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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:
No More Mister Nice Blog, On Point with Tom Ashbrook, The Resurgent, Washington Post, Shakesville, The Week, Daily Kos and Power Line
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Evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr. endorses Trump — The move was expected, but the timing was significant as the Iowa caucuses near. — Robert Costa, Jenna Johnson - · - Post Politics - · - 4 hours ago - · — The two parties can't agree on the problems, let alone the solutions

Stay Sane America, Please! — In January of 2017 someone will stand at the U.S. Capitol and deliver an Inaugural Address. This is roughly the place where Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan once stood. I am going to spend every single day between …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly and Washington Post


CNN/ORC Poll: Donald Trump dominates GOP field at 41% — Washington (CNN)Donald Trump has hit a new high in the race for the Republican nomination, according to a new CNN/ORC Poll, with more than 4-in-10 Republican voters nationwide now saying they back the billionaire.


Trump: I'll work with Democrats — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is stressing his bona fides as a dealmaker who'd be able to enter the White House and work with congressional Democrats to hammer out agreements. — “I think I'm going to be able to get along with Pelosi …

Christian leaders balk at Falwell's Trump endorsement — Jerry Falwell Jr.'s endorsement of Donald Trump on Tuesday was swiftly met with a backlash from other Christian conservatives sounding the alarm about what they see as a dangerous candidate with questionable morals.
Discussion:
New York Times, Washington Monthly, Yahoo Politics, Political Wire and Washington Post

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.
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CBN.com, Right Wing Watch, Political Wire, Little Green Footballs, Politico, RedState, Daily Kos and The Daily Caller

Trump: Ted Cruz ‘looks like a jerk’ — For Donald Trump, in some ways, Ted Cruz “looks like a jerk.” — The heated personal rhetoric directed by Trump at Cruz cranked up another few degrees on Tuesday morning, with the Manhattan business mogul unloading on his Republican rival in back-to-back morning show interviews.
Discussion:
Shakesville, ABC News, Althouse and The Liberty Zone

Rand Paul poised to make the cut for main debate stage
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Washington Post and The Libertarian Republic

Ted Cruz's Evangelical Gamble
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Public Religion Research … and Religion News Service


As first voting nears, Trump seems stronger
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Morning Consult, Des Moines Register and Outside the Beltway

Poll: Evangelicals flocking to Trump
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Headlines & Global News, RedState, Political Wire and Hot Air

Donald Trump Says Ted Cruz Is Telling ‘Lie After Lie’
Discussion:
Politico, Political Wire, Truth Revolt, abc13.com and The Hill


Why can't Donald Trump handle Megyn Kelly? — This feud has gotten ridiculous. Republican front-runner and businessman Donald Trump is now threatening to boycott the upcoming GOP debate if host Fox News doesn't remove Megyn Kelly as a moderator. — I don't usually like the argument …
Discussion:
John Hawkins' Right Wing News, The Gateway Pundit, Hot Air and The Libertarian Republic
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Everything you need to know about the next GOP debate — When is the next Republican presidential debate? — The next Republican presidential debate is Thursday, Jan. 28, in Des Moines and is hosted by Fox News, which hosted the first GOP debate in early August.

Top Sessions aide joins Trump campaign
Discussion:
The Hill, Breitbart, Political Insider blog and The Daily Caller

Creator of anti-Planned Parenthood videos faces felony charge — A Houston grand jury that was investigating accusations of misconduct against Planned Parenthood on Monday instead indicted two anti-abortion activists who recorded covert videos of the organization's employees.
Discussion:
American Spectator, ThinkProgress, Taylor Marsh, Hot Air and Lawyers, Guns & Money
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We checked if 2,000 voters recognized the 2016 candidates' faces. Here's what we found. — Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are by far the most recognizable faces in the 2016 race, a poll conducted by Morning Consult and Vox has found. — Ninety-six percent of respondents to the online poll …
Discussion:
The Week, Politico and FishbowlDC


Rome spares Iranian president's blushes by covering nude statues — Sculptures in Capitoline Museum obscured by large white panels for Hassan Rouhani's meeting with Italian PM — Italian officials keen to spare the Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, any possible offence on his visit …
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ANSA.it, The Daily Caller, Business Insider, Mediaite, RT, Washington Free Beacon and NPR
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Italy covers up naked statues and bans wine for visit of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani
Discussion:
Jihad Watch and Pamela Geller


Police officers flee angry mob in Swedish refugee center through back door … A police patrol of 10 officers was forced to flee a refugee center in Sweden after being surrounded by a mob of violent migrants. Law enforcement officials had arrived to relocate a 10-year-old boy after reports of his repeated rape at the facility.
Discussion:
Jihad Watch, The Gateway Pundit and Pamela Geller
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Hillary Clinton Goes Back to the Dunning School — Last night Hillary Clinton was asked what president inspired her the most. She offered up Abraham Lincoln, gave a boilerplate reason why, and then said this: … Clinton, whether she knows it or not, is retelling a racist—though popular …
Discussion:
CNN, Common Dreams and Balloon Juice


Donald Trump shrugs off allegation that Vladimir Putin ‘probably approved’ assassination of ex-KGB agent — Real-estate mogul Donald Trump said in a new interview that it would be hasty to judge Vladimir Putin in the face of a British public inquiry's allegation that the Russian president …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller
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Trump: ‘Obviously’ I Was Joking About Shooting People And Not Losing Votes
Discussion:
The Week and Fox Business

Kids would rather play Xbox than make money shoveling. It's pitiful. — Snowzilla has gone, leaving behind confused snowfall estimates, regrettable junk-food decisions, an incubating October baby boom and a lingering sense of dread for many parents. — The work ethic of our kids: Where is it?
Discussion:
Mother Jones


Why D.C. Hates Ted Cruz … In the three years since he arrived in the U.S. Senate, Ted Cruz has become easily the most hated man in Washington—a fact he's now using to his advantage as a presidential candidate. But why? — Is it true, as Cruz would have it, that the dreaded GOP …
Discussion:
RedState, Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times and Politico

Human Emulation Module Upgraded In Animatronic ‘Hillarity!’ — The NY Times reports from the world of AI, or might have: — Hillary Clinton, Battling in Iowa, Turns Warm Under Pressure — By AMY CHOZICK JAN. 25, 2016 — “Turns warm”? Apparently the upgraded module requires additional power.
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Hillary Clinton, Battling in Iowa, Turns Warm Under Pressure
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Washington Examiner, Washington Free Beacon, The Week and Washington Post