memeorandum: Jakarta attacks: Bombs and gunfire rock Indonesian capital (BBC)

12:15 PM ET, January 14, 2016

Top Items:

Iowa Poll: Clinton slides, leads Sanders by 2 points — Hillary Clinton has lost most of her lead over Bernie Sanders in the race to win Iowa's Democratic presidential caucuses, a new Iowa Poll shows. — Clinton, who has been the favorite all along, now leads Sanders by just 2 percentage points …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, TalkLeft, Washington Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Common Dreams, Washington Free Beacon, NBC News, Talking Points Memo, The Week, Mashable and The Moderate Voice

Brent Budowksy / The Hill:

Brent Budowsky: Why Clinton feels the burn — There is joy in the hearts of the army of small donors supporting Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for president as a growing number of polls show increasing numbers of voters feeling the Bern in Iowa, New Hampshire and nationally.

Discussion: Politico and Bloomberg.com

The Nation:

Bernie Sanders for President — With integrity and principle, the Vermont senator is calling Americans to a political revolution. — By — Senator Bernie Sanders greets supporters at a campaign rally outside the New Hampshire State House on November 5, 2015. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Salon, CNNMoney, Vox, Politico, New York Times, Washington Post, The Week and Associated Press

Mark Finkelstein / NewsBusters:
Heilemann: Chelsea's Claim Sanders Would ‘Strip Millions’ of Health Insurance a ‘Lie’

Discussion: The Resurgent and Don Surber

Margaret Talev / Bloomberg Business:
Sanders, Clinton Going Down to the Wire, Iowa Poll Shows

Discussion: Washington Post, Politico, Washington Times, Bloomberg.com, RedState, Fox News and Common Dreams

CNN:
Bernie Sanders may break health care pledge

Discussion: RedState, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, ABC News, TaxVox, Politico, Bloomberg Business and New York Times

Bernie Sanders:
Clinton Flip-Flops on Health Care

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Talking Points Memo, USA Today, Liberal Values, Politico and The Hill

MSNBC:
Hello from the other side: When 2016 reporters swapped beats

Discussion: Shakesville, Taylor Marsh, Vox and The Moderate Voice

Catherine Shoard / Guardian:

Alan Rickman, giant of British screen and stage, dies at 69 — Much-loved star of stage, TV and films including Harry Potter and Die Hard - and owner of one of the most singular voices in acting - has died in London — Alan Rickman, one of the best-loved and most warmly admired British actors …

Discussion: CNN, Mediaite, WISH-TV, USA Today, Mashable, NPR, WDTN-TV, The Week, The Verge, CBS 4 and WCDC-TV

BBC:

Alan Rickman, Harry Potter and Die Hard actor, dies aged 69 — Actor Alan Rickman, known for films including Harry Potter, Die Hard and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, has died at the age of 69, his family has said. — The star had been suffering from cancer, a statement said.

Discussion: The Reality-Based Community, Mashable, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Gizmodo, The Frisky and Jammie Wearing Fools

Katie Rogers / New York Times:
Alan Rickman, British Actor of Stage and Screen, Dies at 69

Discussion: Guardian, Gothamist, Mediaite, Towleroad and Althouse

Mike McIntire / New York Times:

Ted Cruz Didn't Disclose Loan From Goldman Sachs for His First Senate Campaign — As Ted Cruz tells it, the story of how he financed his upstart campaign for the United States Senate four years ago is an endearing example of loyalty and shared sacrifice between a married couple.

Katie Glueck / Politico:

How Ted Cruz wins debates — Wolf Blitzer didn't think Ted Cruz had sufficiently answered his question. Neither did Hugh Hewitt. Or Maria Bartiromo. Or Dana Bash. So each moderator at the last two Republican debates pressed Cruz further. — “Yes or no?” Blitzer demanded.

Discussion: Political Wire and The Week

Kevin Cirilli / Bloomberg Business:
Donald Trump Says His Political Movement Is Bigger Than Reagan's

Discussion: The Texas Tribune, Washington Post, Bloomberg View, Politico, Business Insider, New York Times, The Week, NBC News, Daily Kos, FiveThirtyEight and Hot Air

Jesse Byrnes / The Hill:

South Carolina GOP chairman: Coulter's attack on Haley ‘despicable’ — The chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party on Wednesday blasted conservative commentator Ann Coulter for suggesting his state's governor, Nikki Haley, be deported. — “First off, what Ann Coulter said is despicable …

Discussion: Vox Popoli

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

5 things to watch in tonight's GOP debate — CHARLESTON, S.C. - Establishment Republicans are bracing themselves for a circular firing squad as the 2016 GOP candidates gather here for Thursday's debate. — A cluster of contenders in a fierce competition to command the mainstream GOP lane …

Streiff / RedState:
Ted Cruz Is Breaking Through the Establishment Firewall

Discussion: Booman Tribune and New York Times

Sara Jerde / Talking Points Memo:
Nikki Haley Dismisses SOTU Response Backlash: ‘I Stand By What I Believe’

Discussion: Gawker, addictinginfo.org, Vox, Mashable, Mother Jones, USA Today and NPR

Lindsey Ellefson / Mediaite:
Limbaugh Unloads on Nikki Haley: GOP Wants to Drive Out All the Conservatives

Discussion: Steyn Online, Hot Air, ABC News, The Resurgent, BuzzFeed, Politico, USA Today and NBC News

Eliza Collins / Politico:
Nikki Haley walks back attacks on Bush and Rubio

Discussion: CNN, Shark Tank, RedState, Talking Points Memo and The Hill

Zeke J Miller / TIME:
South Carolina GOP Chair Blasts Coulter, Defends Haley

Discussion: TheBlaze.com and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Bradford Richardson / The Hill:
Haley responds to SOTU backlash by ripping Rubio, Bush

Discussion: PoliticusUSA and Right Wing Watch

John Hinderaker / Power Line:

How Badly Has the U.S. Been Humiliated? Let's Count the Ways [Updated] — Paul has offered thoughts on the release of the U.S. sailors, all of which I agree with. I want to add a few further observations. — The day began with Joe Biden touting the president's State of the Union speech on CBS.

Discussion: Commentary Magazine and Washington Post

Farsnews:
IRGC Navy Commander: Iranian Missiles Locked on US Aircraft Carrier

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Center for Security Policy, CBS News, The Last Tradition, Liberty Unyielding, The Gateway Pundit and Daily Mail

David French / National Review:
Iran's Propaganda Victory in One Illegal Image

Reuters:
Iran frees U.S. sailors with start of nuclear deal in sight

Discussion: Daily Kos, Washington Free Beacon, The Week and The Right Scoop

Kyle Cheney / Politico:

Carson campaign in turmoil as finance chair quits — Ben Carson's national finance chairman resigned Thursday amid questions about his use of campaign funds and criticism from Carson allies and donors. — Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, appointed Parker, a tech industry entrepreneur from Mobile …

Discussion: Bloomberg.com, Washington Post, The Daily Caller and The Week

Caitlin Cruz / Talking Points Memo:

Ben Carson's Finance Chair Resigns From Campaign — Dean Parker, the finance chair of retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson's presidential campaign, has resigned, according to a Thursday news release. — His resignation comes on the heels of a Politico story about the campaign's exorbitant spending …

Discussion: Politico

Susan Page / USA Today:

Paul Ryan: Obama's State of the Union ‘degrades the presidency’ — WASHINGTON — In a scathing response to President Obama's State of the Union Address, House Speaker Paul Ryan told USA TODAY on Wednesday that the speech's political tone toward Donald Trump and the Republican presidential field “degrades the presidency.”

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Washington Post, Daily Kos and Associated Press

Betsy McCaughey / New York Post:
Looming setback for public unions would be a political earthquake

Discussion: Betsy's Page

Los Angeles Times:
Obama's State of the Union pledge to push for bipartisan redistricting reform was a late add

Discussion: American Prospect, The Federalist and Chicago Tribune

BBC:

Jakarta attacks: Bombs and gunfire rock Indonesian capital — A series of explosions has rocked the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, with gun battles on the streets. — The blasts were centred around Thamrin Street, a major shopping and business district close to foreign embassies and the United Nations offices.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Truth Revolt, CNBC, The Daily Caller, Al Jazeera English and Washington Times

Fox News:
Paris-style terror attack in Jakarta leaves 5 attackers, 2 others dead

Discussion: Mashable, The Daily Caller, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, The Gateway Pundit and See it First

Joe Cochrane / New York Times:
Jakarta Attack Kills at Least 2, Indonesian Officials Say

Discussion: The Week and ATTN

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:

Huckabee: “More Readiness On My Part” To Support Trump Than Others If I Lose — “At least with him there's an authenticity.” — Justin Sullivan / Getty Images — w.soundcloud.com — Mike Huckabee says if he's not the Republican nominee, he will likely support front-runner Donald Trump before other candidates in the race.

Mark Hensch / The Hill:

Jeb: ‘Donald Trump is a jerk’ to disabled — Former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-Fla.) says that Donald Trump is “a jerk” for his past remarks toward the disabled in a new online ad released Thursday. — “I've got to get this off my chest — Donald Trump is a jerk,” the GOP presidential candidate said in the spot titled “Enough.”

Discussion: Politico, Washington Post and Hot Air

Des Moines Register:

Repeal and replace ... with what? — Every remaining Republican presidential candidate supports repealing the Affordable Care Act. Yet their ideas for replacing the law are “still works in progress,” according to a headline last week in the Wall Street Journal.