The Note: Prickly Paul

— -- NOTABLES

--PAUL PREDICTS CLINTON REVELATIONS WILL 'SHOCK PEOPLE': Sen. Rand Paul spent part of his second day as an officially declared presidential candidate hinting that big revelations are coming "soon" about the foundation headed by the Clinton family, but declined to divulge specifics, pointing out "it wouldn't be a secret anymore" if he did. "I think there are things that went on at the Clinton Foundation that are going to shock people, and I think they're going to make people question whether or not she should be president or not," the Kentucky Republican said, speaking to reporters after his first campaign rally in New Hampshire, ABC's JORDYN PHELPS reports. In an interview yesterday with CNN, Paul confirmed that allegations come from a forthcoming book called "Clinton Cash." http://abcn.ws/1E6Nkg1

--PAUL PICKS ABORTION FIGHT WITH DNC CHAIR: DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz challenged Paul to explain whether he opposes rape, incest, life-of-mother exceptions on abortion. "You go back and you ask Debbie Wasserman Schultz if she's okay killing a 7-pound baby that hasn't been born yet," Paul countered when a reporter posed the question to him, following an Associated Press report on Paul's position on abortion. "Ask her when life begins and you ask Debbie when she's willing to protect life. When you get an answer from Debbie come back to me." While the Kentucky Republican has in the past supported legislated banning abortion without exceptions, he has also supported less stringent guidelines, ABC's CHRIS GOOD and ABC's JORDYN PHELPS note. Wasserman Schultz responded: "Here's an answer: I support letting women and their doctors make this decision without government getting involved. Period. End of story."

--'I'VE BEEN UNIVERSALLY SHORT TEMPERED': In an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Paul was asked about some of the criticism he has gotten for interrupting and chastising an NBC News host during an interview yesterday, ABC's CHRIS GOOD reports. His response: "I think I've been universally short tempered and testy with both male and female reporters ... it's hard sometimes, during our interview, I'm looking only at a camera, it's hard to have a true interaction sometimes, especially if it's a hostile interviewer ... you feel somewhat at a loss on the other end, you can't see the person who you think is mischaracterizing your position ... I do think I should have more patience."

THE BUZZ

with ABC's VERONICA STRACQUALURSI

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S TRIP TO JAMAICA AND PANAMA: 5 THINGS TO WATCH. President Obama left Wednesday evening for a three-and-a-half-day trip to Jamaica and Panama for a series of meetings at which the U.S. relationship with Cuba is expected to take center stage. The president arrived first in Kingston, Jamaica. Today he will meet with Caribbean leaders to discuss everything from security efforts in the region to energy, as well as speak to students in Jamaica. It marks the first presidential trip to Jamaica since 1982. He then will fly to Panama City for events with CEOs, Central American leaders and others before attending the Seventh Summit of the Americas, which, for the first time, will be attended by all 35 countries in the Western Hemisphere -- including Cuba. ABC's ARLETTE SAENZ and SERENA MARSHALL highlight five things to watch on President Obama's trip to Jamaica and Panama. http://abcn.ws/1ydN7XI

2016 CAMPAIGN IS ALREADY UNDERWAY, ON TV. It's never too early for campaign ads. The 2016 presidential race has barely begun, with only two candidates officially in the race, but several TV ads have already run in key primary states, in some cases bashing potential White House aspirants who haven't even declared they're running yet, ABC's CHRIS GOOD notes. Here's a look at what has already been on the air. http://abcn.ws/1anjHuR

WHITE HOUSE CALLS FOR END OF 'CONVERSION' THERAPY ON LGBT YOUTH. The White House is calling for an end to the use on LGBT youth of "conversion" therapy, a technique used by some mental health providers to try to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity. "This administration supports efforts to ban the use of conversion therapy for minors," Valerie Jarrett, a senior adviser to President Obama, wrote in a post on the White House website Wednesday night. "The overwhelming scientific evidence demonstrates that conversion therapy, especially when it is practiced on young people, is neither medically nor ethically appropriate and can cause substantial harm," Jarrett wrote, according to ABC's ARLETTE SAENZ. http://abcn.ws/1E8c5by

HAPPENING TODAY

--ON THE ROAD WITH THE PRESIDENT: President Obama is in Jamaica today -- the first trip to the country by an American president since President Ronald Reagan visited in 1982, ABC's ARLETTE SAENZ notes. The president holds a series of meetings, first with Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller and then with leaders of the Caribbean Community. In the afternoon, he will hold a town hall meeting with students at the University of the West Indies before participating in a wreath laying ceremony at the National Heroes' Park War Memorial. He departs Jamaica in the evening for Panama, where he will meet with embassy personnel ahead of the Summit of the Americas on Friday.

--ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: Rand Paul continues his rollout tour with a rally in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Just about everyone else is in Iowa today, including Republicans Ted Cruz, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, Rick Perry, Rick Santorum and Democrat Jim Webb.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

OBAMA'S 2016 ADVICE FOR HILLARY CLINTON. With Hillary Clinton's big announcement expected soon, President Obama is offering his former Secretary of State some public advice: "If she's her wonderful self, I'm sure she is going to do great," Obama said in a recent interview. (Did he mean to imply that Clinton occasionally has a problem being authentic? Obama, after all, famously said in 2008 that Clinton was "likeable enough.") "That's not what he was suggesting," spokesman Josh Earnest told ABC's JONATHAN KARL yesterday. "I think that the president was suggesting that he thinks very highly of her and there is an opportunity, if she decides to make this decision, that she'll have a very strong case to make based on her skills and experience." Obama and Hillary last met in person two weeks ago in the Oval Office, ABC's DEVIN DWYER notes.

WHO'S TWEETING?

@amyewalter: Excellent analysis by @RonBrownstein of Chicago mayors race: difficulty of balancing big city needs of have-have nots http://www.nationaljournal.com/political-connections/rahm-emanuel-chicago-ron-brownstein-20150408 …

@markknoller: Surprised Pres Obama didn't visit the Ian Fleming museum at GoldenEye, once the estate where he wrote all his James Bond novels.

@BenjaminBell: 'it's unknown whether stocking the Clinton campaign w/ Mook mafiosi can bring order and discipline to Planet Hillary' http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2015/04/robby-mook-hillary-clinton-campaign-manager-profile …

@ChadPergram: "Transcribed Interviews" seemingly the mode of choice for Congress to get information during investigations. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/04/09/congress-probes-clinton-email-scandal-using-new-favorite-tool/ …

@CoryBooker: Glad to see @WhiteHouse call for end to "conversion therapy" - I introed amdmt last month to halt fed funding: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/09/us/politics/obama-to-call-for-end-to-conversion-therapies-for-gay-and-transgender-youth.html …