OBAMA AGENDA: The GOP’s 16 million-person problem
Our own Perry Bacon Jr. writes that the GOP is facing a 16 million person problem as they continue to push Obamacare repeal.
The Washington Post writes that Obama is taking stock of his legacy -- on his own terms.
The New York Times ed board says the military shouldn't prosecute Bowe Bergdahl.
CONGRESS: Welcome to the Chuck Schumer Era?
BREAKING THIS MORNING: Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid says he's not going to run for re-election in 2016.
Here's the New York Times with what comes next: "Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, who helped Democrats capture the Senate in 2006 and has led their political messaging operation, is considered the favorite to succeed Mr. Reid as party leader. Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat, could also be a contender for the job, but it is unclear how strongly he would pursue it. In Nevada, Catherine Cortez Masto, the state’s former attorney general, is considered a strong Democratic candidate with Mr. Reid out; the Republican field will be fluid and is likely to include Michael Roberson, a State Senate leader."
One of us(!) cut through some of the clutter to explain what was really going on with the budget this week.
The Senate passed its budget plan in the wee hours of the morning.
John Boehner's not dead yet. Not hardly, writes POLITICO.
Boehner writes in the Cleveland Plain Dealer that Obama is wrong about Democratic policies promoting "middle-class economics."
OFF TO THE RACES: Tancredo dumps his “Stop Christie” campaign
This is fun: The Boston Globe's James Pindell deconstructs what actually happens at New Hampshire town hall meetings.
CHRISTIE: Tom Tancredo tells msnbc.com that he's dumping his "Stop Christie" PAC because Christie's faring so poorly already in the White House stakes.
CLINTON: POLITICO reports that she's planning a "listening tour to re-introduce her to Real America."
KASICH: Influential Republicans are kinda "meh" about him, Perry Bacon Jr. reports.
PAUL: POLITICO writes that some of Ron Paul's accolytes are jumping ship when it comes to his son's run.
WALKER: Walker aides are denying that he embraced a path to citizenship behind closed doors. One of us(!) writes that his immigration positions are becoming increasingly unclear.
PROGRAMMING NOTES.
*** Friday’s “News Nation with Tamron Hall” line-up: Frances Rivera, who is sitting in for Tamron Hall, speaks with Former NTSB Board Member Kathryn Higgins and senior consulting aviation editor at Condé Nast Traveler and the author of Wide-Body: The Triumph of the 747 Clive Irving about The Germanwings Airliner that crashed in France, NBC News chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel about the turmoil in Yemen, and Yahoo News sports writer Jay Busbee about March Madness.
*** Friday’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” line-up: NBC’s Andrea Mitchell interviews Fmr. NTSB Investigator Greg Feith, Retired Airline Captain Tom Bunn, NBC “Meet the Press”Moderator Chuck Todd, NBC’s Richard Engel, Kristen Welker and Rehema Ellis, the Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza and Ruth Marcus and Rina Amiri, Fmr. Senior Advisor on Afghanistan in the Obama Administration.