EXCLUSIVE: Rand Paul’s slogan, themes – MIKE BLOOMBERG gives his theory of philanthropy -- ‘THE RESIDENCE’: Hillary fury, and love of mocha cake -- B’DAY: Scott Reed, Glenn Thrush, Ron Brownstein

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By Mike Allen (@mikeallen; [email protected]), with Daniel Lippman (@dlippman; [email protected])

Good Monday morning. It’s OPENING DAY: Nats face Mets at Nats Park at 4:05 p.m. The Nats’ starting pitcher is prized acquisition Max Scherzer. Nats are touted on the covers of both ESPN the Magazine and Sports Illustrated, which calls them “built to dominate.” Expectations game: Lost! See the SI cover. http://bit.ly/1F4eQMH

--MLB to announce today that Nats Park will `get 2018 All-Star Game, per AP. http://yhoo.it/19XtO92

TONIGHT, Wisconsin and Duke tip off at 9:18 on CBS in the March Madness final. AP’s “What to watch -- besides the big guys” http://apne.ws/1NN8Ze6

EXCLUSIVE -- RAND PAUL’s slogan: “Defeat the Washington machine. Unleash the American dream” – The slogan, beneath the RANDPAC logo of a torch flame, will be unveiled tomorrow as the senator kicks off a five-day, five-state announcement tour – starting in Kentucky and then going to New Hampshire, South Carolina, Iowa and Nevada (plus a Friday night fundraiser in Newport Beach, Calif.). The slogan is designed to set a theme that would work in both the primaries and the general election.

A Paul adviser said of the slogan: “You could say that is a hat tip to Hillary -- a subtle contrast to Hillary. But why wouldn’t that also apply to Jeb? Or someone who has never had a [recent] job outside elected office – Scott Walker?” Advisers say Paul’s top issues will include a flat tax, IRS reform, term limits, privacy and justice reform. One problem with the slogan, of course: Paul is a U.S. Senator, who works in Washington. See the logo . http://bit.ly/1IjdZJ2

SOCIAL 2016 --“Rand Paul’s first tech test,” by Darren Samuelsohn: “Google staffers plan to be with Paul’s top aides in Louisville, as well as a satellite campaign office in Austin, ... to help decipher the optimal moments to blast out digital ads and measure their real-time web performance. ... Vincent Harris, the former Cruz tech adviser now working as chief digital strategist for RANDPAC, [said:] ... ‘I’d expect Tuesday to be another continuous reflection of a tech-forward operation, of a crowd-sourced campaign that will use digital that’s never been used before on the Republican side.’ ... http://politi.co/1NNn2Ac

“Digital strategists ... question why Cruz used email messages and his social media accounts to repeatedly link to a YouTube page with campaign videos instead of directing visitors to a landing site on his official website where he could capture vital information about his potential supporters.”

DEBUTING THIS AFTERNOON: POLITICO’s 2016 Blast, our new end-of-the day email newsletter. This adrenaline shot from the campaign trail includes news from POLITICO, Twitter and beyond. Featuring a first look at scoop’s from our campaign team: Glenn Thrush, Charlie Mahtesian, James Hohmann, Alex Isenstadt, Gabe Debenedetti, Annie Karni, Eli Stokols, Ben Schreckinger, Hadas Gold, Steve Shepard, Jonathan Topaz, Anna Palmer, Marc Caputo and Katie Glueck.

--ONE-CLICK “Subscribe” button http://politi.co/1arWJ6q

FIRST LOOK – MIKE BLOOMBERG: Philanthropies should “embolden government” -- Bloomberg, who has become one of the world’s most ambitious philanthropists since leaving the New York mayor’s office last year, says modern philanthropies should work with governments to encourage them to experiment and take risks that they can’t or wouldn’t take on their own. Codifying his philanthropic principles for the first time in an “Annual Letter on Philanthropy” to be released today, Bloomberg writes: “[S]ome still see philanthropy as an alternative to government. I see it as a way to embolden government.”

The programs of Bloomberg Philanthropies include work on tobacco, climate change, obesity and government innovation – plus a partnership with the Sierra Club, Beyond Coal. Bloomberg writes in his mission statement, his theory of the case for philanthropic investing: “By leveraging our resources, and forming partnerships with government, philanthropic organizations can help push those changes forward. That mindset may be untraditional, but it is at the heart of nearly everything Bloomberg Philanthropies does.”

Bloomberg Philanthropies spent $462 million in 2014, up from $452 million in 2013. Spending ticks up each year. Bloomberg Philanthropies does all that with only 40 employees. See Bloomberg’s 21-page annual report. http://bit.ly/1C9ZdvY

** A message from Americans for Fair Skies: The U.S. government says it’s committed to fair and free trade, yet Qatar and United Arab Emirates have committed the largest trade violation in history by subsidizing their airlines with $42 billion. This violates the Open Skies Agreements they signed and is killing competition and jobs. Learn more at http://bit.ly/1GT9sJG **

TWO GREAT ARTICLES IN NEW YORK magazine:

--“Is Hillary Clinton any good at running for president? And how much does it matter, anyway?” by Jason Zengerle: “She’s recently hired a slew of press aides who ... don’t loathe, and maybe even like, the reporters who cover her. She’s also taken her own halting steps toward turning on the charm with campaign reporters. Two weeks ago, she gave the keynote address at [the Robin Toner Prize] dinner in Washington. The speech was well received. ... But it was what happened after her speech that struck many people as new and different: Clinton stuck around and schmoozed. ‘That’s something Hillary 2008 didn’t do,’ says a Democratic strategist. ... ‘[S]he’d give the speech and peace out, especially in a roomful of journalists.’ ...

“The question confronting Clinton ... is not so much whether she can withstand the scrutiny but the degree of the scrutiny itself. Are we so fixated on diagnosing and dissecting her weaknesses ... that the effort becomes, in a sense, self-fulfilling? ... [T]he strength Clinton will need most, and on which the fate of her campaign may rest, will be her ability to make us stop dwelling on her weaknesses.” With cameos by Tommy Vietor and Bill Burton http://nym.ag/1FeQlHt

--FRANK RICH, “A dumb job: How is it possible that the inane institution of the anchorman has endured for more than 60 years?”: “No doubt some Americans of a certain age may still turn ... to a patriarchal television anchor during a national disaster, but many more will be checking their phones. That’s due not just to a technological revolution but to the erosion of confidence in nearly all American institutions ... The new anchor no one had heard of at ‘The Daily Show’ is likely to matter more than whoever is dodging bullets, real or imaginary, to bring us headlines — and lots of weather — on the ‘Nightly News.’” http://nym.ag/1a8OLhR

SNEAK PEEK – “The Residence: Inside the Private World of The White House,” by Kate Anderson Brower, former White House reporter for Bloomberg, out tomorrow from Harper – Chapter 2, “Discretion”: “The Clintons’ preoccupation with secrecy made relations with the staff ‘chaotic’ for their entire eight years in office, [retired White House Usher Skip] Allen said. At least one residence worker, Florist Wendy Elsasser, attributes their anxiety to parental concerns: ‘I think protecting Chelsea may have had a lot to do with, for lack of a better term, their standoffishness with the staff.’”

--Chapter 5, “Dark Days”: “There was blood all over the president and first lady’s bed. A member of the residence staff got a frantic call from the maid who found the mess. Someone needed to come quickly and inspect the damage. The blood was Bill Clinton’s. The president had to get several stitches to his head. He insisted that he’d hurt himself running into the bathroom door in the middle of the night. But not everyone was convinced. ‘We’re pretty sure she clocked him with a book,’ one worker said. ... The incident came shortly after the president’s affair with a White House intern became public knowledge ... And there were at least twenty books on the bedside table ... including the Bible. ...

--“Florist Ronn Payne remembers one day when he was coming up the service elevator ... as the Clinton argued viciously with each other. ... [H]e heard the first lady bellow ‘goddamn bastard!’ at the president – and then he heard someone throw a heavy object across the room. The rumor among the staff was that she threw a lamp. The butlers, Payne said, were told to clean up the mess. In an interview with Barbara Walters, Mrs. Clinton made light of the story ... ‘I have a pretty good arm ... If I’d thrown a lamp at somebody, I think you would have known about it.’ ... ‘You heard so much foul language’ in the Clinton White House, [Payne] said. ...

“[Former] Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier said ... [Hillary’s] favorite dessert was mocha cake. ... In the late afternoons [at the height of the scandal], Hillary would call the Pastry Shop. In a small, unassuming voice – a far cry from her usual strong, self-confident tone – she’s ask, ‘Roland, can I have a mocha cake tonight?’”

--Dedication: “For Brooke Brower, my husband, and the one who makes me believe that anything is possible. And for our joyous babies, Graham and Charlotte.”

--Acknowledgments: “I’ve interviewed more than a hundred residence workers, presidential aides, and first family members during the course of my research. ... I’m eternally grateful to Bloomberg’s Al Hunt who gave me the chance of a lifetime when he assigned me to the White House beat, and to editors Joe Sobczyk, Steve Komarow, Jeanne Cummings, and Mark Silva who helped me discovered the joys of reporting.”” $19.99 on Amazon http://amzn.to/1NN7nAO

THOMAS FRIEDMAN interviews POTUS, “The Obama Doctrine and Iran” (p. A21): “Obama invited me to the Oval Office Saturday afternoon to lay out exactly how he was trying to balance these risks and opportunities in the framework accord reached with Iran last week in Switzerland. What struck me most was what I’d call an ‘Obama doctrine’ embedded in the president’s remarks. ... Obama said ... ‘engagement,’ combined with meeting core strategic needs, could serve American interests vis-à-vis [Burma, Cuba and now Iran] far better than endless sanctions and isolation.”

--OBAMA: “We are powerful enough to be able to test these propositions without putting ourselves at risk. ... Iran’s defense budget is $30 billion. Our defense budget is closer to $600 billion. Iran understands that they cannot fight us. ... You asked about an Obama doctrine. The doctrine is: We will engage, but we preserve all our capabilities.”

--FRIEDMAN: “The president gave voice ... — in a more emotional and personal way than I’ve ever heard — to his distress at being depicted in Israel and among American Jews as somehow anti-Israel, when his views on peace are shared by many center-left Israelis and his administration has been acknowledged by Israeli officials to have been as vigorous as any in maintaining Israel’s strategic edge.

--OBAMA: “Look, Israel is a robust, rowdy democracy. ... We share so much. We share blood, family. ... And part of what has always made the U.S.-Israeli relationship so special is that it has transcended party, and I think that has to be preserved. ... But this has been as hard as anything I do because of the deep affinities that I feel for the Israeli people and for the Jewish people. It’s been a hard period.”

--OBAMA, on Congress and the Iran deal: “[M]y hope is that we can find something that allows Congress to express itself but does not encroach on traditional presidential prerogatives — and ensures that, if in fact we get a good deal, that we can go ahead and implement it. ... It is a good deal even if Iran doesn’t change at all.” With videos http://nyti.ms/1F42QL1 ... Peter Baker’s A1 news story, “Obama Calls The Iran Deal ‘Our Best Bet’” http://nyti.ms/1MWrH7G

--WSJ A1, “Political Battle Ramps Up Over Iran,” by Carol E. Lee: “Senate Republican leaders are planning an April 14 vote on legislation by [Sen. Bob] Corker that would prevent the Obama administration from lifting sanctions on Iran for 60 days. The delay would allow Congress to review and potentially vote on a final Iran agreement, which envisions removing sanctions. ... Mr. Corker said Sunday his legislation is close to having the 67 votes needed to override a presidential veto.” http://on.wsj.com/1MWbdfW

HOT IN HILLARYLAND -- “Sneak peek inside Hillary Clinton 2016: There’s no ‘I’ in campaign,” by CNN’s Jeff Zeleny and Dan Merica: “As she and a coterie of advisers prepare to launch her presidential campaign, their work is guided by a new set of humble principles: No big crowds. Few soaring rallies. Less mention of her own ambitions. And extinguish the air of inevitability propelling her candidacy.” http://cnn.it/1FvvB0E

TRAIL MIX -- SAM YOUNGMAN for Politico, “Kentucky’s On Board the Rand-Wagon”: “Not long after I moved back to Kentucky in October 2013 to work for the Lexington Herald-Leader, I spent a day following Paul around Eastern Kentucky, curious to see if the early talk about him running for president had broken through the Washington echo chamber. ... Eastern Kentucky was taking a turn replicating the diners and Rotary Clubs of Iowa and New Hampshire.” http://politi.co/1FvvBhb

--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sunday front page, “Walker’s middle-class roots a rarity in 2016 race,” by Jason Stein: “In an age when most potential presidential contenders are millionaires, Walker may end up being the closest thing to a middle-class presidential candidate that voters will see in 2016.” http://bit.ly/1c0icE6

FIRST LOOK -- “White House Historical Association and the Washington Nationals Partner to Promote White House History” – Forthcoming release: “This launch coincides with the association’s honoring of President Calvin Coolidge with the 2015 Official White House Christmas Ornament. Coolidge is recognized as being closely tied to the Washington Senators ... The partnership ... include[s]: ... Introduction of a White House history curriculum in area middle schools ... A President Coolidge bobblehead giveaway.”

ELLEN PAO talks to KATIE COURIC, who asks the Kleiner Perkins plaintiff why there’s been a decline in women partners at VC partners: “For me, I think it’s-- you know, there’s—there’s less of a path for people in tech and people drop out. Women and minorities. There’s less of a set of role models that you want to be and you may not think that you wanna be CEO because you don’t see that many women or -- African American or Hispanic CEOs in -- in Silicon Valley. So it’s a mix of, you know, what you see, what’s out there and, like, who’s helping you to-- to get there.” http://yhoo.it/1MWrph9

MIKE BARNICLE on Daily Beast, “Why Is The GOP So Angry At Everything These Days?”: “Then there is the minor league Cruz, the ... totally in-over-his-head ... Scott Walker ... Oh, he’ll also teach Iran a good lesson by throwing any deal out the window no matter what other countries might think. Imagine Scotty informing Angela Merkel of his decision while he wears his Cheese-Head Hat.” http://thebea.st/1FeOAdf

MEDIAWATCH -- “Rolling Stone and UVA: The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism Report -- An anatomy of a journalistic failure,” by Sheila Coronel, Steve Coll, Derek Kravitz: “The failure encompassed reporting, editing, editorial supervision and fact-checking. ... The published story glossed over the gaps in the magazine’s reporting by using pseudonyms and by failing to state where important information had come from.” http://rol.st/1a8IvGY

--REBECCA BERG is leaving the Washington Examiner to be a national political reporter at Real Clear Politics, starting a week from today. She’s replacing Scott Conroy and will be covering the Republican side of 2016.

BIPARTISAN POWER WEDDING: Lizzy Glidden, chief of staff for Sen. Amy Klobuchar, married Dave Peluso, chief of staff for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Saturday at Bluemont Vineyard, outside Middleburg. The bride’s father, Closter (N.J.) Mayor John Glidden officiated on a hillside overlooking wine and horse country, with the Blue Ridge Mountains visible in the distance. In a toast at the subsequent reception, he praised the bride and groom for respecting one other’s divergent politics.

-- PIX: The bride and groom just after the ceremony http://bit.ly/1DQFYxa ... The couple during the reception http://bit.ly/1JdJMZy ... The bride and groom leaving http://bit.ly/1yOkXwY

SPORTS BLINK -- “Romney’s NCAA Bracket Is Ridiculously Good,” by HuffPost’s Scott Conroy: “Out of 11.57 million brackets filled out in ESPN.com’s Tournament Challenge, Romney is in 25,485th place ... 99.98th percentile. ... Obama sits all the way back in 6,918,578th place (the 40th percentile).” http://huff.to/1c0pCqR

BIRTHWEEK (was Sat.): Lucy Eleanor “LuBear” Schuurman is 12 (paw tip: Oliver) ... (was yesterday): Alexander Hart

BIRTHDAYS: Scott Reed, celebrating in Dallas (hat tip: Wayne) ... Michele Bachmann is 59 ... Ron Brownstein ... Steve Antosh … Seth Lucia ... Politico’s Glenn Thrush and Natalie Villacorta ... Anthony Bernal, deputy chief of staff for Dr. Jill Biden (h/t Melanie Fonder Kaye) ... Newsweek’s Lucy Westcott ... Kalee Kreider, Al Gore alum ... Ann Cahill Castagnetti, friend to all, counselor to many, wife to David and mom to awesome Andrew and Ben, turns 50 (h/t hubby David, Kiki McLean and Anna Palmer) … CNN’s Sunlen Serfaty, the former Sunlen Miller … former Rep. Michele Bachmann … Alexandra Traber ... TNR’s Ryan Kearney … Clo Ewing in Mayor Emanuel’s office and an Obama alum… Lisa Ellman, a former law student of President Obama’s at U Chicago and an Obama alum now at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP … Andy Oare, Obama alum now at Glover Park Group ... Megan Bartley … Former Hoyer aide Amy Schultz, now a history teacher in Brooklyn …

... WSJ’s Keach Hagey ... Melissa Carlson Kelly … Mike Johnson of the National Stone Sand and Gravel Association … Caroline Fawcett … Phil Paule, Rep. Darrell Issa’s District Director … Donna Caudill … … Cindy Terrell … Mike Berland ... Asher Dickens (Robbi and Caitlyn’s #3) … Jill Schroeder Vieth of Rep. Mark Sanford’s office, an NRCC alum … Melissa Schwartz … Matthew Flanders … Amy Schultz ... Todd Beeton, web director for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand … JTA’s Gabrielle Birkner, a New York Sun alum … N.Y. Post’s Aaron Short ... Jesus Gonzalez ... Remy White ... Todd Klukow ... DNA co-discoverer James D. Watson is 87 ... Merle Haggard is 78 ... Billy Dee Williams is 78 ... movie director Barry Levinson is 73 ... Paul Rudd is 46 ... Joel Garland (“Orange is the New Black”) is 40 ... actor Charlie McDermott is 25 (h/ts AP)

** A message from Americans for Fair Skies: As Congress prepares to address Trade Promotion Authority, it is important to make sure that the U.S. government is ensuring that existing trade agreements, including Open Skies, are being honored. Unfortunately, some agreements are being egregiously violated. Qatar and United Arab Emirates have subsidized their airlines with over $42 billion -- a direct violation of the Open Skies agreements they signed with the U.S. These subsidies constitute the largest trade violation in history and have a direct negative impact on U.S. jobs.

The subsidies Qatar and United Arab Emirates are providing their airlines force the U.S. aviation industry to compete on an un-level playing field, putting its future and that of its employees at great risk. It is time for President Obama and Congress to call Qatar and United Arab Emirates to the negotiating table and end their blatant Open Skies violations. Learn more at http://bit.ly/1GT9sJG **