memeorandum: The Note: Democratic Debate Speed Read (Michael Falcone/ABC News)

9:05 AM ET, January 19, 2016

Top Items:

Molly Ball / The Atlantic:

The Religious Right's Donald Trump Dilemma — There were many unbelievable moments over the course of Donald Trump's speech on Monday at Liberty University, the evangelical college founded by the late Jerry Falwell. — There was his citation of the Bible: “Two Corinthians 3-17, that's the whole ball game. ...

Discussion: New York Times, Mother Jones, CANNONFIRE and Mediaite

Jordain Carney / The Hill:

Trump: Christianity ‘under siege’ — GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump touted his faith at Liberty University on Monday, telling the conservative college that Christians have to ban together because their religion “is under siege.” — “We're going to protect Christianity,” he said.

Discussion: TIME

Blake Hounshell / Politico:

Trump bungles Bible reference at Liberty University — Donald Trump, speaking to a religious crowd at Virginia's Liberty University on Monday, turned to Scripture. — “We're going to protect Christianity. I can say that. I don't have to be politically correct,” he said.

Discussion: TIME, addictinginfo.org and Washington Monthly

Jon Ward / Yahoo Politics:
At Liberty University, Donald Trump again stumbles when discussing religion

Discussion: Hot Air and Steve Deace

Jeremy Diamond / CNN:
Donald Trump takes Liberty, courts Christian crowd

Discussion: NPR and Washington Post

Ben Schreckinger / Politico:

How Donald Trump defeats Hillary Clinton — If Donald Trump becomes the next president of the United States, there will be plenty of surprises along the way. One of the biggest will be the help he gets from black voters. — According to Republican pollsters and Trump's allies …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Associated Press, New York Times, CNN, Mashable and Bloomberg Business

Gerald F. Seib / Wall Street Journal:

Election 2016: The Search for Simple Answers to Complex Problems — Some presidential candidates are offering uncomplicated policy proposals aimed at their parties' core voters — Two debates held in recent days, one among Republicans and the other among Democrats, revealed a stark reality …

Discussion: Washington Post

David Brooks / New York Times:
Time for a Republican Conspiracy!

Discussion: FiveThirtyEight, The Week, Daily Kos and Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times

Molly Ball / The Atlantic:
Portrait of a Party on the Verge of Coming Apart

Discussion: Online Library …, DownWithTyranny!, Princeton Election Consortium and FOX News Radio

Michael Falcone / ABC News:
The Note: Democratic Debate Speed Read

Discussion: Bloomberg Business, Politico, BarbWire.com, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Hot Air and RedState

Caleb Howe / RedState:

Documents Show Donald Trump's New York Values Do NOT Include Giving To 9/11 Charities — Donald Trump has been talking (and tweeting) about 9/11 an awful lot lately, mostly in response to a relentlessly scrutinized comment that Ted Cruz made about “New York values.”

Discussion: Raw Story and Mediaite

Jordain Carney / The Hill:

Cruz blasts Trump's ties to Democrats — Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) blasted 2016 rival Donald Trump on Monday, questioning his ties to Democrats and previous support for liberal positions as the two battle for the top spot in Iowa. — “If he's giving checks to Democratic politicians …

Discussion: Politico, Fox News and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Eli Stokols / Politico: In Iowa, it's down to Trump and Cruz

Laura Hughes / Telegraph:
Donald Trump branded a ‘buffoon, demagogue and wazzock’ by MPs - but Republican ignores UK ban debate

Discussion: addictinginfo.org, RedState and Hullabaloo

Zeke J Miller / TIME:
Exclusive: Chris Christie Calls Ted Cruz ‘Asinine’ For New York Values Smear

Discussion: CBN.com, Washington Post, Hot Air, The Moderate Voice, Talking Points Memo, Patterico's Pontifications, The Daily Caller, National Review and BuzzFeed

Mary Papenfuss / International Business Times:
US: Legendary musician Carlos Santana calls Donald Trump “an angry ape”

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Mediaite, Raw Story and addictinginfo.org

TMZ.com:

Glenn Frey — Eagles Guitarist Dead At 67 — EAGLES GUITARIST DEAD AT 67 — EXCLUSIVE — Glenn Frey, co-founder and guitarist for the Eagles, has died ... TMZ has learned. — We're told the cause of death was a combination of complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis, and pneumonia.

Discussion: EW.com, Instapundit, AMERICAN DIGEST, Mashable, WREG-TV and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Eagles:

It Is With The Heaviest of Hearts That We Announce... ...the passing of our comrade, Eagles founder, Glenn Frey, in New York City on Monday, January 18th, 2016. — Glenn fought a courageous battle for the past several weeks but, sadly, succumbed to complications from Rheumatoid Arthritis, Acute Ulcerative Colitis and Pneumonia.

Discussion: BBC, Taylor Marsh, Boing Boing, USA Today, TalkLeft, Outside the Beltway, CBS San FranciscoCBS … and Mashable

New York Times:

Film Shows Clinton Aide's Own Struggle With Anthony Weiner Scandal — In May 2013, Huma Abedin and Anthony D. Weiner allowed filmmakers full access to his mayoral campaign with the hopes that the end result would document a spectacular political comeback, with Mr. Weiner being sworn in as mayor …

Discussion: The Week

Chuck Ross / The Daily Caller:
EXCLUSIVE: Clinton Aides Resisted State Department Suggestion That Clinton Use State.gov Account

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Hot Air and BizPac Review

Hadas Gold / Politico:

RNC replaces NBC with CNN for February debate — The Republican National Committee officially severed ties on Monday with NBC for what was supposed to be a Feb. 26 Republican primary debate in Houston. Instead, CNN will host the debate in Houston on Thursday, Feb. 25, five days before Super Tuesday.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Hot Air, RedState, The Resurgent and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »

Matthew Boyle / Breitbart:
Exclusive — RNC Officially Severs Ties With NBC News For Upcoming GOP Debate

Discussion: BizPac Review, New York Times and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Mara H. Gottfried / TwinCities.com:

St. Paul cop allegedly urged drivers to hit Black Lives Matter protesters — St. Paul police have placed a sergeant on leave as they investigate a report that he posted on Facebook, “Run them over,” in response to an article about a Black Lives Matter protest, which blocked traffic Monday.

Discussion: Raw Story and Slantpoint

Benjamin Ginsberg / Politico:

Why the GOP Primary Could Be Even Crazier Than You Think — Welcome to a 2016 Republican presidential primary unlike any other. A crowded field, angry electorate and uncharacteristically divided establishment, not to mention the wild-card role of super PACs, have already made this nominating contest …

Peter Baker / New York Times:

Detention of Jason Rezaian's Family Nearly Scuttled Iran Prisoner Swap — WASHINGTON — The Iranian authorities held the wife and mother of the journalist Jason Rezaian without telephones for hours in a separate room at a Tehran airport on Sunday before finally agreeing under American pressure …

Discussion: Hot Air, The Week and New York Times, more at Mediagazer »

Washington Post:
Freed Americans reunited with their families

Discussion: NBC News and FishbowlDC, more at Mediagazer »

Robert O'Harrow Jr / Washington Post:

Trump's bad bet: How too much debt drove his biggest casino aground — For months in 1987, Donald Trump maneuvered to take control of the hulking, unfinished Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City. He snapped up stock in the parent company after its owner died and then made a surprise bid to take the company private.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Mediaite

Nancy A. Youssef / The Daily Beast:

Exclusive: Pentagon May Demote David Petraeus — The defense secretary is looking to clamp down on misbehaving generals. Pentagon insiders say Petraeus could be the next general to face the consequences. — The Pentagon is considering retroactively demoting retired Gen. David Petraeus …

Discussion: Instapundit and The Daily Caller