First things first, the results are in from yesterday's NOW poll, and the people have spoken. If, as Mitch McConnell has claimed, the 2016 Democratic field looks like a "rerun of The Golden Girls," a plurality of you voted Joe Biden would be the "Dorothy" of the bunch, by a comfortable six point margin over Sophia. Only 9% of you see him as a "Blanche".
But there are other important things going on in the world, and Joy Reid is in for Alex today to cover them. On the panel today:
Jared Bernstein, Senior Fellow, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (@econjared)
Joan Walsh, Editor-at-Large, Salon.com/msnbc political analyst (@joanwalsh)
Matthew Yglesias, Business and Economics Correspondent, Slate (@mattyglesias)
John Harwood, Chief Washington Correspondent, CNBC (@johnjharwood)
Joy will begin with the latest on the Zimmerman trial. as it begins its seventh day of testimony. She will be joined by msnbc legal analyst Lisa Bloom, and Trymaine Lee. On the stand this morning is Chris Serino, the detective that led the investigation into Trayvon Martin's death. You can watch the live stream here.
Also on the agenda, the abortion showdown continues in Texas, where over 5000 protestors gathered at the state capitol in response to the legislature's renewed attempt at passing sweeping new regulations. The bill would ban abortion starting 20 weeks after fertilization, and new restrictions could drive the number of abortion clinics in the state from 47 to 5. Gov. Rick Perry has warned that, this time around, "chaos" and "mob rule" from the protestors will not derail the legislation. It is widely expected to pass into law. What's next for the movement to stop the bill? Meanwhile in Ohio, Gov. Kasich quietly signed into law one of the nation's strictest abortion laws, this time as part of the state budget. The new law requires any woman seeking an abortion to undergo a trans-vaginal ultrasound, essentially defunds Planned Parenthood, and cuts funding for rape crisis clinics that provide counseling on abortion to sexual assault victims.
Stripped of his American passport and unable to find a country that will grant him asylum, Edward Snowden's fate is beginning to look more and more like that of Tom Hanks in Spielberg's oft-derided "The Terminal". Are the U.S. and Russia making any progress at all in dealing with Snowden? Will he find his Catherine Zeta-Jones? Will Putin prove to be this story's vindictive Stanley Tucci?
In Egypt, tensions continue to mount as a protest group issues an ultimatum for Morsi's resignation, and the military threatens to intervene if the conflict is not resolved. How will Morsi respond? Are we on the verge of a military coup? Ayman Mohyeldin will have all the latest developments.
And finally, what will happen with the immigration bill when congress returns from its recess? Is the opposition in the House based on policy or politics?
It all happens at noon EDT.