memeorandum: The GOP sinks deeper into chaos. Can it still function as a party? (Karen Tumulty/Washington Post)

2:10 PM ET, October 9, 2015

Top Items:

Katherine Krueger / Talking Points Memo:

Paul Ryan: Sorry Guys, It's Still No — Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) told NBC News through a spokesperson Friday that despite Republicans calling for him to enter the race for Speaker of the House, he's still not interested. … The news comes after Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and other party leaders …

Discussion: The Week

Politico:

Ellmers thanks lawmakers for ‘prayers’ amid affair rumors — A GOP donor sent emails alleging an extramarital relationship between Ellmers and Kevin McCarthy, a claim aides say is unfounded. — Rep. Renee Ellmers stood up in a private meeting of Republican lawmakers on Friday and thanked them for their …

Discussion: Political Wire and Daily Mail

Judd Legum / ThinkProgress:

This Document Reveals Why The House Of Representatives Is In Complete Chaos — The House of Representative is in chaos. John Boehner announced his intention to step down as Speaker at the end of the month. There doesn't appear to be anyone to take his place.

Discussion: Politico, Balloon Juice, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Real Clear Politics, Slantpoint, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, NPR and Hot Air

The Huffington Post:

Kevin McCarthy's exit came after receiving personal threat over affair allegations — “Why not resign like Bob Livingston?”

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Salon, The Daily Caller, Fox News, Hullabaloo, National Review, Doug Ross, The Moderate Voice, Erick on the Radio, Infowars, OnPolitics, NBC News, GotNews and Business Insider

Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:

Why Republicans Need Paul Ryan As House Speaker — He's an ideological zealot and a tactical pragmatist. — In the immediate wake of John Boehner's chaotic resignation as House speaker and Kevin McCarthy's chaotic withdrawal as his presumptive successor, Republican hopes have quickly fixated …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Wall Street Journal, Washington Monthly, New York Times, Fox News, Prairie Weather and Politico

Scott Wong / The Hill:

GOP lawmakers confronted McCarthy — House GOP lawmakers this week confronted Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) about rumors they worried could have hampered his bid for Speaker. — At a closed-door meeting on Tuesday with Texas's GOP delegation, members pressed McCarthy for reassurances.

Discussion: Business Insider, Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, Washington Post, RedState, BizPac Review, Fox News Insider, Daily Kos, Politico, Washington Monthly and Bloomberg Business

CNN:
Paul Ryan considering running for House speaker

Discussion: Business Insider, Mediaite, Daily Kos and Washington Post

Politico:
Behind McCarthy's decision to bail

Discussion: Bloomberg Business, Bloomberg.com news, Daily Mail, The Week, Daily Kos, National Review, Mediaite, BuzzFeed, Hot Air, The Last Refuge, Political Wire and ABC News

The Hill:
Issa considering running for Speaker

Discussion: Independent Journal, Bloomberg Business, Talking Points Memo, BREITBART.COM, Weasel Zippers, American Spectator, Washington Post, Instapundit and The Moderate Voice

James Hohmann / Washington Post:
THE BIG IDEA: — Paul Ryan is seriously considering a bid for House speaker.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, National Review, Hot Air, Raw Story, American Spectator, Bloomberg View, Power Line and Talking Points Memo

Caitlin MacNeal / Talking Points Memo:
Issa: Paul Ryan Will ‘Soul Search’ About Speaker Bid Over The Weekend

Discussion: Washington Monthly and The Daily Caller

Al Weaver / Washington Examiner:
Gingrich says he'd consider interim speakership

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Political Insider blog, The Last Tradition, Mediaite, Bloomberg View, Washington Monthly, Hot Air, Wall Street Journal, Prairie Weather, Independent Journal, The Daily Signal, The Hill and Politico

Karen Tumulty / Washington Post:
The GOP sinks deeper into chaos. Can it still function as a party?

Discussion: National Review

Jonathan Allen / Vox:
Why speaker of the House is the worst job in Washington

Discussion: Washington Post, USA Today, Mashable and Slantpoint

Peter Sullivan / The Hill:
McCarthy: ‘Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom’

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Hullabaloo, Slantpoint, The Week, Talking Points Memo and The Gateway Pundit

Mike Lillis / The Hill:
Republican: ‘Very real’ chance GOP will need Dems to elect Speaker

Discussion: Belmont Club, Bloomberg.com news, Politico and The Moderate Voice

Bradford Richardson / The Hill:
Gingrich open to return to Speakership

Discussion: Daily Kos, Slate, Outside the Beltway, Washington Post, The Week, Hot Air, Political Insider blog, Talking Points Memo, Trail Blazers Blog and Mediaite

David M. Herszenhorn / New York Times:
Top Republicans Appeal to Ryan to Seek Speaker's Job and Unify Party

Discussion: Washington Post and The Federalist

Rick Klein / ABC News:
Paul Ryan Said to Be Weighing Bid For House Speaker

Discussion: Hot Air, The Week and Politico

WGN Web Desk / WGN-TV:

Facebook engagement announcement accidentally reveals something else — Share Update: … A couple wanted to let everyone know they're getting married, so they went to Facebook. — The picture they posted shows the woman with her fiancé pointing to the ring on her finger.

Discussion: fox8.com

Katherine Faulders / ABC News:

Ben Carson Defends Hitler Gun Control Statements, Calls ADL Reaction ‘Total Foolishness’

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, New York Times, Hot Air, The San Diego Union …, Washington Post, Daily Mail and Associated Press

Vanessa Williams / Washington Post:
Carson suggests that gun rights might have changed history for Jews in WWII

Discussion: Baltimore Sun, Washington Monthly, National Review, No More Mister Nice Blog, CBS Baltimore and Instapundit

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:
Ben Carson: Racism In United States Is “Mostly With The Progressive Movement”

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Nick Baumann / The Huffington Post:
Ben Carson Blames Holocaust On Gun Control

Discussion: The Week, Slantpoint, myfox8.com and American Spectator

New York Times:

Obama Administration Ends Pentagon Program to Train Syrian Rebels — LONDON — The Obama administration has ended the Pentagon's $500 million program to train and equip Syrian rebels, administration officials said on Friday, in an acknowledgment that the beleaguered program had failed …

Discussion: CNN, Mashable, Politico, Associated Press, Fox News, Business Insider, Infowars, Mediaite, Outside the Beltway, Algemeiner.com, Common Dreams, Defense One, Hot Air, The Week, RT and US News

Washington Post:

How America can counter Putin's moves in Syria — Condoleezza Rice was secretary of state from 2005 to 2009. Robert M. Gates was defense secretary from 2006 to 2011. — One can hear the disbelief in capitals from Washington to London to Berlin to Ankara and beyond.

Discussion: Politico, NO QUARTER USA NET, Foreign Policy, Guardian, Just Security, rubber hose and New York Times

Josh Rogin / Bloomberg View:
White House Is Weighing a Syria Retreat

Discussion: US News, RedState, National Review and Just Security

Peggy Noonan / Wall Street Journal:
Shows of Strength From Trump and Putin

Discussion: Hot Air and BREITBART.COM

Meghan Keneally / ABC News:

Campus Shooting Came After Fight Between Two Groups of Students

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Fusion, Red Alert Politics, No More Mister Nice Blog, Shakesville and The Week

Ryan Lizza / New Yorker:

A New Clue Suggests Biden May Run — Joe Biden has taken another step toward entering the Presidential race. — Representatives of the Vice-President held a meeting this week with Democratic National Committee staffers. They briefed Biden's aides on arcane but crucial rules …

Discussion: ABC News, Daily Mail, New York Times, Booman Tribune, Slantpoint, OnPolitics, NBC News, Business Insider and Washington Post

Wall Street Journal:
Hillary Trades Places With Clinton

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Washington Post:
Ms. Clinton's disappointing choice on the Trans-Pacific Partnership

Discussion: Power Line, US News, Consortiumnews.com and Slantpoint

Kevin Robillard / Politico:

Republicans fret about Paul's Senate seat … FRANKFORT, Ky. — Rand Paul is under increasing pressure from Republicans here and in Washington to pull the plug on his stagnant presidential campaign and instead recommit his resources to keeping his Senate seat in GOP hands.

Discussion: Political Wire and Mediaite

Oliver Willis / addictinginfo.org:

GOP Quietly Admits The Truth About Their Attacks On Planned Parenthood — It turns out there's nothing shady about Planned Parenthood's finances, and that's according to House Republicans, who orchestrated the recent hearing about the organization in which they badgered CEO Cecile Richard.

Discussion: LiberalAmerica.org

Juliet Eilperin / Washington Post:

Obama weighs expanding background checks through executive authority — In response to the latest mass shooting during his presidency, President Obama is seriously considering circumventing Congress with his executive authority and imposing new background-check requirements for buyers who purchase weapons from high-volume gun dealers.

Discussion: Fox News, Daily Mail, The Daily Caller, ABC News, Mediaite, Fox News Insider, Weasel Zippers, The PJ Tatler and Hot Air

Alfred Nobel / Nobelprize.org:

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2015 — The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2015 is to be awarded to the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet for its decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011.