In the Rewrite, MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell explained how the message on President Obama's marriage equality support "evolved" at FOX News.

By the time then Secretary of State Colin Powell gave his now, to use his word, "infamous" 2003 speech at the United Nations about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Powell says war with Iraq was inevitable. That assertion is being made by former Secretary Powell in his new book, "It Worked For Me: In Life and Leadership," to be released on May 22.

The Huffington Post quotes Powell's book in which Powell writes: “By then, the President did not think war could be avoided. He had crossed the line in his own mind, even though the NSC [National Security Council] had never met -- and never would meet -- to discuss the decision.”

President Obama's public announcement of his support of marriage equality today didn't woo any Log Cabin Republicans. The GOP group that advocates for gay rights called his remarks "offensive and callous" due to the timing and noted he's finally following Dick Cheney's lead.

"That the president has chosen today, when LGBT Americans are mourning the passage of Amendment One, to finally speak up for marriage equality is offensive and callous," said Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director R. Clarke Cooper in a statement. "Log Cabin Republicans appreciate that President Obama has finally come in line with leaders like Vice President Dick Cheney on this issue, but LGBT Americans are right to be angry that this calculated announcement comes too late to be of any use to the people of North Carolina, or any of the other states that have addressed this issue on his watch. This administration has manipulated LGBT families for political gain as much as anybody, and after his campaign’s ridiculous contortions to deny support for marriage equality this week he does not deserve praise for an announcement that comes a day late and a dollar short."

President Obama finally came out of the closet over his stance on marriage equality. Obama declared his unequivocal support of it, saying "it is important for me personally to go ahead and affirm that same-sex couples should be able to get married."

He now becomes the first president in the history of the United States to publicly back same-sex unions. The endorsement clarifies his position on the issue, often source on criticism from the LGBT community who wanted him to take stronger stance in favor marriage equality. Previously, the president stated his thoughts on the matter were "evolving."

"I have hesitated on gay marriage in part because I thought that civil unions would be sufficient," Obama said in an interview with ABC News. "I was sensitive to the fact that for a lot of people the word ‘marriage' was something that invokes very powerful traditions, religious beliefs and so forth."

President Obama affirmed his support for marriage equality today. We'll be talking about this historic moment for civil rights and what it means for the 2012 election.

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A new right wing group is releasing ads trying to turn President Obama's successful mission to get Osama bin Laden into a campaign liability. MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell explains in the Rewrite.

The GOP has a plan to create a missile defense shield for the East Coast, designed to prevent a nuclear attack from Iran — all Stars Wars-style.

The Hill posted exclusive details.

The Republican proposal calls for the East Coast site, which would be the third in the country, to be operational by the beginning of 2016.

Democrats contend the total cost would be $4 billion. Republicans counter that the price tag would be half of that amount.

“This is a political move,” said Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.), who intends to introduce an amendment Wednesday to strip the provision from the defense authorization bill. “Every time the election comes around, the Republicans run out a national security agenda.”

MSNBC

A new Reuters poll out today shows President Obama leading Mitt Romney by seven points among registered voters, 49 to 42 percent. The president also came out ahead on six out of eight key issues: taxes, healthcare, Medicare, Social Security, the war on terror and Afghanistan. The other two big issues in question — the economy and immigration — showed them in a statistical tie.

Will Romney be able to narrow the gap with voters? Give us your last word in the comment section below.

Carlos Osorio/AP Photo

Mitt Romney speaking at Lansing Community College in Michigan on Tuesday.

Mitt Romney hasn't made up his mind on immigration yet, according to one RNC official.

"I think as a candidate, to my understanding, he's still deciding what his position on immigration is," said Bettina Inclan, the director of Hispanic outreach for the Republican National Committee, during a press briefing today over the phone.

After the meeting with reporters, Inclan quickly tweeted, "I misspoke, Romney's position on immigration is clear" and linked to the immigration page on Romney's website.

Kirsten Kukowski, a spokeswoman for the RNC, attempted to further walk back the comments. "I want to clear something up. As far as what Governor Romney's positions are on immigration, that is for him and his campaign to talk about and they will tell you what their policies are," she said.

At this point, Republicans still don't seem to have a clear message on what the likely candidate has in store for his immigration policy. So, for those who are interested in Romney's stance on immigration, "you can go to their campaign," suggested Kukowska.

Earlier today, the world of children's literature lost a giant: Maurice Sendak. He was the author and illustrator of over 20 children's books, most notable being "Where the Wild Things Are." Sendak was 83-years-old and died of a stroke at a hospital in Danbury, Connecticut. 

Aside from his stories and illustrations, Sendak was also known for his insightful and always unique musings on life. After news of his death broke, websites like Buzzfeed and The Huffington Post posted collections of their favorite Sendak quotes. Perhaps most powerful is this video College Humor linked to earlier today — a five-minute clip of Sendak discussing life and death from the 2011 Spike Jonze documentary, "Tell Them Anything You Want." Sendak reminisces about his beloved dog Jenny, his brother and sister and his partner of 50 years, Eugene. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Mitt "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt" Romney takes credit for the auto industry's rebound. While on record opposing the massive government bailout, today the presumptive Republican presidential nominee told a local TV station, "I'll take a lot of credit for the fact that this industry's come back."

Modest guy, that Willard.

Romney argued he pushed for “managed bankruptcy" at the time and, therefore, according to him, he should get props for it. "My own view by the way is that the auto companies needed to go through bankruptcy before government help. And frankly, that's finally what the president did," said Romney while on the campaign trail in Euclid, Ohio. "He finally took them through bankruptcy. That was the right course I argued for from the very beginning."

What you see here on display is a new tactic of leeching on to the president's successes and trying to run with it. If you are dumbfounded by this strategy, you're not alone; Republican politicians also seem confused by his grandiose declarations.

North Carolina is now under the process of potentially rewriting the definition of marriage. Voting began today on Amendment One, which, if passed, would change to the state's constitution to ban marriage equality, making the only legally recognized partnership between a man and a woman.

That would impact many LGBT couples and families, like Pearl Berlin and Lennie Gerber, an elderly lesbian couple from High Point, North Carolina. They've been together for more than 45 years and while never done a formal wedding ceremony, they said they hope to have one legally and within the local community someday.

While covering this presidential race, it has now become common for jaws to hang wide open after reading the latest thing Mitt Romney said. Let us know if the same thing happens to you. 

• Mitt Romney wants credit for American auto industry success
• Republicans who opposed auto bailout stumped by Romney claiming credit for it
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• Fact-checking Romney's comments on median income under President Obama
• Obama leads Romney by wider margin in new national poll, helped by independents
• Five reasons Senator Richard Lugar will likely lose in Indiana tonight
• North Carolina voters decide on same-sex marriage amendment
• Congress gets to-do list from President Obama
• Senate Republicans block bill on student loans rates
• Europe has Greece, U.S. has Missouri & Mississippi, all explained in chart
• Ex-presidents run up government expense bills
• Author Maurice Sendak passes away, video of him talking about life and death