memeorandum: CNN, the RNC, and how to cater to the political establishment (Carly Fiorina/Medium)

5:30 PM ET, August 26, 2015

Top Items:

After Shooting, Alleged Gunman Details Grievances in ??? Suicide Notes??? — A man claiming to be Bryce Williams called ABC News over the last few weeks, saying he wanted to pitch a story, and wanted to fax information. He never told ABC News what the story was.

WDBJ-TV:

Two WDBJ7 employees shot and killed; suspected shooter kills himself — Reporter Alison Parker and photographer Adam Ward were attacked during a live broadcast — MONETA, Va. — The suspect accused of killing two WDBJ7 employees died at a hospital in Northern Virginia, according to Franklin County Sheriff Bill Overton.

Eliott C. McLaughlin / CNN:

Virginia TV reporter, photographer killed in shooting during live interview — (CNN)A manhunt is underway for a gunman who fatally shot a local news reporter and photographer on live television during an interview outside Moneta, Virginia, on Wednesday morning.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, BuzzFeed, KTLA, Poynter., Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Mediaite, NPR, FOX2now.com, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, BizPac Review, WSLS-TV, WISH-TV, The Atlantic and Towleroad, more at Mediagazer »

John Nolte / BREITBART.COM:
Racial Motive Suspected: VA Police ID Person-Of-Interest In WDBJ Double Murder

Discussion: Raw Story and LiberalAmerica.org

New York Times:
Bryce Williams, Virginia Shooting Suspect, Dies

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Outside the Beltway, KATU-TV, No More Mister Nice Blog, Refinery29, Talking Points Memo and Mashable

Meghan Keneally / ABC News:
Police Searching for Former Employee in Connection to On-Air Virginia Shooting

Discussion: Washington Post, Talking Points Memo, The Daily Beast, Associated Press, Fox 59, National Review, Fox News Insider, The Daily Caller, Latest | INFORUM, WSLS-TV and NBC News

WSLS-TV:
WDBJ7 reporter, photographer killed in shooting at the Bridgewater Plaza

Travis Gettys / Raw Story:
Gunman suspected of killing Virginia journalists dies after shooting himself: report

Discussion: TVSpy, WTVR-TV, Talking Points Memo, Balloon Juice, Mashable, Al Jazeera English, KFOR-TV and Althouse

Sara Jerde / Talking Points Memo:
Presidential Candidates React To Shooting Of 2 Journalists

Discussion: Politico, CNN, Mashable, Daily Kos and Washington Post

Brianna Ehley / Politico:
Terry McAuliffe calls for stricter gun laws after Virginia shooting

Discussion: Business Insider, RedState and The Daily Caller

Danica Dillon / In Touch Weekly:

“Josh Duggar Cheated With Me!”: Woman Tells All About Their Two Sexual Encounters

Discussion: Shakesville, WTKR-TV, Raw Story, The Huffington Post and Liberaland

The Duggar Family:

Duggar Family Statement — We are so thankful for the outpouring of love, care and prayers for our family during this most difficult situation with Josh. As parents we are so deeply grieved by our son's decisions and actions. His wrong choices have deeply hurt his precious wife and children …

Discussion: Raw Story, NBC News, WWBT-TV, The Daily Caller, Mediaite, WREG-TV, ABC News and Refinery29

Leon H. Wolf / RedState:

The Awesome, Terrible Majesty of a Donald Trump Press Conference — Donald Trump just held a press conference prior to a speech in Iowa which was - and I say this without exaggeration - the most bizarre thing I have seen in a lifetime of following politics.

Discussion: NBC News, The Hayride, RealClearPolitics Videos, Fox News and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Sahil Kapur / Bloomberg Business:
Rubio Dismisses Trump in N.H.: He Won't Be ‘Our Nominee’

Discussion: NBC News, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and whorunsGov

New York Times:
Jeb Bush Falls Into a Trap

Discussion: Vox Popoli, Fox News, Mediaite, Politico and Daily Kos

Ashley Parker / New York Times:
As Donald Trump and Jorge Ramos Clash, Latino News Media Airs Its Offense

Discussion: Washington Post, CNNMoney, Hot Air, CNN, First Reading, Daily Kos, The Atlantic, Slantpoint, Guardian and Common Dreams, more at Mediagazer »

ABC News:
Jorge Ramos: Donald Trump ‘Absolutely’ Gave the Order to Eject Me From Press Conference

Discussion: NPR, New York Times, Washington Monthly, TODAY.com, Taylor Marsh, Politico, Shakesville, The Gateway Pundit, Fusion and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »

Michael Falcone / ABC News:
The Note: Here's What Happens When Trump Takes on Jorge Ramos

Discussion: New York Times and Politico

Joy Y. Wang / NBC News:
'I'm Not a Bully': Trump Defends Booting Latino Anchor

Discussion: Associated Press, TODAY.com, Christian Science Monitor, Hot Air, Refinery29, Politico and Washington Times

Mark Hensch / The Hill:

Cruz hits Megyn Kelly on ‘liberal journalist’ question — Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) late Tuesday became the latest GOP presidential candidate to criticize Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly. — Cruz rebuked Kelly for questioning him about deporting illegal immigrants during an appearance on “The Kelly File.”

Discussion: Hot Air, Politico, The PJ Tatler, Washington Post, The Hayride and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Amanda Marcotte / Talking Points Memo:

Why Fox News' Defense Of Megyn Kelly Is Going To Backfire — Donald Trump has reignited his sexist harassment campaign against Megyn Kelly, and the folks at Fox News are, in seemingly coordinated fashion, striking back. Fellow Fox News hosts and pundits are asking Trump to cool it …

Discussion: Hullabaloo and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Bradford Richardson / The Hill:
Graham: 'If you think Megyn Kelly is a bimbo, you're an idiot'

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Refinery29 and FOX News Radio

Pierre Thomas / ABC News:

After Shooting, Alleged Gunman Details Grievances in ‘Suicide Notes’ — Shares- — Play

Discussion: Guardian, Hit & Run, The Atlantic, WJBF-TV, Raw Story and myfox8.com

Neetzan Zimmerman / The Hill:

Manifesto purportedly sent by Virginia gunman cites ‘race war’ — A fax attributed to Vester Lee Flanagan claims the slayings were a response to the Charleston mass shooting. — An apparent suicide note received by ABC News on Wednesday morning and attributed to Virginia shooting suspect Flanagan …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

David Mack / BuzzFeed:

Here's What We Know About The Virginia Shooting Suspect — Vester Flanagan, who also used the name Bryce Williams, was a former TV reporter for WDBJ. He uploaded videos online showing him fatally shooting WDBJ reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward on Wednesday.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, ABC News, Guardian, Hit & Run and Fusion

Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:

Trump Telling GOP Brass He Will Forgo A Third-Party Run: Sources — Trump makes a big move. — Ryan Grim — Washington Bureau Chief, The Huffington Post — WASHINGTON - Businessman Donald Trump has told several top Republicans that he will swear off the possibility of an independent bid …

Discussion: Political Wire

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Donald Trump Is Running A Perpetual Attention Machine

Discussion: Fusion, New York Times and Politico

Justin Glawe / The Daily Beast:

First State Legalizes Taser Drones for Cops, Thanks to a Lobbyist — North Dakota police will be free to fire “less than lethal” weapons from the air thanks to the influence of Big Drone. — It is now legal for law enforcement in North Dakota to fly drones armed with everything from Tasers …

Discussion: Gizmodo, Hit & Run, The Verge and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Nick Gass / Politico:

White House hits back at Charles Koch — The White House fired back Wednesday at Charles Koch after a POLITICO article quoted him as saying he was “flabbergasted” by a recent attack on him and his brother by President Barack Obama during an energy speech in Las Vegas earlier this week.

Discussion: Daily Kos

Mike Allen / Politico:
Charles Koch blasts Barack Obama

Discussion: Fox News, Daily Kos and Slantpoint

Carol Morello / Washington Post:

Retired generals and admirals urge Congress to reject Iran nuclear deal — A group of nearly 200 retired generals and admirals will send a letter to Congress Wednesday urging lawmakers to reject the Iran nuclear agreement, which they say threatens national security.

Discussion: Iran Truth, Weekly Standard, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Washington Free Beacon and Slantpoint

Zeke J Miller / TIME:

Conservative Sting Video Goes Inside Clinton Campaign Training — A first shot in a coming undercover series — The conservative group Project Veritas released a video Wednesday morning showing a glimpse of its long-anticipated undercover video sting inside the Clinton campaign.

Discussion: BuzzFeed, Hot Air, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Gateway Pundit and The Daily Caller

Brooks Barnes / New York Times:

Jennifer Lawrence, Amy Schumer Writing Screenplay Together — LOS ANGELES - Lucy and Ethel. Laverne and Shirley. Poehler and Fey. And now ... Jennifer and Amy? — On Wednesday, Jennifer Lawrence met with a reporter here to discuss her final turn as Katniss Everdeen in “The Hunger Games …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Mashable, Guardian, LAist, ABC News and Just Jared