memeorandum: The Humiliation — There's no point pretending the illegal seizure … (Mark Steyn/Steyn Online)

9:40 AM ET, January 15, 2016

Top Items:

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: Politico, New York Times, Associated Press, 6abc.com, Taylor Marsh and Bloomberg Business

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: Outside the Beltway, Washington Post, Florida Politics, Business Insider, Bloomberg Business, Political Wire, The Last Refuge, The Resurgent, Vox and American Power

Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:

Have Republicans Given Up on Fighting Donald Trump? — A strange defeatism takes hold on the debate stage. … Months ago, during the Summer of Trump, Republicans looked at the appearance of this gross, comic, orange interloper among them with a mix of shock and disdain.

Discussion: Washington Post, No More Mister Nice Blog and Vox

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: The Federalist, New York Times, PolitiFact, Vox and Bloomberg.com

Kyle Cheney / Politico:

The 12 biggest moments of the GOP debate — A smaller cast featured harder hits Thursday, as seven top-polling Republican presidential candidates sought to leave a lasting impression with 18 days until voting begins in Iowa. Here are the most memorable moments: — 1. Citizenship melee

Discussion: Dallas Morning News, Vanity Fair, New York Times, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, ABC News, Bloomberg View, Bloomberg.com and The Gateway Pundit

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

Exclusive: RNC member urges party to rally against Trump — CHARLESTON, S.C. — A Republican National Committeeman delivered a call-to-arms aimed at Donald Trump during a closed-door GOP meeting on Thursday, urging his colleagues to take a forceful stand against those who he said were destroying the party's brand.

Discussion: Mediaite

MJ Lee / CNN:
GOP debate: Trump-Cruz ‘bromance’ is over

Discussion: The Other McCain, Shark Tank, Yahoo Politics, National Review, Washington Post, Daily Kos, The Week, KFOR-TV and New York Times

Marlow Stern / The Daily Beast:
Bill Maher: We Must Stop ‘Evil’ Ted Cruz Before It's Too Late

Discussion: Raw Story, Yahoo Politics, New York Times, Hunter Walker, The Week, Vox, Washington Post, Mediaite and The Resurgent

Bloomberg Business:
Cruz's ‘Natural-Born Citizen’ Status Tested in Birther Suit

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and The Last Refuge

Mike Lupica / New York Daily News:
Lupica: There's just no ‘value’ to Ted Cruz and his criticism to ‘New York values’

Discussion: Washington Post, Business Insider and The Resurgent

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

Discussion: 6abc.com, Yahoo Politics and Mediaite

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

Discussion: Yahoo Politics, Bloomberg.com and Mashable

Bloomberg Business:
Trump and Cruz Fiercely Clash in Opening of Republican Debate

Discussion: Politico, NPR, New York Sun, Hot Air, New York Post, Bloomberg View and RedState

Frank Newport / Gallup:
Trump's Image Among Democrats, Independents Most Negative of Any GOP Candidate

Discussion: Political Wire and Politico

Peter Wehner / New York Times:
Why I Will Never Vote for Donald Trump

Discussion: Washington Post, 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 and The Hill

RedState:
Yes, Ted Cruz Did Disclose That Loan, the New York Times Just Didn't Report It

Discussion: Vox, Raw Story, Washington Post, WPRI-TV, New York Times and Townhall.com

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

Discussion: Political Wire, Althouse, The Week, New York Times, NBC News and Politico

Ben White / Politico:

Bush donors await green light to jump ship — When Jeb Bush announced a record fundraising haul in July, the Florida Republican rewarded major donors with a two-day celebratory retreat at the family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine. They also delivered a message: $114 million was just the beginning …

Discussion: RedState

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

Lindsey Graham to endorse Jeb Bush for president — CHARLESTON, S.C. — Sen. Lindsey Graham will endorse former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush for president, according to two sources familiar with the plans, and the two are slated to appear together in North Charleston Friday morning for the announcement.

Discussion: Business Insider and Daily Kos

Associated Press:

Trump-Cruz Rivalry Intensifies in Rollicking GOP Debate — The rivalry between the Republican Party's two leading candidates for president intensified in Thursday's debate, which featured the most rollicking action to date. — Yet rising tensions between billionaire businessman Donald Trump …

Discussion: Political Wire, ABC News and 6abc.com

Caitlin MacNeal / Talking Points Memo:
Bush Brings Up Black-On-Black Crime When Asked About Police Shootings

Discussion: Hullabaloo, Mediaite and Cult of Mac

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

Mark Hensch / The Hill:
Rand Paul: GOP is turning into 'the old white man's party'

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

Tampa Bay Times:
Marco Rubio seeks to dismiss court challenge to his eligibility to be president

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

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

Discussion: PoliticusUSA, Business Insider, ABC News, AOL, RedState and Mediaite

Fox Business:
Fox Business Network GOP Debates

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

KHON2:

Marine Corps helicopters collide off Haleiwa; search on for survivors — EDITOR'S NOTE: This post is preliminary and items may change as more information becomes available. — (CNN/KHON2) — Two U.S. Marine Corps CH-53 helicopters collided off the North Shore of Oahu late Thursday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Discussion: Washington Post and WATE-TV

Kelly Stevenson / ABC News:

2 Military Choppers Collide in Hawaii

Discussion: Washington Free Beacon

Los Angeles Times:

Search is on for mysterious Powerball winner — Powerball players return to Chino Hills 7-Eleven, where one person purchased one of three winning Powerball tickets. — The search was on Thursday for the winner of the record Powerball jackpot, which was purchased in Chino Hills.

Discussion: Slantpoint, Daily Mail, KRQE-TV, KRON4.com, WBAY-TV and WISH-TV

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, Towleroad, Washington Post, Washington Blade, Human Rights Campaign, Religion News Service, NewBostonPost, NPR, New York Times, National Review, Vox Popoli and his vorpal sword

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.