Obama team struggles on gay marriage questions

The White House struggles on gay marriage, Jeb Bush has endorsed Tommy Thompson, Romney town hall goes off-message and Hillary Clinton expects to see a woman in the White House.

Make sure to sign up to get “Afternoon Fix” in your e-mail inbox every day by 5 (ish) p.m!

EARLIER ON THE FIX:

President Obama’s independent problem is nothing new.

Why is President Obama still “evolving” on gay marriage?

Why the Catholic vote matters in 2012 — in one map.

Obama makes case in major swing state ad ‘Go,’ launches $25 million ad buy

Parsing President Obama’s 2012 campaign kickoff speech

Ron Paul wins majority of Nevada delegates

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:

* Both the White House and Obama’s campaign struggled on Monday to explain the president’s position on gay marriage, after Vice President Joe Biden appeared to embrace same-sex unions on Sunday. Deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter on MSNBC and Press Secretary Jay Carney in the daily briefing ducked questions on the issue, while Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus argued that Obama is no different on the issue from former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. Meanwhile, Caroline Kennedy has joined a group pushing for a “Freedom to Marry” plank in the party’s platform.

* Former Florida governor Jeb Bush (R) has endorsed former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson in the GOP primary for that state’s open Senate seat. Thompson faces former Rep. Mark Neumann and businessman Eric Hovde in a competitive primary; the winner will face Rep. Tammy Baldwin.

* At a town hall in Kolkata, India, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she expects to see a woman elected president — but it won’t be her. “I’m very flattered but I feel like it’s time for me to step off the high wire,” she said. “I’ve been involved at the highest level of American politics for 20 years now. I’d like to come back to India and just wander around without having the streets be closed and a lot of security around.”

* Romney did not admonish an Ohio town hall questioner today who declared that Obama should be “tried for treason.” But when asked by a reporter after the event if he agreed with the woman, Romney replied, “No, of course not.” Ohio State auditor Dave Yost also went somewhat off-message in his introduction of Romney, saying giving Obama credit for the Osama bin Laden raid was like “giving Ronald McDonald credit for the Big Mac you ate for lunch.”

WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T MISS:

* Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett is out with a new positive ad, the day before the Democratic gubernatorial primary in Wisconsin, declaring that he is the candidate to “stop the fighting and end the chaos.” Barrett faces former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk in the primary to take on Gov. Scott Walker (R) in this June’s recall.

* Tom Foley (R), who lost the 2010 gubernatorial race in Connecticut narrowly to now-Gov. Daniel Malloy (D), sounds like he plans to run again in 2014. He told a local television station he’d give Malloy an “F” so far and that he would be inclined to run again if the economy does not improve.

* In the bitter member-vs-member Democratic primary for California’s new 30th district, the L.A. Daily News has endorsed Rep. Howard Berman over Rep. Brad Sherman. The Los Angeles Times endorsed Berman last week. Meanwhile, Sherman has filed an FEC complaint alleging improper coordination between Berman and a super PAC.

THE FIX MIX:

Krispy Kreme, 2012.