The Note: Why Marco Rubio Is Running
— -- NOTABLES
--'I CAN LEAD THIS COUNTRY': Marco Rubio is running for president in 2016, the Florida senator told ABC's GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS in an exclusive interview yesterday, because: "I think this country's at a generational moment where it needs to decide not what party it wants in charge but what kind of country are we going to want to be moving forward. I think the 21st century can be the American century, and I believe that I can lead this country in that direction. I can help lead it there from the Senate. I can lead it there as president." A few hours later, Rubio formally announced his campaign at the Freedom Tower, a downtown Miami building with historical significance for thousands of Cuban-Americans, ABC's ARLETTE SAENZ writes. http://abcn.ws/1DbQ1uT
--RUBIO WOULD REOPEN GITMO, REVERSE OBAMA FOREIGN POLICY: If President Obama succeeds in closing the Guantanamo Bay prison as he has promised at the outset of his first term in the White House, Rubio would "absolutely," reopen it, he said in the interview. "I think from a national-security perspective, this deal with Iran is an extremely dangerous one," Rubio said when asked what he would do on his first day as president, ABC's CHRIS GOOD notes. "I think the next president of the United States is going to have to deal with that on day number one." http://abcn.ws/1CRWBDg
--WHY JEB ISN'T KEEPING RUBIO OUT OF 2016: Rubio also said he won't let his bid for the White House come between him and his long-time mentor, fellow Republican -- and likely 2016 rival – former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. "Jeb is my friend, he's still my friend, he will continue to be," Rubio said. "I think it's important to understand - I'm not running against Jeb Bush, and I hope he's not running against me. We are competing for the same job." Rubio, 43, revealed in 2012 that his motto in the Senate was WWJD or "What would Jeb do?" Rubio said he still has "tremendous admiration" for the 62-year-old former Florida governor. But the country needs a "new and vibrant" candidate, he said, ABC's ERIN DOOLEY reports. http://abcn.ws/1HkJBfZ
FIRST IN THE NOTE: FLORIDA GOV. RICK SCOTT HAS INVITED POTENTIAL 2016 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES TO FLORIDA this summer to participate in an economic summit in Orlando, ABC's ARLETTE SAENZ reports. The first ever "Governor Rick Scott's Economic Growth Summit" will take place at Disney's Yacht & Beach Club on June 2. The lineup currently features Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, Rick Perry, Marco Rubio, and Scott Walker. "I am honored to host potential Republican presidential contenders in Florida to share with Americans their plans to take our country into greater prosperity, and am proud to showcase our state as a leader in job creation and economic growth," Scott told ABC News.
THE BUZZwith ABC's VERONICA STRACQUALURSI
HILLARY CLINTON MAKES SURPRISE PIT STOP AT CHIPOTLE. WHERE WILL SHE END UP NEXT? Hillary Clinton, who has embarked on a roughly 1,000 mile road trip after formally announcing her presidential bid on Sunday, was spotted at a Chipotle in Maumee, Ohio Monday afternoon. According to Manager Charles Wright, no one recognized Clinton, who was wearing sunglasses. The newly-minted presidential candidate ordered a chicken bowl with guacamole, a chicken salad and fruit juice, according to Wright. This was just the second Clinton sighting in as many days, according to ABC's ERIN DOOLEY and JASON VOLACK. http://abcn.ws/1yoMxXf
NOTED -- MARCO RUBIO: HILLARY CLINTON'S IDEAS 'WILL NOT HELP EVERYDAY AMERICANS.' Hillary Clinton's economic proposals "will not help everyday Americans," Rubio said yesterday announcing his 2016 presidential campaign. "This notion that somehow if we just increase the size and scope of the federal government, it helps people who are trying to make it has been disproven," Rubio said at his West Miami home, ABC's BEN SIEGEL reports. "The bigger the federal government, the more the people who can hire lobbyists and law firms to help them navigate it are going to do." When asked about Clinton's candidacy, Rubio said: "One of the challenges we have today in this country is that we're trying to fix 21st century problems with 20th century ideas." http://abcn.ws/1ykEFFQ
HILLARY CLINTON: 12 MOMENTS THAT DEFINE THE WOMAN WHO WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT. It's hard to imagine a time when Hillary Clinton wasn't a household name. The former First Lady, U.S. Senator and Secretary of State's path to prominence began nearly half a century ago and was aided by a series of fortuitous events as well as her own ambition. Now, at the height of her global recognition, Clinton is embarking on a second run for the White House, with the possibility of making history as the first woman president of the United States. But how did the young girl from the Chicago suburbs become the woman she is today? From her role as one-half of a political power couple to her years defending herself amid scandal, ABC's LIZ KREUTZ and ERIN DOOLEY highlight the twelve defining moments that have shaped Clinton's life. http://abcn.ws/1PDnVio
MEET THE GAY COUPLE FEATURED IN HILLARY CLINTON'S PRESIDENTIAL ANNOUNCEMENT VIDEO. Jared Milrad, 31, and Nathan Johnson, 30, are getting married this July. And they will have one heck of a story to tell at their wedding. The two men were among the "everyday" Americans featured in the video Hillary Clinton used to announce her candidacy for president of the United States on Sunday. In an interview with ABC's LIZ KREUTZ, Milrad and Johnson said they knew the video was for Clinton's campaign but had no idea it was for her announcement. http://abcn.ws/1aWDxy1
IN THE NOTE'S INBOX
--CHRIS CHRISTIE AIMS TO START 'NATIONAL CONVERSATION' ON ENTITLEMENTS. In New Hampshire today New Jersey Gov. Christie will "continue to take on the biggest and oftentimes most politically unpopular issues by delivering a speech centered on how the United States has to confront the entitlement crisis," an aide for his political action committee tells The Note. According to excerpts of his remarks as prepared for delivery, during a speech at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, he will say: "In the short term, it is growing the deficit and slowly but surely taking over all of government. In the long term, it will steal our children's future and bankrupt our nation. Meanwhile, our leaders in Washington are not telling people the truth. Washington is still not dealing with the problem. Washington is afraid to have an honest conversation about Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid with the people of our country. I am not."
--TEAM RUBIO SELLING 'DAY 1' SWAG: A campaign aide tells The Note: "We're selling special 'Day 1' swag on MarcoRubio.com for today only. Back in 2009, Marco started with only a handful of supporters, and won. We start as the underdog again now, and want to give early supporters something special to show that they were with Marco from Day 1 for years to come."
WHO'S TWEETING?
@USATWashington: Marco Rubio: Revive Lincoln's 'One Country, One Destiny' http://usat.ly/1FPY9SP via @USATOpinion
@CNNMoney: Sounds like @SenWarren but it's actually @HillaryClinton on income inequality http://cnnmon.ie/1OvnwgJ via @Luhby
@nationaljournal: This billionaire tech CEO is laying the groundwork for a Montana gubernatorial run http://buff.ly/1OvLaJS
@rollcall: The Young and the Restless of the 2016 Presidential Field: http://roll.cl/1Nyvtob via @StuPolitics
@CarrieNBCNews: PSA: The Iowa town you're going to is very often not pronounced the way you think it's pronounced #Mon-tih-SELL-o http://iowapublicradio.org/post/pronouncing-iowa-place-names-audio-guide-updated …