NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro report on a very busy day in Washington, as a deal is reached on background checks, the president unveils his budget and dines with GOP senators, and immigration legislation could be unveiled as soon as Thursday.

The Senate is expected to consider gun-regulation legislation this week, after President Obama shamed Republicans who are vowing to filibuster that legislation during his speech in Connecticut on Monday, NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro report.

NBC's Domenico Montanaro previews the week ahead in politics from the White House unveiling its budget to Congress being back in town to Secretary of State John Kerry's overseas trip.

NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro report the majority of Americans support stricter gun laws according to the new Morning Joe/Marist poll. The poll also shows Americans want President Obama and Congress to make job creation their top priority by a 2-to-1 margin.

NBC's Domenico Montanaro looks at the week ahead in politics. Ex-South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) is on the verge of a political comeback, favored to win a special election to the first congressional district in South Carolina. And an NBC poll on guns and the economy is released. 

With guns back in the conversation as President Obama holds an event to talk about sensible gun control measures, NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro discuss whether or not Congress will be able to compromise on any gun control measures and immigration reform.

With the political focus on gay marriage, abortion and guns, NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro report on the return of the culture wars and discuss the key political players in the Defense of Marriage Act debate.

As the Supreme Court begins two days of oral arguments on the topic of gay marriage, NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro discuss how it has disappeared as a true political issue between the parties, and the notable change in public opinion on the topic over the past several years.

The strained relations between President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seem to be a thing of the past. This new bromance proves elections have consequences, and both leaders may realize they need to deal with one another over the next four years, NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro report.

In today's First Read Minute, NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro discuss President Obama's foreign policy agenda ahead of his trip to the Middle East, the pushback following the Republican National Committee's post-election report, and the latest from South Carolina as voters head to the polls to fill former Rep. Tim Scott's congressional seat.

The 10-year anniversary of the Iraq war highlights how pivotal that war has been in American politics over the past decade. And Republicans are doing some introspection, releasing a report of what went wrong in 2012. But the report is mostly about packaging and not policies, NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro point out.

President Obama heads to Capitol Hill to meet with House Republicans, but perhaps too much is made of so-called "charm offensives." The structure and numbers of divided government are far more important. NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro discuss.