Mitt Romney was on Dennis Miller’s radio show. He said, “I have to admit, being able to go back to our own life and going to the grocery store and shopping on my own is kind of nice to be by myself without a bunch of people hanging around with me. I like the life of being an American citizen. It’s good to live a normal life again.” And: “I wouldn’t have gotten into this if I thought things were going swimmingly… That’s the frustration with losing — which is I don’t have the influence I obviously could have had [if] I won that election.”

And he showed some of the old Romney cadence when talking about his grandchildren and his 44^th wedding anniversary. Here’s how Politico writes it: “Forty-four great years. Amazingly, 21 grandchildren right now. I think it’s 21, it could be 22,” Romney said laughing. “But it’s been very unusual.”

KENTUCKY: At all costs… “Kentucky is the Bluegrass State, but by the time Mitch McConnell is done with his reelection campaign, it may be better known for scorched earth,” Politico writes. “The top Senate Republican is preparing to wage a ruthless campaign to hang on to his job. He’s already on the air with nearly $200,000 in TV and radio ads, is assembling streams of data to target voters with tailor-made messages, and has quietly moved to lock down support from virtually every state GOP legislator. He says he’ll use ‘every penny’ of a war chest certain to exceed the $21 million he spent in 2008.”

National Journal notes that despite Ashley Judd not running, McConnell still has reason to worry: “Still, McConnell has reason to be wary. Polls show he is vulnerable. A Louisville Courier-Journal poll showed that just 17 percent of Kentucky voters planned to support McConnell for another term. McConnell's own campaign released a poll earlier this year that showed him leading the actress by only 4 points, something that Democrats in Washington have seized on. They also point to advertising run on behalf of the Kentucky Republican against Judd as evidence that McConnell has reason to be nervous.”

MASSACHUSETTS: For the first time in 20 years, Boston will get a new mayor. “The Urban Mechanic” “Mayor Thomas M. Menino will announce at a Faneuil Hall event Thursday after­noon that he will not seek a sixth term in office, say officials familiar with his decision,” the Boston Globe reports, adding, “Starting as acting mayor on July 12, 1993, Menino took ­office as a relatively unknown 50-year-old city councilor from Hyde Park. Candidates vying for the mayor’s post dismissed Menino as a caretaker keeping the seat warm until the November election. Menino proved them wrong, maximizing the power of the ­office to run as an incumbent and win a resounding victory. He will leave City Hall ­early next year at age 71, the only mayor a generation of ­Bostonians has known, the man who guided the city ­into the new millennium and set its course for decades to come. Rivals often underestimated Menino because of his clumsy speech and everyman appearance, but he proved to be the shrewdest politician of his generation.”

Mark your calendars: “On April 17, candidates can apply for nomination papers, the first step in getting their name on the ballot for the preliminary election, scheduled for Sept. 24. The top two vote-getters will compete in the Nov. 5 final election.”

In the Senate race, “US Representatives Edward J. Markey and Stephen F. Lynch tangled over Lynch’s vote against President Obama’s health care law in a televised debate tonight between the two contenders for the Democratic nomination in the special election race for US Senate,” the Boston Globe writes.

19th Century Era 

6. Jefferson Davis, D-Miss., 1808-89: A two-term senator viewed as the leader of the South in Congress, Davis wound up becoming the president of the Confederacy. Davis had been part of the "Committee of Thirteen" to try and avoid war, but once Mississippi voted to secede from the union, he resigned his Senate seat. His farewell address, just two months before Abraham Lincoln was sworn in for his first term, is regarded as one of the most dramatic events in Senate history. There was a palpable sense of the bloodshed to come as the six-minute address was met with a long silence. In one line, Davis said the United States should not interfere with the southern states’ decision to secede or it would "bring disaster on every portion of the country." Ironically, as secretary of war under President Franklin Pierce, Davis oversaw the building of the House and Senate wings at the Capitol.

11. James Buchanan, D-Pa., 1791-1868: Buchanan is better known for being the nation’s 15^th president, for being the president who was in office right before the outbreak of the Civil War, and for being among the worst presidents in U.S. history. But he also served for more than 10 years in the Senate (1834-1845), where he chaired the Foreign Relations Committee and sympathized with pro-slavery senators (even though he personally opposed slavery). Buchanan also served as secretary of state (under President James Polk) and minister to Great Britain (under Franklin Pierce).

20th Century Era 

6. Claude Pepper, D-Fla., 1900-89: A devoted liberal and supporter of FDR’s New Deal and foreign policy, Pepper served in the Senate from 1936-1951. But after losing his re-election bid and going into private law practice, Pepper won a U.S. House seat representing the Miami area, serving from 1963 until his death. In particular, Pepper was known as being a champion of the elderly, Social Security, and Medicare.

11. Mike Mansfield, D-Mont., 1903-2001: Succeeding Lyndon Johnson as Senate majority leader after LBJ was elected vice president, Mansfield helped deliver many of the Great Society’s legislative accomplishments -- like Medicare and Medicaid. He also played a key role in breaking the filibuster against the civil-rights legislation.

Modern Era 

6. Howard Baker, R-Tenn., 1925-present: The first Republican senator to be popularly elected in Tennessee, Baker served as the GOP’s Senate leader in the 1970s and 1980s – as both minority leader (1977-1981) and majority leader (1981-1985). He was vice chair on the Senate’s famous Watergate committee, asking the question: “What did the president know and when did he know it?” After his tenure in the Senate, Baker was chief of staff to Ronald Reagan (1987-1988). He was married to the daughter of Senate Madness #2 seed Everett Dirksen (the late Joy Dirksen Baker), and he’s currently married to former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker (R-Kan.).

11. Joe Biden, D-Del., 1942-present: Biden is currently vice president, but before that, he was a well-known fixture in the U.S. Senate for 36 years. First elected at the age of 29, Biden authored the 1994 crime bill, as well as the Violence Against Women Act (which Congress just reauthorized). Biden, who ran for president twice unsuccessfully, also served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Foreign Relations Committee.

Mixed Era

6. William Borah, R-Idaho, 1865-1940: In addition to Robert La Follette, Borah was one of the most well-known senators of the Progressive Era. Nicknamed “the Lion of Idaho,” Borah was instrumental in passing two constitutional amendments -- the graduated income tax and the direct election of senators. He also led the opposition to the United States’ participation in the League of Nations.

11. Reed Smoot, R-Utah, 1862-1941: He was best known for co-authoring the Smoot-Hawley tariff of 1930, which raised tariffs on foreign products during the early years of the Great Depression.  The law helped restrict and worsen the Great Depression. Smoot’s Mormon faith – he was a leader in the church – was questioned during a Senate inquiry known as the “Smoot Hearings.”

19th Century Era

3. Charles Sumner, R-Mass., 1811-74: A prominent abolitionist on slavery, Sumner wrote the seminal piece of civil-rights legislation in 1870 during the debate over Reconstruction. The bill was far ahead of its time: It declared all men, including ex-slaves equal and to have equal access to all walks of life. The legislation passed in 1875 after Sumner’s death, but was ruled unconstitutional (leading eventually to the 1896 Plessy vs. Ferguson decision declaring “separate but equal facilities to be allowable). Sumner, though, is perhaps best known for being beaten with a cane by Rep. Preston Brooks of South Carolina in 1956 – in fact, Sumner was beaten so badly he didn’t return to the Senate for nearly three years.

14. Franklin Pierce, D-N.H., 1804-1869: He served as the nation’s 14^th president -- just years before the Civil War -- but he also was in the U.S. Senate (from 1837-1842). As a rare Democrat from the Northeast, he sympathized with pro-slavery senators and found an ally in Mississippi Sen. Jefferson Davis, who went on to be the president of the Confederacy.

20th Century Era 

3. Barry Goldwater, R-Ariz., 1909-98: Dubbed “Mr. Conservative,” Goldwater is seen as the father of the modern-day conservative movement. He’s largely responsible for the delineation of the parties along lines of small government, free markets, and national defense. Compromiser, he was not. Famously, he declared at the 1964 Republican National Convention, accepting his party’s presidential nomination: “I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” But Goldwater was more of a libertarian than social conservative. He also was also a staunch anti-Communist and strong supporter of Joseph McCarthy. Despite previously supporting civil-rights efforts, he was against the landmark 1964 law because he said it violated states’ rights.

14. John Stennis, D-Miss., 1901-95: Nicknamed the “Father of America’s Modern Navy” (he has an aircraft carrier named after him) and his era’s “Conscience of the Senate” (he wrote the first ethics code), Stennis served in the Senate for 41 years, the fourth-longest tenure in history. No senator had greater influence over military matters in the 1960s and 70s than Stennis  did, and he was put in charge of touchy political investigations – ranging from charges against Joseph McCarthy to the Pentagon not allowing rank-and-file to speak out against communism. In a political world in which winning is everything, Stennis told a roundtable of political advisers working on his last campaign in 1982, which he won: "There is one thing you really need to understand before we go any further. We don't have to win." He was the first Democrat to publicly oppose Joseph McCarthy, but being from Mississippi, he opposed integration -- though in his later years, he backed civil-rights measures. He also was a believer in supporting a president, regardless of party, on foreign policy and military matters, even if he disagreed.

Modern Era 

3. Jesse Helms, R- N.C., 1921-2003: Helms was the combative conservative senator who served in the Senate for 30 years. Legislatively, he was best known for sponsoring measures tightening trade with Cuba and for preventing U.S. funds for being sent to international family planning organizations that provide abortions. “I didn’t come to Washington to be a ‘yes man’ for any president, Democrat or Republican,” Helms said, per the New York Times. “I didn’t come to Washington to get along and win any popularity contests.”

14. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, 1923-2010: Known as “Uncle Ted” in his state, Stevens was the most powerful senator in Alaska’s history. An at-times cantankerous, curmudgeonly, and dogged advocate for Alaska (who made famous Incredible Hulk ties as well as the phrase “series of tubes” to describe the Internet), Stevens  used his influence to build much of the infrastructure that currently exists in modern Alaska – from roads to hospitals to the “Bridges to Nowhere.” The New York Times noted that Stevens “questioned President Ronald Reagan's level of military spending, supported the Title IX legislation to give women equal access in institutions receiving federal aid, backed spending for public radio, supported a ban on smoking in federal buildings and endorsed tougher fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks.” Stevens, who was a World War II pilot, survived a plane crash that killed his wife a generation earlier, and ultimately was killed in a plane crash himself in 2010. He lost his Senate seat in 2008 after being found guilty of corruption, though that conviction was thrown out because of prosecutorial misconduct.

Mixed Era 

3. Hiram Johnson, R- Calif., 1866-1945: Johnson was labeled an isolationist for his impassioned opposition to Woodrow Wilson’s foreign policy and attempt at establishing a League of Nations after the Treaty of Versailles. He blocked U.S. membership to the World Court and was against FDR’s peace-time draft and lend-lease plan. He was also instrumental in the creation of the Hoover Dam and was one of the founders of the Progressive Party, running with Teddy Roosevelt on the Progressive ticket in 1912.

14. Henry Martin “Scoop” Jackson, D-Wash., 1912-83: The 30-year senator (1953-1981) and 43-year member of Congress wielded tremendous influence with colleagues on Capitol Hill and was regarded for his deep bipartisan ties. His counsel was sought after by presidents, especially on foreign-policy issues. He was liberal on most social issues, but he was hawkish on military affairs. For example, he supported U.S. efforts to get involved in Southeast Asia, even saying in 1975: “The basic decision to go into Vietnam was right.” He was popular with the American Jewish community for his support of Israel and crafting legislation to help Russian Jews emigrate more freely to there. He was one of the first senators to benefit from television’s advent, notably during the McCarthy-Army hearings of the 1950s; Jackson said McCarthy was “hunting headlines instead of hunting communists.” He also was seen as the “Senator from Boeing” for his work procuring funding for the airline maker in his home state. He ran for and lost the Democratic nomination for president twice – in 1972 and 1976. He got his nickname, “Scoop,” by the way, because his sister thought he reminded her of a comic-strip character.

Urging the Supreme Court to act on the pair of gay marriage cases it has heard in the past two days, President Barack Obama on Wednesday said that it is “consistent with our Constitution to recognize same-sex couples.”

“I think it is time for the justices to examine this issue,” Obama said in an interview with Telemundo.

The court heard oral arguments Tuesday and Wednesday about the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriages in the state, and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which grants federal benefits only to married heterosexual couples.

In the Proposition 8 case, some of the justices appeared reluctant to make a sweeping ruling about the constitutionality of gay marriage. But the majority of justices appeared to indicate at the arguments Wednesday that they are prepared to strike down DOMA’s limitation of federal benefits to heterosexual couples.

In the interview, Obama reiterated that the federal government should recognize the unions of couples in states that allow gay marriage.

“I certainly believe that those states that have made a decision to recognize these couples as being married, that the federal government has to respect that decision by the states,” he said. “That's traditionally been how it works. States have defined marriage and the federal government has followed the lead of the states.”

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

George Washington University students and hundreds of others rally outside the Supreme Court during oral arguments in a case challenging the Defense of Marriage Act March 27, 2013 in Washington, DC.

“I think not only is it right and fair but also consistent with our Constitution to recognize same-sex couples,” added Obama, a former professor of constitutional law. “It doesn't mean everybody has to agree from a religious standpoint about this issue. It does mean that it is very important for us to remember that we're a nation where everybody is supposed to be equal before the law.”

The  administration has long argued that DOMA is unconstitutional on the basis that it discriminates against same-sex couples by depriving them of federal benefits even if they are legally married.

In arguments before the court today, Solicitor General Donald Verrilli said that, if DOMA is struck down on those grounds, it would be “difficult” to defend any state’s ban on gay marriage.

As a bipartisan group of senators chips away at the remaining obstacles to an immigration deal, President Barack Obama says he is optimistic that – if lawmakers release a draft bill early next month – he will be able to sign comprehensive immigration reform into law before autumn.

“If we have a bill introduced at the beginning of next month -- as these senators indicate it will be -- then I'm confident that we can get it done certainly before the end of the summer,” Obama said in an interview with Telemundo on Wednesday.

The president repeated that he could still introduce a White House-drafted version of the legislation if the “Gang of Eight” Senate group is not able to put forward a bill. But he said he’s confident that lawmakers will be able to work out the final snags in the negotiations in time to unveil their proposal when they return from a two-week Easter recess next month.

“I'm optimistic,” he said. “ I've always said that if I see a breakdown in the process, that I've got my own legislation. I'm prepared to step in. But I don't think that's going to be necessary.  I think there's a commitment -- among this group of Democratic and Republican senators to get this done.”

The negotiations have been held up in part by continuing disputes between business and labor groups about the conditions of a guest-worker program, particularly the wages and treatment ensured to temporary workers compared to those for American workers pursuing similar jobs.

But the president said he doesn’t believe that the dispute could scuttle the whole reform framework.

“There are still some areas about … the future flow of guest workers,” he said. “Labor and businesses may not always agree exactly on how to do this.  But this is a resolvable issue.”

While he expressed optimism that a final bill will contain a path to citizenship for those currently in the country illegally, Obama would not offer specifics on how long the process of obtaining citizenship should take.

And he declined to outline how the security of the nation’s border should be assessed, saying only that there should be no border security “trigger” that must be met before undocumented persons are eligible to begin the process of seeking legal status.

“We don't want to make this earned pathway to citizenship a situation in which it's put off further and further into the future,” he said. “There needs to be a certain path for how people can get legal in this country, even as we also work on these strong border security issues.”

While the White House has deferred to the Senate group on the legislative language, the president has used the bully pulpit in recent days to urge lawmakers to action and remind the public of the general framework for reform that he supports – including a path to citizenship.

In addition to the Telemundo interview, he also sat down with Spanish-language channel Univision on Wednesday. Earlier this week, the president urged Congress to show “political courage” on the issue during remarks at a naturalization ceremony at the White House.

Senate negotiators say they are close to a final deal.

Brendan Smialowski / AFP - Getty Images file photo

President Barack Obama signs a bill creating the Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in Ohio during a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House March 25, 2013 in Washington, DC.

Earlier Wednesday, Republican Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake of Arizona held a joint press conference with Democrats Chuck Schumer of New York and Michael Bennet of Colorado. The lawmakers traveled to Arizona’s southern border to survey the state of security there, a tour that offered a very real illustration of the illegal immigration issue when they spotted a woman scaling a border fence. (She was later apprehended by border security officers, McCain said.)

At a press conference, Schumer told reporters there that negotiators are “90 percent of the way there” on a compromise bill, adding that the trip offered a glimpse into what further resources are needed to ensure full border security.

“We learned about the great progress that’s been made,” Schumer said. “It’s a lot better than it was 10 years ago, but we also learned that we have more progress to go. And in our immigration bill, we hope that we will make that progress, along with many other goals.”

While the president is hopeful that a bill will move quickly through the legislative process, opponents say the negotiations deserve a longer – and more public – hearing.  

Leading that charge, Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama has accused Democratic Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy of trying to “ram through” the bill with limited debate before the measure hits the Senate floor.

“The massive proposal being cobbled together by a group of Senators in secret must be independently judged and reviewed by the Judiciary Committee in the full light of day,” Sessions said in a statement today. “That will take months — not two weeks — and will require hearings on every aspect of this issue."

So much for what would have been 2014’s most-watched Senate contest.

Actress Ashley Judd, a Democrat,  announced on Wednesday that she will not mount a challenge to take on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in Kentucky.

Dario Cantatore / Getty Images file photo

Ashley Judd attends Ashley Judd in Conversation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime at the United Nations on March 14, 2012 in New York City.

“After serious and thorough contemplation, I realize that my responsibilities & energy at this time need to be focused on my family,” the actress tweeted on Wednesday afternoon.

Critics painted her as a Hollywood elite out of touch with the state’s citizens, although she also was known as a high-profile fan of the state’s famous Kentucky Wildcats basketball team.

“Regretfully, I am currently unable to consider a campaign for the Senate,” Judd wrote on Twitter. “I have spoken to so many Kentuckians over these last few months, who expressed their desire for a fighter for the people & new leader,” she wrote on Twitter.

“While that won't be me at this time, I will continue to work as hard as I can to ensure the needs of Kentucky families are met by returning this Senate seat to whom it rightfully belongs: the people & their needs, dreams, and great potential. Thanks for even considering me as that person & know how much I love our Commonwealth.”

Some Democrats were also concerned that a Judd run would hurt them statewide and that they would have a better chance with someone less high-profile. Democratic recruiting hopes now likely turn to Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes. 

NBC's Mike O'Brien contributed to this report. 

This story was originally published on Wed Mar 27, 2013 5:23 PM EDT

Want a sense of the scope of the GOP's internal divide between conservatives and the party establishment? Take a look at some recent poll numbers that paint a fuller picture of just how many of the Republican Party's core elements object to the direction of the party.

A CBS News poll released Tuesday evening found what most other polls have recently: the Republican Party suffers from a negative impression among most Americans.

Sixty percent of all U.S. adults, the CBS poll found, have an unfavorable opinion of the Republican Party, versus 31 percent who have a favorable opinion of the GOP.

Democrats, expectedly, have strongly negative opinions toward Republicans; self-described independents are also sour on the GOP, 60 to 24 percent.

A closer look inside the numbers, though, tells the deeper story.

One in four self-described Republicans, 25 percent, also said in the CBS poll that they had a negative opinion of their own party – an ominous sign as the GOP searches for a pathway back to electoral success.

Much of the news about efforts to remake the party, such as the Republican National Committee's new "Growth and Opportunity Project," have been confined to an inside-the-Beltway audience. Much of the outreach called for by the report has yet to take place, making any improvement in voters' impression of the party a lagging indicator.

Moreover, the GOP's internal angst might not necessarily be surprising given the party is still reeling from its loss in a second consecutive presidential election. More recently, party leaders cut a deal that allowed taxes to rise -- a prospect that's anathema to the Republican base.

The CBS poll doesn't offer more detailed breakdowns, but looking inside the internal numbers of the NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll late last month and a CNN/ORC poll released in mid-March offer clues to the source of internal Republican discord.

Both polls found that blanket "Republicans" had a slightly more favorable opinion of the Republican Party than in the CBS poll. The NBC/WSJ poll, conducted in late February, found that 63 percent of Republicans had a favorable opinion of the Republican Party, versus 15 percent who expressed a negative impression; 21 percent of self-described GOPers were neutral. Similarly, 82 percent of Republicans rated the party favorably in the CNN poll, versus 14 percent who had an unfavorable opinion of the GOP.

It's among conservatives where opinion turns against the Republican Party establishment.

Less than half of self-identified conservatives -- 48 percent -- expressed a favorable opinion of the Republican Party in the February NBC/WSJ poll. Twenty-six percent of conservatives had a negative opinion of the party of which they ostensibly serve as the base, and a quarter -- 25 percent -- were neutral.

The CNN poll includes similar numbers; that poll, which was conducted from March 15-17, found that 58 percent of self-identified conservatives have a favorable opinion of the Republican Party, versus 36 percent who hold an unfavorable impression.

The numbers cut to the core of the GOP's identity crisis. Party leaders wish to broaden the party's appeal and, on some issues (like immigration reform), move toward the political center. That extends to primary elections, in which the GOP establishment hopes to re-assert itself, and avoid instances where unelectable conservatives sometimes topple candidates regarded as more electable in the general election.

To be sure, too, these numbers don't necessarily suggest that conservatives are so disaffected that they would stay home in general election contests. Even the most critical of conservatives eventually came around last fall to supporting Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

But these numbers suggest that the party's right flank -- the heart and soul of the Republican Party -- haven't bought in. And until they do, a transformation of the party will be that much more difficult.

The return of the culture wars… DOMA case puts Bill Clinton in the spotlight… Ditto John Boehner… Immigration activity: McCain, Schumer hold press conference in Nogales, AZ at 3:00 pm ET, while Obama gives interview to Telemundo… Guess who’s campaigning in SC-1 run-off? Rick Santorum… And more Senate Madness!!!

Saul Loeb / AFP - Getty Images

Same-sex marriage supporters talk with same-sex marriage opponents in front of the Supreme Court on March 26, 2013 in Washington, DC, as the Court takes up the issue of gay marriage. The US Supreme Court on Tuesday heard arguments on the emotionally charged issue of gay marriage as it considers arguments that it should make history and extend equal rights to same-sex couples.

*** The return of the culture wars: There’s a truism in American politics: When the economy is struggling, the political conversation becomes mostly about the economy. And when it isn’t struggling, the conversation turns to … social and cultural issues. So not surprisingly, as the Dow Jones average reaches new highs and after last month’s very positive jobs report, this week’s political focus is on gay rights (which the Supreme Court considers again today), abortion (as North Dakota passed the country’s most restrictive abortion ban), and guns (as legislation comes to the Senate floor next month). But as Politico has noted, there’s a big twist to the latest installment of the culture wars: “The left is picking the fights and, for the most part, enjoying being on the right side of public opinion.” Indeed, a majority of Americans now support gay marriage; exit polls from the ’12 election showed that nearly six in 10 Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases; and our Feb. 2013 NBC/WSJ poll found 61% of Americans saying they want stricter gun laws. Now that’s not to say that these issues are automatic winners for the left; after all, that gun legislation faces a very uncertain fate in the Senate. But, for the first time we can remember while covering Washington politics, these issues aren’t automatic losers for them. And that’s a significant development.

*** DOMA case puts Bill Clinton in the spotlight: The day after hearing oral arguments on California’s Prop. 8 gay-marriage ban, the Supreme Court today considers the Defense of Marriage Act. NBC’s Pete Williams previews the oral arguments. “An 83-year-old former IBM programmer is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down a law that cost her more than a quarter of a million dollars and deprived her, and thousands of other gay couples, of federal marriage benefits. At issue is the Defense of Marriage Act, known as DOMA, passed by overwhelming margins in both houses of Congress in 1996 and signed by President Bill Clinton. It bars federal agencies from recognizing the validity of same-sex marriages in the states where they are legal.” Politically, DOMA puts Clinton back into the spotlight. Earlier this month, the former president wrote a Washington Post op-ed saying that DOMA is discriminatory and should be overturned (although he didn’t directly apologize for signing it into law.) As the New York Times put it, “Rarely has a former president declared that an action he took in office violated the Constitution. But Mr. Clinton’s journey from signing the Defense of Marriage Act to repudiating it mirrors larger changes in society as same-sex marriage has gone from a fringe idea to one with a majority.”

*** Ditto John Boehner: The DOMA case puts House Speaker John Boehner in the political spotlight, too. As we wrote yesterday, Speaker John Boehner and House Republicans spent millions to defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court after the Obama administration said it would no longer do so. Despite this defense, Boehner’s office was silent yesterday as the court heard oral arguments in the Prop. 8 case -- instead sending out emails to reporters on the Keystone pipeline and Obama’s Organizing for Action. Will it remain quiet today? Boehner did answer reporters’ questions on DOMA last week, however. “DOMA was a law passed by the House and Senate and signed into law by President Clinton. And in our system of government the administration doesn't get to decide what's constitutional, the Supreme Court does,” Boehner said, per NBC’s Frank Thorp. “And our financing the lawsuit was to make sure that the proper forum was used to make sure that we know what's constitutional and what isn't.”

*** On the border: Turning to immigration, four of the bipartisan senators working on comprehensive immigration reform legislation -- John McCain, Chuck Schumer, Jeff Flake, and Michael Bennet -- are holding a press conference at 3:00 pm ET in Nogales, AZ. The purpose of presser and the border visit, one Senate aide tells First Read, is to hear directly from the U.S. Border Patrol and area stakeholders about what is working and what isn’t along the U.S.-Mexico border. These senators aren’t expected to unveil their bipartisan legislation until Congress returns the week of April 8, but the Arizona Republic quotes McCain saying on Monday that he can’t promise anything. “‘I can't guarantee anything,’ McCain said after an afternoon town-hall-style meeting with constituents in northwest Phoenix. ‘We're still in serious negotiations, but we have made progress. We are negotiating now, as we are in recess.’”

*** Obama sits down for Telemundo interview: That press conference on the border isn’t the only immigration-related event today. Telemundo’s Lori Montenegro sits down with President Obama at the White House to talk about immigration reform and other issues. The interview airs on Telemundo beginning at 6:30 pm ET. (Obama also gives an interview today to Univision.)

*** Guess who’s campaigning in South Carolina? With the Mark Sanford-vs.-Curtis Bostic run-off in South Carolina taking place next week on April 2, 2016 presidential politics is getting in the mix as Rick Santorum today campaigns with Bostic. Santorum endorsed the GOP candidate yesterday.

*** Senate Madness -- results from yesterday’s contests: In the 19^th Century region, #2 seed John C. Calhoun and Thomas Hart Benton advanced…. In the 20^th Century region, Everett Dirksen bested Margaret Chase Smith, and William J. Fulbright moved on as well… In the Modern Era, Daniel Patrick Moynihan advanced, as did Bob Dole… And in the Mixed Era, Henry Cabot Lodge and Arthur Vandenberg moved on. See here and here for the vote totals between yesterday’s #2-vs.-#15 and #7-vs.-#10 match ups.

*** Senate Madness -- today’s first-round match ups: Today, our contests pit the #5 and #12 seeds: Sam Houston vs. Hamilton Fish, Huey Long vs. Richard Russell, Hubert Humphrey vs. Daniel Inouye, and Wayne Morse vs. George Norris. And they also pit the #4 and #13 seeds: Stephen Douglas vs. Daniel Voorhees, Joe McCarthy vs. John Sherman Cooper, Strom Thurmond vs. Ed Brooke, and Robert La Follette vs. Robert Morris. Click here and here to vote for your most consequential senator!!!

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*** Wednesday’s “The Daily Rundown” line-up with guest host Luke Russert: SCOTUS latest with NBC’s Pete Williams and analysis of Tuesday’s tea leaves with American University Law Professor Stephen Wermeil and Aisha Moodie-Mills of the Center for American Progress… MSNBC’s Richard Lui from the Hiring our Heroes job fair in New York on the job scene facing our military veterans… Plus Nathan Gonzales of Roll Call and the Rothenberg Political Report, Democratic pollster Margie Omero and Alfonso Aguilar of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles join the Gaggle.

*** Wednesday’s “Jansing & Co.” line-up: MSNBC’s Chris Jansing interviews Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY), Fmr. Gove Ed Rendell (D-PA), Georgetown Law Center Professor Randy Barnett, the National Journal’s Chris Frates, The Washington Post’s Ruth Marcus, Republican strategist John Feehery and communications strategist Jill Zuckman.

*** Wednesday’s “MSNBC Live with Thomas Roberts” line-up: MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts anchors live from DC as DOMA goes before the Supreme Court.  Among his guests: Former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman, former  Clinton Advisor Richard Socarides, Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), New York Mayoral Candidate Christine Quinn, and Karen Morgan, the widow of late anti-DOMA activist Charlie Morgan.   Today’s Power Panel includes:  TheGrio.com’s Perry Bacon, Democratic strategist Angela Rye and Republican Strategist Robert Traynham.

*** Wednesday’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” line-up: Guest anchor Luke Russert interviews NBC’s Andrea Mitchell (who is reporting from Paris on Secretary Kerry’s visit), NBC’s Pete Williams, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, the Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza and Jonathan Capehart, Time’s Massimo Calabresi and Votevets.org Chairman Jon Soltz.

*** Wednesday’s “News Nation with Tamron Hall” line-up: MSNBC’s Tamron Hall interviews NYU constitutional law professor Kenji Yoshino, Rep. John Lewis, Minnesota Vikings Punter Chris Kluwe, Brandon Perlberg,  NY Lawyer who was forced to move to the UK because of DOMA, the Washington Post’s Aaron Blake, and BET columnist Keith Boykin.

Immigration will be at the top of the agenda Wednesday, as Telemundo and Univision interview President Obama at the White House.

Just in the nick of time… “President Obama made it official Tuesday, signing a temporary spending bill that headed off a government shutdown,” USA Today writes. “The ‘Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013,’ which funds the government for the last six months of the current fiscal year, replaces a plan that had been set to expire Wednesday.”

“President Barack Obama appointed Julia Pierson as the next director of the U.S. Secret Service on Tuesday, making her the first woman to ever hold that role,” NBC’s Michael O’Brien writes. Appointing a woman also comes after “one of the most embarrassing recent incidents for the agency involving revelations that 11 agents allegedly engaged prostitutes in 2012 while on protective assignment at the Summit of the Americas in Colombia. The episode resulted in the retirement or resignation of several agents.”

Eighty percent of Americans say they’re either disappointed or angry at Washington, according to a CBS poll. In fact, 30% saying they’re “angry” is the highest it’s been in the poll. President Obama gets just a 45%/46% approval rating, a drop from 52%/38% last month.

Still, in an ABC/Washington Post poll, Obama’s favorability remains high – 57%/41%.

In his first public speech since resigning as CIA director, David Petraeus apologized for his affair.

Charlie Cook on why the sequester happened: “It has long been true in Washington that it is harder to stop something than to do something. The late House Speaker Sam Rayburn was fond of saying, ‘Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a good carpenter to build one.’ Today, even the best carpenters in this process are rendered ineffective and are outnumbered.”

National Journal says New York Mayor Bloomberg may be progressive on some issues, but rankles liberals on others.

North Dakota passed the strictest anti-abortion laws in the country.

Politico: “The owner of a gun store in Tucson, Ariz., has canceled Mark Kelly’s purchase of an AR-15 because the gun control advocate doesn’t plan on keeping the assault weapon. Kelly, a former astronaut and the husband of former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.), bought the gun earlier this month to show how easy it is to buy an assault weapon. He said he planned on turning the gun over to Tucson police.”

USA Today: “If Congress addresses the nation's budget deficit by cutting Medicare, that will simply shift health care costs to the private sector and not address the underlying issues, Obama administration officials said Tuesday at a White House briefing.”

Another Seal Team Six member says the story in GQ last month about who shot bin Laden is “complete B.S.”

Women’s hoops fever… Vice President Joe Biden was in the stands Tuesday night as the University of Delaware defeated North Carolina 78-69 in the women’s NCAA tournament to advance to the Sweet 16 behind 33 points from Elena Delle Donne, who surpassed 3,000 points for her career in the game.

Former President George W. Bush and brother Jeb were in attendance to see Baylor’s women’s team blowout Florida State 84-47. Bush addressed both teams in the locker rooms before the game and even walked out of the tunnel with the head coach before the game. AP: “They got a huge ovation when people began to realize who it was.” During the game, Bush sat next to Baylor grad Ken Starr, “yes, the former independent prosecutor best known for his investigation into the Clinton White House and the Monica Lewinsky scandal.” Photo here.

“A little-noticed Senate vote just before 4 in the morning on March 23 — amid the chamber’s 13-hour vote-a-rama on a fiscal 2014 budget resolution — suggests trouble for President Barack Obama’s gun control agenda,” Roll Call reports. “Senators voted 50-49 in favor of an amendment by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, to establish a two-thirds requirement for the passage of any gun control legislation in their chamber. While the budget resolution is nonbinding and the amendment did not win the 60 votes needed to be adopted, the outcome underscores how many senators strongly support gun rights, just as the chamber prepares to debate the biggest package of gun control measures in nearly two decades. Six Democrats from gun-friendly states joined a nearly united Republican conference to support Lee’s amendment: Max Baucus of Montana, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Manchin III of West Virginia and Mark Pryor of Arkansas.”

And The Hill picks up on a similar point: “The 50-49 vote on the budget could spell the most trouble for gun control legislation, which is next on the Senate docket.

Democrats have struggled to unify behind gun legislation, and budget defectors Sens. Mark Pryor (Ark.), Kay Hagan (N.C.), Mark Begich (Alaska) and Baucus all hail from states where restrictions on firearms are unpopular.”

“Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick J. Leahy, D-Vt., cautioned Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., against undermining the panel’s process as it seeks to take up a comprehensive immigration overhaul,” Roll Call writes. “Leahy expressed his warning in a letter, obtained by CQ Roll Call. It is addressed to Sessions and dated March 21. The letter appears to be a response to a March 19 letter written by Sessions and five other Republicans, who raised concerns that the committee would not have enough debate time when it considers an immigration overhaul next month.”

Politico notices Dean Heller’s (R-NV) significant shifts to the left on the Ryan budget and revenue, guns, and immigration. Here’s Heller: “If you believe that you’re there to represent your constituents and not necessarily yourself, then it’s going to adjust. I’m asked this question a lot: ‘Do you vote based on what you think is right or what your constituents think is right?’ And I say, it just depends on the issue.”

Democrats are accusing Ted Cruz or flip flopping on guns, something he rejects, saying Democrats are twisting his words.

Sen. Bob Menendez’s (D-NJ) approval is 40%/37% in a Quinnipiac poll. That’s up from 36%/41% last month.

Dan Balz notes that on gay marriage, “GOP leaders know their position is no longer a winning one.” More: “The Supreme Court justices can see the contours of this debate — rapidly moving public opinion along with generational and geographic differences — and may choose not to deal directly with the California proposition. Absent a Supreme Court decision, the battle to legalize these unions will be waged state by state, with a patchwork that probably will divide red states from blue states. … But many politicians aren’t waiting for the court to act.”

Politico: “As the Supreme Court takes up same-sex marriage on Tuesday, a growing number of young Republicans are waving the white flag in the culture war over gay weddings — with many opting to focus on economic issues instead.”

Mr. Grassroots…. Howard Dean says his PAC will work to flip state legislatures.

GEORGIA: Rep. Phil Gingrey (R) is expected to jump into the Senate race today.

IOWA: Steve King is leaning toward a Senate bid, the Des Moines Register reports. “U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Ia., hinted Monday he is leaning toward a run next year for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin, saying the odds are ‘a little more than 50-50’ that he will launch a campaign. ‘I have never wanted to be the guy who looked back and said, “Woulda, coulda, shoulda…” So that is part of the consideration.’”

MASSACHUSETTS: Ed Markey leads Stephen Lynch 35%-24% in the Democratic primary to replace John Kerry in a MassINC poll, but 30% are undecided or don’t know who either of them is.

On the Republican side, US attorney Michael J. Sullivan leads state Rep. Daniel B. Winslow 10% and private-equity investor/ex-Navy Seal Gabriel E. Gomez 8%.

19th Century Era

4. Stephen Douglas, D-Ill., 1813-61: Best known for beating Abraham Lincoln in 1858 but losing to him in the presidential contest two years later, Douglas’ biggest legacy in the Senate was his championing of the cause of "popular sovereignty," which said that states and territories could decide the slavery issue. The Supreme Court struck down part of that in its Dred Scott decision, noting that territories and Congress had no right to prohibit slavery. He was influential in the passing of the Compromise of 1850, which preserved the union temporarily. But he then authored the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, applying popular sovereignty as the nation expanded. It worked with the territories of Utah and Nevada, but at this time, it further divided the country on the issue of slavery. Northern states were enraged and saw it as kowtowing to Southern demands, moving the country closer to inevitable war. It led to the creation of the Republican Party and the rise of Lincoln.

13. Daniel Voorhees, D-Ind., 1827-97: Voorhees played an important role in establishing the Library of Congress and getting it built. The “Tall Sycamore of the Wabash” gained notoriety for defending an abolitionist at the Harper’s Ferry Raid that went wrong. The man was convicted of murder but not treason, unlike others without as strong a defense. Voorhees personally opposed slavery, saying: “I do not favor the institution of slavery; I don't want it here.” But he espoused Stephen Douglas’ philosophy of “popular sovereignty.” As a “constitutionalist,” he didn’t want to see any changes made to the document and believed slavery “is not to be distinguished from other kinds of property.” He served 18 years in the Senate, and, according to Indiana historian William E. Wilson, he was “opposed to the war, opposed to emancipation, and in the Gilded Age of the 1870s and 1880s an enemy of the Eastern moneyed interests.” In one of his re-elections, he was chosen over Benjamin Harrison, who eventually became president.  As a congressman, he opposed the 13^th Amendment, freeing slaves, because he felt it was too soon to consider changes. 

20th Century Era

4. Joseph McCarthy, R-Wis., 1908-1957: During the early days of the Cold War, McCarthy became famous – and then infamous -- for asserting that communists had infiltrated the U.S. government. He began these allegations when he delivered a Lincoln Day speech in Wheeling, W.V. , and he later launched Senate investigations to uncover Soviet espionage in the government. But McCarthy’s fall took place during the so-called “Army-McCarthy” hearings of 1954, when the Wisconsin senator charged that a lawyer representing the U.S. Army had communist ties. McCarthy’s popularity plummeted, and the Senate censured him. He passed away three years later at the age of 48.

13. John Sherman Cooper, R-Ky., 1901-1991: Cooper was a notable post-World War II senator, who backed the early civil-rights legislation, supported Joseph McCarthy’s censure, and later opposed the Vietnam War. He also was the first U.S. ambassador to East Germany. 

Modern Era

4. Strom Thurmond, D/R- S.C., 1902-2003: Call him the Cal Ripken of the Senate. Thurmond served for 49 years and was 100 years old -- the oldest senator ever – while still serving in the Senate. He also holds the record for the longest talking filibuster (24 hours). Thurmond bolted from the Democratic Party and became a Republican due to his opposition to civil rights and integration (even though he fathered a child with a 16-year-old black maid, who worked for his family, when he was 22). In fact, he became a Republican in 1964, the year the Civil Rights Act was passed. And that may be his lasting legacy – representing Southern conservatives moving away from the Democratic Party to the GOP.

13. Ed Brooke, R-Mass., 1919-current: Brooke was the first and longest-serving (1967-1979) African American elected to the Senate by popular vote. Elected just three years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed, Brooke was an advocate for civil rights, racial equality in the South, affordable housing, increasing the minimum wage, commuter rail and mass transit. The Washington, D.C., native and Howard University grad is a World War II vet and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004, as well as the Congressional Gold Medal in 2008. There have been just eight black senators in U.S. history and just two before Brooke – 86 years earlier.

Mixed Era

4. Robert La Follette, R-Wis., 1855-1925: The quintessential senator of the Progressive Era, La Follette sought to regulate the railroads and worker protection. He also opposed America’s entry into World War I, and he helped launched an investigation into the Teapot Dome scandal. In 1924, he ran for president as a third-party candidate under the Progressive Party banner, and he won 13% of the popular vote. 

13. Robert Morris, Pro-Administration-Pa., 1734-1806: Robert Morris isn’t just the school that upset Kentucky in this year’s NIT…  Dubbed “America’s Founding Capitalist,” Morris financed the American Revolution -- despite his initial concerns that America could not defeat the British. He abstained from the vote to declare independence. Still, the Liverpool, England-born émigré with a common touch was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, and played a vital role in the revolution, smuggling in gun powder from overseas and backing the country’s fledgling currency with his own personal credit, according to author Charles Rappleye. Morris used tactics as a member of Congress to fund the war that would be considered unethical in today’s Congress and rankled fellow Founding Fathers, as he profited from the arms deals he struck for the revolution. And for every businessman, it’s high risk-high reward. Despite being one of the richest men in the new republic, just 12 years after the signing of the Constitution, he was imprisoned for debt due to land speculations that went wrong. He bought up six million acres between New York and Georgia, but there was no one to live on that land – at least not for about another 100 years.

19th Century Era

5. Sam Houston, D/Know Nothing-Texas, 1793-1863: The namesake for the nation’s fourth-largest city, Sam Houston still lives deep in the hearts of Texans. He was the Texas Republic’s first president, and when Texas became a state, he became one of its senators. In that chamber, he refused to endorse the Kansas-Nebraska Act – which allowed states to decide for themselves whether to keep slavery – because he felt it would further divide the nation. In fact, he was the only Southern Democrat to vote against the act, and he was right: Less than a decade after its passage, the country descended into Civil War. Houston’s opposition damaged him politically, and he was dismissed from the Senate by the Texas Legislature (remember, this was before direct election of senators), and then ran for governor and lost. Two years later, however, he ran again for governor, and won, but was deposed in 1861 after Texas seceded from the union – despite his best efforts to avoid that -- and he refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Confederate states.

12. Hamilton Fish, Whig-N.Y., 1808-1893: Fish served only one term in the Senate, but his resume was very similar to fellow New Yorker William Seward’s – governor, senator, and secretary of state (under Grant). In the Senate (1851-1857), Fish served on the Foreign Relations Committee and, though against slavery, was a moderate on the issue. Despite his short tenure in the Senate, the Fish family is one of the longest-serving families in Congress in American history. There was a Hamilton Fish in Congress from 1843-1856 and then from 1909 all the way up to 1994. But just one of those terms was in the Senate.

20th Century Era 

5. Huey Long, D-La., 1893-1935: The inspiration for Robert Penn Warren’s flawed protagonist in “All the King’s Men,” Long was one of the more notable politicians during the early days of the Great Depression. A populist who, served as governor and senator (and in both positions for a period of time), the Louisianan first supported Franklin Roosevelt but later opposed his New Deal. Long explored a potential presidential bid in 1936, but was assassinated in Louisiana the year before.

12. Richard Russell, D-Ga., 1897-1971: He served in the U.S. Senate for nearly 40 years, becoming the dean of southern conservative Democrats during the 1950s and 1960s. Russell chaired the Senate Armed Services Committee during the Korean and Vietnam wars, and he staunchly opposed the civil-rights legislation of that era. Due to his legislative acumen and skill, one of the Senate office buildings is named after him. 

Modern Era 

5. Hubert Humphrey, D- Minn., 1911-78: A strong debater, parliamentarian, and liberal, the "Happy Warrior” Humphrey merged Minnesota's Democratic and Farmer-Labor parties, and he fought for civil rights, farmers, and small businesses.  His biggest legislative achievements were helping get through the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty of 1963 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As vice president to LBJ, he helped to pass the Voting Rights Act and Medicare. 

12. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, 1924-2012: Inouye was Hawaii’s most prominent politician, having served as its U.S. senator for nearly 50 years and as its first congressman. He was a key questioner on the Senate’s Watergate committee in the 1970s, and he chaired the Senate’s investigation of the Iran-Contra affair in the 1980s. As the Senate’s president pro tempore, Inouye – a Japanese American – became the highest-ranking public official of Asian descent in U.S. history. Before launching his political career, Inouye was a decorated World War II hero who lost his arm in battle (and who spent time in a military hospital with two other Senate Madness participants who also were wounded in World War II, Bob Dole and Phil Hart). 

Mixed Era 

5. Wayne Morse, R/D-Ore., 1900-74: The original "maverick" senator, he was only one of two senators opposing the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, accurately predicting the difficulty of the Vietnam War. His opposition to the war, however, likely cost him his seat. He switched from Republican to independent in 1953, symbolically moving a folding chair to the middle of the aisle. But in 1955, Lyndon Johnson persuaded him to join the Democrats, giving them a one-seat majority. Morse held the longest talking filibuster record of 22 hours and 26 minutes until it was broken four years later by Strom Thurmond.

12. George Norris, R-Neb., 1861-1944: Known as the father of the Tennessee Valley Authority – the New Deal program that provided flood control and helped bring electricity to the Tennessee River region – Norris served in the U.S. Senate for 30 years (1913-1943) as both a Republican and independent (after he supported Franklin Roosevelt for president in 1932). Norris lost his bid for re-election in 1942 and passed away two years later. 

President Barack Obama appointed Julia Pierson as the next director of the U.S. Secret Service on Tuesday, making her the first woman to ever hold that role.

The administration confirmed to NBC News that Obama had picked Pierson, the currently the chief of staff for the secret service, to lead the agency that, among other things, is tasked with protecting the president, Vice President Joe Biden, the first family and other designees.

Courtesy: U.S. Secret Service

"Over her 30 years of experience with the Secret Service, Julia has consistently exemplified the spirit and dedication the men and women of the service demonstrate every day," Obama said in a statement. "Julia is eminently qualified to lead the agency that not only safeguards Americans at major events and secures our financial system, but also protects our leaders and our first families, including my own. Julia has had an exemplary career, and I know these experiences will guide her as she takes on this new challenge to lead the impressive men and women of this important agency."

Senate confirmation is not required for Pierson's new role.

Pierson succeeds former Director Mark Sullivan in the role. Sullivan announced his retirement earlier this year following almost 30 years with the agency -- almost seven years of which as director.

Sullivan, however, presided over one of the most embarrassing recent incidents for the agency involving revelations that 11 agents allegedly engaged prostitutes in 2012 while on protective assignment at the Summit of the Americas in Colombia. The episode resulted in the retirement or resignation of several agents.

"I have known and worked with Julie for close to 30 years. She was an excellent Assistant Director and Chief of Staff, demonstrating sound judgment, leadership, character, and commitment to our Country, the men and women of the U.S. Secret Service and those we serve and protect," Sullivan said in a statement. "This is a historic and exciting time for the Secret Service and I know Julie will do an outstanding job."

This story was originally published on Tue Mar 26, 2013 3:16 PM EDT

Initial readings of the Supreme Court’s oral argument Tuesday indicated that the justices will likely shy away from a broad ruling on the constitutionality of same-sex marriage.

But, alluding to the less-than-accurate predictions after last year’s oral arguments regarding the Obama health care law, the White House says: Hold yer horses.

“We've seen in recent history [that] there's ample reason to be cautious about predicting outcomes in Supreme Court cases based on any particular piece of the puzzle -- in this case, oral arguments," White House spokesman Jay Carney said Tuesday.

After the widely-panned performance last year of the federal government’s lawyer, Donald B. Verrilli, Jr., some commentators predicted that the court would flatly declare the Obama administration’s hard-fought health care law to be unconstitutional.
The court’s decision in June upheld the health care law. 

NBC's Shawna Thomas contributed to this report. 

This story was originally published on Tue Mar 26, 2013 3:09 PM EDT

Republican Sens. Rand Paul, Mike Lee, and Ted Cruz have issued a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid stating that they plan to filibuster the gun-control legislation scheduled to hit the Senate floor next month.

"The 2nd Amendment to the Constitution protects citizens' rights to self-defense. It speaks to history's lesson that government cannot be in all places at all times, and history's warning about the oppression of a government that tries," the three senators write. "We will oppose the motion to proceed to any legislation that will serve as a vehicle for any additional gun restriction."

By opposing the motion to proceed, 60 votes would be required to advance the gun-control legislation, which includes universal background checks.

Aides say Paul, Lee and Cruz sent the letter to Reid now to make clear their intentions.
 
"Their goal was to put everyone on notice, since Reid has said he plans to take-up some sort of legislation on guns when we get back from recess," one aide said.

The White House on Tuesday said that a filibuster of the legislation would be "unfortunate."

Noting that public polling shows broad support for many of the gun safety proposals being discussed, White House spokesman Jay Carney added that the victims of gun violence "deserve" a vote. 

"I don't think you could tell the families of those who have lost their children to gun violence that bills like this might be filibustered," Carney said. "I don't think that would be welcome news." 

NBC's Shawna Thomas contributed to this report. 

The Service Employees International Union – one of the major labor groups working for an immigration overhaul – has launched a new ad advocating for a reform plan that includes a path to citizenship.

The ad, called “America,”  is part of a $300,000 buy that will run on national cable, says SEIU. It is the organization's first television ad pushing for immigration this year – and the second buy (SEIU bought time for Spanish-language radio ads last month.)

The 30-second spot depicts a diverse group of people repairing a broken flagpole and hoisting an American flag as a narrator urges Congressional action on immigration reform.

“With back taxes paid, English learned and a real path to citizenship,” the narrator says.  “No half measures.  Let’s fix it once and for all." 

This story was originally published on Tue Mar 26, 2013 11:17 AM EDT

The plaintiffs in this morning's landmark Supreme Court hearings challenging California's ban on same-sex marriage, Proposition 8, spoke personally on Tuesday about how the case would personally affect them.

“Jeff and I long to be married and start a family of our own and have the equal rights that are guaranteed to all Americans that are in loving and committed relationships. Today marks the final chapter of a long, four-year journey toward that goal,” said Paul Katami, who, along with his partner, Jeff Zarrillo, makes up one of two couples that filed a federal lawsuit challenging the same-sex marriage ban, approved in November 2008.

Katami, appearing with his fellow plaintiffs and Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin outside a Washington, D.C. townhouse, added that he and Zarrillo have “faith in our country’s judicial system.”

Kris Perry said she and her partner Sandy Stier were “hopeful” that they will “finally feel the equality and inclusion that will come with the reversal of Proposition 8.”

There are several potential results of the Proposition 8 case, among them are: upholding the ban; ruling that same-sex marriage should be legal in the states that already allow them plus California; or ruling that Proposition 8’s defenders do not have legal standing to argue in its favor because they are not elected representatives of the state. (Gov. Jerry Brown and Attorney General Kamala Harris both refused to defend it.)

Seeming to acknowledge the variety of possible outcomes, Griffin, the HRC president, said that “while today marks a milestone on this journey towards a more perfect union, we are all mindful that our work is not done until these plaintiffs and every single American, regardless of state borders, can truly realize that promise of equal justice under the law.”

A decision on the case is expected in June.

Joshua Roberts / Reuters

A protester raises a flag outside of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, March 26, 2013.

How gay marriage has disappeared as a political issue (at least for now)… The power (and limits) of public opinion… Tim Johnson is expected not to seek re-election in 2014… Bill Clinton endorses HRC backer Wendy Greuel in LA mayoral race… NYT writes about “volatile” and “temperamental” Christine Quinn… And more SENATE MADNESS….

*** How gay marriage has disappeared as a political issue (for now): This time a year ago, when the Supreme Court was beginning oral arguments to decide the fate of President Obama’s health-care law, the political world was engaged in all-out conflict. Democrats and the White House fiercely backed the law on constitutional merits, while Republicans and the Romney campaign vociferously opposed it. But as the Supreme Court begins two days of oral arguments for this year’s two high profile cases -- on the topic of gay marriage -- it’s worth observing how it’s largely disappeared as a true political issue between the parties. While Speaker John Boehner and House Republicans spent millions to defend the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which the court considers tomorrow, you haven’t seen them recently hold a press conference outside the court to support the law and denounce gay marriage (though Boehner did comment on the matter last Thursday). While the 2012 Republican national platform maintained that “the union of one man and one woman must be upheld as the national standard,” the Republican National Committee hasn’t been blasting out press releases. Ditto the Democratic National Committee, whose 2012 platform supported gay marriage. Part of this is due to the change in public opinion (see below). And part of it is that we’re not in the midst of a presidential campaign. Of course, politics can always change, but the relative silence -- at least for now, and compared with health care a year ago -- is deafening.

*** The power (and limits) of public opinion: It’s also notable how quickly public opinion has changed on this subject. Back in 2004 -- when it was used as a wedge issue in that year’s presidential election -- just 30% of Americans favored gay marriage, while 62% opposed it, according to the NBC/WSJ poll. In 2009, those supporting it increased to 41%, and the percentage jumped to 49% in March 2012. And most recently, in Dec. 2012, a majority of respondents (51%) for the first time in the poll said they backed gay marriage. That’s an increase of 21 percentage points in just one year. What’s more, a March 2013 Washington Post/ABC poll found nearly six in 10 (58%) supporting gay marriage. This helps explain why so many national politicians -- President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Rob Portman, Claire McCaskill, and Mark Warner -- now support gay marriage; in fact, Obama’s reversal came less than a year ago. But it’s equally important to note the limits of this change in public opinion. As Georgetown University law professor David Cole writes in the New York Times, “Same-sex marriage is legal in nine states and the District of Columbia, but is the country ready for a decision requiring all 50 states to recognize such unions immediately?” Cole also asks if there would be a backlash (like what occurred after Brown v. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade) among the 40% who oppose gay marriage.

*** Tim Johnson isn’t expected to seek re-election in 2014: At 4:00 pm ET today in South Dakota, Sen. Tim Johnson is holding a press conference to announce his intentions about 2014, when his Senate term expires. And as First Read reported yesterday, Johnson is expected to announce that he WON’T be seeking re-election, according to a top Democratic aide. Democrats are hoping to be able to recruit former Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (D-SD). But make no mistake: This is a top GOP pick-up opportunity, especially in a midterm year. Here’s our retirement watch for 2014: The Democrats -- so far -- have to defend six open seats (West Virginia’s Jay Rockefeller, Massachusetts’ John Kerry, Iowa’s Tom Harkin, New Jersey’s Frank Lautenberg, Michigan’s Carl Levin, and South Dakota’s Tim Johnson), versus two for Republicans (Nebraska’s Johanns and Georgia’s Saxby Chambliss).

*** Bill Clinton endorses HRC backer Greuel in LA mayoral race: It’s amazing to think that the Obama-vs.-Hillary Democratic primary was five years ago, but Bill Clinton is still endorsing candidates who backed his wife over Obama. The latest example: L.A. mayoral hopeful Wendy Greuel. “Former President Bill Clinton on Monday endorsed Wendy Greuel for Los Angeles mayor, saying the city controller’s proven track record makes her the right candidate to confront the city’s problems,” the Los Angeles Times says. “Clinton has often endorsed people who have been loyal to his family, either helpful during his time at the White House or supporters of his wife’s unsuccessful 2008 presidential run. Greuel fits both categories -- in addition to being an early and active backer of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, she worked in the Clinton administration at the Department of Housing and Urban Development." Meanwhile, Greuel's run-off opponent is Eric Garcetti, who was a big supporter of Barack Obama's in 2008.

*** “Volatile” and “temperamental”? And speaking of this year’s mayoral races, the New York Times writes this piece on NYC mayoral front-runner Christine Quinn. “As she pursues a high-profile bid for mayor, Ms. Quinn, a Democrat, has proudly promoted her boisterous personality, hoping that voters will embrace her blend of brashness and personal charm. But in private, friends and colleagues say, another Ms. Quinn can emerge: controlling, temperamental and surprisingly volatile, with a habit of hair-trigger eruptions of unchecked, face-to-face wrath. She has threatened, repeatedly, to slice off the private parts of those who cross her.” But here’s our question: Isn’t it unusual in politics -- especially New York City politics!!! -- if a politician didn’t have a temper and didn’t threaten those that cross them?

*** Senate Madness -- results from yesterday’s contests: Not surprisingly, all our No. 1 seeds -- Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, LBJ, and Ted Kennedy -- easily advanced yesterday to the next round. In addition, William Seward defeated John Sherman in the 19^th Century bracket; Sam Ervin topped Harry Byrd in the Mixed Era bracket; Robert Wagner bested Hugo Black in the 20^th Century bracket; and Robert Byrd triumphed over Tom Daschle in the Modern Era. Our second-round contests start next week.

*** Senate Madness -- today’s first-round match ups: Meanwhile, these are the contests that are taking place today (see here and here). In the 19^th Century era, #2 seed John C. Calhoun faces off against #15 seed Marcus Hanna, and #7 Thomas Hart Benton competes against #10 James G. Blaine… In the Mixed Era region, #2 Henry Cabot Lodge battles #15 Phil Hart, while #7 Arthur Vandenberg takes on #10 Gerald Nye… In the 20^th Century, it’s #2 Everett Dirksen vs. #15 Margaret Chase Smith, and #7 Robert Taft vs. #10 William Fulbright… And in the Modern Era region, it’s #2 Daniel Patrick Moynihan vs. #15 George Mitchell, and #7 Ed Muskie vs. #10 Bob Dole. We’ll have more first-round match ups tomorrow.

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*** Tuesday’s “The Daily Rundown” line-up with guest host Luke Russert: NBC’s Pete Williams previews today’s SCOTUS action and Democratic strategist James Carville and Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) talk about the political impact of the court’s decisions… NBC’s Mike Taibbi from Kabul with the latest on Secy. Kerry’s trip… one of us (!!!) on Sen. Johnson’s retirement the growing field of competitive seats for 2014… Plus Democratic strategist Angela Rye, National Review’s Ramesh Ponnuru and USA Today’s Jackie Kucinich join the Gaggle.

*** Tuesday’s “Jansing & Co.” line-up: MSNBC’s Chris Jansing interviews Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, The Huffington Post’s Ryan Grim, Politico’s Jonathan Allen, Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons, Republican strategist Robert Traynham, More Magazine’s Lesley Jane Seymour and IVillage’s Kelly Wallace.

*** Tuesday’s “MSNBC Live with Thomas Roberts” line-up: MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts discusses today’s historic arguments over marriage equality at the Supreme Court with Marriage Equality USA’s Brian Silva, GOProud Co-Founder Jimmy LaSalvia, and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), who married his partner in 2006. Thomas will also be joined from the steps of the Supreme Court by Baltimore Ravens Linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo and Bishop Gene Robinson.   Today’s Power Panel includes: Jonathan Capehart, Fmr. NJ Governor Christie Whitman and Democratic Strategist Chris Kofinis.

*** Tuesday’s “NOW with Alex Wagner” line-up: Alex Wagner’s guests include liberal economist Jared Bernstein, the New Yorker’s John Cassidy, New York Magazine’s Jon Chait, Fortune’s Leigh Gallagher, and Telemundo’s Jose Diaz Balart.

*** Tuesday’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” line-up: Chris Cillizza, filling in for Andrea Mitchell, interviews NBC’s Pete Williams, Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin, former Bush Adviser Nicole Wallace, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the Washington Post’s Karen Tumulty.

*** Tuesday’s “News Nation with Tamron Hall” line-up: MSNBC’s Tamron Hall interviews George Washington University Law professor Jeffrey Rosen, Historian Doug Brinkley, the AP’s Lisa Leff, and Ohio State University student and straight ally Eric Rodgers.

Josh Gerstein: “The tide might be turning in favor of gay marriage, but that doesn’t mean the Supreme Court will be swept up in it. For all the toasting in Washington and excitement among gay rights groups about the historic oral arguments this week, there’s still a chance the case could culminate in a loss.”

Elahe Izadi at National Journal: “If the Supreme Court effectively rules state gay marriage bans are unconstitutional, the issue could go a couple of ways. Just like with Roe v. Wade and abortion, gay marriage could remain a fixture in the public discourse long after a justice pens a majority opinion. Or it could move the debate onto the political back burner — and that would be a good thing for the GOP.”

Why? Because as Politico points out: “The culture wars are back, but this time with a significant twist: the left is picking the fights and, for the most part, enjoying being on the right side of public opinion.”

The AP: “The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service says the federal government spent nearly $3.7 million on former presidents last year. That covers a $200,000 pension, compensation and benefits for office staff, and other costs like travel, office space and postage. The costliest former president? George W. Bush, who clocked in at just over $1.3 million. That includes almost $400,000 for 8,000 square feet of office space and $85,000 in telephone costs. President Bill Clinton came in second at just under $1 million, followed by George H.W. Bush at nearly $850,000. Costs for Jimmy Carter, the only other living former president, came in at about $500,000.”

The head of the ICE agents union sent a letter to the Senate’s Gang of Eight with some hotly critical comments about the Obama administration and urging a slowing of a comprehensive immigration overhaul:

"Any comprehensive immigration bill would have enormous consequences for our officers and for the citizens we protect," Crane wrote in the letter obtained by USA TODAY. "One of our chief concerns is that our current political leadership, particularly Director Morton and Secretary Napolitano, have repeatedly undermined our ability to enforce duly enacted immigration law." Crane goes on to write: "We are concerned that ICE and DHS have not been forthright with the American public regarding the criminal records of many of the aliens it released. These practices and others like them clearly place the public at risk and should be investigated thoroughly before any major immigration changes are implemented."

NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell and Jamie Novogrod report that a lawyer for Rep. Michelle Bachmann confirms that Bachmann's presidential campaign is under investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics. “There are no allegations that the Congresswoman engaged in any wrongdoing,” William McGinley, a Washington lawyer, who provides counsel to Michele Bachmann, said in a statement. “We are constructively engaged with the OCE and are confident that at the end of their Review the OCE Board will conclude that Congresswoman Bachmann did not do anything inappropriate.”

“Sens. Rand Paul, Ted Cruz and Mike Lee are threatening to filibuster gun-control legislation, according to a letter they plan to hand-deliver to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s office on Tuesday,” Politico reports.