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Cruz Blusters and Trump Sulks at Tense Republican Debate — Someone needs to explain carpets to Ted Cruz. — They're continuous stretches of material, usually rectangular, sometimes round. They're not staggered, interrupted, with stops, starts, holes and sharp jags so that they smother …
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, The Mahablog, Washington Post, PoliticusUSA and Prairie Weather
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Ted Cruz Has a Problem — Up until last night, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) 100%'s refusal to attack Donald Trump was defensible. Without question, it was smart politics, as his rise in the polls would attest. But it was also defensible on the merits as a guy who is a solid conservative in good standing …


Chris Christie just made the GOP race a lot more interesting — After being in the minors for two debates, Chris Christie graduated to the main stage of the Republican clash for the presidential nomination Tuesday night. And he made the most of it. — The governor of New Jersey …
Discussion:
Betsy's Page


CNN Republican debate: Winners and losers — Washington (CNN)Republican presidential candidates sought to cement — or improve — their standings in a debate Tuesday night that comes less than two months before the first votes of the election season are cast.
Discussion:
ImmigrationProf Blog and Towleroad


Was Marco Rubio Overrated All Along? — Marco Rubio was supposed to be the savior of the Republican establishment. But after Tuesday's debate, maybe we should start asking ourselves if this is really a two-way race between Cruz and Trump. — That was a rough debate for Marco Rubio.
Discussion:
JustOneMinute, Washington Post, National Review, Fox News Insider, Eschaton and Bloomberg Business


Republican debate: Tweeters mock Trump's internet call — As the candidates in Tuesday's Republican debate grappled over how to tackle the growing threat of the Islamic State group (also known as Isis), Donald Trump calmly reassured them “the answer is simple”.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly and whorunsGov

The 13 biggest moments of the GOP debate — The Republican presidential candidates went after each other right from the start of the CNN debate Tuesday night. Here are the most memorable and important moments: — 1. Trump rules out independent bid — Moderator Hugh Hewitt asked Donald Trump …
Discussion:
Yahoo Politics, ABC News, CANNONFIRE and Bloomberg.com news

Bush v. Trump: Behind the Vegas rumble — LAS VEGAS - Jeb Bush came at Donald Trump with everything he had, turning in his strongest debate performance to date just as much of the party was threatening to tune out his flagging candidacy entirely. — He dismissed Trump as a “chaos candidate” …
Discussion:
ABC News, Bloomberg.com news, No More Mister Nice Blog, Washington Times, Yahoo Politics and The Hill


Jeb: ‘This is a wide open race’ — Jeb Bush, widely seen as a winner in Tuesday night's GOP presidential debate, took a bit of a victory lap on Wednesday morning, underscoring jabs at rival Donald Trump during a round of media interviews. — “I did think the debate was great.
Discussion:
Mother Jones, Hot Air, ABC News and Politico

Winners and Losers in Tonight's CNN/Salem Debate
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Daily Mail, Political Wire, New York Times, Hit & Run and Slate

How Cruz and Rubio exposed the GOP's rift on foreign policy
Discussion:
Yahoo Politics

GOP candidates have an unruly fight over serious issues, with no clear winner
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New York Times, The Atlantic, CNBC, The Huffington Post, Hot Air and Business Insider

Trump pledges allegiance to GOP, rules out independent bid
Discussion:
Yahoo Politics, whorunsGov and Political Wire

Jeb Bush takes on Trump: 'You're not going to be able to insult your way to the presidency'
Discussion:
Politico, The Hill, Slantpoint, Daily Kos and Bloomberg.com news

Congress reaches year-end deal on taxes and spending — Congressional leaders on Tuesday night reached agreement on a year-end spending and tax deal that would prevent a government shutdown and extend a series of tax breaks that benefit businesses and individuals, according to lawmakers.
Discussion:
Mother Jones, The Verge, Balloon Juice and Gothamist
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Congress Reaches Fiscal Agreement Ending U.S. Oil Export Ban
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ThinkProgress, EcoWatch, Al Jazeera America and Common Dreams

Ryan unveils sweeping $1.6T deal on government funding, taxes
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Daily Kos, Politico, Talking Points Memo and Hullabaloo

Congress reaches deal on 2016 spending bill to fund federal government
Discussion:
Shakesville, Political Wire, New York Times and The Week


5th Republican debate transcript, annotated: Who said what and what it meant — Nine Republican candidates are participating in tonight's 2016 presidential debate in Las Vegas: Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), former Florida governor Jeb Bush, former tech executive Carly Fiorina …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Outside the Beltway, The Daily Caller, Shakesville, USA Today, The Week, Althouse, Hit & Run, Mother Jones and ACASignups.net


Students practice calligraphy by writing “There is no god but Allah” — The Riverheads High School calligraphy assignment (Courtesy The Schilling Show) — A Virginia school district is defending a classroom assignment that required students to practice calligraphy by writing the Muslim statement of faith, “There is no god but Allah.
Discussion:
Pamela Geller and Jihad Watch


Trump Won't Say If He's A Birther: 'I Don't Talk About That Anymore' (VIDEO) — Donald Trump on Tuesday night dodged a post-debate question about whether he really believes President Obama was not born in the United States. — Follwing the CNN Republican presidential debate …
Discussion:
Washington Post
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Trump's protester problem
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The Huffington Post, Independent Journal, Breitbart, Mediaite and Instapundit


Wheaton College puts hijab-wearing professor on leave … A Wheaton College political science professor, who had been wearing a hijab to show solidarity for Muslim women in America and inviting other women to join her, was put on administrative leave Tuesday by the evangelical Christian school.
Discussion:
WGN-TV, myfox8.com and BizPac Review


The Evidence Is Piling Up That Higher Minimum Wages Kill Jobs — President Obama says there is ‘no solid evidence.’ Yes there is—lots of it. — The movement to raise the federal minimum wage has become ever more ambitious. In 2013 proponents deemed $9 an hour acceptable; today the demand is for $15.
Discussion:
Forbes and Cafe Hayek


Republican chickenhawk Huckabee speaks to youth: ‘Get off your butt’ and defeat ISIS — DON'T MISS STORIES. FOLLOW RAW STORY! — Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) used a question about US military involvement in Syria to denounce not only Hillary Clinton, but young people during a Republican presidential candidate on Tuesday.
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Huckabee To Lazy, Pot-Smoking Youth: 'We Aren't Gonna Give You Anything!'
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Business Insider