If it’s MONDAY… President Biden, at the White House, speaks on the economy at noon ET and then later meets with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr… First Republic Bank gets sold to JP Morgan Chase, becoming third banking failure in last two months… Manhunt continues for suspect who killed five neighbors with AR-15 in Texas… RNC chair says GOP has to address abortion “head on”… And Luke Russert reflects on his father’s death in “Meet the Press” interview.
But FIRST… Just like in 2020, Joe Biden once again needs Donald Trump — and Trump once again needs Biden.
Call it the codependent presidential campaign of 2024.
It’s one of the reasons why it SEEMS like we’re barreling towards an inevitable Biden vs. Trump rematch, despite majorities saying they don’t want Biden and Trump to run for president.
Both men — as well as their bases — need each other.
So it’s not a surprise that Biden put Trump, as well as his MAGA movement and Jan. 6, front and center in his campaign re-election launch video last week.
“When I ran for president four years ago, I said we are in a battle for the soul of America. And we still are. The question we are facing is whether in the years ahead we have more freedom or less freedom. More rights or fewer,” Biden said.
And it’s no surprise that Trump singled out Biden while campaigning last week in New Hampshire.
“No, it’s Biden who poses the threat to democracy, because he is grossly incompetent and has no idea what he’s doing.”
Also like in 2020, each man’s weaknesses are neutralized by the other’s weaknesses.
Biden is 80 years old; Trump is 76.
Biden is prone to make gaffes and verbal slips; so is Trump.
And the early hypothetical polls show Biden faring better against Trump than Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, while they also still find Trump within the margin of error against Biden.
Quote of the day: “We are doing so much”
“Within the constraints of a broken immigration system, we are doing so much.”
— Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on “Meet the Press” Sunday.
Data Download: The number of the day is ... 15
That’s how many cases that the U.S. Supreme Court has decided this term, the fewest at this point in the court’s term in the last 100 years, per Supreme Court scholar Adam Feldman. NBC News’ Lawrence Hurley reports the court still hasn’t decided 44 cases ahead of the typical June conclusion of its term.
Hurley writes that the undecided cases include all of the major cases, including those on affirmative action, voting rights, the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness program, and same-sex marriage rights.
The slow pace for decisions comes as the court has been mired in controversy, most recently with scrutiny around Justice Clarence Thomas’ trips that a conservative billionaire funded and, before that, the unprecedented leak last year of a draft decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
On Friday, the Wall Street Journal published an interview with Justice Samuel Alito, who said he has a “pretty good idea” who leaked the draft.
Other numbers you need to know today
3: The number of major banks to go under in less than two months — now that First Republic Bank has been taken over by the FDIC and sold to JPMorgan.
5: The number of people killed last week in Texas by a man wielding an AR-15, who has evaded authorities as a manhunt continues.
4: The number of gun control laws Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed into law on Friday.
94%: The decline in warrantless FBI searches for Americans’ information, year over year, under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Program, or FISA.
3: The number of government agencies subpoenaed by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, on Friday.
31: The number of people whose sentences for non-violent drug crimes were commuted by President Biden on Friday.
More than 4: The number of years a man was sentenced on Friday for using pepper spray against police officers during the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Eyes on 2024: GOP wants to take abortion “head on”
As Republicans risk being hampered by the issue of abortion rights for another election cycle, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has a message for her party: “You have to address [the issue] head on.”
That’s what she said Sunday on Fox News, adding that Republicans should put Democrats “on the defensive” on abortion, highlighting Democratic support for abortion access later in pregnancy. (The conversation came up as McDaniel was discussing reporting on the party’s 2022 autopsy report, which isn’t expected to be publicly released, and she noted that “abortion was a big issue in key states like Michigan and Pennsylvania.”)
There have been few specifics among Republican presidential hopefuls on the issue, and the ones that have engaged “head on” have largely supported significant restrictions, or a national ban.
On Sunday’s “Meet the Press,” businessman Vivek Ramaswamy called himself “unapologetically pro-life,” and called abortion “a form of murder.” The GOP presidential hopeful says he wants the states to decide on abortion restrictions, but has said he would back a ban at around six weeks if he was a governor (with exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother).
And also on Sunday, CNN asked former Arkansas Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson whether he would sign a “full ban on abortion without restrictions” as president. He said he would, while pushing for “exceptions of the life of the mother and the cases of rape and incest.” That shift comes after Hutchinson had repeatedly reiterated, as recently as last month, that the decision “ought to come back to” the states.
But as Republicans continue to embrace their party’s right flank on abortion rights, don’t forget the recent NBC News poll found that Democrats have intensity on their side when it comes to the issue.
Democrats and women are more likely to rate abortion rights as an “extremely important” issue to them, constituencies who want abortion to largely be legal. Overall, 58% of Americans say they believe abortion should be legal all or most of the time.
In other campaign news…
Mark your calendars: Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., said at a Sunday night town hall event that he has a major announcement coming on May 22, NBC News’ Ali Vitali reports. Scott launched a presidential campaign exploratory committee in mid-April.
Biden’s challenges: Biden’s GOP rivals were also quick to criticize the president’s age and competency as they jockeyed for primary voter support, the Washington Post reports. The New York Times explores the challenge facing Biden within his own party – energizing Black voters, who are crucial to his coalition, but some of whom are frustrated by slow progress on a range of issues. And the Associated Press looks at the tall task Biden has keeping together the broad coalition that elected him the first time.
Trump’s travel trolling: Former President Donald Trump is planning to return to Iowa on May 13, the same day that Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to be in the Hawkeye State, per the Associated Press.
Getting nervous: Some of DeSantis’ allies are concerned he is in trouble even before officially jumping into the presidential race, but DeSantis’ team is not planning to shake up strategy or messaging, NBC News’ Natasha Korecki and Matt Dixon report. It appears DeSantis has one less thing to worry about. On Friday, Florida legislators passed a measure that would allow him to run for president without resigning his post as governor, sending the bill to DeSantis’ desk.
Not backing down: A pro-DeSantis super PAC, Never Back Down, placed a nearly $3.3 million ad buy, reserving time on TV and radio, per AdImpact. The buy includes national airtime as well as time in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. And while the group has mainly targeted Trump, Politico reports that it recently launched a digital ad jabbing former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley.
Pence’s people: Former Vice President Mike Pence has been “ramping up talks with consultants and activists in early nominating states,” Politico reports, citing a senior Pence adviser. He is also expected to get a boost from a new super PAC, which is looking to launch later this month.
Knowing RFK, Jr.: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a vocal vaccine opponent, has support from far-right figures including former Trump adviser Steve Bannon and Infowars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, NBC News’ Alex Seitz-Wald reports. The Democratic presidential contender also said over the weekend that he is “against people participating in women’s sports who are biologically male,” as states bar transgender women from participating in women’s sports.
That was fast: The conservative Club for Growth Action wasted no time jumping into the GOP Senate primary in West Virginia, launching a TV ad targeting Gov. Jim Justice shortly after Justice jumped into the race. The Club is backing GOP Rep. Alex Mooney in the primary.
Sinema speaks: The Atlantic and New York Times Magazine are out with new deep dives into Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., whose political future could weigh heavily on the Democrats’ fortunes as they look to hold the Senate.
No from AOC: A spokesperson for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., told Politico that the high-profile congresswoman is “not planning” to launch a primary challenge against Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
Watch this space: The North Carolina Supreme Court, now controlled by Republicans, reversed two previous rulings on redistricting and a voter I.D. law made under Democratic control, NBC News’ Jane Timm reports. The decision allows the state legislature to redraw the state’s congressional map, potentially giving Republicans a greater advantage in the fight for the House.
ICYMI: What ELSE is happening in the world?
Montana’s GOP governor signed legislation Friday to ban gender-affirming care for minors.
President Biden is considering a visit to Finland, NATO’s newest member, NBC News’ Josh Lederman, Carol E. Lee and Mike Memoli and CNBC’s Kayla Tausche report.
Multiple GOP election officials have embraced lies about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, as they plan to run another presidential election in their states next year, the Associated Press reports.