memeorandum: The Daily 202: Democrats playing offense on Obamacare in Kentucky (James Hohmann/Washington Post)

2:50 PM ET, November 3, 2015

Top Items:

How The Debate Debacle Could Backfire On Republicans — A new round of chaos in the 2016 presidential primary has erupted, with a full-on revolt by GOP 2016ers against this cycle's debate structures. — After widespread frustration with the tough questioning candidates faced in last week's CNBC debate …

Discussion: CNN, Washington Post, No More Mister Nice Blog, Naked Politics and Politico, more at Mediagazer »

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:

Obama mocks GOP hopefuls for CNBC snit — President Obama on Monday mocked Republican presidential candidates as thin-skinned for lashing out at CNBC over the network's handling of last week's primary debate. — “They say, 'when I talk to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin …

Discussion: PoliticusUSA, Politico, The Week, ABC News and TVNewser, more at Mediagazer »

CNN:

Obama rips into 2016 GOP field, mocks their debate complaints — (CNN)President Barack Obama tore into Republican presidential candidates Monday night at a Democratic fundraising event in New York, saying their complaints about CNBC's debate moderation aren't an encouraging preview for their governing abilities.

Discussion: CNNMoney, Rush Limbaugh, American Spectator, Political Insider blog, The Federalist, New Jersey News … and The Gateway Pundit

Niall Stanage / The Hill:

Ninety days until Iowa caucuses: Turmoil in the Republican race — With just 90 days left before the Iowa caucuses, the race for the Republican presidential nomination is wide open — and the party appears to be losing control of the process. — The last 48 hours have been characterized …

Discussion: Politico

Ed Kilgore / Washington Monthly:

The Great Debate Debate Is Unraveling — I realize news outlets (and for that matter, news-cycle blogs) have to go with what they've got, but I hope a few eyes were rolling over the weekend at the Great Debate Debate of 2015, said to be a rallying point for the vast Republican presidential field that was …

Discussion: Vox, Mother Jones and Talking Points Memo

New York Times:
G.O.P.: Save Your Candidates From Themselves

Discussion: Salon, Democratic Strategist, Washington Post and Poynter.

David A. Graham / The Atlantic:
The Republicans Debate Their Debates

Discussion: Washington Post, Salon, Daily Kos, TVNewser and Independent Journal

Hbo Pr / Medium:

JON STEWART AND HBO CONCLUDE EXCLUSIVE FOUR-YEAR PRODUCTION PACT — Deal Kicks Off With Creation Of Topical Short-Form Digital Content — Jon Stewart and HBO have concluded an exclusive four-year production pact, it was announced today by Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Mediaite, WGN-TV, Tech Times, NBC News, The Verge, Gizmodo, NPR and The Week, more at Mediagazer »

Ginger Gibson / Reuters:

Republicans trust Trump on economy, nuclear weapons: Reuters/Ipsos poll — Donald Trump is the Republican candidate most trusted to manage the economy, deal with foreign leaders and serve as commander in chief, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll of Republicans conducted after the party's third debate.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Week and Political Wire

Michael Falcone / ABC News:
The Note: Can Jeb Fix It?

Discussion: Washington Post, The New York Observer and Politico

Nick Gass / Politico:
Trump scorches his rivals as he trots out new book

Discussion: Bloomberg.com news

Patrick O'Connor / Wall Street Journal:
Ben Carson Vaults to Lead in Latest Journal/NBC Poll

Discussion: Washington Post, The Daily Caller, CNN, Outside the Beltway, American Spectator, Fox News Insider, The Week, Political Wire, RedState and Politico

Mark Murray / NBC News:
NBC/WSJ Poll: Carson Surges Into Lead of National GOP Race

Mitch Smith / New York Times:

Illinois District Violated Transgender Student's Rights, U.S. Says — CHICAGO — Federal education authorities found on Monday that an Illinois school district had violated anti-discrimination laws when it did not allow a transgender student who identifies as a girl and participates in athletics …

Discussion: Weekly Standard, Towleroad, National Review, Hot Air, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and The American Conservative

ACLU:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FINDS THAT PALATINE DISTRICT 211'S DENIAL OF GENDER-APPROPRIATE …

Discussion: Washington Post, cbs8.com, ThinkProgress, Reuters, Washington Free Beacon, abc7chicago.com and Common Dreams

David Corn / Mother Jones:

Ben Carson on Americans: “Many of Them Are Stupid.” — When retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, the current GOP 2016 front-runner, campaigns, he routinely pitches “common sense solutions from We the People.” But it seems the candidate who celebrates a cheerful and straightforward populism …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Washington Monthly

Katie McHugh / Breitbart:
Exclusive — Ben Carson: ‘Obvious’ GOP Opponents Use National Review ‘As Their Political Tool’ to Attack Me

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, National Review, Politico and Mediaite

Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project:

U.S. Public Becoming Less Religious — Modest Drop in Overall Rates of Belief and Practice, but Religiously Affiliated Americans Are as Observant as Before — Is the American public becoming less religious? Yes, at least by some key measures of what it means to be a religious person.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Raw Story, Joe.My.God., Friendly Atheist, The Hugh Hewitt Show, Truth Revolt, The Week, NPR and Prairie Weather

Brendan James / International Business Times:

MSNBC Hosts Who Went On Palm Springs Koch Junket Score Historic Koch Interview — Some may find it odd that oil magnates and Republican kingmakers Charles and David Koch chose the so-called left-leaning MSNBC as the venue for a rare sit-down interview on Tuesday.

Discussion: Guardian, Hullabaloo, Mediaite and Slantpoint

Alison Elkin / Bloomberg.com news: Charles Koch Says He, Brother Largely Fail at Influence-Buying

Nick Gass / Politico:
Koch brothers: We're ‘failures’ at changing America

Discussion: MSNBC, EcoWatch and addictinginfo.org

New York Times:

In Religious Arbitration, Scripture Is the Rule of Law — A few months before he took a toxic mix of drugs and died on a stranger's couch, Nicklaus Ellison wrote a letter to his little sister. — He asked for Jolly Ranchers, Starburst and Silly Bandz bracelets, some of the treats permitted …

Discussion: Mother Jones, Washington Monthly, Erick on the Radio, AMERICAblog News, Crooked Timber and Friendly Atheist

CBS Los Angeles:

6 Passengers Kicked Off Plane At LAX Accused Of Being Unruly Claim Discrimination — LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (CBSLA.com) - Six passengers kicked off a Spirit Airlines plane at Los Angeles International Airport Monday night accused a flight attendant of discrimination.

Discussion: CBS News, Daily Mail and Mashable

Stephen A. Crockett Jr / The Root:
Spirit Airlines Accused of Discrimination After 6 Black Passengers Kicked Off Plane

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Shakesville, addictinginfo.org and NOLA River

Burgess Everett / Politico:

Franken gets serious about flipping Senate to Democrats — On a recent October afternoon, Democratic Sen. Al Franken mistakenly ambled toward the Mansfield Room, where the party in control — namely Republicans — meets weekly to hash out strategy. — “I keep thinking we're in the majority …

Discussion: NBC News, Moe Lane, America Rising and Joe.My.God.

Sewell Chan / New York Times:

Ahmad Chalabi, Iraqi Politician Who Pushed for U.S. Invasion, Dies at 71 — Ahmad Chalabi, the Iraqi politician who from exile helped persuade the United States to invade Iraq in 2003, and then unsuccessfully tried to attain power as his country was nearly torn apart by sectarian violence, died at his home in Baghdad on Tuesday.

Discussion: Slate, Bloomberg View, Associated Press, The Week, Independent Journal, Mother Jones, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Balloon Juice

RT:

Migrant crisis pushing Germany towards ‘anarchy and civil war’ … Germany now is somewhere at the edge of anarchy and sliding towards civil war, or to become a banana republic without any government, says Hansjoerg Mueller of the Alternative for Germany party.

Discussion: John Hawkins' Right Wing News, The Gateway Pundit and Daily Mail

Peter Sullivan / The Hill:

Top Republican says ObamaCare could ‘collapse’ this year — A top Senate Republican is predicting that ObamaCare could “collapse” this year. — Sen. John Barrasso (Wyo.), the No. 4 Senate Republican and a leading critic of the healthcare law, made the prediction one day after ObamaCare's new sign-up period began.

Discussion: New York Times and Daily Kos

Jake Sherman / Politico:

Ryan says GOP plans ‘bold alternative’ agenda — Speaker Paul Ryan said he is “not concerned” with the tumultuous political climate engendered by the presidential election, and said House Republicans will work to “go on offense on ideas” to help bolster the Republican Party.

Discussion: Bloomberg Business

Jennifer Steinhauer / New York Times:
Speaker Paul Ryan Moves Fast to ‘Detoxify’ Boehner's Smoky Suite

Discussion: Towleroad, The Week and Moe Lane

Reese Erlich / Politico:

How Putin Is Wooing America's Closest Syrian Allies — Now Obama wants to help the Kurds? Russia's already there. — Sulimaniya, Kurdish Region, Iraq - President Obama's bid to exert more influence in the Syrian civil war may be too little, too late. Stung by Vladimir Putin's military …

Gerard Couzens / Daily Express:

Spain terror alert: Three men ‘set to commit Charlie Hebdo attack’ arrested in dawn raids — POLICE in Spain say they have arrested three Moroccans who were ready to commit a Charlie Hebdo-style terror attack. — GETTY — Police in Spain have arrested three men suspected of wanting to carry out acts of terrorism

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Jihad Watch and Pamela Geller