memeorandum: Surveillance video shows Kingston store clerk striking gunman with hammer (Bridgette Bjorlo/WATE-TV)

9:35 AM ET, February 4, 2016

Top Items:

J.D. Durkin / Mediaite:

Despite Endorsement, Rick Santorum Completely Fails to Identify a Rubio Accomplishment — Fresh off of his withdrawal from the Republican race for the Presidency, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum offered his passionate endorsement for Marco Rubio yesterday.

Jenna Johnson / Washington Post:

Trump and Rubio question President Obama's visit to a mosque — MANCHESTER, N.H. — Republican front-runner Donald Trump and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) are questioning President Obama's visit to a mosque in a Baltimore suburb on Wednesday, where he preached religious tolerance …

Discussion: MSNBC, The White House, New York Magazine, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Mother Jones

New York Times:

Chris Christie and Jeb Bush Team Up on a Mutual Target: Marco Rubio — MANCHESTER, N.H. — Frustrated and flailing as his candidacy threatens to slip away, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey is embarking on a scalding effort over the next week to discredit Senator Marco Rubio of Florida …

Discussion: Political Wire and Althouse

Ross Douthat / New York Times:
The Plausibility of Ted Cruz

Discussion: Bloomberg Business, Washington Post and Naked Politics

Matt Bai / Yahoo Politics: Rubio's rise and the end of the Bush dynasty

The White House:
Remarks by the President at Islamic Society of Baltimore

Discussion: Power Line, The Federalist, New York Times, Informed Comment, American Spectator, FOX 61, Mother Jones, CNN and Breitbart

Aaron Bycoffe / FiveThirtyEight:
Marco Rubio Is Now Winning The Race For Endorsements

Discussion: Breitbart, Politico, Hot Air and The Federalist

Igor Bobic / The Huffington Post:
Marco Rubio Slams Obama's Speech On Fighting Islamophobia

Discussion: RedState, Talking Points Memo and Washington Post

Associated Press:
Rubio Looks to NH to Peg Himself as a Republican for All

Discussion: ABC News and Yahoo Politics

John King / CNN:
First on CNN: Rick Santorum dropping presidential bid

Andy Hiller / WHDH-TV:

Hiller Instinct: 7News/UMass Lowell New Hampshire tracking poll day 4 — It's not an earthquake, yet...But the political ground in New Hampshire is moving. — We're seeing more of Iowa's impact, and the war of words underway here. — Hillary Clinton is coming back; and Marco Rubio is coming up.

Discussion: The Hill, Business Insider and Slantpoint

Brent Budowsky / The Hill:

What Hillary needs to hear — I hope this column provokes a strong reaction from my brothers and sisters in the Democratic establishment, against whom I dissent in large measure today despite my history of working for Democratic leaders in Congress. — I am breaking rank and going rogue …

Des Moines Register:

Last Slide — Once again the world is laughing at Iowa. Late-night comedians and social media mavens are having a field day with jokes about missing caucusgoers and coin flips. — That's fine. We can take ribbing over our quirky process. But what we can't stomach is even the whiff of impropriety or error.

Discussion: Daily Kos, The Daily Caller, Outside the Beltway and Hot Air

Gabriel Debenedetti / Politico:
Sanders spotlights Clinton vulnerabilities

Discussion: Yahoo Politics

Gabriel Debenedetti / Politico:
Clinton stumbles on Wall Street question at CNN town hall

Discussion: The Hill, Hot Air, Political Wire and ABC News

MJ Lee / CNN:
Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders clash at CNN town hall

Discussion: Liberal Values, Front Page Magazine and Advocate

Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Jimmy Carter: I'd choose Trump — Did Jimmy Carter just say he'd like Donald Trump to become president? — Not exactly. And only if, you get the feeling, he was down to his very last choice. — Carter, 91, appeared in Britain's House of Lords Wednesday afternoon to deliver a lecture …

Discussion: Truth Revolt, The PolitiStick, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, RedState, Liberty Unyielding and Political Insider blog

Eliza Collins / Politico:
Jimmy Carter: I'd pick Trump over Cruz

Discussion: Betsy's Page, Power Line and The Federalist

Neetzan Zimmerman / The Hill:
Cruz breaks silence on Trump's voter fraud allegations: ‘Another Trumper tantrum’

Discussion: Politico, The Week, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, NBC News, Washington Post, The Gateway Pundit and KFOR-TV

Jack Blanchard / Mirror.co.uk:
Famous left-winger Jimmy Carter backs Donald Trump in the Republican race for President

Discussion: The Right Scoop and Power Line

Katie Glueck / Politico: Cruz revels in Trump bashing

Luke Broadwater / Baltimore Sun:

DeRay Mckesson files to run in Baltimore mayoral race … In a surprise move, civil rights activist DeRay Mckesson jumped into the already crowded contest for Baltimore mayor Wednesday night, shaking up the Democratic field minutes before the deadline to file.

Discussion: The Week and Engadget

John Eligon / New York Times:
Black Lives Matter Activist Jumps Into Baltimore Mayoral Fray

Discussion: The Daily Caller and Mediaite

Wesley Lowery / Washington Post:
DeRay Mckesson, Black Lives Matter activist, launches last-minute bid to become mayor of Baltimore

Discussion: The Atlantic and Raw Story

Ben Schreckinger / Politico:

Trump resists staff calls to change course — In the lead-up to Donald Trump's loss in Iowa, staffers sought additional funding for campaign infrastructure and were denied. — Now, six days from the New Hampshire primary and looking for his first win, Trump is still refusing to shake up his ground game.

Discussion: RedState

Associated Press:
The Latest: Bush to NH Audience: ‘Please Clap’

Discussion: Politico and ABC News

Carly Fiorina:
Letter to the RNC regarding debate process

Discussion: UPI, Political Insider blog, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Talking Points Memo and Politico

Sarah Palin / Facebook:

Dirty Politics: Witnessing Firsthand It's Always Heartbreaking, Never Surprising — Thank heavens Donald Trump opened so many eyes to the lies, corruption and total lack of accountability that come so naturally to the permanent political class. And Sen. Ted Cruz was spot on when he once noted that …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Fox News Insider, AOL, Da Tech Guy Blog, Mediaite, The Stream, RedState, Hot Air, Politico, BizPac Review, Rush Limbaugh, American Power, The Daily Caller, The Week, Fox Business, Yahoo Politics and Joe.My.God.

Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Trump: Ted Cruz stole the election in Iowa so we should have a do-over

Discussion: Patterico's Pontifications, The Hill, RedState, BuzzFeed, NewsBusters, Washington Post and Talking Points Memo

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
Team Carson furious with Cruz

Discussion: Washington Post, Hot Air, National Review and Mediaite

Robert W. Wood / Forbes:

Winner Of $1.6 Billion Powerball Jackpot Sued By Prisoner — As the Powerball jackpot topped $1 billion, the frenzy grew. It was fun to dream, even if you knew you stood little chance. But often, a winner faces suits by friends, co-workers, even family.

Discussion: WCMH-TV

Dallas Franklin / KFOR-TV:
Inmate suing Tennessee couple who won Powerball jackpot

Discussion: fox8.com

Joshua Green / Bloomberg Business:

The Great GOP Realignment — Ted Cruz and Donald Trump may herald an historic working-class Republican revolt against the party establishment. — JoshuaGreen — A few days before the Feb. 1 Iowa caucuses, Brad Martsching was barreling down a Pennsylvania highway, hoping to unload …

Discussion: ABC News

Melissa Pamer / KTLA:

Car Lands on Top of Roof of Palos Verdes Estates Home's Garage: Fire Department — A driver lost control of his car and ended up landing on the roof of a Palos Verdes Estates home's garage, prompting an emergency response on Wednesday afternoon. — A vehicle landed on top of the roof of a Palos Verdes Estates home on Feb. 3, 2016.

Discussion: Fox17

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:

Clinton defends Wall Street speaking fees: 'That's what they offered' — Hillary Clinton on Wednesday night defended accepting huge speaking fees from Goldman Sachs, arguing that it won't influence the way she treats the banking industry. — Speaking at CNN's Democratic presidential forum …

Liz Kreutz / ABC News:
Clinton and Sanders Open up About Spirituality

Discussion: Associated Press and Washington Post

Bridgette Bjorlo / WATE-TV:

Surveillance video shows Kingston store clerk striking gunman with hammer — KINGSTON (WATE) - The Kingston Police Department released surveillance video of a store clerk fighting off a gunman with a hammer. — The footage shows a tall white male in a hoodie demanding money from the register.

Discussion: WKRN-TV

New York Times:

Ted Cruz, a Public Firebrand on Social Issues, Is Cooler When Wooing Donors — Ted Cruz sounded despondent at the possibility that same-sex marriage could become legal when he called into the radio show of Tony Perkins, a vehement opponent of gay rights, in February 2014.

Eric Schmitt / New York Times:

Obama Is Pressed to Open Military Front Against ISIS in Libya — WASHINGTON — President Obama is being pressed by some of his top national security aides to approve the use of American military power in Libya to open up another front against the Islamic State.

Discussion: The Week

Sarah Karlin / Politico:

Martin Shkreli to plead the Fifth on Hill — The drug industry's most notorious CEO, who exulted in making a fortune by jacking up the price of a life-saving medicine, will plead the Fifth Amendment on Thursday morning when he appears for the first time before lawmakers he trashes on Twitter.