Obama to Address Nation on Oklahoma Tornadoes; Angelenos Head to Polls to Pick Next Mayor

National Journal

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WHAT'S NEWS

  • Pres. Obama "declared a major disaster exists" and "ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts" after Monday's tornado outbreak in central OK (release). Obama will address the nation "at about" 10 am EDT Tuesday morning (Politico).

  • Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) "said he would 'absolutely' demand offsets for any federal aid that Congress provides" for the OK tornado victims, "a position he has taken repeatedly during his career when Congress debates emergency funding for disaster aid" (Roll Call).

  • April nat'l cmte fundraising: The DNC raised $6.3M, spent $6.8M, had $5.4M CoH and $20.1M in debt. The RNC raised $7.2M, spent $6.1M, had $9.8M CoH and no debt (Roll Call).

  • April House cmte fundraising: The DCCC raised $5.4M, spent $3.9M, had $10.4M CoH and $4.1M in debt. The NRCC raised $5.1M, spent $4.4M, had $8.7M CoH and $6.3M in debt (Roll Call).

  • Obama will travel to the Silicon Valley area on June 6 for two "pricey" fundraisers for the DSCC (Contra Costa Times).

  • L.A. Mayor '13: Angelenos will choose their next mayor Tuesday; the polls are open from 10 am EDT/7 am PDT until 11 pm EDT/8 pm PDT (Hotline reporting). On Monday, Cont. Wendy Greuel (D) and Councilor Eric Garcetti (D) "raced across" the city, "beseeching supporters to turn out and vote." Greuel's camp ran robocalls from Bill Clinton, while Garcetti said "I'm campaigning like I'm 20 points behind" (Los Angeles Times).

  • MA SEN Special: Appearing at two events Monday with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), ex-Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez (R) "unleashed a frontal attack" on Rep. Edward Markey's (D) "homeland security credentials" (Boston Globe).

  • VA GOV '13: Susan B. Anthony's List, "a leading antiabortion group," plans to use VA's statewide races "as a strategic proving ground ahead of next year's midterm elections," saying "its 'budget is comprehensive' and will include TV, radio and online ads, live phone banks and direct mail, among other elements, to develop an effective message that can be deployed to other states next year" (Washington Post).

  • MI SEN: Rep. Gary Peters (D) has turned to a familiar face to manage his campaign: EMILY's List staffer Julie Petrick, who managed Peters' '08 cong. camp (Hotline reporting).

  • SD SEN: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the DSCC "wanted to recruit" ex-Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D) "as their candidate to replace" Sen. Tim Johnson (D), even meeting "privately with Johnson and his wife to ask them to persuade their son Brendan not to run for the seat." But "against Reid’s will," ex-Senate Maj. Leader Tom Daschle (D) "was privately encouraging" ex-aide Rick Weiland (D) "to mount a bid of his own." Asked "whether he would ever back Weiland, Reid was emphatic in his opposition." Reid: "He's not my choice" (Politico).

  • CA-52: '12 San Diego mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio (R) has altered his website to now include "matters more appropriate" for a House candidate, and "the website's list of upcoming events includes a campaign kick-off on June 26 -- and fundraisers scheduled through August (San Diego CityBeat).

  • SC-01: During the special-election campaign, the NRCC gave the SC GOP $164K two days before "the NRCC stated they would not spend more money" on the race following trespassing allegations against now-Rep. Mark Sanford (R) (Roll Call).

  • CA GOV: Ex-LG Abel Maldonado (R) "confirmed Monday he will run" for GOV; "he has often repeated that he was seriously thinking about it but stopped short of confirming he would do so" (Lompoc Record).

  • CO GOV: '06 RI SEN candidate Steve Laffey (R) "has filed papers to run" for GOV, "the first serious candidate to enter what could be a crowded primary field" (KDVR-TV).

NUMBER BRUNCHING

  • According to a new ABC News/Washington Post poll of nat'l adults, conducted 5/16-19, 51% approve of the way Obama is handling his job as POTUS, while 44% disapprove. In the previous poll, conducted 4/11-14, 50% approved of Obama, and 45% disapproved (release).

OUR CALL

Hotline editors weigh in on the stories that drive the day

• The key issue in today's Dem-versus-Dem L.A. mayoral race is Greuel's public-sector union support, which Garcetti has effectively turned against her. Given how low turnout will be, there is s a chance those powerful pro-Greuel forces could help her overcome ominous public poll numbers, but Garcetti has effectively defined Greuel as bought and paid for by public unions.

• Brian Schweitzer and his national Dem supporters are making sure to note that his new job isn't seen as an indication he's less interested in an MT SEN bid. All he has to do now is release a poll showing how the move has impacted Jag's approval ratings.

• NY state Sen. Greg Ball's (R) decision not to run for NY-18 probably makes it more likely that former Rep. Nan Hayworth (R) will seek a rematch with Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D). Hayworth has filed a statement of candidacy with the FEC, but a GOP primary fight with Ball, often her loudest critic from the right, could have caused some serious headaches.

FRESH BREWED BUZZ

  • "I can literally recognize the homes and the businesses. ... This stuff is within blocks of where I live. These are neighborhoods I walk through when I go out in the evening" -- Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), on TV images of the devastation in his hometown of Moore, OK (CNN).

  • Top WH aides, including CoS Denis McDonough, were informed of the forthcoming report on the IRS' targeting of tea party group but decided not to inform Obama in advance, WH press. sec. Jay Carney said Monday (National Journal).

  • Actor Chevy Chase donated $500 to Markey's campaign, but the Markey camp "promptly returned" the check because Chase "didn't sign it, and did not return a follow-up letter asking him to verify the donation" (Boston Herald).

  • "We need to be white, we need to be brown, we need to be black, we need to be with tattoos, without tattoos, with pony tails, without pony tails, with beards, without" -- Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), telling a "sold out" NH GOP unity dinner Monday that "We're going to win when we look like America" (Louisville Courier-Journal).

  • "These kinds of comments are simply not appropriate, especially not from someone who wants to be a standard bearer for our party and hold the second highest elected office in our state" -- VA LG Bill Bolling (R), on past comments made by this year's GOP LG nominee, E.W. Jackson (Politico).

  • The DNC has named comm. staffer Michael Czin as their new nat'l press sec. (release).

  • Singer Bonjean Strategies "announced the addition" of ex-NRSC comm. dir. Brian Walsh "as partner in their bipartisan public affairs and strategic communications firm" (release).

SWIZZLE CHALLENGE

  • Sonny Siebert is the last American League pitcher to hit two home runs in a game.

  • The winner is Ryan Sims, and here's his Swizzle Challenge: "The Grateful Dead's enormous 'Wall of Sound' P.A. system weighed approximately how much?" The 2nd correct e-mailer (within five tons) gets to submit the next question.

NJ'S EARLY BIRD SPECIALS

SHOT... CHASER

Will return on Wednesday.

Reid Wilson, Editor-in-Chief

Steven Shepard, Executive Editor