Morning Must Reads: May 18

Good morning from Washington. President Obama will travel to Camden, N.J., this afternoon to tour a police operations center and visit with local youth, in his latest effort to raise awareness about police-community relations following turmoil in Ferguson and Baltimore. Obama will also unveil the results of a report he ordered on the transfer of military-style equipment to police forces, instituting new approval requirements and banning many transfers of camouflage uniforms and grenade launchers that the Administration says are more militaristic in nature.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will skip Obama’s visit to his state in order to deliver remarks on foreign policy in New Hampshire in the latest effort to resurrect his presidential hopes. Breaking with civil libertarians in both parties, Christie will deliver a strong defense of the National Security Agency’s spying programs, calling most privacy fears “baloney.”

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton is returning to Iowa today where she will attend a grassroots organizing event in Mason City.

Must Reads

Republican Candidates Dodge Immigration Questions (TIME)
It’s not their favorite topic

Obama to Limit Military-Style Equipment for Police Forces (NYT)
After Ferguson, Baltimore, White House to order changes

Energized Republicans Put On a Campaign Show in Iowa (TIME)
Joe Klein assesses the GOP field

Sensing a voter shift, Clinton tacks to the left (WP)
Hillary Clinton is running as the most liberal presidential front-runner in decades

Christie to Call For Larger Military, Defend Intelligence Collection (TIME)
Caters to GOP’s hawkish wing

Sound Off

“I don’t understand the question you’re asking,” — Sen. Marco Rubio to Fox News Sunday’s Chris Wallace during a length back-and-forth over the invasion of Iraq

“Thousands of years of culture and history is just being changed at warp speed. It’s hard to fathom why it is this way.” — Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on the Christian Broadcasting Network Sunday, saying he does not believe the Constitution provides for a right to same-sex marriage

Bits and Bites

Pentagon faulted in assault cases

GOP: Business lobby blowing it on trade

Defense bills cause transparency jitters

Ben Carson makes faulty Lincoln analogy

Sanders to introduce bill to make college tuition-free

Senate candidate Loretta Sanchez appears to disparage American Indians