The Hill’s 12:30 Report

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The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Trump hits back at Ryan | What a Trump/Clinton electoral map could look like | RNC chief’s awkward response to Trump’s taco bowl | #NeverTrump’s third-party wishlist | Maddow talks to Sanders at 9 p.m. 

DEVELOPING NOW – OBAMA ON 2016: President Obama took questions on the 2016 race this morning and delivered some tough comments on Donald Trump. Here are a few of the highlights:

NPR’s Jessica Taylor
Obama says Trump “has a long record that needs to be examined” and past statements should be “taken seriously” http://bit.ly/24y322a

The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza
“This is not entertainment. This is not a reality show.” — Obama on Trump http://bit.ly/1s0q0xS

The Hill’s Jordan Fabian
Should Sanders drop out? POTUS says “let’s let the process play itself out.” But adds “everybody knows what that math is.” http://bit.ly/1T2E3eP

It’s Friday, and Mother’s Day is this Sunday! I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of what you missed this morning — and what’s on tap for the rest of the day. Send comments, story ideas and upcoming events to cmartel@digital-release.thehill.com, @CateMartel and on Facebook.

{mosads}SPEAKING OF HORSE RACES (THAT AREN’T THE KENTUCKY DERBY THIS WEEKEND): Alright, so we’re basically off to the general election, and The Hill’s Niall Stanage has a map of the Electoral College for presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump vs. Hillary Clinton, the likely Democratic nominee. The gist: Trump faces an unforgiving electoral map unless he dramatically improves his favorability among Hispanics. Trump’s top targets: Ohio and Virginia. Game changers: Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. The big one: Florida. Small hopes: Iowa and New Hampshire. Outside bets: Colorado and Nevada. http://bit.ly/1YcGuwP 

BREAKING – SHOOTING IN SUBURBAN MARYLAND MALL: A suspect is at large after a mall shooting in Bethesda, Md., just outside Washington, D.C., on Friday morning that left three victims, according to police. Montgomery County police reported another shooting about nine miles away, at a Giant grocery store in Aspen Hill, Md. One person was killed, Washington’s NBC 4 reported. It is unclear if the two shootings are connected. http://bit.ly/1q3PpVn 

ALSO THIS A.M. – MASSIVE METRO SHUTDOWNS FOR THE NEXT YEAR: Via The Washington Post’s Paul Duggan and Lori Aratani, after decades of neglect, the D.C. metro system will undergo major repair and rebuilding, with portions of most rail lines shut down for a month at a time. The metro will also stop extended weekend night hours, now closing at midnight daily. http://wapo.st/1q3LCHN

APRIL JOBS’ NUMBERS OUT — MEH: Employers added a weaker-than-expected 160,000 jobs in April. The unemployment rate held at 5 percent, around the lowest level in eight years, the Labor Department reported on Friday. http://bit.ly/1QTR5GV 

UPDATE — ROMNEY WON’T VOTE FOR TRUMP OR CLINTON: Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has said he would not vote for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. So he’s running?!?!? Nah, Romney added that he has no interest in launching an independent presidential campaign and offering voters an alternative. http://bit.ly/1O2XoO6

DOUBT EVERYTHING. TRUST NO ONE! — SAYS A CLINTON ADVERSARY: Via The Hill’s Julian Hattem, a Clinton adversary says the public remains largely in the dark about Hillary Clinton‘s use of a private email server while secretary of State. “We have reports as to what went on. But much of what the Clinton operation has put out there we have reason to doubt,” said Tom Fitton, the president of Judicial Watch, in an interview with The Hill. http://bit.ly/1Xct59x

GOP: “CAN WE STOP FAKING THIS CHEESY SMILE NOW AND FREAK OUT?”: Via The Hill’s Scott Wong and Mike Lillis, members of the “Never Trump” movement and Trump’s biggest critics on Capitol Hill cheered Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) remarks on CNN that he could not in good conscience endorse or support Trump at this time. But some other Republicans scolded Ryan for not giving Trump a full-throated endorsement because it could easily hand Hillary Clinton the White House. U-N-I-T-Y. http://bit.ly/1TrLZDq 

SO WHO ELSE?: The Never Trump movement has turned its attention to a third party Trump alternative in November. Here’s who the Never Trump operatives are hoping to see on the ballot: Mitt Romney, Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), General John Kelly, Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), Former Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Ok.), Nikki Haley and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). Here’s why those names are high on the list from The Hill’s Jonathan Easley: http://bit.ly/1T4OrG5 

TRUMP’S REAX TO RYAN: I didn’t inherit GOP, I won it with millions of voters. http://bit.ly/1ry7vQr A Trump aide also said that if Ryan doesn’t back the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, then he is not fit to lead the House of Representatives. http://bit.ly/1ZmT7p8 

IT’S LIKE GETTING TO KNOW YOUR PARTNER IN AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE. HOW FUN.: This morning at a Politico event, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus was asked what he thought about Trump’s taco bowl tweet yesterday. (Trump tweeted a photo of him eating a taco bowl at the Trump Tower with the caption in-part reading, “I love Hispanics!”) Priebus’s response was an uncomfortable laugh, followed by “He’s trying.” Watch the clip. It’s cringe worthy. http://bit.ly/21DNCEx 

Hillary Clinton’s response to Trump’s Hispanic tweet: “I love Hispanics!” –Trump, 52 minutes ago; “They’re gonna be deported.” –Trump, [Wednesday] http://bit.ly/21DZ8Q4

THE GUY THAT SHOULD BE FEELING REALLY SMUG RIGHT ABOUT NOW: Via Vox’s Andrew Prokop, meet the political scientist who saw Donald Trump’s rise coming. His name is Norm Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute. http://bit.ly/1T2lGqq 

PREMIERING TOMORROW — NEW MSNBC SHOW: Premiering tomorrow, Joy Reid will have a new show on MSNBC airing Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.–noon EDT. 

 

NOTABLE TWEETS:

The Huffington Post’s Igor Bobic
Are you f—— kidding me? http://bit.ly/1QTTdyB 

 

ON TAP:

Last day Congress is in recess!

12 p.m. EDT: The Advisory Committee to the Congressional Internet Caucus is holding a talk on the “challenges of combating online radicalization.”

2 p.m. EDT: The Wilson Center is hosting an event titled “Russia and the Middle East: What does Putin want?”

4 p.m. EDT: President Obama meets with Defense Secretary Ash Carter in the Oval Office.

5 p.m. EDT: Donald Trump holds a rally in Omaha, Neb.

7 p.m. EDT: Hillary Clinton is holding a campaign event in Oakland and a fundraiser in San Francisco with actress Elizabeth Banks, author Cheryl Strayed and California Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein.

10 p.m. EDT: Donald Trump holds a rally in Eugene, Ore.

8 p.m.–6 a.m. EDT Saturday: Democrats in Guam hold their caucus at a local shopping center.

 

WHAT TO WATCH:

9 p.m. EDT: MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow sits down with Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders in his home turf of Burlington, Vt. 

Sunday: Donald Trump will appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and ABC’s “This Week.”

Sunday: Hillary Clinton will appear on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

 

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF…:

Today is National Crepe Suzette Day!

WEEKEND PLANS: The D.C. Bloody Mary Festival, from 1­–4 p.m., will feature the best brunch cocktails from restaurants in D.C. http://bit.ly/24xrilb 

“ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK” STAR AT POLITICS AND PROSE: Diane Guerrero of the Netflix show “Orange is the New Black” will be at Politics and Prose in tomorrow at 6 p.m. EDT to discuss how she became an orphan of sorts at age 14 when her family was deported to Colombia. http://bit.ly/1rZZx3p

OH COME ON, PEOPLE.: A seven-year-old somehow tricked her school into letting her out early with this fake “parent note.” The word bus is even spelled wrong. How in the world did her school fall for this?! It’s worth checking out: http://bzfd.it/1O2Qh86 

And as a Mother’s Day throwback, here’s the best clip of a mother calling into C-SPAN when her sons were arguing on-air. It’s hilarious. http://bit.ly/24vRj4m 

 

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