Talk of rules, for restrooms and the RNC, dominates the campaign trail

HARI SREENIVASAN:

From rules governing delegates to rules governing bathrooms, it was all part of this campaign day in the presidential race.

John Yang begins our coverage.

JOHN YANG:

At a "Today Show" town hall this morning, Donald Trump promised a kinder, gentler Republican front-runner.

DONALD TRUMP, Republican Presidential Candidate:

It's easier for me to be presidential than for me to be doing what I have been doing for the last, really, nine months. But, at the right time, I will be so presidential, you will be so bored.

JOHN YANG:

He also stepped into a contentious issue, defending the right of transgender people to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity.

DONALD TRUMP:

You leave it the way it is. There have been very few complaints the way it is. People go. They use the bathroom that they feel is appropriate. There has been so little trouble.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), Republican Presidential Candidate: This morning, Donald Trump went on "The Today Show."

That drew a swift rebuke from Texas Senator Ted Cruz, as he stumped in Maryland, one of the new primary battlegrounds.

SEN. TED CRUZ:

Donald agreed with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, in attacking the state of North Carolina for passing their bathroom ordinance. Have we gone stark raving nuts? This is the political correctness. This is basic common sense.

JOHN YANG:

Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee met in Hollywood, Florida, amid Trump's complaints about party rules. In a Google Hangout, the "NewsHour"'s Daniel Bush reports the group made no changes.

DANIEL BUSH:

What Sean Spicer, the RNC's chief strategist, told me yesterday was that the chairman, Reince Priebus, directed members here this week not to set new rules ahead of the conventions, because the RNC wants to avoid a perception that it's paving the way for one candidate or another to get the nomination.

JOHN YANG:

Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, is close to wrapping up the Democratic nomination. She campaigned in Connecticut, focusing on gun control.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), Democratic Presidential Candidate: I'm raising it everywhere I go because we need a national movement. The gun lobby is the most powerful lobby in Washington.

JOHN YANG:

Bernie Sanders returned to campaigning in Pennsylvania, after taking a beating in the New York primary.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (VT-I), Democratic Presidential Candidate: I don't mind losing, but three million people in New York state, three million people who registered as independents didn't have the right to participate in the Democratic or Republican primary.

(BOOING)

JOHN YANG:

Today, Sanders muted his criticism of Clinton today, whose delegate lead is now all but insurmountable.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm John Yang.

HARI SREENIVASAN:

You can hear more online from Daniel Bush, covering the Republican National Committee meeting. And we will take a closer look at the primaries in five states next Tuesday later in the program.