memeorandum: Poll: Fiorina takes lead in New Hampshire post-debate (Mark Hensch/The Hill)

6:05 PM ET, September 19, 2015

Top Items:

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:

White House rips Trump over birther reaction — President Obama's top spokesman slammed Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump on Friday for failing to condemn a supporter who claimed Obama is a Muslim who was born abroad. — “Is anybody really surprised this happened at a Donald Trump rally?”

Discussion: ABC News and Politico

Tal Kopan / CNN:

Jeb Bush: ‘Yes, I am a Bush’ — Mackinac Island, Michigan (CNN)Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on Friday embraced his last name more than he has at any point in his presidential campaign to date — saying he is a Bush, and that's why he'd be a good leader on foreign policy.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Sean Sullivan / Washington Post:

Jeb Bush responds to Trump: Obama is an 'American, he's a Christian' — MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. — Jeb Bush responded Friday night to Donald Trump's decision this week not to correct a questioner who said President Obama is a Muslim who is “not even an American.”

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Horizons and Hot Air

Cortney O'Brien / Townhall.com:

‘That Face’ Surpasses Trump in New Hampshire — Donald Trump will certainly want to take a closer ‘look at that face’ now that Carly Fiorina has surpassed him in a new New Hampshire poll. In a Voter Gravity survey conducted the day after Wednesday night's second presidential GOP debate, Fiorina comes out on top:

Discussion: Joe.My.God., Guardian, No More Mister Nice Blog and Politico

Mark Hensch / The Hill:

Poll: Fiorina takes lead in New Hampshire post-debate — Presidential candidate Carly Fiorina is leading the GOP field in New Hampshire, a new poll finds. — A Voter Gravity poll released Friday shows Fiorina with 22 percent support among Granite State GOP primary voters.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Daily Kos, Towleroad, Mediaite, Power Line, The PJ Tatler, Hot Air, Weekly Standard and Voter Gravity

David Brooks / New York Times: The Marco Rubio-Carly Fiorina Option

Wall Street Journal:

Joe Biden Edges Closer to Joining Presidential Race — Vice president's aides debate timing of entry and hone message for a possible campaign — Vice President Joe Biden's aides in recent days called Democratic donors and supporters to suggest he is more likely than not to enter the 2016 race …

Discussion: Liberal Values, New York Post, RedState, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Outside the Beltway, Political Wire, Business Insider, Washington Post and Politico

Arizona Republic:

Phoenix freeway-shootings suspect Leslie Allen Merritt Jr. tied to first 4 incidents — After arrest, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey tweets: ‘We got him!’ — CONNECT — For nearly three weeks, life in Phoenix and the Valley was under a darkening cloud of fear as vehicles driving on freeways were hit …

Discussion: Fox News, Los Angeles Times, KPNX, CBS News, CNN, The Other McCain, Scared Monkeys, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, NPR and The Gateway Pundit

Philip Rucker / Washington Post:

Are Democrats and Republicans talking about the same country? — To the Democratic candidates, the 2016 presidential campaign is about shrinking the gap between rich and poor; combating climate change; and expanding voting rights, gay rights and workplace equality for women.

Discussion: AEI

George F. Will / Washington Post:

Pope Francis' fact-free flamboyance — Pope Francis embodies sanctity but comes trailing clouds of sanctimony. With a convert's indiscriminate zeal, he embraces ideas impeccably fashionable, demonstrably false and deeply reactionary. They would devastate the poor on whose behalf he purports to speak …

Washington Post:

The White House is more afraid of offending China's president than the pope — THE VATICAN has raised objections to a few of the guests invited to the White House arrival ceremony next week for Pope Francis. The Wall Street Journal reported that the guests include transgender activists …

Discussion: Power Line, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Newsmax, BizPac Review, Towleroad, whitehouse.gov, The Daily Signal and National Review

Andrew Husband / Mediaite:

This Bonkers CNN Guest Who Co-Chairs ‘Women For Trump’ Is Television Magic — If you don't know the name Paula Johnson, you soon will. That's because the co-chair of the New Hampshire-based Women for Trump organization was a guest on CNN's Legal View Friday morning, and it was television magic.

Discussion: BizPac Review

S. L. A. Marshall / The Atlantic:

First Wave at Omaha Beach … UNLIKE what happens to other great battles, the passing of the years and the retelling of the story have softened the horror of Omaha Beach on D Day. — This fluke of history is doubly ironic since no other decisive battle has ever been so thoroughly reported for the official record.