Reince Priebus is defending the RNC platform, which stands against same-sex marriage, but also is saying there should be room for dissenting views within the party on the subject.  "We do have a platform, and we adhere to that platform,” Priebus told USA Today. “But it doesn't mean that we divide and subtract people from our party.” He added, "I don't believe we need to act like Old Testament heretics.” Republicans "have to strike a balance between principle and grace and respect."

Paul vs. Rubio, cont’d… From Louisville, KY, Manu Raju writes, “Florida Sen. Marco Rubio swung by Rand Paul’s home state here on Monday where he effectively made one thing clear: He’s no Rand Paul — particularly on foreign policy. In a soaring speech on the University of Louisville campus, Rubio made the case for American military might around the world, vowing that the U.S cannot ‘retreat’ from international conflicts, must encourage democracy and continue spending money overseas aimed at bolstering the country’s image. He didn’t mention Paul by name, other than when he corrected a questioner who thought a speech he delivered recently called for the elimination of the Department of Education.”

Scott Walker, who heads to Iowa later this year, is writing a book.

Chris Christie has yet another 70% approval rating. Quinnipiac has it at 70%-23%. He leads in his reelection bid 60%-25% over state Sen. Barbara Buono (D).

SOUTH DAKOTA: The AP: “The anticipated retirement announcement from South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson gives Republicans one of their best chances of picking up a seat in their quest to regain control, as the veteran moderate Democrat steps aside. Johnson, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, is expected to say Tuesday afternoon that he will not seek a fourth term in the Senate next year. The fifth Senate Democrat to call it quits, Johnson was facing a potentially difficult challenge from popular Republican Gov. Mike Rounds and still coping with the constraints of a 2006 brain hemorrhage that left his speech impaired and limited his mobility.”

19th Century Era

2. John C. Calhoun (19^th), D/D-R/Nullifier-South Carolina, 1782-1850: During the debates over slavery before the Civil War, there was no bigger and notable champion of states’ rights than John C. Calhoun, who preached under his doctrine of nullification that states had the right to reject federal policies they believed were unconstitutional. Calhoun also served as vice president (under both John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson), secretary of war (under James Monroe), and secretary of state (under John Tyler).

15. Marcus Hanna (19^th), R-Ohio, 1837-1904: He was the quintessential Republican political strategist of the late 19^th Century, helping to put Rutherford B. Hayes, (1876), James Garfield (1880), and William McKinley (1896) in the White House. Afterward, he was appointed to – and then later won – a Senate seat and became McKinley’s top ally and adviser in Congress.

20th Century Era

2. Everett Dirksen (20^th), R-Illinois, 1896-1969: When you have a building named after you, you did something. The 37-year member of Congress believed in governance, in compromise, and was a pivotal figure in getting the Civil Rights and Voting Rights acts passed. He voted as minority leader for cloture to end the filibuster of the Civil Rights Act. He held the position as Republican leader until the day he died. Dirksen’s also responsible for the modern-day televised response to the president’s State of the Union. (By the way, Dirksen is also 10-seed Howard Baker’s father-in-law.)

15. Margaret Chase Smith (20^th), R-Maine, 1897-1995: First woman to serve in both the House and Senate, and was an outspoken critic of McCarthyism. In fact, she was the first senator – male or female – to speak out against Sen. McCarthy’s communist witch hunt.

Modern Era

2. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (Modern), D-New York, 1927-2003: He was known for his intellect (he wrote 19 books), his forward thinking (he foresaw the Soviet decline), connections to history, and his ideas to come up with solutions to big problems -- from auto safety to cities to racism. He could work across the aisle and had a hand in the 1980s Social Security fix as well as working with Bob Dole on a health-insurance fix (not what the White House wanted) in the 1990s that never came to fruition. He also was one of the only Democrats to speak out against late-term abortion, calling it "infanticide." The New York Times called him an “often brilliant synthesizer whose works compelled furious debate and further research.”

15. George Mitchell (Modern), D-Maine, 1933-present: He began his Senate experience as a top aide to former Sen. Ed Muskie (D-Maine), then as a senator himself, and then as Senate majority leader from 1989 through 1995. After leaving the Senate, Mitchell played a key role in negotiating the peace agreement in Northern Ireland.

Mixed Era

2. Henry Cabot Lodge (Mixed), R-Massachusetts, 1850-1924: If you want to point to one person who re-defined how politics is played on Capitol Hill, look to Lodge. He wrote the playbook for how to oppose a president. He and Woodrow Wilson did not get along. So much so Wilson’s widow told him not to come to Wilson’s funeral. The position of majority leader didn’t even exist at the time, but Lodge is referred to as the de facto majority leader because of his tenure and influence, particularly on foreign policy. The hawkish Republican scuttled the U.S.’s joining of the League of Nations in the Treaty of Versailles, putting a premium on party unity. He was also instrumental in the annexing of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, and pushed for a stronger Navy. If he has a weakness, it was that his focus in the Senate was almost exclusively on foreign policy.

15. Phil Hart (Mixed), D-Michigan, 1912-1976: Hart served in the Senate for nearly 20 years, and was a prominent supporter of the Civil Rights Act. In fact, he earned the nickname, “The Conscience of the Senate.” But today, he’s perhaps best known for one of the Senate office buildings being named after him.

19th Century Era

7. Thomas Hart Benton (19^th), D/Jacksonian/D-R-Missouri:1782-1858: Thomas Hart Benton was one of the notable politicians in the Jacksonian Era. He fought a duel with a young Andrew Jackson – and Jackson carried Benton’s bullet in his body for the rest of life. Later, Benton would become of one Jackson’s biggest champions and defenders in the Senate. 

10. James G. Blaine (19^th), R-Maine, 1830-1893: Blaine was one of the dominant political figures of the late 19^th Century, having served in the U.S. House, U.S. Senate, and Secretary of State. He ran for president in 1876 and 1880, but didn’t win his party’s nomination. He finally was the Republican Party’s nominee for president in 1884, but he lost the election to Grover Cleveland.

20th Century Era

7. Robert Taft (20^th), R-Ohio, 1889-1953: Taft -- the son of former President (and Supreme Court Chief Justice) William Howard Taft -- was the most prominent Republican to emerge after the GOP’s political defeats during the Great Depression. He was a well-known isolationist during a time when Democrats became committed internationalists after World War II, and he co-authored the Taft-Hartley Act, which was a conservative revision of the earlier Wagner Act governing unionization and labor-management relations.

10. William J. Fulbright (20^th), D-Arkansas, 1905-95: The longest-serving chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Fulbright played a key role in turning the tide of public opinion against the Vietnam War. Though he supported the initial action, he held televised hearings on the country’s escalation of the war and unchecked presidential power. Fulbright became close to Lyndon Johnson, who helped engineer his ascendance to head of Foreign Relations. Johnson lobbied Kennedy to make Fulbright his secretary of state, but -- because of Fulbright’s complicated Southern politics being from Arkansas and signing onto the Southern Manifesto opposing the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Ed decision – Kennedy refused, labeling him a segregationist. Ironically, had Johnson’s lobbying of Kennedy won out, those Vietnam hearings, which fueled the anti-war movement may have never happened. Fulbright was also the only senator to vote against funding Joseph McCarthy’s subcommittee on investigations. His namesake legacy, of course, is the Fulbright Scholarship, established in 1946, which has become a highly competitive exchange program of American and international scholars to foster deeper understanding between countries. He supported a national center for the arts and his legislation led to the creation of the Kennedy Center.

Modern Era

7. Edmund Muskie (Modern), D-Maine, 1914-1996: Muskie was the Democratic Party’s vice-presidential nominee in 1968 and a presidential candidate in 1972. But he also served for more than 20 years in the Senate (1959-1980), writing some of the nation’s early environmental laws of the 1960s, as well as sponsoring the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act of the 1970s. On foreign affairs, he initially supported the Vietnam War but later opposed it. Muskie resigned his Senate seat in 1980 to become President Jimmy Carter’s secretary of state.

10. Bob Dole (Modern), R-Kansas, 1923-current: The conservative Kansan war veteran is the self-proclaimed “Master of Political Compromise.” Dole served 27 years in the Senate and was longest-serving top Republican in the chamber (from 1985 until 1995 when he ran for president). The Medal of Freedom honoree believed in bipartisanship, governance, civility, and keeping his word. He also fought for social welfare items like food stamps (he lived through the Depression) and benefits for the disabled (he lost full use of his arm in WWII; he was also pivotal in the creation of the WWII Memorial), as well as civil rights.  things the GOP of today sees as anathema. Many of those are things that are anathemas to today’s GOP (see: the fact that his presence – in a wheelchair -- wasn’t enough to get the disabilities treaty passed.)

Mixed Era

7. Arthur Vandenberg (Mixed), R-Michigan, 1884-1951: Vandenberg, who used the phrase that “politics stops at the water’s edge," served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, working with the Democratic Truman administration on the Marshall Plan, the Truman Doctrine, and the creation of NATO.

10. Gerald Nye (Mixed), R-North Dakota, 1892-1971: How many senators can get another so riled up they punch a desk so hard that they bleed? Nye was one such senator. The isolationist progressive Republican opposed U.S. involvement in wars, particularly World War I. He alleged there was a conspiracy among weapons-makers to lure America into wars for their profit. Nye held high-profile "Merchants of Death" hearings on the subject. He found no hard evidence of a conspiracy, and the hearings were cut off when he claimed Woodrow Wilson withheld key information from the American people before making the decision to go to war. Democratic appropriations Chairman Carter Glass of Virginia, was so infuriated that in a floor speech, he slammed his fist down so hard on his desk to rebuke Nye that blood ran from his knuckles. Nye’s hearings, however, did have a lasting impact, because they led to three neutrality acts of in the 1930s showing America's reticence to getting involved in wars.

South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson will not seek re-election in 2014, NBC News has confirmed. He is expected to make a formal announcement of his retirement Tuesday.

Johnson’s decision opens an opportunity for Republicans to take over the seat in a state that favored Mitt Romney over Barack Obama by almost 20 points.

His departure is no great surprise to operatives on both sides of the aisle. Johnson has been recovering from a brain hemorrhage in 2006 that left him partially paralyzed. (He did, however, run successfully for re-election in 2008.)

He is the seventh senator to announce his retirement in 2014. 

This story was originally published on Mon Mar 25, 2013 5:28 PM EDT

Drew Angerer / Getty Images

Sen. Ted Cruz talks with a reporter outside the Senate chamber on Capitol Hill.

Freshman Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has wasted no time ruffling the feathers of his Senate colleagues, on issues from a proposed assault weapons ban to drone strikes to his demeanor in Senate hearings.

And this week is no exception, with Cruz drawing a White House rebuke Monday for claiming that President Barack Obama hopes to spike immigration reform efforts for political reasons.

In an interview with the Dallas Morning News, Cruz said he believes Obama wants the immigration reform effort to “crater” so that Democrats can use the issue as a cudgel in future elections.

“His behavior concerning immigration leads me to believe that what he wants is a political issue rather than actually to pass a bill,” Cruz told the paper. “What he wants is for the bill to crater, so that he can use the issue as a political wedge in 2014 and 2016. That is why I believe the president is insisting on a path to citizenship for those who are here illegally. Because by insisting on that, he ensures that any immigration reform bill will be voted down in the House.”

That accusation got a blunt response from the White House Monday.

“There’s no evidence to support those claims,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.  

Earnest said that the president is “pleased with the progress” being made by the bipartisan Gang of Eight working to draft immigration reform legislation, adding that the White House will wait “to reserve judgment on the actual product until it is presented.”  

Earlier Monday, Obama urged lawmakers to unveil the bill soon so that debate on the measure can begin “next month.”

Cruz, who is one of just three Latinos in the United States Senate, opposes a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants -- a key aspect of the proposal for reform advocates.

He argues that such a path is “profoundly unfair” to legal immigrants to the United States and that it violates “the rule of law.”

Historic gay rights cases arrive at the Supreme Court this week as even opponents of same-sex marriage acknowledge that public opinion has shifted against them.

Vote now: March Madness - Senatorial edition

As the court prepares for oral arguments in two cases – one challenging the constitutionality of California’s ban on same-sex marriage, the other challenging the 1990s-era Defense of Marriage Act – the trickle of support among political leaders for marriage rights for gays and lesbians has continued to grow.

Speaking Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Ralph Reed, the head of the socially conservative Faith and Freedom Coalition, admitted that the political divide over same-sex marriage was “basically a jump ball.”

“It's clearly moved,” Reed said of popular opinion, though he disputed any notion that Americans have come to universally back same-sex marriage.

But the shifting politics appear to be accelerating even more quickly. When former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton formally announced her support for same-sex marriage a few weeks ago, the announcement was met in some quarters by surprise – usually that Clinton hadn’t made such a pronouncement already.

On the cusp of this week’s oral arguments – and, potentially, a Supreme Court decision later this June dramatically expanding gay rights – more political notables have announced their support for marriage rights. 

Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat representing swing state Virginia, wrote on his Facebook page on Monday that he now backs gay marriage "because it is the fair and right thing to do." 

 "Like many Virginians and Americans, my views on gay marriage have evolved, and this is the inevitable extension of my efforts to promote equality and opportunity for everyone," he wrote. 

Warner's comments came the day after Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Democrat from GOP-leaning Missouri, also announced her support for same-sex marriage. 

“My views on this subject have changed over time, but as many of my gay and lesbian friends, colleagues and staff embrace long-term committed relationships, I find myself unable to look them in the eye without honestly confronting this uncomfortable inequality,” McCaskill wrote Sunday evening on her tumblr page.

Missouri is one of 38 states that prohibits same-sex marriage, either through legislation, ballot initiative or state constitutional amendment. Those state-level prohibitions could still stand in the aftermath of a Supreme Court ruling, depending on how expansive the court’s eventual decision might be.

It’s also banned in Ohio, where Republican Sen. Rob Portman’s endorsement of same-sex marriage rights (prompted by his own son having come out as gay) earlier this month served as an even bigger watershed moment. Nine whole years after President George W. Bush proposed a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, Portman – a member of the Bush administration, and a serious contender for the GOP’s vice presidential nomination in 2012 – had offered high-profile support to same-sex marriage.

Moreover, Bush’s own former political adviser, Karl Rove, said this weekend on ABC that he could envision a Republican candidate (though not necessarily the nominee) for president in 2016 supporting same-sex marriage. Already, Jon Huntsman, a 2012 contender for the GOP nod who could seek the nomination again in 2016, has announced his support for marriage rights.

And while the shift might hearten gays and lesbians who hope to marry their partners, the tide toward supporting same-sex marriage is certainly driven in part by political considerations. Fifty-one percent of Americans nationwide said in December’s NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll that they now support the right of gay and lesbian couples to marry. Just 30 percent of Americans backed marriage rights in spring of 2004, by comparison.

Republicans’ post-election autopsy last week noted, for instance, that “certain social issues are turning off young voters.”

“Already, there is a generational difference within the conservative movement about issues involving the treatment and the rights of gays — and for many younger voters, these issues are a gateway into whether the Party is a place they want to be,” the report read.

Political leaders looking to complete their political “evolution” on gay marriage (to borrow a phrase from how President Barack Obama described his own shift toward backing marriage rights) could receive political cover this summer. A Supreme Court ruling that effectively legalizes same-sex marriage across the country – a possible outcome, though not necessarily the likely one – could hasten the number of lawmakers who feel comfortable to publicly back same-sex marriage, or at the very least, abandon it as a wedge issue.

NBC's Carrie Dann contributed to this report. 

This story was originally published on Mon Mar 25, 2013 11:57 AM EDT

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take on a new case involving affirmative action.

Vote now: March Madness - Senatorial edition

The court agreed on Monday to consider a 2006 Michigan ballot initiative that amended the state constitution to prohibit "discrimination, or the granting of preferential treatment, in public education, government contracting, and public employment based on race, sex, ethnicity, or national origin."

The case will be heard in the fall.

The Michigan initiative itself was prompted by reaction to the landmark 2003 Supreme Court decisions upholding elements of affirmative action in the University of Michigan's admissions policies, which had come under legal challenge.

It's something of a surprise that the court agreed to hear this latest case, because it has yet to rule on an affirmation action case argued in October, which challenges the admissions system used at the University of Texas.

Bloomberg TV ad campaign pushes for background checks… Gay marriage to take center stage at Supreme Court… OFA begins effort on immigration reform… Schumer in the spotlight… Kerry arrives in Afghanistan… And Senate Madness: Let the first round begin!!!!

Stan Honda / AFP - Getty Images

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks at the opening of Intergate.Manhattan, a data center owned and developed by Sabey Data Center Properties, on March 20, 2013 in New York.

 *** Bloomberg pushes for background checks: As New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced on “Meet the Press” over the weekend, his organization Mayors Against Illegal Guns is beginning a $12 million TV advertising blitz pushing for Congress to pass universal background checks, which the Senate will consider next month. The ads, which will run in 13 states like Arizona, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, go: “Tell Congress -- don’t protect criminals, vote to protect gun rights and our families with comprehensive background checks.” Bloomberg justified the advertising campaign to NBC’s David Gregory. “If 90% of the public want something, and their representatives vote against that, common sense says, they are going to have a price to pay for that,” he said. “That's what democracy is all about. And all we're trying to do is to tell them what people are doing in Congress, who's voting for what. And then they can make their own decisions.” The NRA’s Wayne LaPierre responded to Bloomberg’s push, telling Gregory: “He's going to find out this is a country of the people, by the people, and for the people. And he can't spend enough of his $27 billion to try to impose his will on the American public. They don't want him in their restaurants, they don't want him in their homes. They don't want him telling them what food to eat; they sure don't want him telling them what self-defense firearms to own. And he can't buy America.”

*** Gay marriage to take center stage: However, the biggest political story this week will be the oral arguments in the gay-marriage cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. The Washington Post: “Two cases — Tuesday’s involves California’s ban on such unions, Wednesday’s concerns Congress’s decision to withhold federal recognition of legally married same-sex couples — offer the justices an unusually wide range of options. A broad constitutional ruling is one possibility, but so is a finding that the cases are not ripe for decision.” On “Meet the Press” yesterday, lawyer David Boies, who is arguing for gay marriage before the court, predicted victory. “What I've said is I think we're going to win. I don't think we're going to win 5-4. I think this is a basic civil-rights issue. I don't think that this is the kind of issue that's going to divide the Court the way some other issues divide the Court.” Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times notes that Chief Justice John Roberts’ cousin -- a lesbian from California looking to marry her partner -- will attend the oral arguments on Tuesday. 

*** OFA begins campaign on immigration reform: The New York Times reports -- and First Read confirms -- that the pro-Obama group Organizing for Action “will jump into the immigration debate this week with an aggressive online effort to highlight the personal stories of immigrants. The group has collected 7,000 stories from supporters, some of whom entered the country illegally or were brought as young children by their parents. Organizers say they will distribute the stories using Twitter, Facebook and blogs beginning this week.” Speaking of immigration, President Obama delivers remarks at a White House naturalization ceremony for active duty military members and civilians at 11:30 am ET. 

*** Schumer in the spotlight: We’ve made this point before, but if Congress passes gun and immigration reform measures this year, the senator who will receive much of the credit -- and will draw legislative comparisons to the late Ted Kennedy -- will be New York Sen. Chuck Schumer. And Roll Call shines this same spotlight on Schumer. “Schumer, the No. 3 Democratic leader, has inserted himself into the middle of two of the president’s top policy priorities and his success could help cement his status as leader-in-waiting, when or if Reid decides to step down. Schumer is known for his campaign savvy and fundraising prowess, but not as much for his policy chops. His legislative history is long and varied, but mostly filled with parochial wins, such as his recent effort to secure $50 billion in disaster relief for the Northeast after Superstorm Sandy.”

*** Kerry arrives in Afghanistan: Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Kabul, Afghanistan. And according to NBC’s Andrea Mitchell, who is traveling with the nation’s top diplomat, Kerry will meet with President Karzai. Senior officials say Kerry knows Karzai well, and they believe he can get past the difficulty over Karzai’s recent anti-American rhetoric. Before arriving in Afghanistan, Kerry visited Iraq, where he confronted Prime Minister Maliki, accusing him of colluding with Iran to prop up the Assad regime by permitting almost daily weapons shipments from Iran to Syria through Iraq's airspace, Mitchell adds.

*** Senate Madness -- let the first round begin: With your NCAA tournament brackets likely busted after the first two rounds of play, now’s your chance to participate in First Read’s Senate Madness game pitting history’s most consequential senators against one another. Check to see which senators made our list of 64 and which ones didn’t. Here are today’s first-round match ups: In the 19^th Century bracket, #1 seed Daniel Webster vs. #16 seed Albert Beveridge (“The Great Orator vs. the Indiana Progressive”), and #8 William Seward vs. #9 John Sherman (The Abolitionist vs. The Sherminator)… In the 20^th Century bracket, #1 seed Lyndon Johnson vs. #16 Russell Long (The Master of the Senate vs. the Tax Expert), and #8 Hugo Black vs. #9 Robert Wagner (The Justice vs. The Great New Dealer) … In the Modern Era, #1 seed Ted Kennedy vs. #16 Lloyd Bentsen (The Last Lion vs. The South Texan), and #8 Robert Byrd vs. #9 Tom Daschle (The Longest-Serving Senator vs. Mr. Leader)… And in the Mixed Era, it’s #1 Henry Clay vs. #16 Claiborne Pell (The Great Compromiser vs. The Father of the Pell Grant), and #8 Harry Byrd vs. #9 Sam Ervin. Tomorrow, we’ll unveil our other first-round match ups. 

Click here to vote in our first round: One vs. Sixteen seeds

Click here to vote in our first round: Eight vs. Nine seeds

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This story was originally published on Mon Mar 25, 2013 9:33 AM EDT

*** Monday’s “The Daily Rundown” line-up with guest host Chris Cillizza: NBC’s Pete Williams with a preview of this week’s SCOTUS action… latest on Secy. Kerry’s trip with NBC’s Andrea Mitchell and Mike Taibbi in Kabul and Ayman Mohyeldin in Cairo… A Deep Dive into the shifting sense on same-sex marriage with pollsters Joel Benenson and Alex Lundry… Plus Politico’s Carrie Budoff Brown, the Center for American Progress’ Daniella Gibbs Leger and Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson join the Gaggle.

*** Monday’s “Jansing & Co.” line-up: MSNBC’s Chris Jansing interviews Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), The Grio’s Perry Bacon, Politico’s Anna Palmer, Roll Call’s Shira Toeplitz, GOProud’s Jimmy LaSalvia & Aisha Moodie-Mills from The Center for American Progress Action Fund.

*** Monday’s “MSNBC Live with Thomas Roberts” line-up: Guest host Richard Lui interviews Rep. James Langevin (D-RI) on Bloomberg vs. the NRA…  NBC’s Pete Williams will break down this week’s same-sex marriage cases going before the Supreme Court… Voto Latino’s Maria Teresa Kumar discusses Mark Zuckerberg’s push on immigration reform… And The Washington Post’s Ezra Klein will give a Health Care Law Report Card. Today’s Power Panel includes: Ken Vogel, Keith Boykin, and Susan Del Percio.

*** Monday’s “NOW with Alex Wagner” line-up: Alex Wagner’s guests include Ed Rendell, theGrio’s Joy Reid, Bloomberg’s Josh Barro, Time’s Rana Foroohar, and Magic Johnson (!!!)

*** Monday’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” line-up: Guest anchor Chris Cillizza interviews NBC’s Andrea Mitchell from Afghanistan, Ambassador Chris Hill, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), the Washington Post’s Ruth Marcus and Jonathan Capehart, Politico’s Jonathan Martin, NBC’s Pete Williams, Republican strategist Margaret Hoover, Heritage Foundation’s Ryan Anderson, former Obama Campaign National Press Secretary Ben LaBolt and Republican strategist John Feehery.

*** Monday’s “News Nation with Tamron Hall” line-up: MSNBC’s Tamron Hall interviews GOP strategist Liz Mair (from GOProud), Democratic strategist Steve Elmendorf, Politico’s Lois Romano, the National Journal’s Matt Cooper, and Dem strategist Chris Kofinis.

“Fresh off his Middle East trip, President Obama returns to domestic issues this week, starting with immigration,” USA Today writes. “Obama is scheduled to speak Monday at a naturalization ceremony for active-duty servicemembers and civilians at the White House. The president, who returned to the White House on Saturday night from a journey to Israel and Jordan, is expected to again advocate what he calls ‘comprehensive immigration reform.’”

From a White House official: “The [naturalization] event underscores the contributions made to the United States by immigrants from all walks of life including the foreign born members of the U.S. Armed Forces, as well as our shared history as a nation of immigrants. While the President remains pleased that Congress continues to make progress towards commonsense immigration reform, he believes Congress needs to act quickly and he expects a bill to be introduced as soon as possible.”

The New York Times: “Organizing for Action, the political group that grew out of President Obama's successful re-election campaign machinery, will jump into the immigration debate this week with an aggressive online effort to highlight the personal stories of immigrants. The group has collected 7,000 stories from supporters, some of whom entered the country illegally or were brought as young children by their parents. Organizers say they will distribute the stories using Twitter, Facebook and blogs beginning this week.”

“The Supreme Court this week will dive into the biggest civil rights issue it has faced in a generation — whether same-sex couples have the right to marry,” The Hill writes. The court will hear oral arguments Tuesday and Wednesday in a pair of cases with enormous historical implications for the nation, the court and the legacy of Chief Justice John Roberts.”

Who would have thought that the stripping of funding to ObamaCare would come from the left, and, of all people, Elizabeth Warren?

The Senate overwhelmingly – 79-20 – voted to repeal the medical device tax in ObamaCare. The tax would raise approximately $30 billion for the law. Led by Warren, who used it to campaign against Scott Brown, 35 Democrats voted to repeal it. The vote came on an amendment to the budget and won’t likely become law because the budget won’t pass as is. But it shows how tricky the politics of Medicare and seniors continues to be. Remember, ObamaCare is supposed to bend the cost curve. But it only does that with taxes like this one.

Dave Weigel says the medical device lobby is behind the effort.

The repeal moves to the House and a version of it has 212 cosponsors and it’s factoring into the Massachusetts Senate race. Ed Markey has not signed on yet, because he’s asking how it will be paid for. But his statement shows you what the politics are like on this:

“I am concerned about the impact that the device tax could have on the medical device industry and job creation in Massachusetts,” Markey said, per the Boston Globe. “I opposed the inclusion of this tax in the House health care reform bill. I would support repealing the tax, as long as the revenue replacing it does not impact middle-class families or their health care benefits.”

“President Obama's most prominent judicial nominee withdrew her name from consideration Friday in the face of continuing Republican opposition,” USA Today writes. “Caitlin Halligan, a prominent New York prosecutor twice nominated by Obama to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, would have been a potential future Supreme Court nominee had she won Senate confirmation. Instead, after more than two years of effort, she and the president agreed Friday to call it quits. … Republicans steadfastly refused to vote on Halligan's nomination on grounds that her judicial views were outside the mainstream. She had argued as New York solicitor general that firearms manufacturers should be held civilly liable for crimes committed with guns. She also had endorsed a report questioning the indefinite detention of enemy combatants.”

Said Obama: "I am deeply disappointed that even after nearly two and a half years, a minority of senators continued to block a simple up-or-down vote on her nomination," Obama said. "This unjustified filibuster obstructed the majority of senators from expressing their support."

“The Internal Revenue Service says it regrets making two $60,000 training videos in 2010 that parodied the popular TV shows, ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Gilligan’s Island,’” The Hill writes. NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell reported on the videos on “TODAY” this morning. 

“An exhausted Senate gave pre-dawn approval Saturday to a Democratic $3.7 trillion budget for next year that embraces nearly $1 trillion in tax increases over the coming decade but shelters domestic programs targeted for cuts by House Republicans,” USA Today writes. “While their victory was by a razor-thin 50-49, the vote let Democrats tout their priorities. Yet it doesn't resolve the deep differences the two parties have over deficits and the size of government.”

National Journal’s headline: “From Hoops to Harry Potter: Behind the Scenes of the Senate's All-Nighter.”

“Ted Cruz’s effort to tie United Nations funding to China’s abortion policy provoked a sharp, private rebuke from Mary L. Landrieu on the Senate floor Saturday morning,” Roll Call writes. 

The New York Times: “The nation’s 11 million illegal immigrants would have to wait a full decade for a green card but could earn citizenship just three years after that, under a provision being finalized by a bipartisan group of eight senators working to devise an overhaul of immigration law, several people with knowledge of the negotiations said. Taken together, the two waiting periods would provide the nation’s illegal immigrants with a path to United States citizenship in 13 years, matching the draft of a plan by President Obama to offer full participation in American democracy to millions who are living in fear of deportation.”

Roll Call: “The Senate’s bipartisan immigration working group split along party lines during a contentious budget vote to prevent illegal immigrants who receive legal status from receiving federal health benefits. The Senate early Saturday morning defeated the amendment to the budget resolution which would have put the Senate on record as opposing access to health care under Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act for undocumented immigrants who get a green card. The amendment, which failed 43 to 56, was offered by Senate Budget ranking member Jeff Sessions, R-Ala. All Democrats — including gang members Dick Durbin of Illinois, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Charles E. Schumer of New York and Michael Bennet of Colorado — opposed the amendment. They were joined by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. All other Republicans — including immigration negotiators Marco Rubio of Florida, John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Jeff Flake of Arizona — supported the amendment.”

“Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has emerged as a key player if Senate Democrats are to have any chance of passing legislation to expand background checks for private sales of firearms,” The Hill writes. “McCain and Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.) are at the top of a list of Republicans considered most likely to sign on to legislation expanding background checks after talks with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) stalled earlier this month. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) has signaled he will likely support the yet-to-be-finalized proposal he negotiated with Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to expand background checks to cover private gun sales, according to Senate sources.”

But, Roll Call writes that  “Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., doesn’t believe the gun violence legislation that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid plans to bring to the floor early next month has a chance to become law without significant changes.”

Now, Claire McCaskill’s (D-MO) is in favor of gay marriage. Said McCaskill: “I have come to the conclusion that our government should not limit the right to marry based on who you love. While churches should never be required to conduct marriages outside of their religious beliefs, neither should the government tell people who they have a right to marry.”

Money, money, mon-ay… “Republican fundraisers say the changing views of gay marriage in their party could unlock big money from GOP donors in places like New York, California and Florida — where some Republicans have kept their checkbooks closed over what they saw as misplaced priorities, at best, or intolerance, at worst, at the highest ranks of the party,” Politico writes. “Several Republicans pointed to Sen. Rob Portman’s switch in support of gay marriage as a watershed moment for the party. And more than two dozen high-profile Republicans asked the Supreme Court to back gay rights. And even Foster Friess, Rick Santorum’s top benefactor, has softened his stance on domestic partnership.”

Speaking of money… “The growing clout of Latino donors and voters has quietly boosted the fortunes of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which has gained members, political leverage and fundraising power in the 113th Congress,” Roll Call reports.

Ted Cruz, per Politico: “The biggest surprise has been the defeatist attitude of many Republicans in Washington. A lot of Republicans felt beaten down, and that there was nothing they could do to stop the erosion of liberty in this country,” he told The Dallas Morning News. ““I’m referring to those who have been here a long time and have suffered some difficult election results and who I think were discouraged about being able to get anything done.”

“People pretending to work for Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) are calling Arkansas homes to find out how many guns families own, according to the lawmaker’s Twitter account,” The Hill writes.

Jeb Bush said on CNN that President Obama hasn’t been as respectful of his brother George W. Bush “as he should have been.” His brother "is like the most focused, disciplined guy — to imagine being a former president and not having an opinion on anything over the last four years? … Really? I mean, to have that discipline, to be respectful of the president that hasn't been as respectful of him as he should have been? Man, I could have never done that."

The AP: “Vice President Joe Biden will headline major Democratic fundraisers in South Carolina and Michigan, two states that could play a major role in the 2016 presidential election. … Biden will travel to Detroit in April to address the Michigan Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson Jackson Dinner. He’ll go to Columbia in May when South Carolina Democrats hold their dinner.”

USA Today: “Joe Biden's speaking schedule isn't going to quell talk of his presidential ambitions.”

Jonathan Martin: “What the heck has happened to Paul Ryan? Just months removed from being on the GOP ticket, he has faded from the national political conversation in a way that’s remarkable for a politician possessed with youth, fame and ambition.” But: “Sources close to Ryan caution that his congressional focus at the moment ought not be confused with lack of interest in 2016 but seen, rather, in the context of somebody with a demanding day job.”

And: “In conversations with scores of Republicans in Washington and beyond, it’s striking how little organic support or even interest there is for a Ryan presidential bid so soon after Mitt Romney elevated the Wisconsin wonk to the highest levels of national political stardom.”

Pass the Cheetos, man… Rand Paul on FOX Sunday said he doesn’t promote pot use, but doesn’t support putting people in jail for it, either.  “I don't want to encourage people to do it,” he said. “I think even marijuana is a bad thing to do. I think it takes away your incentive to work and show up and do the things that you should be doing. I don't think that it's a good idea. I don't want to promote that but I also don't want to put people in jail who make a mistake.”

He also made this point: "Look, the last two presidents could have conceivably been put in jail for their drug use and I really think - look what would've happened, it would've ruined their lives. They got lucky. But a lot of poor kids, particularly in the inner city, don't get lucky and they don't have good attorneys and they go to jail for some of these things and I think it's a big mistake.”

KENTUCKY: Ashley Judd made reference to the Senate race, joking in a speech over the weekend that her mother wanted to “turn her garage into a campaign headquarters,” according to a local affiliate in Cincinnati. 

MASSACHUSETTS: Senate Democratic and Republican hopefuls debate separately on Wednesday. Republicans will debate again Thursday.

MICHIGAN: Ex-Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) won’t be running for the open Senate seat.

Mixed Centuries Era: Virginia’s Byrd vs. Carolina’s Ervin

8. Harry Byrd Sr., D - Virginia, 1887-1966
Harry Byrd is perhaps the most noteworthy Virginia politician of the 20^th century, serving as both governor (1926-1930) and senator (1933-1965). In the Senate, he opposed most of FDR’s New Deal, as well as Truman’s top foreign-policy initiatives like the Marshall Plan and the Truman Doctrine, despite being a fellow Democrat. Byrd also opposed the civil-rights legislation and efforts of the 1950s and 1960s.

9. Sam Ervin, D - North Carolina, 1896-1985
Sam Ervin, known as the “Ol’ Country Lawyer,” was a constitutional expert who was well liked by colleagues and chaired the “Watergate Committee,” which aired televised hearings of the Nixon Watergate scandal. Nixon resigned the presidency in 1974.

20th Century Era: The Justice vs. The Great New Dealer

8. Hugo Black, D - Alabama, 1886-1971
Hugo Black was one of the more notable senators during the Great Depression and New Deal, it’s because of him that there is lobbying disclosure. His investigation of public utility company lobbyists exposed them as running a telegram-fixing campaign because of a Senate inquiry to break up the big utility companies. Afterward, FDR appointed Black to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, and he became the last senator to don a black robe and join the court. But the pick stirred controversy when it was revealed he had been a member of the Ku Klux Klan briefly as he tried to rise to power in politics out of Alabama. But he wound up being a strong defender of civil liberties on the court, where he served from 1937-71.

9.Robert F. Wagner, D - New York, 1877-1953
Robert F. Wagner, the Depression-era, German-born New Yorker and Banking committee chairman, is responsible for some of the most sweeping social and economic legislation in history, such as Social Security and the National Labor Relations Act. He also introduced legislation urging the creation of Israel in 1945 (Taft-Wagner). After leaving the Senate, he devoted himself even more to that cause. He was on the cover of Time in 1934 and his portrait hangs in the Senate Reception Room, along with Arthur Vandenberg, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun, Robert M. La Follette, Sr., and Robert A. Taft, Sr.

Modern era: The Longest-Serving Senator vs. Leader Daschle

8. Robert Byrd, D-W.V., 1917-2010
Robert Byrd grew up poor in the Appalachian coalfields of West Virginia to become the longest-serving member of the U.S. Senate (51 years, from 1959-2010). A defender of the Senate and legislative branch, Byrd was majority leader, minority leader, president pro tempore, and Appropriations chairman, helping to dole out federal dollars to West Virginia. In his early years, he belonged to the Ku Klux Klan and filibustered the 1964 Civil Rights Act. But later in his career, he was an ardent supporter of President Barack Obama, the nation's first African-American president. Byrd died in office at the age of 92.

9.Tom Daschle, D - South Dakota, 1947- current
For 10 of his 18 years in the Senate, Tom Daschle served as the top Democrat in the chamber, including more than two years as majority leader (2001-2003). He worked both with and against the Republican Bush administration after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, raising concerns about the Patriot Act and its curbing of civil liberties. Daschle was popular among colleagues and widely regarded for his affable style and willingness to work across the aisle. But his loss for re-election in 2004 proved that no one – including Senate leaders – was politically safe.

Capitol Hill will play host to a springtime clash over gun rights, as lawmakers prepare to take up significant gun control legislation for the first time in years. 

The Senate will take up a new bill next month intended to require background checks for every firearm purchase in the country — and proponents of the legislation are girding for a major political showdown against supporters of gun rights and its principal advocacy group, the National Rifle Association. 

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has emerged as one of the most forceful national backers of stricter gun laws, and this weekend launched a $12 million television ad campaign meant to pressure wavering senators to support the new legislation when they return from their holiday break.

"We're trying to do everything we can to impress upon the Senators that this is what the survivors want, this is what the public wants," he said on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday. He added later: "If 90 percent of the public want something, and their representatives vote against that, common sense says, they are going to have a price to pay for that."

But his push has been met with strict resistance by the NRA, which has dug in against stricter controls on guns since last December's massacre at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., the catalyzing event for President Barack Obama's renewed push for new gun laws. 

"He can't spend enough of of his $27 billion to impose his will on the American people," said Wayne LaPierre, the NRA's CEO and executive vice president, of Bloomberg's new advertising effort. "He can't buy America."

Already, advocates of stricter gun laws have suffered setbacks due to the NRA's resistance. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said this week that he would move forward with legislation following the holiday recess, but said it would exclude a reinstatement of the ban on assault weapons, which appears to lack sufficient support to move forward in the Senate. But Democrats will seek a vote on the ban in the form of an amendment, laying down a political marker — which Bloomberg said he would be watching closely.

"I don't think we should give up on the assault weapons ban," he said. "But clearly, it is a more difficult issue for a lot of people … It may be just that people have different views about assault weapons than they do about background checks."

But even the proposed expansion of background checks is far from assured passage in Congress. Failing to advance this more modest gun control would be a blow to efforts to advance gun controls, even with a high-profile event like the Newtown massacre providing an impetus for action.

LaPierre derided the proposal on background checks as little more than "a speed bump for the law-abiding." Though the NRA had supported the background check system in the past, LaPierre said it was "not fair," "not accurate" and "not instant" in practice.

Vice President Joe Biden, a possible candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016, on Saturday made reference to two would-be Republican opponents in the next election.

At a fundraiser for Democratic House candidates in New York City, Biden brought up Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, the GOP's 2012 vice presidential nominee, in a speech to party donors.

According to a pool report, the vice president cast both Republicans as extremists but offered them personal compliments. Biden called Paul, the son of former Texas Rep. Ron Paul "a fine man ... a decent man."

Of Ryan, the House Budget Committee chairman whose 2014 fiscal blueprint won approval this week in the House, Biden won laughs with his incredulity.

"The Ryan budget is absolutely -- the Ryan budget," Biden said.

The vice president has signaled that he might run for president himself in 2016 despite having twice unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination. A Biden candidacy could pit him against another alumna of the Obama administration, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, should she decide to run.

But Biden himself noted that there were a "long four years" ahead of him and President Barack Obama, during which they hoped to "get some good things done."

Politico has reported that Mitt Romney has sent an email to bundlers and large donors, asking them to participate in a summit for his son Tagg's investment firm, Solamere Capital, which the former Republican presidential nominee recently joined.

NBC News has learned the Solamere conference will take place from June 4-8 at Deer Valley's Stein Eriksen Lodge in Park City, Utah. But NBC has not confirmed Romney's participation.

Politico says that the cost to attend to attend the summit is $5,000. “In the span of four days, we will have a chance to hear from political, business and other thought leaders and spend time together enjoying a variety of outdoor activities,” Romney said in the email. “We are calling the event, Experts and Enthusiasts. As we only have capacity for a small group of people to be part of this gathering, invitations will be kept to a limited group of industry and thought leaders.”

Sources had told NBC that when Romney first accepted the job with Solamere -- also run by his campaign's top finance official Spencer Zwick -- he only wanted to be involved with advising on business transactions, not fundraising.

NBC’s Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro answer reader’s questions about Republican platform changes following the release of the RNC’s autopsy report, the push by some Republican senators to slow down immigration reform, the relevance of CPAC, and the latest 2016 contenders.

Thanks to Steeler Fan-380417, newdayDAWNING...RETURNED, Nathan-1680585, chucky b, and Bob in Virginia-7570413 for the questions! A big thanks to everyone else who submitted questions-- keep them coming!

Keep an eye out for the next Inside the Boiler Room segment. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @NBCFirstRead, @mmurraypolitics or@DomenicoNBC, and on Facebook!

Chuck Todd, NBC’s incorrigible political director, took time out of his day following President Obama on his Mideast trip to answer questions from his legions of Twitter followers. The conversation ranged from his take on Obama’s relationship with Netanyahu to the the particulars of 2014 Senate races and University of Miami athletics (he’s a fan if you haven’t heard). Here are some highlights from the wide-ranging conversation:

19th Century: The Great Orator vs. The Indiana Progressive

1. Daniel Webster, Whig - Massachusetts, 1782-1852 
Dubbed “The Great Orator,” Daniel Webster fought to keep the country unified during the pre-Civil War debate over slavery. Indeed, he became the de facto spokesman for those seeking to save the union after delivering what’s been called, “The Most Famous Senate Speech” in a debate that lasted over nine days with a senator from South Carolina. Ironically, it was another speech – arguing in favor of the Compromise of 1850 and saying that bickering over slavery was pointless because it wasn’t going away – that ended his Senate career. That speech played well as a middle-of-the-road position in many parts of the country, but not in his liberal home state. Soon after, he resigned the Senate to become Secretary of State. Webster died just four months after Henry Clay – another #1 seed – did.

16. Albert Beveridge, R-Indiana, 1862-1927 

Albert Beveridge was one of the key progressive senators of the late 19th and early 20th centuries (1899-1911), backing the legislation that Teddy Roosevelt was pushing as president. 

Mixed Centuries: The Great Compromiser vs. The Father of the ‘Pell Grant’

1. Henry Clay, D-R, Whig - Kentucky, 1777-1852
Henry Clay’s ability to navigate a fractured Senate is credited with fending off war between slave-owning and free states -- at least three times. He was pivotal in the negotiations in the creation of the Missouri Compromise, which allowed the United States to continue its Western expansion. For his efforts, Clay earned the nicknames “The Great Compromiser” and “The Great Pacificator.” How revered was he? Abraham Lincoln called him "my beau ideal of a statesman" and often used his quotes in his speeches. He was the first ever to receive the honor of being laid in state in the Capitol Rotunda. Clay also engineered the only censure of a president -- Andrew Jackson. Clay's death, which took place a decade before the Civil War's start, was regarded as the end of the Senate's "Golden Era."

16. Claiborne Pell, D - Rhode Island, 1918-2009
Claiborne Pell served in the Senate for more than 35 years (1961-1997), and he’s best known for authoring the legislation creating federal grants for college students -- or Pell Grants.

 20th Century: The Master of the Senate vs. The Tax Expert

1. Lyndon Johnson, D - Texas, 1908-73
Lyndon Johnson was dubbed the “Master of the Senate” by author Robert Caro, and he drew the blueprint for what we think of as the modern majority leader. LBJ understood the rules and what made senators tick. Ironically, his greatest accomplishments – passing the Great Society measures and the Civil Rights Act – came when he was president, earning him the nickname "Super Majority Leader." As a young majority leader, Johnson helped usher through President Eisenhower’s civil rights bill that only passed by weakening key enforcement provisions to pacify Southern Democrats.

16. Russell Long, D - Louisiana, 1918-2003
Russell Long – the son of 20th Century populist Huey Long – served in the Senate for nearly 30 years, and chaired the powerful Finance Committee for more than a decade. In fact, he was best known for shaping the tax code, and he helped manage John F. Kennedy’s tax-cut legislation through Congress.

Modern era: The Last Lion vs. The Texan (who more than knew Jack Kennedy)

1. Ted Kennedy, D - Massachusetts, 1932-2009
Regarded as the last lion to serve in the Senate, Ted Kennedy worked across the aisle to achieve major legislative accomplishments -- on health care, education, civil rights, and raising the minimum wage. He also was instrumental in Barack Obama’s presidential quest, delivering him key support in the middle of the heated 2008 campaign between Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton.

16. Lloyd Bentsen(winner of Lloyd Bentsen/Phil Gramm play-in), D - Texas, 1921-2006 
Lloyd Bentsen is best known for being the Democratic Party’s vice-presidential running mate in 1988, and for uttering this line at Dan Quayle during the VP debate: “I served with Jack Kennedy, I knew Jack Kennedy, Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.” But before that, Bentsen served in the Senate for 22 years (from 1971-1993), and he was chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee. Bentsen also was Clinton’s Treasury secretary from 1993-1994.

Click here to vote in our first round: Eight vs. Nine seeds

This story was originally published on Fri Mar 22, 2013 11:59 AM EDT

President Barack Obama wraps the first foreign trip of his second term Friday with stops in Israel and Jordan before returning to the U.S. 

After spending time with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and giving a speech to Israeli youths Thursday, Obama is finishing his trip Friday with a visit to Amman, Jordan and a meeting with King Abdullah II.

Chuck Todd, NBC News’ Chief White House Correspondent and anchor of MSNBC’s “Daily Rundown,” has been traveling with the president and will take to Twitter this morning to answer questions about the trip.

And in the spirit of March Madness, he’ll dish on NCAA basketball brackets as well. (Chuck has his Miami Hurricanes taking the title). 

To join the conversation on Twitter, tweet your question for Chuck (@chucktodd) using the hashtag #ChuckToddQuestions. He’ll be answering until 11:30 a.m. ET.

Related links: 

Obama visits a Bethlehem in midst of change, Islamization

Obama appeals to Israelis: Give justice to the Palestinians

Iran threatens to destroy Tel Aviv, Haifa if Israel attacks

Obama: 'Still time' for diplomatic solution to Iran nuke dispute

Guns, immigration set to take center stage next month… The gun legislation (with a background check) is about to reach the Senate floor, but it has little to no bipartisan support (yet)… Meanwhile, immigration has plenty of potential bipartisan support, but no actual legislative language… Obama’s speech playing well in Israel… Obama holds presser with King Abdullah in Jordan at 11:45 am ET… Friday’s 2016 wrap… Guess who’s heading to South Carolina on Saturday? (Answer: Martin O’Malley.)… Could a joint Santorum-Newt ticket have beaten Romney?... And the result from our first Senate Madness contest: Lloyd Bentsen beats Phil Gramm. 

*** Guns, immigration set to take center stage next month: As USA Today notes, the ceasefire in Washington’s warfare over the budget has cleared the way for two big legislative priorities -- immigration and guns -- to take center stage when Congress returns in April from its Easter/Passover break. So after March’s thaw, April will shower us with big pieces of legislative activity. And the two priorities are progressing in different ways, each with their own challenges. On guns, NBC’s Kasie Hunt reports, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will bring a gun-regulation bill to the Senate floor that includes a universal background check. “This bill will include the provisions on background checks, school safety and gun trafficking reported by the Judiciary Committee," Reid said in a statement last night. But the question is whether Senate Democrats can find compromise on background checks to get GOP support to clear the 60-vote hurdles that have become all-too routine in the chamber. Quinnipiac polls taken recently show that universal background checks are VERY popular nationally (88% support them, including 85% of gun owners) and in states like Florida and Ohio. By the way, Sunday’s “Meet the Press” will have a discussion on guns with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and top NRA official Wayne LaPierre. 

Recommended: Budget battles - What you need to know

Win Mcnamee / Getty Images

Members of the group Casa In Action demonstrate for immigration reform in the Hart Senate Office Building March 21, 2013 in Washington, DC.

*** Gun legislation lacking bipartisan support, immigration lacking actual legislation: Meanwhile, the situation on immigration is the exact opposite: There is plenty of bipartisan support for comprehensive immigration (see the “Group of Eight,” Rand Paul, the RNC, even Raul Labrador), but there is no bill and no movement out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. As NBC’s Carrie Dann has reported, Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy lamented, “Because we do not yet have legislative language to debate, the Senate Judiciary Committee will not be able to report a comprehensive immigration bill by the end of April, which was my goal.” So one priority (guns) has legislation that’s about to reach the Senate floor, but it has little to no bipartisan support yet. And a second priority (immigration) has plenty of potential bipartisan support, but there isn’t actual legislation yet. 

*** Obama’s speech playing well in Israel: So how is Obama’s speech from yesterday playing in Israel? It’s receiving positive feedback, especially in the Hebrew press. Here’s an example from Israel News Today (a translated summary of the Hebrew media): “‘You are not alone,’ uttered in Hebrew, is the most quoted excerpt in today’s headlines from the speech US President Barack Obama gave yesterday. In their commentary on the American president’s speech, all the journalists gush in their praise of Obama’s charisma and rhetorical skills. As Nahum Barnea in Yedioth Ahronoth notes: ‘Obama invested all his rhetorical skill in the speech. His skills in this sphere are incredible: he sounded amiable when he wanted to sound amiable, passionate when he wanted to sound passionate, profound when he wanted to sound profound, amusing when he wanted to sound amusing. Every American president sets himself the goal of conquering the heart and mind of his audience. Obama conquered the audience by storm.’” One of Obama’s missions on this trip was to win over the Israeli public. And judging by the commentary, he’s gone a LONG way to change a stereotype of him (created in large part by domestic politics in the U.S.) that had crept into the Israeli intelligentsia.   

*** Obama’s day in the Middle East: On the final full day of his overseas trip, Obama already laid wreaths and Herzl’s tomb and Rabin’s grave, and he toured Yad Vashem. Later today, he meets with Jordan’s King Abdullah and holds a press avail with him at 11:45 am ET, which could be interesting given Abdullah’s critical comments of the Muslim Brotherhood.  

*** Friday’s 2016 wrap: On Monday, Hillary Clinton released a video announcing her support for gay marriage… On Tuesday, Rand Paul delivered a speech on immigration reform, in which he appeared to back a path to citizenship… On Wednesday, Chris Christie said “he's undecided on whether the state should ban the controversial use of ‘gay conversion therapy,’ but the Republican governor still opposes same-sex marriage,” per the Star Ledger … On Thursday, the House approved -- on a mostly partyline vote -- the budget Paul Ryan drafted… And also on Thursday, Vice President Biden stood with NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and chided members of Congress for not being brave enough when it comes to gun control. "It must be awful, being in public office and concluding that even though you might believe you should take action that you can't take action because of the political consequence you face. What a heck of a way to make a living.”  

*** Guess who’s heading to South Carolina? And Iowa, too? The early 2016 news continues through the weekend. Tomorrow, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley heads to Charleston, SC to deliver a speech to the South Carolina Democratic Party. And in the next two months, Rick Santorum (on April 15), Rand Paul (May 10), and Scott Walker (May 23) will all be heading to Iowa.  

*** Could a joint Santorum-Newt ticket have defeated Romney? And for a little 2012 news, Bloomberg’s Josh Green reports that in the weeks leading up to the Michigan presidential primary, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich discussed forming a “unity” ticket as a way to topple Mitt Romney. But there was just one hitch: They couldn’t agree who would be at the top of the ticket. (It brings to mind the movie “My Fellow Americans.”) “‘We were close,’ former Representative Bob Walker, a Gingrich ally, says. ‘Everybody thought there was an opportunity.’ ‘It would have sent shock waves through the establishment and the Romney campaign,’ says John Brabender, Santorum's chief strategist.” More: “‘I was disappointed when Speaker Gingrich ultimately decided against this idea, because it could have changed the outcome of the primary,’ Santorum says. ‘And more importantly, it could have changed the outcome of the general election.’”  

*** Senate Madness -- Bentsen beats Gramm: In our inaugural match up of our Senate Madness contest, Lloyd Bentsen (R-Texas) beat Phil Gramm (R-Texas) -- by an online vote of 69%-31% -- for the right to be the #16 seed in our Modern Era region. That means that Bentsen will face off against #1 seed Ted Kennedy. We will unveil our entire Senate Madness bracket, as well as our first-round match ups, on Monday. 

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*** Friday’s “Jansing & Co.” line-up: MSNBC’s Chris Jansing interviews Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI), the AP’s Liz Sidoti, Politico’s Ken Vogel, Republican strategist Chip Saltsman, Democratic strategist Emily Tisch Sussman, the Washington Post’s Rajiv Chandrasekaran, and Sarah Jane Glynn from the Center for American Progress.

*** Friday’s “MSNBC Live with Thomas Roberts” line-up: Guest Host Alex Witt interviews Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) on the battle over gun control… Former Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) will discuss the President’s Middle East Trip…  Chicago Teacher’s Union President Karen Lewis will join to talk about the largest school shutdown in the country…  And Adam Umhoefer, executive director of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, joins to discuss the case his group is bringing against Prop 8 next week at the Supreme Court. 

*** Friday’s “NOW with Alex Wagner” line-up: Alex Wagner’s guests include Huffington Post’s Sam Stein, Demos’ Heather McGhee, Politico’s Jake Sherman, and Bloomberg’s Josh Green. 

*** Friday’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” line-up: Chris Cillizza, filling in for Andrea Mitchell, interviews Mitchell (who reports on the president’s trip to Jordan), as well as HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), Politico’s John Harris, The Washington Post’s Karen Tumulty and Jonathan Capehart and NBC’s Rehema Ellis.

*** Friday’s “News Nation with Tamron Hall” line-up: Craig Melvin, filling in for Tamron Hall, interviews Gen. Barry McCaffrey, American Urban Radio’s April Ryan, Former State Dept. official PJ Crowley, and Dem strategist Chris Kofinis.

*** Saturday’s and Sunday’s “Weekends with Alex Witt”: As part of her weekly “Office Politics” segment, MSNBC’s Alex Witt interviews Chris Hayes. 

*** Saturday’s “MSNBC Live Weekends” line-up, starting at 2:00 pm ET: Craig Melvin’s guests include Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Fmr. South Carolina GOP Chair Katon Dawson, Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), Fmr. DNC Comm. Director Karen Finney, The Third Way’s Bill Schneider, The Guardian’s Ana Marie Cox, former PLO spokeswoman Diana Buttu, former Mideast envoy Dennis Ross, National Review’s Katrina Trinko, Eva Moskowitz of Success Charter Network, Derrell Bradford of Excellent Education for Everyone and NY1 anchor Errol Lewis.

*** Sunday’s “MSNBC Live Weekends” line-up, starting 3:00 pm ET: Craig Melvin’s guests include former RNC Chairman Michael Steele, Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), Iowa GOP Chair A.J. Spiker, music executive Michael “Blue” Williams, WBAI-FM host Esther Armah, Evan Wolfson of Freedom to Marry, NYU Law School’s Kenji Yoshino, The Grio’s Perry Bacon, and MSNBC Contributor Goldie Taylor.

“A big chunk of the upcoming Senate budget vote-a-rama will be a waste of time — like votes on senators’ pet causes or generic partisan issues,” Politico writes. “But there’s some good news buried in the dozens of amendments that are coming across the Senate floor between now and Friday: A handful of them will matter. None of them will actually become law, but some will test support for important bills to come later this year or beyond. Others could define possible 2016 candidates. And others still could tell President Barack Obama whether he’s got a shot at a grand bargain.” 

Watch, in particular: the Ryan budget, an internet sales tax, school choice, drones, medical device tax repeal, balanced budget amendments, cost-benefit analysis requirements (upsetting watchdog groups that think it will make it harder to implement Dodd-Frank, for example).

National Journal: “Senators of both parties promise to offer a raft of amendments Friday as the chamber debates its first budget in four years, taking advantage of the rare procedural chance to force the opposing party into an unlimited number of politically tough votes. … The opening of the amendment floodgates could have implications both for vulnerable Democratic incumbents in 2014 and for governing in the rest of 2013. The series of votes, which could spill into the wee hours of Saturday morning, has the potential to act as a release valve, easing pent-up partisan pressure in the chamber — depending, of course, on how the evening proceeds.”

“Moving on two fronts, the Republican-controlled House on Thursday voted to keep the government running for the next six months while pushing through a tea-party flavored budget for next year that would shrink the government by another $4.6 trillion over the next decade,” AP writes. “The spending authorization on its way to the White House for President Barack Obama’s signature leaves in place $85 billion in spending cuts to the Pentagon and domestic programs. The result will be temporary furloughs for hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors over the next six months and interrupted, slower or halted services and aid for many Americans. The nonbinding GOP budget plan for 2014 and beyond calls for a balanced budget in 10 years’ time and sharp cuts in safety-net programs for the poor and other domestic programs.” 

“A brief reprieve in the fiscal battles between President Obama and a divided Congress will allow two contentious and politically divisive domestic issues — guns and immigration — to take center stage in the national debate this spring,” USA Today writes. 

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told Hispanic media outlets yesterday: “About 90 percent of the issues, including the path to citizenship, are settled.”

“Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday that after the congressional recess, he will bring to the Senate floor a gun-violence bill that will include measures to expand background checks for gun purchases, strengthen trafficking laws and improve school safety,” USA Today writes. “Reid acknowledged that the background-check language he is including in the bill could change in the final product.”

As NBC’s Kasie Hunt writes, “it's still far from certain that the Senate can pass the background check provision, now considered the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's gun control legislation. Senators are still negotiating the exact language to be used in that provision. West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin is still talking with Republicans about background checks-- and is in touch with the National Rifle Association -- in an attempt to find compromise language that could garner significant Republican support. Senate aides say they'll substitute in that compromise language after the Senate returns from recess -- if they can achieve such a compromise.” 

Vice President Biden tried a little Catholic guilt on members of Congress yesterday during an event with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg: "It must be awful to be in public office and concluding — that even though you might believe you should take action — that you can't take action, because of the political consequence you may face. What a heck of a way to make a living." 

But National Journal makes this point: “these polls” showing broad support for background checks and an assault-weapons ban “may gloss over some complexities in public opinion on gun control, and explain why Democrats are having so much trouble winning congressional support for even the most modest gun regulations.” More: “Much of the poll numbers don't capture the nuances of public opinion. For example, there is a significant difference in the level of passion of voters on the two sides of the issue. While members of the National Rifle Association or conservative gun owners hone in on this issue, gun-control proponents may not register that sort of excitement. The level of voter passion may also depend on where the respondents live.” 

And: “Lanae Erickson Hatalsky, the director of social policy and politics for Third Way, said her group has conducted polling in some of these states where gun violence isn’t a major issue. When they asked if they thought policies would be effective in reducing crime, most respondents said it wouldn’t. When asked if legislation was addressing a problem in their community or somewhere far away, most respondents went with the latter. The support for gun-control policies then is ‘really high but shallow,’ Hatalsky said. ‘People will support this and they think it’s a good idea, but they don’t feel super deeply about it,’ Hatalsky said. ‘They’re not convinced that it will necessarily work and that it will work to change their own lives.’”