Top Items:
Philip Rucker / Washington Post:
Republicans now see a Trump-Cruz race, with time for a shift running out — As the presidential primary moves into a more urgent and combative phase, there is growing acceptance among Republicans, including the Washington and financial elite, that Donald Trump and Ted Cruz are the two candidates …
Discussion:
RedState, The Resurgent, Political Wire and Politico
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David Atkins / Washington Monthly:
Why We Should Celebrate The Trump-Cruz Ascendancy — As we enter the third week of January—just two short weeks away from the Iowa caucuses—it is beginning to dawn even on the most stolid political media figures that Donald Trump is the likeliest bet to win the Republican presidential nomination.
Discussion:
Booman Tribune, New York Times and Hot Air
Will Rahn / The Daily Beast:
Face It: It's a Two-Man Race for the GOP Nomination Now — Let's stop pretending. Rubio ain't happening. The other establishmentarians? Feh. It's Trump vs. Cruz. — You know the story about Richard Nixon and Pauline Kael? Here's the gist: Kael, The New Yorker's film critic …
Discussion:
BarbWire.com, Rush Limbaugh and Wall Street Journal
Mike McIntire / New York Times:
Ted Cruz Failed to Report a Second Campaign Loan in 2012 — The Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz, already facing scrutiny for not disclosing a Goldman Sachs loan he used for his 2012 Senate campaign, also failed to disclose a second loan, from Citibank, for the same race …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Guardian, The Last Refuge, Politico, Dealbreaker, Raw Story, The Intercept and Washington Post
Ben Schreckinger / Politico:
Cruz plotting new attacks on Trump
Cruz plotting new attacks on Trump
Discussion:
Raw Story, New York Times, Guardian, New Yorker, Hunter Walker, BuzzFeed, Washington Post, FiveThirtyEight, Hot Air, Vox, CNN, The Right Scoop, NBC News, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, US News, USA Today and Mother Jones
John Podhoretz / New York Post:
Rubio's last-minute theatrics make it a three-man GOP race
Rubio's last-minute theatrics make it a three-man GOP race
Discussion:
Fox News, Townhall.com, Weekly Standard, Marco Rubio, Betsy's Page, American Spectator, The Resurgent, National Review and New York Times
Jeremy W. Peters / New York Times:
Republicans Intensify Attacks After a Pitched Debate
Republicans Intensify Attacks After a Pitched Debate
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Talking Points Memo, Los Angeles Times and Daily Mail
Farsnews:
UPDATES: Jason Rezaian and 3 Other US Inmates Freed by Iran — TEHRAN (FNA)- 4 Iranian-American nationals who were held for various charges in Iran have been freed under a prisoners swap deal, Tehran's prosecutor announced Saturday afternoon. — “Based on an approval of the Supreme National …
Discussion:
RedState, Townhall.com, New York Times, Business Insider, The Iran Primer, The Gateway Pundit, The Iran Project, WOOD-TV and The Week
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Carol Morello / Washington Post:
Post reporter Jason Rezaian and others to be freed in prisoner swap, according to Iranian media — VIENNA — Iran has released four imprisoned U.S. citizens, including Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, as part of a swap, the office of Tehran's prosecutor announced Saturday, according to Iranian news media.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Associated Press, Refinery29, Weasel Zippers, NBC News, The Right Scoop and Daily Kos, more at Mediagazer »
Washington Post:
Iran to free Post correspondent Jason Rezaian, 3 others, Iranian reports say — VIENNA — Iran will release Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian and three other detained Iranian Americans on Saturday in exchange for seven people imprisoned or charged in the United States …
Discussion:
Fox News, John Hawkins' Right Wing News and Religion News Service
Saeed Kamali Dehghan / Guardian:
Iran releases Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian in prisoner swap with US — Reporter held for more than a year is freed on day nuclear deal set to be implemented, along with three other dual nationals — Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post journalist imprisoned in Iran for more than a year …
CNN:
CNN Exclusive: Email may derail case against Bill Cosby — Email outlined details of an apparent agreement between DA and Bill Cosby's lawyers reached in 2005 over a deposition — In July 2015 a judge unsealed Cosby's deposition given in a civil case, one of his lawyers says he gave it with a guarantee
Discussion:
Mediaite, Weasel Zippers and Raw Story
John Hinderaker / Power Line:
Obama's Iran Policy, Explained — Many, including us, have criticized John Kerry and other members of the Obama administration for praising effusively Iran's treatment of captured U.S. sailors. We and many others have pointed out that, far from meriting praise and thanks …
Discussion:
US Department of State
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Les Zaitz / Oregonian:
Protester arrested in Burns, accused of driving stolen refuge vehicle — UPDATE: Protester ordered not to occupy federal property as condition of his release from federal charges now pending in Medford. — BURNS - Oregon State Police on Friday arrested one of the protesters occupying …
Discussion:
Guardian, The Week, Talking Points Memo, Balloon Juice and Raw Story
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Judd Legum / ThinkProgress:
First Member Of Bundy Militia Arrested
First Member Of Bundy Militia Arrested
Discussion:
Salon and addictinginfo.org
Lauren Fox / Talking Points Memo:
First Militiaman Arrested In Connection With Oregon Standoff
First Militiaman Arrested In Connection With Oregon Standoff
Discussion:
Raw Story
Bradford Richardson / The Hill:
Obama unveils plan to reform unemployment insurance — President Obama on Saturday unveiled an unemployment insurance plan that he says will provide stability and opportunity to workers in a rapidly changing economy. — The president's three-pronged plan includes wage insurance of up to $10,000 …
Discussion:
The Week
Skschust / CBS New YorkCBS New York:
Amid Heat Over ‘New York Values’ Comment, Ted Cruz Slams Cuomo, De Blasio — NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Amid heat from both sides of the aisle following his comments about “New York values” during Thursday night's Republican presidential debate. Ted Cruz issued an apology - but not for his remarks.
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Todd J. Gillman / Trail Blazers Blog:
Cruz sorry/not sorry for ‘New York values’ barb
Cruz sorry/not sorry for ‘New York values’ barb
Discussion:
Mediaite, New York Times, Patterico's Pontifications, Hot Air and Instapundit
Rosie Gray / BuzzFeed:
Cruz Apologizes To New Yorkers — For Their Liberal Politicians
Cruz Apologizes To New Yorkers — For Their Liberal Politicians
Discussion:
CBS New YorkCBS New York and Business Insider
CNN:
Burkina Faso terror: Security forces raid besieged hotel, free 63 hostages — (CNN)Security forces raided a besieged hotel in Burkina Faso and freed 63 hostages early Saturday — hours after terrorists struck under the cover of darkness. — Of those, 33 have been hospitalized, Alpha Barry …
Discussion:
Pamela Geller, Mashable, WGN-TV and Walid Shoebat
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Will Weissert / Associated Press:
Cruz's story of White House rejection leaves out job offer — AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Ted Cruz has said that after working on George W. Bush's 2000 campaign, being passed over for a senior position with the new administration was “a crushing blow.” Turns out, it was his own choice.
Discussion:
Politico
Jonah Bennett / The Daily Caller:
Anti-Pedophilia Bill Rejected In Pakistan As ‘Anti-Islamic’ — A bid to ban child marriage in Pakistan utterly failed, after the Council of Islamic Ideology declared the legislation “anti-Islamic” and “blasphemous.” — The bill didn't even move past the first stage in the legislative process, The Express Tribune reports.
Discussion:
Washington Post and Instapundit
Annalee Newitz / Ars Technica:
How Twitter quietly banned hate speech last year — Company now emphasizes safety and free expression rather than lack of censorship. — Seven years ago, Twitter began its rise to prominence by billing itself as a space where people could speak freely because nobody was censored.
Discussion:
Vox Popoli