memeorandum: Trump and Rubio question President Obama's visit to a mosque (Jenna Johnson/Washington Post)

10:40 AM ET, February 4, 2016

Top Items:

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: Balloon Juice, Daily Kos, The Daily Caller and Outside the Beltway

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 Political Wire

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 …

Gabriel Debenedetti / Politico:

Clinton stumbles on Wall Street question at CNN town hall — DERRY, N.H. — Hillary Clinton gave no ground to Bernie Sanders over her progressive credentials at a televised forum Wednesday night, but the most notable moment came when Clinton was forced to answer a question about her Wall Street ties from moderator Anderson Cooper.

Discussion: The Atlantic, Hot Air and Political Wire

The Hill:

Female senators urge Warren: Back Hillary Clinton — Female Democratic senators are privately urging Sen. Elizabeth Warren to formally endorse Hillary Clinton for president. — The lobbying campaign comes as the Democratic race between Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) …

Discussion: ABC News and Politico

Gabriel Debenedetti / Politico:
Sanders spotlights Clinton vulnerabilities

Discussion: Yahoo Politics

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
Clinton defends Wall Street speaking fees: 'That's what they offered'

Discussion: Scared Monkeys

Matea Gold / Washington Post:
Clinton blasts Wall Street, but still draws millions in contributions

Discussion: Prairie Weather, Political Wire, addictinginfo.org and Politico

Eliza Collins / Politico:
Goldman Sachs chief Lloyd Blankfein: Sanders candidacy a ‘dangerous moment’

Discussion: Washington Monthly, International Business Times, Raw Story and Bloomberg Business

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

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, Liberal Values, Front Page Magazine and Advocate

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

Discussion: Associated Press and Washington Post

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, Daily Kos and Mother Jones

Ross Douthat / New York Times:

The Plausibility of Ted Cruz — It's rare for a politician to be overshadowed in victory, and even rarer when that victory is actually an upset. But Ted Cruz managed that trick in Iowa: Despite pulling out a victory when almost everyone expected Donald J. Trump to win …

Discussion: Bloomberg Business, Washington Post and Naked Politics

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.

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: Althouse and Political Wire

Eugene Scott / CNN:
Rubio's accomplishments? Santorum can't name them

Discussion: Politico, The Daily Caller, Daily Kos and Patterico's Pontifications

MSNBC:
Santorum: Marco Rubio brings people together

Discussion: Washington Post, CNN, Slantpoint and Florida Politics

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

Discussion: Breitbart, Politico, Hot Air and The Federalist

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

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

Discussion: RedState, Talking Points Memo and Washington Post

Caitlin Cruz / Talking Points Memo:
Santorum Struggles To Explain Why He Endorsed Rubio: 'Hard To Say There's Accomplishments' (VIDEO)

Discussion: The Week

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

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

Robert Costa / Washington Post:

Ben Carson slashes staff as funds dry up — CONCORD, N.H. — Ben Carson, the famed neurosurgeon whose bid for the Republican presidential nomination has struggled to keep pace with rivals, will cut more than 50 staff positions on Thursday as part of an overhaul and downsizing of his entire campaign.

Discussion: The Right Scoop, The Resurgent and The Week

DeRay Mckesson:

I Am Running for Mayor of Baltimore — I love Baltimore. This city has made me the man that I am. — Like an old friend, I've seen it at its best and its most challenged. From Ms. Rainey's second grade class at Rosemont Elementary School to the mixes of K Swift & Miss Tony on 92Q …

Discussion: Vox, Guardian, addictinginfo.org, Business Insider, RT and Mashable

Luke Broadwater / Baltimore Sun:
DeRay Mckesson files to run in Baltimore mayoral race

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Atlantic, Hot Air, Washington Post, The Week, FiveThirtyEight and Engadget

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

Discussion: Bangor Daily News, The Daily Caller and Mediaite

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 …

BloombergView.com:

Clinton's Security Clearance Is Under Scrutiny — Now that several e-mails on Hillary Clinton's private server have been classified, there is a more immediate question than the outcome of the investigation: Should the former secretary of state retain her security clearance during the inquiry?

New York Post:
The e-mail scandal stretches far beyond Hillary

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Sarah Karlin / Politico:

Martin Shkreli pleads 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, plead the Fifth Amendment on Thursday morning when he appeared for the first time before lawmakers he regularly trashes on Twitter.

Discussion: Joe.My.God., Bloomberg Business and Slantpoint

Benjamin Siegel / ABC News:
‘Pharmo Bro’ Martin Shkreli to Plead the Fifth on Capitol Hill

Discussion: Towleroad

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 and Power Line

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

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