memeorandum: Concord Monitor endorses John Kasich (Nick Gass/Politico)

7:30 AM ET, January 26, 2016

Top Items:

Cruz-Hating Republicans Need a Reality Check — Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. This sound aphorism may have a less pithy political corollary: Never attribute to strategy what can be explained by emotion. — Only this truth can help us understand …

Discussion: Bloomberg Business, Washington Post and Business Insider

Jonathan Martin / New York Times:

As Donald Trump and Ted Cruz Soar, G.O.P. Leaders' Exasperation Grows — DES MOINES — Republican leaders are growing alarmed by the ferocious ways the party's mainstream candidates for president are attacking one another, and they fear that time is running out for any of them to emerge …

Discussion: CNN, Althouse, Political Wire and Power Line

David Brody / blogs.cbn.com:

Brody File Video Exclusive: Ted Cruz's Plea To Iowa Pastors At Private Meeting: Stop Trump! — In video obtained exclusively by The Brody File, Ted Cruz says it's up to Iowa pastors to stop Donald Trump from winning the Iowa Caucus or the billionaire from New York will be, unstoppable.

Discussion: Politico, Political Wire and The Daily Caller

Nick Gass / Politico:

Concord Monitor endorses John Kasich — The Concord Monitor has endorsed Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a day after the Republican candidate picked up the endorsement of The Boston Globe. — “For months, each Republican candidate for president has told New Hampshire voters why he or she belongs in the White House.

Discussion: Political Wire

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:
Heidi Cruz Is Asked On The Radio If She Is “Sleeping With An Immigrant”

Discussion: Mediaite and Talking Points Memo

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
Trump: Establishment rallying behind me to stop ‘nasty’ Cruz

Discussion: Politico, CNN, The Liberty Zone, Hot Air, Washington Post and Washington Examiner

Nate Cohn / New York Times: Why a Trump Victory in Iowa Would Matter So Much

Jeremy Diamond / CNN:
Trump: Establishment is ‘against me’

Discussion: Politifact.com Truth …, Wall Street Journal, RedState and The Week

Bradford Richardson / The Hill:
Iowa GOP chairman: Cruz ethanol stance ‘a factor’ in caucuses

Discussion: Politico

Brian Rogers / Houston Chronicle:

Harris grand jury indicts pair behind Planned Parenthood videos — A Harris County grand jury probe into Planned Parenthood of the Gulf Coast ended Monday with the indictments of two anti-abortion activists. — David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt were both indicted for tampering with a governmental record.

Discussion: Raw Story, Washington Post, The Week and Daily Kos

Manny Fernandez / New York Times:

2 Abortion Foes Behind Planned Parenthood Videos Are Indicted — HOUSTON — A grand jury here that was investigating allegations of misconduct against Planned Parenthood has instead indicted two anti-abortion activists who made videos of the organization. — In a statement …

Discussion: USA Today, The Daily Signal, JustOneMinute and Mother Jones

Fox News:

Grand jury in Texas indicts activists behind Planned Parenthood videos — A grand jury in Houston investigating undercover footage of Planned Parenthood allegations of misconduct instead indicted two anti-abortion activists who made videos of the organization on Monday.

Discussion: Truth Revolt and The Last Refuge

Valerie Lawhorn / Houston Public Media:
Grand Jury Takes No Action Against Planned Parenthood In Houston, Two Videographers Indicted

Discussion: Mother Jones, The Daily Caller and NPR

Brittney Martin / Trail Blazers Blog:
Harris County grand jury indicts those behind Planned Parenthood undercover video operation

Discussion: Austin Chronicle, Off the Kuff, ThinkProgress, Star Tribune, Hullabaloo, CNN and The Stranger …

Brian Beutler / New Republic:

Is Nominating Bernie Sanders a Worthwhile Gamble? — Hillary Clinton's supporters have yet to make a persuasive case that Sanders is too great a risk. — For the better part of a year, Bernie Sanders enjoyed a polite if slightly bemused welcome from the non-radical quarters of the Democratic firmament.

Discussion: MSNBC, Common Dreams, No More Mister Nice Blog and Slantpoint

Chris Cillizza / Washington Post:

A remarkably moving thing happened at a Bernie Sanders rally today in Iowa — Bernie Sanders did a town hall event Monday morning in Iowa Falls, Iowa. He asked the crowd for testimonials about the difficulties of sustaining a life off of $12,000 a year. — What happened next is both hard to watch/listen to and important.

Discussion: Vox, Politico, Business Insider and Taylor Marsh

Yamiche Alcindor / New York Times:
Lawyer for Walter Scott Family Switches Sides to Endorse Bernie Sanders

Discussion: Greenville News, Politico, The Gateway Pundit, US News, CNN, Common Dreams, Washington Free Beacon, The Daily Caller, BostonGlobe.com and Slantpoint

Eric Bradner / CNN:
5 things to watch in the Democratic town hall

Discussion: Daily Kos

Barack Obama / Washington Post:

Why we must rethink solitary confinement — Barack Obama is president of the United States. — In 2010, a 16-year-old named Kalief Browder from the Bronx was accused of stealing a backpack. He was sent to Rikers Island to await trial, where he reportedly endured unspeakable violence …

Discussion: TalkLeft, Politico, New York Times, The Week, Raw Story, Business Insider, NPR, Mother Jones, Balkinization and NBC News

Juliet Eilperin / Washington Post:
Obama bans solitary confinement for juveniles in federal prisons

Discussion: Balloon Juice

John Amato / Crooks and Liars:

Alex Castellanos Blasts Conservative Leaders: ‘We Appeal Only To Cranky Old White Guys Like Me’ — QOTD: … The dam has broken and the Conservative pundits are drowning in the mess they've made of the GOP. The top two candidates that are leading the polls are Donald Trump and Ted Cruz …

Discussion: Hullabaloo

Dylan Byers / CNNMoney:

Donald Trump suggests he may skip Fox debate if Megyn Kelly isn't fair — Donald Trump said he would consider skipping this Thursday's Republican primary debate if he doesn't get fair treatment from Fox anchor Megyn Kelly — an apparent attempt to influence moderators at the final GOP debate before Iowa.

Discussion: Business Insider, The Right Scoop and The Week

Ed Henry / Fox News:

Video suggests Clinton shared info that ‘would never be on an unclassified system’ normally — A 2013 video, obtained exclusively by Fox News, raises fresh questions about how Hillary Clinton handled sensitive information at the State Department. — In the video, veteran diplomat Wendy Sherman reveals …

Discussion: The Daily Caller and Washington Free Beacon

Local News:

MU Interim Chancellor to hold conference regarding charges filed against MU assistant professor — Melissa Click was captured on video attempting to force reporters out of protest space — Jessica Quick, Meteorologist & Digital Content Director, jessicaq@kmiz.com — COLUMBIA, Mo. -

Discussion: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Washington Post, Washington Free Beacon, Talking Points Memo, Mediaite, The Federalist, The Daily Caller and BizPac Review, more at Mediagazer »

Jason Hancock / Kansas City Star:
MU professor Melissa Click, who called for ‘muscle’ to remove reporter, charged with assault

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Truth Revolt and Hot Air

Jeff Guo / Washington Post:

Researchers have discovered a major problem with ‘The Little Mermaid’ and other Disney movies — To modern eyes, the classic trio of Disney princess films — released in 1937, 1950, and 1959 — can seem painfully retrograde. Why are characters so obsessed with Snow White's looks?

Discussion: Mashable

James Gallagher / BBC:

Zika virus: Outbreak ‘likely to spread across Americas’ says WHO — The Zika virus is likely to spread across nearly all of the Americas, the World Health Organization has warned. — The infection, which causes symptoms including mild fever, conjunctivitis and headache …

Discussion: WREG-TV, The Week and Shakesville