Top Items:
Washington Post:
Trump will ‘definitely not’ participate in Fox debate, campaign says — MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump says he will not attend a debate scheduled for Thursday night in Des Moines, an unexpected twist just days before voters here launch the election process.
Discussion:
BuzzFeed, RedState, The Daily Caller, The Week, The Gateway Pundit, The Last Tradition and CNNMoney
RELATED:
Callum Borchers / Washington Post:
Fox News head lets Trump walk, keeps Megyn Kelly as debate moderator — This post has been updated with Trump's decision to sit out Thursday's debat. — Eventually the boy who cried “wolf” saw a wolf, right? Well, The Donald who cried “boycott” is finally actually boycotting a debate. For real.
Discussion:
Patterico's Pontifications, The Lid, The Stranger …, Hot Air, Doug Ross, The Week and The Daily Caller
Itay Hod / The Wrap:
Fox News Is Straight Up Clowning Donald Trump Now — The feud between the cable channel and the GOP frontrunner is taking an unexpected, utterly trolling turn — Fox News has responded to Donald Trump's most recent social foray, and boy is it a doozy. — Fox News just released a statement …
Discussion:
Mediaite, The Gateway Pundit and The Last Refuge
Eliza Collins / Politico:
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:
ABC News, New York Times, National Review, Washington Monthly, Raw Story, Hot Air, Washington Post and RedState
Brian Stelter / CNNMoney:
Donald Trump polls fans: ‘Should I do the GOP debate?’ — Donald Trump is asking his fans: “Should I do the GOP debate?” — With two days to go until Fox News' Republican primary debate in Iowa, Trump is taking a poll on his Twitter page. The respondents are evenly split, with half saying he should skip the event.
Philip Rucker / Washington Post:
Trump says he won't participate in GOP debate on Fox News — MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump abruptly announced here Tuesday that he would not participate in Thursday's scheduled debate, escalating his off-and-on feud with the Fox News Channel and throwing the GOP campaign into turmoil.
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money and Althouse
Robert Costa / Washington Post:
Evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr. endorses Trump
Evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr. endorses Trump
Discussion:
CNN, Oklahoma Wesleyan University, No More Mister Nice Blog, Headlines & Global News, Slate, New York Times, Talking Points Memo, National Review, US News, Mediaite, The Frisky, RedState, Political Insider blog, ThinkProgress, The Hill, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Hot Air, Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times, Business Insider, The Week and Politico
Associated Press:
The Latest: Cruz challenge Trump to debate ‘mano y mano’
The Latest: Cruz challenge Trump to debate ‘mano y mano’
Discussion:
JustOneMinute and BuzzFeed
Katie Zezima / Washington Post:
Ted Cruz challenges Donald Trump to a ‘mano a mano’ debate
Ted Cruz challenges Donald Trump to a ‘mano a mano’ debate
Discussion:
Political Wire
Des Moines Register:
Trump takes aim at Bob Vander Plaats
Trump takes aim at Bob Vander Plaats
Discussion:
BuzzFeed, The Resurgent, RedState and The Right Scoop
New York Times:
Donald Trump's Campaign Says He'll Skip Debate
Donald Trump's Campaign Says He'll Skip Debate
Discussion:
Fox News, Mediaite, Political Insider blog, The Verge, Business Insider, The Week, Mashable and Vox
Nick Gass / Politico:
Sen. Sasse heading to Iowa to campaign against Trump
Sen. Sasse heading to Iowa to campaign against Trump
Discussion:
RedState and Politics Informer
David Brody / CBN.com:
Brody File Video Exclusive: Ted Cruz's Plea To Iowa Pastors At Private Meeting: Stop Trump!
Brody File Video Exclusive: Ted Cruz's Plea To Iowa Pastors At Private Meeting: Stop Trump!
Discussion:
New York Times, Right Wing Watch, Politico, RedState, Mediaite, Political Wire, Little Green Footballs, Washington Post, The Daily Caller and Daily Kos
Ashe Schow / Washington Examiner:
Why can't Donald Trump handle Megyn Kelly?
Why can't Donald Trump handle Megyn Kelly?
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, The Gateway Pundit and New York Magazine
Maggie Haberman / New York Times:
Sheriff Joe Arpaio to Endorse Donald Trump in Iowa
Sheriff Joe Arpaio to Endorse Donald Trump in Iowa
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, Little Green Footballs, Talking Points Memo and Right Wing Watch
Noah Weiland / Politico:
Everything you need to know about the next GOP debate
Everything you need to know about the next GOP debate
Discussion:
Yahoo Politics, ABC News and Mediaite
KATU-TV:
Leader of Oregon occupation Ammon Bundy, three others arrested — KATU News has learned the leader of the armed occupation at Malheur Wildlife Refuge - Ammon Bundy - has been arrested, along with three other individuals Tuesday evening. — Sources tell KATU News there was some sort …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Business Insider, The Reality-Based Community, Balloon Juice, Mediaite, Daily Kos, Raw Story and Oregonian
RELATED:
Dana Ford / CNN:
Oregon protest leader Ammon Bundy is arrested, says source — (CNN)Federal authorities arrested Ammon Bundy, the leader of a group of protesters occupying a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon, during a traffic stop Tuesday, a law enforcement official told CNN. — Up to eight of Bundy's followers were detained, the source said.
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Week, Washington Times, Outside the Beltway and The Truth About Guns
OPB:
Militants Fail To Appear In John Day, Police Activity Ongoing — UPDATE (6:03 pm): A member of the occupation said he could not confirm rumors that Ammon Bundy had been involved in a confrontation north of Burns, Oregon. — “Ammon had a meeting in John Day. Somewhere along 395 there was a shooting.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, ThinkProgress and Raw Story
Rebecca Woolington / Oregonian:
Pete Santilli: Militants supporter says Ammon Bundy in custody — Two people have been shot and Ammon Bundy is in custody, according to a YouTube live stream report by Pete Santilli, who was speaking outside a hospital in Burns. — Santilli, a self-styled journalist …
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, Raw Story and RT
KOIN-TV:
Bundy brothers among 7 arrested, 1 dead near Malheur — BURNS, Ore. (KOIN) — One person is dead and 6 people arrested — including militia leaders Ammon and Ryan Bundy — after the FBI and the Oregon State Police intercepted the group along Highway 395. — Shots were fired after FBI agents …
Discussion:
WCDC-TV, WIAT-TV, Mashable, Raw Story and Associated Press
RT:
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:
The Gateway Pundit, Jihad Watch and Pamela Geller
RELATED:
David Smith / Guardian:
Robert Gates: Republicans' grasp of national security is at a child's level — Former defense secretary condemns media for failing to challenge presidential candidates on promises he believes are unaffordable, illegal or unconstitutional — Robert Gates, a Republican stalwart …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
Talking Points Memo:
MSNBC, NH Union-Leader To Host Unsanctioned Democratic Debate — MSNBC and the New Hampshire Union-Leader will host an unsanctioned Democratic presidential debate just days before the state's first-in-the-nation primary, the newspaper confirmed Tuesday. — “Meet the Press” …
RELATED:
UnionLeader.com:
Union Leader to host Democratic debate Feb. 4
Union Leader to host Democratic debate Feb. 4
Discussion:
Washington Post, Politico and Naked Politics
Evan McMorris-Santoro / BuzzFeed:
MSNBC, Union Leader To Hold Unsanctioned Democratic Debate In New Hampshire
MSNBC, Union Leader To Hold Unsanctioned Democratic Debate In New Hampshire
Discussion:
Associated Press, Taylor Marsh, New York Times and The Week
John Diedrich / JSOnline:
FBI thwarts mass shooting at Milwaukee Masonic center — A terrorist-style plot intended to kill dozens of people with automatic weapons at a Masonic center in Milwaukee was foiled this week by FBI agents, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. — Samy Mohamed Hamzeh discussed his plan to attack …
Discussion:
Mashable, Pamela Geller and RedState
Alex Griswold / Mediaite:
U of Oregon Debates Removing MLK Quote For Not Being Inclusive Enough — Student leaders at the University of Oregon debated removing a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. from its student center, arguing that the quote was not inclusive enough for modern understandings of diversity.
Discussion:
Emerald Media, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Moe Lane
Alex Isenstadt / Politico:
Republicans point fingers: Who let Trump get this far? — With time running out until the first primary votes are cast, establishment Republicans have begun a ferocious round of finger-pointing over who is to blame for the party's failure to stop Donald Trump.
RELATED:
RELATED:
Stuart Lavietes / New York Times:
Abe Vigoda, of ‘Godfather’ and ‘Barney Miller,’ Dies at 94
Abe Vigoda, of ‘Godfather’ and ‘Barney Miller,’ Dies at 94
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, Orlando Sentinel, 89.3 KPCC, Guardian, American Spectator, Mashable and Neatorama
WISH-TV:
Bus driver: Principal pushed students to safety before dying in crash — INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A beloved school principal died and two children were seriously injured when a school bus jumped a curb at Amy Beverland Elementary School on the far northeast side of Indianapolis Tuesday afternoon.