memeorandum: From Tesla, a New Car Smell That Vegans Can Get Behind (Diane Cardwell/New York Times)

5:25 AM ET, January 15, 2016

Top Items:

Mark Murray / NBC News:

Trump More Than Doubles National Lead in NBC/WSJ Poll — CHARLESTON, S.C. — Donald Trump has more than doubled his national lead in the Republican presidential race ahead of Thursday night's GOP debate here, according to the results from a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

Discussion: Bloomberg Business, Political Wire, Business Insider, The Last Refuge, Vox, The Resurgent and American Power

Tampa Bay Times:

Marco Rubio seeks to dismiss court challenge to his eligibility to be president — Donald Trump in Pensacola on Wednesday night continued to question Canadian-born Ted Cruz's eligibility to be president, wondering if Cruz were to win the nomination and a court ruled against him, “What do you do?

Discussion: addictinginfo.org, Daily Mail, Talking Points Memo, Daily Kos and The Bob and Chez Show

Rick Klein / ABC News:

ANALYSIS: Republican Debate Shows What Donald Trump Has Already Won — Donald Trump may yet lose the Republican presidential nomination, and Thursday night's debate offered hints of the fights that could make that possible. — But the first GOP debate of 2016 revealed the extent to which Trump has already won.

Discussion: Bloomberg Business, Politico, 6abc.com and Taylor Marsh

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:

Glenn Beck Confronts Rand Paul For Questioning Cruz's Eligibility In Brutal Interview — “If you're not a constitutional scholar, if you're not a constitutional expert, then what the hell are we voting for you for,” Beck said to Paul. — Alex Wong / Getty Images — w.soundcloud.com

Discussion: The Resurgent

Marlow Stern / The Daily Beast:

Bill Maher: We Must Stop ‘Evil’ Ted Cruz Before It's Too Late — The host of HBO's Real Time, which returns Friday, on why he's scared of Cruz, and the ‘underage hookers’ scandal that could sink Hillary Clinton's campaign. — For the past month and change, there's been a void …

Discussion: Washington Post, Mediaite, New York Times, Vox, The Week, The Resurgent, Power Line, Raw Story, NPR and Christian Science Monitor

Mark Hensch / The Hill:

Rand Paul: GOP is turning into 'the old white man's party' — Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) says the GOP is at risk of turning into “the old white man's party.” — “I think it's important that the Republican Party not be seen as a party that's not welcoming and that [doesn't] want new people,” …

Discussion: Washington Post, ABC News, Yahoo Politics, The Bob and Chez Show and NPR

Bloomberg Business:

Trump and Cruz Fiercely Clash in Opening of Republican Debate — Less than three weeks before the first ballots are cast in the 2016 presidential debate, the stakes are high for Donald Trump and everyone trying to catch him. — michaelcbender — mikenizza

Discussion: WHTM-TV, New York Sun, Politico, New York Post, Hot Air, Bloomberg View and RedState

Politico:

The POLITICO Wrongometer — POLITICO's analysis of where the Republican field stretched the truth, steered around some inconvenient facts, or just plain got it wrong. — Rubio's dubious claims about how ISIS infiltrates our borders — The Florida senator warned that ISIS is recruiting doctors …

Discussion: Vox, Bloomberg.com, PolitiFact, New York Times and Townhall.com

Peter Wehner / New York Times:

Why I Will Never Vote for Donald Trump — Beginning with Ronald Reagan, I have voted Republican in every presidential election since I first became eligible to vote in 1980. I worked in the Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations and in the White House for George W. Bush as a speechwriter and adviser.

Discussion: Bloomberg Business, The Moderate Voice and EPIC JOURNEY

Katie Glueck / Politico:
Cruz slams New York Times ‘hit’ on undisclosed bank loans

Discussion: Bloomberg Business, Bloomberg.com, The Hill and The Gateway Pundit

Daniel Strauss / Politico:
Cruz explains what he meant by Trump's ‘New York values’

Discussion: Bloomberg.com, Yahoo Politics and Mashable

Kyle Cheney / Politico:
The 12 biggest moments of the GOP debate

Discussion: Vanity Fair, ABC News, Bloomberg View, Bloomberg.com and CNN

Fox Business:
Fox Business Network GOP Debates

Discussion: The Last Refuge, Balloon Juice and fox13now.com

Alex Isenstadt / Politico: Exclusive: RNC member urges party to rally against Trump

Dylan Byers / CNN:
Paul's plan: Ditch debate, get more media

Discussion: Business Insider, AOL, RedState and Mediaite

Jenna Johnson / Washington Post:
Running second makes Cruz everyone's target at GOP debate

Discussion: New York Times, NBC News and Politico

Primates 2016:

Statement from Primates 2016 — Today the Primates agreed how they would walk together in the grace and love of Christ. This agreement acknowledges the significant distance that remains but confirms their unanimous commitment to walk together. — The Primates regret that it appears …

Discussion: Episcopal News Service, NewBostonPost, Washington Blade, Religion News Service, Human Rights Campaign, NPR, New York Times, National Review, Washington Post and his vorpal sword

Ethan Chiel / Fusion:

A bunch of kids performed a Donald Trump theme song and, oh my god, just watch — On Wednesday night a group called the Freedom Kids performed for a Donald Trump rally in Pensacola, Florida. Here's a video of their performance, uploaded to YouTube by a FOX affiliate in Phoenix: — A sample lyric:

Discussion: Business Insider, Gothamist, VICE, Gizmodo, Mother Jones, Mashable, Common Dreams and NBC News

Paola Chavez / ABC News:
The New Donald Trump Anthem You Have to Hear

Discussion: 6abc.com, Yahoo Politics and Mediaite

Philip Bump / Washington Post:

Hillary Clinton's national lead is slipping faster in 2016 than it did in 2008 — In 2008, Hillary Clinton saddled up for the Kentucky Derby on a thoroughbred that was a sure thing. Her campaign was the finest colt in Kentucky, at odds that barely made it worth betting on her.

Discussion: The Hill, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Daily Caller, RedState, Allen B. West, National Review, Washington Free Beacon, Hot Air and The Fiscal Times

Diane Cardwell / New York Times:

From Tesla, a New Car Smell That Vegans Can Get Behind — For the eco-conscious car buyer, Tesla's luxury electric vehicles, with their neck-snapping acceleration, are proof that performance doesn't have to be sacrificed at the altar of saving the environment. — But for some discerning consumers, there is a nagging problem.

Discussion: The Verge, Mashable, Business Insider and EcoWatch

Sarah Ferris / The Hill:

Planned Parenthood sues over undercover abortion videos — Planned Parenthood on Thursday filed a long-awaited federal lawsuit against the anti-abortion activists who have targeted the group with undercover videos for the last year. — The formal complaint marks the first time that Planned Parenthood …

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, New York Times, Peacock Panache, Washington Post, ThinkProgress, The Daily Caller, Mashable, Washington Free Beacon, Talking Points Memo, RedState and The Week

Dan Vergano / BuzzFeed:
Planned Parenthood Is Suing Undercover Video Anti-Abortion Group

Discussion: The Center for Medical …, LifeNews.com, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Mediaite, Mother Jones and San Antonio Current

Washington Post:

6th Republican debate transcript, annotated: Who said what and what it meant — Seven candidates participated in Thursday's 2016 presidential debate in North Charleston, S.C.: Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), former Florida governor Jeb Bush, Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.) …

Discussion: Informed Comment, Slantpoint, Mother Jones and The Week

Christopher Massie / BuzzFeed:

Wisconsin Senator Calls Nikki Haley An Immigrant (She's Not) — “And Governor Haley is an immigrant. She has powerful stories of being an immigrant,” said Sen. Ron Johnson of Nikki Haley, who was born in South Carolina. — youtube.com — Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson inaccurately described South Carolina …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Politico

Caitlin MacNeal / Talking Points Memo:

Bush Brings Up Black-On-Black Crime When Asked About Police Shootings — When asked about the federal government's role in addressing tension between the police and minority communities during a meeting with the Des Moines Register editorial board on Wednesday, Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush brought up black-on-black shooting rates.

Discussion: Hullabaloo, Mediaite, Cult of Mac and Gizmodo

Bloomberg.com:

Fiorina Takes Jab at Hillary Clinton in GOP ‘Undercard’ Debate — Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina goes after Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on issues including the 2012 Benghazi attack. In Fox Business Network-hosted GOP presidential debate, candidate, Fiorina criticizes …

Discussion: Politico and Yahoo Politics

Mark Hensch / The Hill:

Allen West: Sailors should have fought Iran — Former Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) is criticizing the 10 American sailors detained by the Iranian military, saying they should have resisted arrest. — “The result of two U.S. Navy vessels being boarded and seized by an enemy …