Here are ten things you need to know today.
- Gay donors love Obama’s new marriage position: Gay donors, who are already big Democratic backers, were thrilled with President Obama’s changed views on gay marriage, reports the LA Times. As Andrew Tobias, DNC treasurer and a top bundler for Obama, put it to the Times: “Within minutes, people were calling with their credit cards. They’re thrilled.”
- Strategists divided on impact of Obama’s marriage stance: A quick survey of pollsters and strategists by ABC News shows there is no consensus on the impact of Obama’s endorsement Wednesday. Some felt it would have no impact, others saw it even as a slight plus for the president who needs to fire up his base. Still others think it could hurt Obama even further among white, blue-collar voters, which could spell trouble in North Carolina, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
- Obama planned to support gay marriage this summer: Top administration officials Wednesday told reporters that President Obama had planned since early 2012 to support same-sex marriage, and planned a rollout ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte in September. But, they said, after Vice President Biden’s remarks touched off a firestorm this week, the president had to make the announcement early.
- Romney avoids Obama attack on gay marriage: Responding to the president’s “evolved” stance on gay marriage, Mitt Romney stuck by his own position that marriage is between a man and a woman. However, Romney declined to go hard after Obama on the issue, saying it is a “tender and sensitive topic.” Did he flip-flop? “I believe that based upon the interview he gave today on ABC, it said that he had changed his view,” Romney said. “But you’re a better judge of that than I.”
- Obama, Romney still neck-and-neck in Ohio: A new poll from Quinnipiac University has President Obama and Mitt Romney in a tight race, with Obama just one point ahead, 45 percent to 44 percent. Having Ohio Sen. Rob Portman on the ticket wouldn’t really help Romney. The poll shows the Obama-Biden ticket beating a Romney-Portman ticket 47 percent to 43 percent. However, 59 percent responded that they didn’t know enough about Portman.
- Mandel closing Brown’s lead in Ohio: Quinnipiac’s newest poll shows that while Sen. Sherrod Brown leads his challenger, Ohio state treasurer Josh Mandel, Mandel is closing the gap. Brown is ahead 46 percent to 40 percent, whereas a March 29 poll had him up 46 percent to 36 percent.
- Clooney fundraiser nets $15 million: George Clooney will host President Obama and guests at his Los Angeles home Thursday for a fundraiser that will bring in $15 million, a Democratic source told CNN. The campaign used the event to raffle off two tickets to donors to attend the event. Tickets to the event brought in $6 million, and a raffle earned the campaign $9 million.
- DSCC ramping up campaign in Indiana: On the heels of Sen. Dick Lugar’s primary loss to Richard Mourdock, the DSCC is seizing on what they see as a new pick-up opportunity. They’ve already begun to invest in the race, putting $30,000 in an online campaign to promote a 1-minute video on Mourdock’s “extreme” views.
- Romney in the midwest: Mitt Romney will host two fundraisers Thursday, one in Omaha, Nebraska and one in Kansas City, Missouri. He will also hold an event in Omaha at 2:40 PM ET.
- Obama out west: President Obama will deliver remarks at two campaign events in Seattle, Washington Thursday. He will then head to Los Angeles for a campaign fundraiser at the home of actor George Clooney. On Friday, Obama will head to Reno, Nevada, where he will continue to push the Congressional “To Do List” he debuted earlier in the week.
