OFF TO THE RACES: Kasich set to announce on July 21
BIDEN: Before his death, Beau Biden urged his father to run for president, the Wall Street Journal reports.
BUSH: A Washington Post investigation shows that "records, lawsuits, interviews and newspaper accounts stretching back more than three decades present a picture of a man who, before he was elected Florida governor in 1998, often benefited from his family connections and repeatedly put himself in situations that raised questions about his judgment and exposed him to reputational risk."
CHRISTIE: His presidential campaign web site is live.
POLITICO, on his game plan: "The hope, according to advisers — who spent the weekend in a flurry of last-minute planning meetings — is that by exceeding expectations in debates and town hall events, and by performing well in a few select primary contests, he can reestablish himself as a top-tier candidate."
CRUZ: He told NPR that his opposition to same-sex marriage will be "front and center" in his campaign.
He's feuding with Karl Rove over a 2009 endorsement by George H.W. Bush.
GRAHAM: He said on Meet the Press that the GOP should change its official position on same-sex marriage.
JINDAL: The pro-Bobby Jindal Super PAC Believe Again tells NBC News that it’s up with a $500,000 advertising buy in Iowa (over two weeks) promoting Jindal’s candidacy.
He told one of us(!) on Meet the Press that his state will abide by the court's decision on same-sex marriage even though he disagrees with the ruling.
KASICH: He'll make his presidential announcement on July 21, Kasie Hunt reports.
PAUL: His response to the same-sex marriage ruling: "Perhaps the time has come to examine whether or not governmental recognition of marriage is a good idea, for either party."
TRUMP: He says he wouldn't have time to maintain his famous hairstyle in the White House.
WALKER: He says he can beat Hillary Clinton because "We are the anti-Washington" and because "we need a name from the future."
And around the country...
MAINE: Gov. Paul LePage has alienated his state's lawmakers, and a dispute over a charter school has led some foes to discuss impeachment.
PUERTO RICO: The island is $72 billion in debt, and its governor says that the debt isn't payable.
VIRGINIA: The Richmond Times-Dispatch: "The Republican Party of Virginia will choose a presidential candidate in a statewide primary open to all voters on March 1, 2016, also known as Super Tuesday. The 42-39 vote, with one abstention, by the GOP’s state central committee at a meeting here Saturday dealt a blow to the party’s more conservative wing that favored a party-run convention."
PROGRAMMING NOTES.
*** Monday’s “News Nation with Tamron Hall” line-up: Tamron Hall speaks with Former CIA counterterrorism analyst Aki Peritz regarding reports that an attack by ISIS in the U.S. may happen this weekend, Partner Boies, Schiller & Flexner Law Firm who has worked on many same-sex marriage cases in the U.S. Josh Schiller about the Texas attorney general saying county clerks can refuse same-sex couples, and couple for 54 years in Texas Jack Evans and George Harris, who were married over the weekend after same-sex marriage became legal across the U.S.
*** Monday’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” line-up: NBC’s Andrea Mitchell reports live from the Iran nuclear negotiations in Vienna, Austria. She’ll interview Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, UK Foreign Minister Philip Hammond and Ali Rezaian, the brother of Journalist Jason Rezaian, who is being detained in Iran. NBC’s Kristen Welker interviews Freedom to Marry National Campaign Director Marc Solomon, Flashpoint Global Partners’ Laith Alkhouri, Shark Expert Ralph Collier and NBC’s Pete Williams.
*** Monday’s “Live with Thomas Roberts” line-up: CNBC's Julia Chatterley covers market fallout from Greek debt drama, Fmr. RNC chair Michael Steele joins to discuss Kasich and Christie entering 2016 race, Syracuse University’s Kevin Noble Maillard will talk Same Sex Marriage: What's Next?, NBC’s Andrea Mitchell will join live from Vienna to discuss latest in Iran Nuke Talks, former prosecutor and NYPD Eugene O'Donnell and former convict Larry Lawton will join to break down the capture of escapee David Sweat and Thomas will talk to fmr. FBI Special Agent Don Borelli about heightened July 4 terror threat.