Vice President Biden showed today why the President may need him on the ticket this year. After a rough week and a half, and following some speculation in the press he could be dropped by the Obama campaign, the Vice President returned to the campaign trail today and delivered a personal and passionate pitch to Ohio voters. He spoke to blue collar workers on the floor of a Youngstown factory. In his most fiery moment, Biden railed against Republicans who say the middle class is envious of the wealthy, saying he "resents when they talk about families like mine that I grew up in" (see the clip below).

With former governors, a party chairman, and a Pulitzer Prize winner on today's show, you can imagine there were spirited discussions on pretty much every subject (case in point, the clip below). 

One of our guests, in particular, made a mark - none other than Fmr. Gov. Ed Rendell, whose tie took everyone aback in the green room.

There you have it - not only initials and the ever-patriotic American flag - but a flag in the shape of his native Pennsylvania.

He told us anyone can get a custom tie with a minimum order of about 150. We asked if any "EGR Flag" spares were around - instead, the Governor had a better idea - custom NOW ties.

We're thinking of printing the Wagapedia on one. Any other ideas? Send us some comments below.

In military slang, “got your six” means “I’ve got you’re back.” And a recent publicity campaign, launched with the help of some well-known actors and entertainers, uses that phrase to draw attention to the two million or so Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans transitioning back to civilian life.

For the last ten years, the U.S. has been at war in the Middle East, but for many here at home, it’s out of sight, out of mind.  On the program today, Alex spoke with two men who are trying to focus the national dialogue on veterans: James Wright, the author of the new book, “Those Who Have Borne the Battle: A History of America’s Wars and Those Who Fought Them,” and David Wood, the Pulitzer Prize-winning senior military correspondent with the Huffington Post. 

It could be strategic, or it could be coincidental.

Today President Obama will welcome lawmakers from both parties to the White House to discuss economic policy and the President's Congressional objectives. Top leaders from both sides will be in attendance, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Harry Reid, Sen. Mitch McConnell, and Speaker John Boehner.

Just yesterday, though, Speaker Boehner signaled that despite the polite overture, little if any tension has eased between the parties over the budget. He doubled down on the so-called Boehner Rule: No increase in the debt ceiling without equal spending cuts.

If it seems like the debt nightmare wasn't that long ago - you're right. And this time, it could happen just before the Presidential election. Our question for you this morning? Does that potentially help or hurt Mitt Romney? Let us know.

PANEL

Alicia Menendez, NBCLatino.com Political Commentator (@aliciamenendez)

Fmr. Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA), NBC News Political Analyst

Fmr. Gov. George Pataki (R-NY)

Michael Steele, Fmr. RNC Chair/MSNBC Political Analyst (@steele_michael)

GUESTS

David Wood, Sr. Military Correspondent, The Huffington Post (@woodwriter)

James Wright, Author, “Those Who Have Borne The Battle”

Seems a little early for Memorial Day to trend...but people can dream, right?

Magid CPI: Facebook boosts IPO size by 25 percent, could top $16 billion; Court records say George Zimmerman had multiple injuries after Trayvon Martin's fatal shooting; Chicago police hunt newlywed husband in bride's stabbing death 

Google: memorial day; many pacquiao; jamie dimon 

Twitter: 10 Facebook Tips; Happy Hump Day; Rise & Grind

YouTube Politics: A Few of the 23 Million

Billboard (Hot 100): Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye Featuring Kimbra; We Are Young - fun. Featuring Janelle Monae; Payphpne - Maroon 5 Featuring Wiz Khalifa

Billboard (Ringtones): Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye Featuring Kimbra; We Are Young - fun. Featuring Janelle Monae; Sexy And I Know It - LMFAO

Ron Paul's campaign is clarifying a message it sent to supporters late Monday signed, “For Liberty, Ron Paul.” The message read, in part: “Moving forward, we will no longer spend resources campaigning in primaries in states that have not yet voted.”
 
Some media outlets began reporting that Paul had announced he was suspending his campaign. Within a few hours, Paul’s communications director Gary Howard told MSNBC that the announcement was NOT a suspension.
 
Then this morning, chief campaign strategist Jesse Benton released a memo, followed up by a conference call with reporters, where he reiterated that no suspension had taken place. “Dr. Paul is not suspending his campaign and he's not dropping out of the race,” Benton said on the call. “Dr. Paul plans to first of all continue active campaigning.”

Recent coverage of the Paul campaign has been somewhat limited. Supporters did make headlines when they booed Mitt Romney's son, Josh, at the GOP state convention in Arizona. 
 
Politico’s Charles Mahtesian says that yesterday's announcement was a way to assure Republicans the days of disruption are over: “My own sense is that Paul is sending a tacit message to the GOP establishment that he's not interested in subverting the convention -- he's made his point and is standing down.” 
 
But Salon’s Steve Kornacki has another take. In a post from Sunday night referring to the booing incident in Arizona, he writes, “Similar behavior by Paul backers in Tampa could spoil what for the Romney campaign is supposed to be a nationally televised infomercial." Kornacki goes on to suggest, “Under the extreme worst-case scenario for Republicans, Paul supporters end up with a giant share of the delegate slots… and launch a four-day heckle-fest, bitterly resist any effort to quiet them or evict them from the hall…”

During the conference call this morning, Benton insisted that supporters would be respectful and emphasize decorum. He also discussed three goals the Paul campaign has set: win more states, win party leadership positions at both the state and national level and work on securing more delegates. 

Alex Wagner asks the question we've all wondered of Jay McInerney: "What's the earliest you've ever consumed a glass of wine?"

Plus: A connection to the news Jay didn't discuss on air.

President Obama and Mitt Romney are fighting to claim the title of Economic Savior. Today on ABC's "The View," the President said that while issues like marriage equality are important, "what's going to determine the election is the economy." A new USA Today/Gallup poll finds voters believe that things are improving: 71% say the economy is "poor" right now, but 58% percent believe it will be "good" next year. That seems to bode well for the President, who has tried to convince voters the country is on a road to recovery and it would be dangerous to change course now.

But the poll also showed voters have more confidence in Romney's ability to fix the economy. 55% believe Mitt Romney would improve the economy over the next four years if he is elected, while only 46% say the same about the President.

Nearly every day on the program, Alex and the panel discuss the factors fueling the Presidential horse race, and occasionally the conversation trends toward the personal. In other words, the focus turns to the man, not the candidate. And while it makes for a good talking point, we often overlook its actual impact on an election. One opinion piece that addresses this (and had the NOW team talking about in our planning meeting today) is that of The New York Times’ David Brooks. In his column, Brooks uses recent polling data and the analysis from a couple of political experts to posit the question, “Why is Obama even close?” Based on the findings, he argues “the economic mood of the country is terrible,” “Obama has governed from the left but the country…has shifted to the right” and “Obama has lost support among crucial constituencies.” In other words, Brooks claims, President Obama should “go the way of Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy — incumbents who were trounced in hard times.”

 
This all leads to the piece’s main question, "how has he stayed so competitive?" The secret, Brooks says, is the President's leadership style, which some have dismissed as "cool" and "aloof." However, Brooks describes this as a strength, saying the key to President Obama's popularity during this troubling period "is that he is not melodramatic, sensitive, vulnerable and changeable." He calls it an "ESPN masculinity: postfeminist in his values, but also thoroughly traditional in style - hypercompetitive, restrained, not given to self-doubt, rarely self-indulgent.” Brooks goes on to compare the Obama re-election campaign to President Bill Clinton’s re-election campaign in 1996: “strong partisan attacks combined with an emphasis on small and medium-sized policies.” It is that approach and strategy, Brooks says, that has kept the “slight underdog” incumbent “afloat.” Thus, Brooks sums up this “manliness” as “postboomer in policy but preboomer in manners in reticence.” It sounds quite a bit like the qualities that many hard-working, sports-watching, family-oriented men try to emulate in this modern society of ours. The kind of guy you’d like to have a beer with. How very ESPN indeed.

Is Ron Paul through?

Or is that a stupid question? He's no longer going to "actively campaign" in upcoming primary contests (yes, there are still some states yet to vote). But his campaign denies the Paul campaign is being "suspended," the fate followed by all of Mitt Romney's other GOP challengers. Truth be told, Ron Paul was always a different candidate - with a different strategy and, some say, a different goal. What's remarkable is that Ron Paul is amassing delegates, the product of devoted supporters that have turned out at state conventions and haggled for votes.

So what's the end game? No one outside of the Paul inner circle is certain, but we do know that he'll be part of the GOP convention in Tampa, and it looks like he'll be increasingly hard to miss.

PANEL

Lois Romano, POLITICO (@loisromano)

Steve Kornacki, Salon.com/MSNBC Contributor (@stevekornacki)

Ben Smith, BuzzFeed (@buzzfeedben)

BULLPEN

Martin Bashir (@bashirlive)

Rev. Al Sharpton (@thereval)

GUEST

Jay McInerney, Author, “The Juice”/Best-selling Author (@jaymcinerney)

Mitt Romney's campaign hit back at the President's ad against Bain pretty quick - that's the convenience of profiling a company that has come up again and again over Romney's political career. (See the YouTube clip below).

Magid CPI: 'Swamp People' Star Dead at 48; Family enjoys laughter even as college student battles flesh-eating bacteria; Poll: Obama's gay marriage stance could hurt him 

Google: jerry brown; jamie dimon; facebook ipo 

Twitter: Rise & Grind; Good Mornin; Raining

YouTube Politics: American Dream

Billboard (Hot 100): Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye Featuring Kimbra; We Are Young - fun. Featuring Janelle Monae; Payphpne - Maroon 5 Featuring Wiz Khalifa

Billboard (Ringtones): Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye Featuring Kimbra; We Are Young - fun. Featuring Janelle Monae; Sexy And I Know It - LMFAO

The provacative magazine covers continue.

Last week it was a mother breast-feeding her 3-year-old that drew attention. Today, Newsweek tackles the news of President Obama's support for same-sex marriage on its cover, seen above.

The argument: If Bill Clinton was "America's first Black President," then Barack Obama is "America's first Gay President." And today, the President will be in New York City to deliver the commencement address at Barnard, tape an interview with "The View," and attend fundraisers - one of which features openly-gay musician Ricky Martin that goes for $5,000 to $35,800 a ticket.

Make no mistake, the President has taken a political risk - one that he thinks is the right thing to do for policy's sake. In doing so, he opens the door to a whole new world of fundraising potential.

PANEL

Jimmy Williams, MSNBC Contributor (@jimmyspolitics)

Alicia Menendez, NBCLatino.com Political Commentator (@aliciamenendez)

Matt Taibbi, Contributing Editor, Rolling Stone (@mtaibbi)

Michael Eric Dyson, Georgetown U./MSNBC Political Analyst (@medyson)

GUESTS

McKay Coppins, BuzzFeed (@mckaycoppins)

Eamon Javers, CNBC (@eamonjavers)

Another week, but the top 3 New York Times fiction best sellers remain the same.

Magid CPI: Gay marriage: Newsweek calls Obama 'The First Gay President' on cover; Georgia student likely to lose fingers to flesh-eating infection; JP Morgan executives 'set to leave' after $2bn loss 

Google: edge of darkness; jamie dimon; memorial day 

Twitter: Hello Monday; JP Morgan; Have A Good Day

YouTube Politics: #MothersDay

Billboard (Hot 100): Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye Featuring Kimbra; We Are Young - fun. Featuring Janelle Monae; Payphpne - Maroon 5 Featuring Wiz Khalifa

Billboard (Ringtones): Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye Featuring Kimbra; We Are Young - fun. Featuring Janelle Monae; Sexy And I Know It - LMFAO

NYTimes Best Sellers (Fiction): Fifty Shades of Grey, by E.L. James; Fifty Shades Darker, by E.L. James; Fifty Shades Freed, by E.L. James

NYTimes Best Sellers (Nonfiction): The Passage of Power, by Robert A. Caro; Hard Measures, by Jose A. Rodriguez Jr. and Bill Harlow; The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg

What do marriage, megalomania and mullets have in common? They all played a role in the presidential race this week. It's time to look back and ask, what just happened?