Donald Trump has a double digit lead in the polls over his rivals.

According to a new ABC News/Washington Post national poll, Trump has the support of 24 percent of registered Republicans and Republican-leaning independents — 11 points higher than Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (13 percent) and 12 points ahead of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

When does the joke go too far? According to the Des Moines Register, which has called for him to drop out, it already has.

Donald Trump may be second to Jeb Bush in new polls, but his financial interests keep getting whacked. The latest: Reports of hacked credit card data at Trump Hotels in several cities, dating back to February.

In addition to Macy’s, Univision and Comcast’s NBCUniversal, Trump just got dumped by Serta Mattresses.

On top of all that, the Washington Post reports he's wrong about immigrants and crime. Here's an article I wrote for the Washington Examiner in 2007 stating the same thing: There is No Immigrant Crime Wave.

It's 1 poll, but a good one for Hillary Clinton:

Looking ahead to the general election, Clinton also leads Bush by eight points (48 percent to 40 percent), Rubio by 10 points (50 percent to 40 percent) and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker by 14 (51 percent to 37 percent).

Clinton is supported by 75% of Dem voters in the primary race, with Sanders at 15, Webb at 4, and O'Malley 2.

Move over Jeb Bush. Your 15 minutes are up. Donald Trump has announced his candidacy for President.

In a rambling 40 minute speech, he said he'll be the greatest president ever with respect for to the economy. He said our country is now run by losers. He said he has a net worth of $8.7 billion.

“The American dream is dead,” Trump said at the end of his speech. “But if I win, I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before.”

Trump is good for one thing: entertainment.

Here comes Jeb Bush, with a new exclamation point next to his name. Here's his launch video. He looks tired.

Also considering jumping into the race: John Kasich.

If Twitter is any gauge of popularity: Hillary has 3.6 million followers on Twitter. Jeb has 196,000.

Rick Perry wants a second chance to run for President. He will announce his campaign tomorrow.

I was listening to an interview with his wife on the car radio today. She said a few times he's a different person now than four years ago. She said he was a person living in pain from his back surgery then. She said the Rick Perry she knew then is not the same Rick Perry she knows today. The impression she gave, which was probably not what she intended, is that Rick Perry had a major personality disorder for an extended period of time. [More...]

FTR, a 2007 Martin O'Malley and Harold Ford (!) column in defense of "the vital center" (and the DLC):

O'Malley is a dynamic, accomplished guy. But he was all in for HRC in '08, so isn't it a bit awkward to rail against "royal families" now?

— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) May 31, 2015

Ya think?

Uber-Hawk Lindsay Graham has officially entered the Republican fray to be the party’s nominee for President.

The perennial Henny Penny says, “The world is falling apart.” He’s “worried about an attack on our homeland.” His crystal ball tells him another 9/11 attack is on our doorstep unless we send ground troops to Iraq and Syria.

There are now more than 20 Republicans vying for the nomination. According to the Telegraph,

In recent weeks Republican divisions over foreign policy have been laid bare as the party tries to reconcile its instinctive belief in a strong, indispensable America with the costly failure, in terms of both blood and treasure, of George W Bush’s 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Lindsey Graham has succeeded Rudy Giuliani as politics' biggest threat to freedom and American values. Even though he has zero chance of winning the nomination, he should be tracked and monitored.

Eric Boehlert at Media Matters offers his thoughts on why the D.C. media is "primed to take down Hillary Clinton."

It's official: Hillary Clinton now faces two looming campaign challengers, Republicans and their allies in the press. But don't take my word for it. The anti-Clinton press campaign is now an open secret in the media, and it marks a whole new chapter in campaign journalism.

Very encouraging first morning from the Bernie Sanders' campaign for president:

Sanders parries Clinton $ Q: "Where are the conflicts of interests when the Koch brothers will be spending $900 million in this campaign?"

— daveweigel (@daveweigel) April 30, 2015

No nonsense for Bernie. What will he run on? The issues:

@OKnox I think he said it's fair game to criticize policy/highlight differences but won't launch personal attacks.

— Meredith Shiner (@meredithshiner) April 30, 2015

Like foreign policy, trade, Wall Street, etc.

Sanders will run on the actual issues that matter to "everyday" people, to coin a phrase.

And that's why it's great he is in the race.

From Vermont Public Radio:

VPR News has learned from several sources that independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders will announce his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday. Sanders will release a short statement on that day and then hold a major campaign kickoff in Vermont in several weeks.

This is welcome news imo.