memeorandum: US thanks Iran for swift release of 10 Navy sailors (BBC)

2:30 PM ET, January 13, 2016

Top Items:

Iowa Poll: Cruz holds 3-point lead as Trump attacks — Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz remains the top pick among likely caucusgoers in the latest Iowa Poll. Political reporter Jennifer Jacobs and political columnist Kathie Obradovich provide analysis.

Discussion: Washington Post, National Review, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, The Resurgent, NBC News, The Week, Bloomberg.com and The Daily Caller

Gary Langer / ABC News:

Cruz and Christie Gain in Popularity as Trump, Carson and Bush Stumble (POLL)

Discussion: Bloomberg View, Bloomberg Business, Politico, Yahoo Politics and 6abc.com

Steven Shepard / Politico:

Rand Paul mounts last-minute push to get back on main debate stage — Rand Paul is making a last-minute push to get on the main stage at Thursday's GOP primary debate after a new poll showed he would have qualified if the survey results were not held for two days before being released.

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Eli Stokols / Politico:

Republicans warn Bush team against harming Rubio — CORALVILLE, Iowa —Jeb Bush called Tuesday for a “leader with a servant's heart.” — “We need a nominee who knows it's not all about him,” the one-time GOP front-runner said. — But, increasingly, establishment Republicans worry …

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CBS News:
CBS/NYT poll: Donald Trump holds onto top spot nationally

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John McCormick / Bloomberg Business:
It's Cruz vs. Trump and Rubio vs. Carson in Home-Stretch Iowa Poll

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CNN:

10 U.S. sailors detained by Iran freed — (CNN)The 10 American sailors captured by Iran have been freed, U.S. and Iranian officials said. — The sailors were captured Tuesday after their two naval boats entered Iranian waters near Farsi Island, in the Persian Gulf.

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, Politico, Hullabaloo, The Resurgent, Right Wing Watch, Washington Post, The Last Tradition and The Daily Caller

New York Times:

Iran's Swift Release of U.S. Sailors Hailed as a Sign of Warmer Relations — TEHRAN — Iran's release of 10 United States Navy sailors on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after they were detained on the Persian Gulf, is being hailed in both countries as a sign that their relations have evolved since …

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Daily Mail:

Pictured: Ten U.S. sailors captured by Iran as Revolutionary Guard RELEASES them after ‘snooping’ row - including one female who was forced to wear a headscarf — These are the 10 American sailors who were captured by Iran after being accused of snooping when their boats drifted into Iranian waters - but they have now been freed.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, twitchy.com, MichelleMalkin.com, Pamela Geller and NBC News

BBC:
US thanks Iran for swift release of 10 Navy sailors

Discussion: Mediaite, NBC News, The Daily Caller, Shakesville and New York Times

Washington Post:
Iran releases captured U.S. Navy crew members

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The White House / Medium:

President Obama's 2016 State of the Union Address — The White House is once again making the full text of the State of the Union available online ahead of the speech, as prepared for delivery, continuing efforts to meet people where they are and make the speech as accessible as possible.

Joel B. Pollak / Breitbart:
Fact Check: Top 10 Lies in Obama's State of the Union

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Nancy LeTourneau / Washington Monthly:
The Source of President Obama's Optimism

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New York Times:
Transcript of Obama's 2016 State of the Union Address

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Tim Devaney / The Hill:
President barely mentions guns in SOTU

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John Podhoretz / New York Post: Obama delivers the most boring speech of his presidency

Eun Kyung Kim / TODAY.com:

Nikki Haley: Donald Trump has contributed to ‘irresponsible talk’ — South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley defended her response to Tuesday's State of the Union, confirming to TODAY's Matt Lauer she was referring to Donald Trump as one of the “angriest voices” she mentioned.

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Moe Lane / RedState:

Nikki Haley's response to Donald Trump. ... And, oh, yeah, Barack Obama's State of the Union speech. — Republican South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley was tapped to give the official Republican response to the State of the Union tonight, and you will be gratified to hear that it was... good.

Discussion: Breitbart and National Review

Julia Hahn / Breitbart:
Republican Party Uses State of the Union Response to Attack Donald Trump

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Michael Quander / WREG-TV:

Employees caught doing hair in Waffle House kitchen — FORREST CITY, Ark. — A couple of Forrest City Waffle House customers said they got more than expected with their meals early Friday morning. — “He was just coughing. Cough. Cough. Making noises like that,” Antonio Robinson said.

Discussion: theGrio and FOX31 Denver

Chris Bodenner / The Atlantic:

What If Bernie Sanders Is the Democrats' Best Bet? Cont'd — In a piece from David Graham showing how close the race is between Clinton and Sanders in key polling, David notes how she is “pulling out various stops. In particular, she has spent the last few days assailing Sanders for being …

Associated Press:
Clinton Gets Nod From Former Attorney General Eric Holder

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Scott Stump / TODAY.com:
Hillary Clinton: 'I'm not nervous at all' about Sanders closing gap in polls

Discussion: Washington Post, Talking Points Memo, The Hill and Politico

New York Times:
Hillary Clinton's Lead Over Bernie Sanders Slipping in New Poll

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ABC News:

The Note: When Chelsea Attacks — Hillary Clinton this morning defended her daughter's attacks against her Democratic challenger Bernie Sanders' single-payer health care plan, despite criticism the remark was inaccurate. “You know, I adore my daughter and I know what she was saying,” …

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NBC News:
Chelsea Clinton Takes Aim at Sanders Over Health Policy

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Walt Hickey / FiveThirtyEight:

Everyone Is Freaking Out About The $1.5 Billion Powerball, And The Stats Agree — Well, this is it: the first North American lottery over $1 billion. With an advertised jackpot of $1.5 billion, and only five other Powerball lotteries11 north of a half-billion, we are far …

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ABC News:
Hillary Clinton Would Spend Powerball Money to ‘Fund My Campaign’

Discussion: The Week

Dallas Franklin / KFOR-TV:

Graphic: Two Oklahoma women arrested for horrific child abuse — MUSKOGEE, Okla. - Two Oklahoma women are accused of abusing a 5-year-old over the course of several months. — Rachel Stevens, 28, and Kayla Jones, 25, are charged with felony child abuse by injury and child neglect …

ESPN:

Rams headed back to Los Angeles; Chargers have option to join — HOUSTON — The Rams are moving back to Los Angeles — and might be doing so with company. — The San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders might end up staying where they are, but leadership of the teams didn't come close to making that commitment Tuesday night.