to learn from mistakes before they change.

What's with politicians invoking urination? The ad reminds of the ad run in 2008 in Kansas by Democrat Jim Slattery, who was running against incumbent Sen. Pat Roberts (R), that featured a giant man in a suit spraying a nozzle of gasoline on people. But it's not clear until you see the nozzle that it's gasoline.

Obama’s delicate dance on Afghanistan – balancing an unpopular war and strategic interests … Why using the bin Laden anniversary was smart … Republicans’ muted response, and Mitt Romney’s vague response (and foreign policy) … It hasn’t been a great week for Romney, but Friday’s jobs report gives him another chance … And cavalry has arrived - Restore Our Future is back, with a $4 million ad buy across nine battleground states … A Romney staffer’s exit leads to more controversy … Gingrich’s long goodbye … And Lugar attacks Mourdock on air in Indiana, but the race is all about Lugar.

By NBC’s Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, Natalie Cucchiara, and Brooke Brower

Charles Dharapak / AP

President Barack Obama arrives to address troops at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 2, 2012.

*** The delicate dance on Afghanistan: President Obama was doing a delicate dance on Afghanistan yesterday. It's why people came away with two impressions -- either the U.S. is committing to stay in Afghanistan (until 2024) or the war is ending. Both are true to an extent, though this is a marked shift in strategy to a narrower counter-terrorism focus. Think Biden plan. This is ONLY the end of the Afghanistan war – as we know it. It is NOT the end of the war itself. The reasons Obama's walking this fine line -- he's trying to manage a fragile relationship with Afghanistan, which is concerned that the U.S. will leave, and a war-weary American populace, which increasingly views the war as unpopular. It’s between Karzai and Afghanis not believing the U.S. would stay and Americans wanting the U.S. to go. Look at the polling, and you see just how unpopular the war's become over the past year in particular.

*** Why using the bin Laden anniversary was smart: When there were whispers that Obama was going to Afghanistan yesterday, there were cries from the right that the president was going to spike the football. No, this was a president using the bin Laden anniversary to sell what was not going to be that popular a policy on Afghanistan. It was a tough sell, but he might as well use the most popular anniversary he had to sell the policy and, frankly, hope that it led to the exact interpretive confusion that we’ve noticed in the media this morning. He used whatever political capital he had to sell a policy that wasn’t going to be viewed as very popular. And the result – a muted response from Republicans, some of whom seem to be trying to figure out how to attack Obama, but haven’t quite figured it out how yet on this. One thing this will create though – a new annual fight in Congress over the funding of Afghanistan. By the way, read the president’s speech again: there are a LOT of caveats in there: What happens if some of the goals aren’t met -- does that mean some troop withdrawals slow? Could the U.S. ramp up again? There are more open questions this morning as one digests what happened yesterday.

*** Romney’s vague response: After Obama’s speech, Mitt Romney’s campaign put out this VERY vague statement:

“I am pleased that President Obama has returned to Afghanistan. Our troops and the American people deserve to hear from our President about what is at stake in this war. Success in Afghanistan is vital to our nation’s security. It would be a tragedy for Afghanistan and a strategic setback for America if the Taliban returned to power and once again created a sanctuary for terrorists. We tolerated such a sanctuary until we lost thousands on September 11, 2001. Many brave Americans have sacrificed everything so that we could win this fight for a more secure future. Let us honor the memory of the fallen, not only by keeping them in our daily thoughts but also by staying true to their commitment. We are united as one nation in our gratitude to our country’s heroes.”

But what does this statement say? When it comes to Afghanistan, Romney has never been very clear on what he would do differently than this president. He’s vaguely talked about timelines, but that’s not clear. It’s incredibly vague. It’s, well, to borrow John Boehner’s favorite analogy: it’s Jell-O.

*** It hasn’t been a great week for Team Romney: The bin Laden anniversary has dominated the news, the Grennell controversy (more on that below) and Romney may have even walked into an Obama team trap (with a largely unfair accusation declaring Romney wouldn’t have ordered the bin Laden raid) with his “Jimmy Carter” comments. Carter was an unforced error for Romney, and the Romney team knew it. Yesterday, was a Romney who stopped and said basically, “I’m not going to have this debate because I’m not going to win this debate.” Say nice things, be vague, and wait for that Friday jobs report. He was a much different Mitt Romney. And if that jobs report is subpar, he can get back on message – on the economy, which is what this election is all about. That’s exactly what the Romney campaign is focusing on with a new video this morning, “Broken Promises: Jobs and the Economy.”

*** Romney staffer’s exit leads to more controversy: When it was revealed that President Obama was in Afghanistan, word leaked out that the Romney campaign had parted ways with foreign policy spokesman Richard Grennell, who was openly gay and also landed in hot water because of misogynistic Tweets that were deleted. Jennifer Rubin writes, though, that it was because of the opposition from anti-gay groups that forced him out. Grennell himself alludes to that as the reason in a statement. Romney Campaign Manager Matt Rhoades said in a statement from the campaign: “We are disappointed that Ric decided to resign from the campaign for his own personal reasons. We wanted him to stay because he had superior qualifications for the position he was hired to fill.” Did they beg him to stay or beg him to stay in another capacity? His hiring raised eyebrows among social conservatives, but raised eyebrows with others that they hired someone with an acerbic Twitter tongue to deal with the press. It was always a head-scratching decision. The danger of this story is it feeds this notion that when Romney tries to say, “I’m more of a moderate” – even in a general – he still has to look over his right shoulder to cover his right flank.

*** They’re baaaack: After a short hiatus after the GOP primary finally wrapped up, Mitt Romney-aligned Super PAC Restore Our Future is back. They’ve bought up $4 million in broadcast and cable ads (and will likely increase) over the next two weeks in nine states – Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Virginia, and New Hampshire. Notice, though, what’s left out (at least for now) – Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Wisconsin, you can explain, because there’s no room on the air there with the Walker recall fight. Pennsylvania, maybe can be explained, because they were just up there in the primary. But lots of people are going to ask – Michigan but not Pennsylvania (so far), really? That’s got to be a little disconcerting that this isn’t an expand-the-map ad buy. There’s no indication yet of what ad Restore will run. The buy goes up Thursday. Brittany Gross, a spokeswoman for the PAC wouldn’t characterize what the ad would look like yet or acknowledge that there was a forthcoming buy. (Here’s the most recent Restore anti-Obama ad.)

*** The long goodbye -- we can finally roll the credits on the ‘Sixth Sense: Campaign Newt edition’: Newt Gingrich is expected to “officially suspend his campaign” at 3 pm in Arlington, VA, today, a week after he said he would be dropping out. He will speak about “helping Mitt Romney and the Republican party build a governing coalition in Washington and state capitals across the country,” spokesman R.C. Hammond said in a statement. Don't expect Romney to appear despite also being in the area. One thing Gingrich is doing is setting the record for the longest exit from the race. And the way Gingrich has decided to exit is exactly the playbook you’d follow if you did NOT want to speak in primetime at the Republican Convention. In fact, both Gingrich and Santorum have bungled their goodbyes. Romney owes them VERY little at this point. For the record: Here’s the Gingrich good-bye video and here’s the Obama campaign’s “good-bye video,” compiling Gingrich’s attacks on Romney. Of course, there was the same trove of video with Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden attacking Obama during the primary. That hasn’t helped the GOP much.

*** Lugar up with attack ads hitting Mourdock, but race is all about Lugar: Incumbent GOP Sen. Richard Lugar, the longest-serving Republican in the Senate in big jeopardy of losing that job, went up with new radio and TV ads yesterday, hitting state Treasurer Richard Mourdock as having “bad judgment” and “a record of failure.” But the Indianapolis Star notes the race is all about Lugar: “On one side, it's about voter fatigue as the former Indianapolis mayor seeks a seventh Senate term. It's about conservatives who are upset with some of Lugar's votes and some of his bipartisan friendships. It's about frustration among many GOP county organizers over Lugar's lack of involvement for many years in local politics. It's about a belief among some that Republicans should be represented by a dig-in-your-heels fighter, not a diplomat. And it's about the Lugar campaign's stumbles, as well as a deep anger at Washington, D.C., insiders. On the other side of the street, it's about people who deeply appreciate Lugar's willingness to consider more views than the one in his head. It's about a hope that Capitol Hill won't remain as gridlocked as it has been these past few years, and that more lawmakers with Lugar's reasonableness will take office, or at least that fewer will be tossed out. It's about a belief that this country needs lawmakers less inclined to explain the country's problems in simplistic political sound bites, and more capable of grasping the global picture -- yes, even if that means missing the Posey County GOP Lincoln Day dinner because it conflicts with a trip to the former Soviet Union.”

Countdown to Indiana Senate/Wisconsin recall primaries: 6
Countdown to Wisconsin recall election: 34
Countdown to Election Day: 188 days

Click here to sign up for First Read emails.

Text FIRST to 622639, to sign up for First Read alerts to your mobile phone.
Check us out on Facebook and also on Twitter. Follow us @chucktodd, @mmurraypolitics, @DomenicoNBC, @brookebrower

*** Wednesday’s “The Daily Rundown” lineup: Vice President Biden’s National Security Advisor Tony Blinken, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Romney-supporting former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) react to President Obama’s surprise trip to Afghanistan… Stu Rothenberg takes a deep dive into why he thinks North Carolina may not have turned out to be the smartest place for the Democratic National Convention after all… More 2012 headlines with The Washington Post’s Anne Kornblut, Michelle Bernard of the Bernard Center for Women, Politics and Public Policy, and former Obama Administration Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton of the Super PAC Priorities USA Action.

*** Wednesday’s “Jansing  & Company”: Chris welcomes fmr Asst. Secy of State for Public Affairs James Rubin; fmr US Ambassador to Morocco Marc Ginsberg; Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan “Exclusive”;  Founder of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights Kerry Kennedy; USA Today’s Jackie Kucinich; Talking Points Memo Founder & Editor Josh Marshall; fmr RNC Chairman Michael Steele; fmr Chief of Staff to Sen. Joe Manchin Chris Kofinis.

*** Wednesday’s “MSNBC Live with Thomas Roberts”: MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts talks with Deputy NY Mayor Howard Wolfson, Susan Del Percio, Erin Mcpike, Fmr. House Speaker Bob Livingston (Gingrich supporter), Ron Reagan, & Independent Presidential candidate (and friend of Richard Grenell) Fred Karger.

*** Tuesday’s Now with Alex Wagner: Fmr. Newt Gingrich Spokesman Rick Tyler; Politico’s Maggie Haberman; The Hill’s Karen Finney; New York Times Magazine Editor Hugo Lindgren; Thomas Mann & Norm Ornstein, Authors, “It’s Even Worse Than It Looks”; and David Frum, Author, “Patriots”

*** Wednesday’s Andrea Mitchell Reports: The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza, NBC Nightly News Managing Editor Brian Williams, Former CIA head of Clandestine Service Jose Rodriguez, Romney adviser Dan Senor, The Washington Post’s Eugene Robinson and Marine and filmmaker Garrett Anderson.

*** Wednesday’s News Nation with Tamron Hall: Steve Deace and Michael Smerconish on 2012 and Gingrich dropping out.

The New Yorker’s Cassidy notes of the Romney campaign: “Their rivals in Chicago set a trap for them, and they walked right into it. Rather than ignoring the ad, or dismissing it quickly and moving onto other topics less favorable to Obama, the Romney campaign decided to stand and fight on ground it cannot hope to win.” And: Out in Chicago, David Axelrod and his cronies must be swapping high fives all the way down Michigan Avenue. In Boston, meanwhile, Team Romney appears oblivious to the lessons of its own experience in the dark art of putting out underhanded attack ads.”

Courting Bloomberg… The New York Times: "In an election year when partisanship has burned white hot and the economy has sputtered, two presidential candidates who agree on very little, Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, have reached a rare consensus: they are both determined to score the endorsement of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York, whose name is all but synonymous with Wall Street clout and nonpartisan politics. On Tuesday, Mr. Romney showed up at the mayor’s philanthropic foundation on the Upper East Side of Manhattan for a secret breakfast meeting. Over coffee and juice, Mr. Romney made clear that he was there to pick the mayor’s brain...Mr. Bloomberg, who has lent his reputation for common-sense government and his prowess for fund-raising to dozens of candidates from both parties over the past decade, feared that an endorsement in the 2008 race might have negative repercussions for the city he oversees. But as his mayoral term winds down, he has told advisers that he is willing to back a candidate this time around, touching off an intense competition for his support in the general election."

"Former House speaker Newt Gingrich, on the eve of suspending his roller coaster presidential bid, said that he will embrace Mitt Romney's candidacy Wednesday and is ready to campaign for his former rival," USA Today writes. "Gingrich said he doubts he'll ever make another bid for president. ‘I'm already 68 years old,’ he said. ‘I believe Mitt Romney will become president. I believe he will do well enough to be re-elected, and I do not think in 2020 I'll be a plausible candidate.’”

The New York Times editorial page writes: “The White House set it up as a big moment, but the president squandered the chance to fully explain his exit strategy from a war Americans are desperate to see brought to an end.”

The New York Times: "President Obama, speaking to an American television audience on Tuesday night from Bagram Air Base, declared that he had traveled here to herald a new era in the relationship between the United States and Afghanistan, “a future in which war ends, and a new chapter begins.” Mr. Obama’s address, during an unannounced visit to sign a strategic partnership agreement with President Hamid Karzai that sets the terms for relations after the departure of American troops in 2014, was a chance for him to make an election-year case that he is winding down a costly and increasingly unpopular war. “My fellow Americans,” he said, speaking against a backdrop of armored military vehicles and an American flag, “we’ve traveled through more than a decade under the dark cloud of war. Yet here, in the pre-dawn darkness of Afghanistan, we can see the light of new day on the horizon.”"

The Washington Post: "His arrival here was timed to make the “strategic partnership agreement” official before an important NATO summit this month — and, in the words of one senior administration official traveling with Obama, to take advantage of “a resonant day for both our countries on the anniversary of the death of bin Laden.” Obama used his time with the troops to emphasize the sacrifices they and their families have made over more than a decade of conflict, saying that in doing so they made the bin Laden mission successful and put the long war on a path to its conclusion. The hours-long visit was directed almost entirely toward an American audience, unfolding while most Afghans slept. It also served as a detente after some of the tensest months in U.S.-Afghan relations."

The Guardian UK: “Though Obama said that the last three years of war had "broke the Taliban momentum" in the conflict, he also made it clear that the country would continue to engage in peace talks with them. He said the militant group was being offered a "path to peace" for the future. "My administration has been in direct discussions with the Taliban. We have made it clear they can be part of this future if they break with al-Qaida, renounce violence and abide by Afghan laws," Obama said. But privately the picture US officials painted a picture of Afghan prospects that was not always so rosy. A senior administration official, briefing journalists during the trip, said the security situation in the country was tough-going, even in the light of the new deal. "This is hard … Whatever we do, Afghanistan will still be the third poorest nation in the world with a 70% illiteracy rate [and] sectarian schisms in it," the official said. When asked if the Taliban could eventually take over the country, as they did in the 1990s, the official admitted the group would be a force to reckon with in Afghan society for the foreseeable future. "Do I think there will still be Taliban elements and influence in villages and remote mountain regions? Probably. But that would be true if we were still there for another 10 years because that's where they live," the official said."

The Obama campaign is going after Romney again on women’s rights, and it’s all about the base. A video posted is called, “Mitt Romney: Extreme on Women’s Issues.” It cuts together Romney statements.

Rep. Joe Walsh said this yesterday: "He's our first African-American president. The country voted for him because of that. It made us feel good about ourself. I've said it before, it helped that John McCain was about 142 years old. It helped that the economy was tanking. A lot of these things helped. But he never would have gotten there without his historic nature."

Supreme Court got just a 52% favorable score in a new Pew poll, the lowest rating in a quarter century. “There are virtually no partisan differences in views of the Supreme Court: 56% of Republicans, and 52% of both Democrats and independents rate the Supreme Court favorably. And the decline in court ratings has occurred across party lines over the past three years,” Pew writes, adding, “Republican ratings fell steeply between 2009 and 2010, with the appointments of Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the court. Democratic ratings remained relatively high through 2010, but have fallen steeply since.”

ARIZONA: Democrats perfect candidate: “Richard Carmona, the Democratic candidate for senator from Arizona, had a rough childhood in New York City. His Puerto Rican parents had drug and alcohol problems, and he was homeless for a time. He dropped out of high school and went to Vietnam, where he won two Purple Hearts and two Bronze Stars,” The Washington Post writes. “Carmona has yet to leap a tall building in a single bound, but Democrats here are counting on him to provide some political heroics: They’re hoping Carmona will not just take a Republican seat but also give President Obama the boost he needs to win Arizona, the one red state his campaign thinks can be turned blue this year.”

MASSACHUSETTS: "The half-court basketball shot that Senator Scott P. Brown sank on Friday during a visit to a youth center — recorded by his staff and widely circulated on the Web — was just the beginning,” The New York Times writes. “So far this week, Mr. Brown, a Republican, has won endorsements by Democratic former mayors of Boston and Worcester, given a speech emphasizing his votes across party lines and released a radio ad calling on Americans to “work together now” despite partisan differences. By contrast, Elizabeth Warren, his main Democratic challenger for the United States Senate seat once held by Edward M. Kennedy, has been engulfed in controversy stemming from accusations by the Brown camp that she sought an unfair advantage in her academic career by claiming American Indian ancestry. For the last two days, she has kept a low profile in Massachusetts, though she spoke at a union convention in Washington on Tuesday.”

According to The Boston Herald: “A law school directory where Elizabeth Warren touted her Native American roots in the late 1980s and early 1990s once served as a tip sheet for administrators looking to identify and hire minority professors, according to a former chairman of the American Association of Law Schools…The AALS is an association of more than 160 law schools that published the directories where Warren identified herself as a minority for nearly a decade.”

VIRGINIA: The Tim Kaine (D) campaign is up with a video hitting George Allen (R) on comments he made supporting privatizing Social Security in the Senate race.

WISCONSIN: “Gov. Scott Walker raised an unprecedented $13.2 million over three months to fight off the recall bid against him, outdistancing his Democratic challengers and driving home the challenge they will have in beating the Republican incumbent,” the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports. “Crisscrossing the country on fundraising trips, Walker has raised more than $25 million since January 2011 and has $4.9 million in cash on hand - numbers unlike any that have been seen for a political candidate in Wisconsin. Two-thirds of Walker's money came from out of state.”

AYOTTE: Focused on New Hampshire: "Although she is being considered as a possible running mate with Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte said Tuesday that while it is flattering to be considered, she intends to continue serving in the Senate," The Union Leader reports. "She said she remains focused on helping resolve the nation's budgetary, economic and energy issues. “It is such a privilege to serve New Hampshire,” Ayotte said, adding the nation needs strong leaders in the Senate to make the tough decisions to support the will of the people."

CHRISTIE: NBC’s Carrie Dann was on the ground in Wisconsin, as Gov. Chris Christie stumped for Walker. “The outspoken New Jersey governor lent his support to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who is facing a historic recall election on June 5,” Dann writes. “Speaking to over 200 donors in Green Bay, Christie made no mention of the presidential contest – nor of rampant speculation that he may be in the running for the vice presidential slot – but he offered effusive praise for Walker's efforts to reform public employee unions in the state.” Chrstie said, "The course that he pursued here in Wisconsin tells you a great deal about this man's character," Christie said of Walker's persistence in the face of searing criticism from liberal and union groups nationwide.”

"Gov. Chris Christie told voters in Wisconsin that if they support Gov. Scott Walker’s fight to stay in office amid a recall effort, their state can follow what he described as New Jersey’s path toward economic recovery," according the New Jersey Star-Ledger. "The Republican governor drew no distinction between pension and benefit reforms pushed through New Jersey’s Democrat-controlled Legislature and Walker’s near elimination of collective bargaining rights for public sector unions — actions that flooded the Madison statehouse with protesters and could make him Wisconsin’s first governor to be dumped during his term."

"With 60 days to go before the Democratic-controlled Legislature traditionally recesses for the summer, the Republican governor will begin pressing for votes on the tax cut and other initiatives he outlined in his State-of-the-State speech," the AP reports. This morning Christie will attend a town hall in Garfield, NJ.

HALEY: Still on the VP list? Even though Governor Nikki Haley said she is committed to South Carolina and would not accept a spot on the ticket, The Greenville News believes she still could be on Romney's short list.

MCDONNELL: Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell will join Mitt Romney at a fundraiser this evening in Northern Virginia. The fundraiser for the former Massachusetts Governor will be held at the Ritz Carlton in Pentagon City for donors of $50,000 or more, according to the AP.

PORTMAN: 'It's not about sizzle for me': Talking Points Memo writes: "Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), a top contender for Romney’s VP pick, defended himself Tuesday against critics that say he’s boring by saying it’s better to be serious than a “celebrity” candidate. “Well I like to think I am a serious legislator and trying to get things done. That’s my goal in life, to get things done. It’s not about sizzle for me,” Portman said on Fox News. Portman then pivoted into the well-worn “celebrity” attack on President Obama: "I mean, America made a decision in 2008 to go with a president who did have sizzle. And look, he was kind of a celebrity. He also had a very compelling message which was, remember this, I’m going to bring people together to solve problems. Didn’t happen. And it didn’t happen because he didn’t have the experience, he didn’t have the record, he didn’t have the policies to do it."

RUBIO: Sigh of relief: The Tampa Bay Times writes: "Marco Rubio can breathe easier. A soon-to-be released biography of the Republican vice presidential contender turns out to be a nuanced and largely flattering portrait of one of the most exciting figures on the national stage, rather than the hatchet job some Rubio allies had feared."