OBAMA AGENDA: Election Day in Israel
Haaretz offers a primer on who can vote and what might happen in today's election.
From Reuters: "[I]n the last three days of campaigning, Netanyahu went on a blitz to try to shore up his Likud base and attract votes from other right-wing, nationalist parties, promising more building of Jewish settlements and that the Palestinians would not get their own state if he were re-elected."
From the New York Times: "Iran has deployed advanced rockets and missiles to Iraq to help fight the Islamic State in Tikrit, a significant escalation of firepower and another sign of Iran’s growing influence in Iraq."
The AP on the implications of an Iran deal: "Is this the beginning of the Islamic Republic's broad acceptance by the community of nations?"
The White House is calling Congress's delay in considering Loretta Lynch's confirmation as AG "unconscionable."
In his interview with Vice News, Obama urged young people to focus on issues like climate change and the economy rather than pot legalization.
CONGRESS: House Republicans to unveil latest budget
"House Republicans on Tuesday will unveil a proposed budget for 2016 that partly privatizes Medicare, turns Medicaid into block grants to the states, repeals the Affordable Care Act and reaches balance in 10 years, challenging Republicans in Congress to make good on their promises to deeply cut federal spending," writes the New York Times.
The Wall Street Journal writes that House leaders are close to a 'Doc Fix' deal, although the plan is taking heat from both sides of the aisle.
AFL-CIO head Richard Trumka will be on the Hill today to warn against expanding captive guest worker programs. “At a time when we face unprecedented levels of inequality and decades of wage stagnation, it is irresponsible to expand access to employment-based temporary work programs that will continue to hold down wages, increase worker vulnerability, and reduce social mobility for deserving workers,” he’ll say, according to prepared remarks.
More woes for Aaron Schock, here, here and here
OFF TO THE RACES: How to watch the “Invisible Primary”
From one of us(!): A primer on watching the "invisible primary."
Apparently this is a real thing, via the Salt Lake Tribune: "Romney is slated to fight former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield in the marquee event during a several-bout evening at the Rail Event Center near the Union Pacific Depot in Salt Lake City on May 15." (It's for charity.)
National Journal reminds us why the 2016 hopefuls are going through such verbal gymnastics to remind us that they're not running -- yet.
The New York Times writes that Al Gore has found a new role as an optimist.
BUSH: Democratic group American Bridge is up with a new web ad hitting Bush for using a personal email account.
The New York Times notes: "From his earliest days as Florida’s governor in 1999, Mr. Bush pondered — in emails to friends and associates — whether his many missives from a nominally private address at Jeb.org would one day be revealed for all to peruse."
CHRISTIE: He gave a breakfast pep talk to top supporters on Monday amid concerns about his presidential bid.
CRUZ: On Morning Joe this morning, Ted Cruz defended his signature of the letter to Iranian officials and said he'd do it again.
A three year-old girl's mother says that Ted Cruz didn't really scare the daylights out of her daughter for telling that "the world is on fire."
PAUL: POLITICO writes that Rand Paul's effort to run for Senate and president at the same time might be getting tricky for Mitch McConnell.
RUBIO: The Washington Post looks at how Marco Rubio could use his Senate perch to address a simmering foreign policy concern in Venezuela.
WALKER: Leigh Ann Caldwell writes that Walker says his position on ethanol mandates is "consistent."
The Des Moines Register headline: "Scott Walker's digital chief has taken swipes at Iowa"
PROGRAMMING NOTES.
*** Tuesday’s “News Nation with Tamron Hall” line-up: Tamron Hall speaks with Ellen Strauss, a friend of Robert Durst’s first wife Kathy and Attorney Michael Grieco about Durst’s arrest, Former NY Giant Hall of Fame linebacker Harry Carson and The Nation Sports editor Dave Zirin about San Francisco star Chris Borland’s decision to retire early after concerns of long term brain injury due to playing football.
*** Tuesday’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” line-up: NBC’s Andrea Mitchell will report live from Israel on today’s election. She will be joined by the New York Times Jerusalem Bureau Chief Jodi Rudoren, Sen. Barbara Mikulski, OMB Director Shaun Donovan, the Washington Post’s Dan Balz, Bloomberg Editor Jeanne Cummings and NBC’s Peter Alexander, Ron Mott and Kelly O’Donnell.