Top Items:

Hillary Clinton: “I've always tried” to tell the truth — LAS VEGAS — For Hillary Clinton, these are high roller stakes in Nevada after losing New Hampshire in a landslide and essentially tying in Iowa. — She has decided to stay in Nevada through the caucus on Saturday.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and Washington Times
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Bush machine running on fumes — SUMMERVILLE, S.C. — Some of Jeb Bush's most steadfast allies think Saturday might be the end. — Donors, who poured millions into his campaign and super PAC, have stopped giving - one refusing a direct request to raise $1 million this week.
Discussion:
Yahoo Politics, The Hill, Instapundit and Vanity Fair


In S.C., the GOP contest looks more and more like a three-man race
Discussion:
Politico, Post and Courier, The Week, Independent Journal Review and NBC News

What to Watch In Nevada and South Carolina This Weekend
Discussion:
Campaign for America's Future, Hot Air, The Atlantic and National Review

Race in Nevada, Once a Hillary Clinton Firewall, Is Now Hotly Contested
Discussion:
Politico and Prairie Weather


Donald Trump's Lead Slashed in South Carolina: Poll — Donald Trump is now leading Saturday's South Carolina Republican primary by 5 points — down from his 16-point lead in the state a month ago, according to results from a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll.
Discussion:
Washington Times, Political Wire, Florida Politics and The Week
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Fox News Poll: Clinton ‘feels the Bern,’ trails Sanders by three points nationally — Bernie Sanders now tops Hillary Clinton in the race for the Democratic nomination. — The latest Fox News national poll finds 47 percent of Democratic primary voters now back the Vermont senator, up from 37 percent in January.


Fox News Poll: National presidential race February 18, 2016 — Home - Video - Politics - U.S. - Opinion - Entertainment - Tech - Science - Health - Travel - Lifestyle - World - Sports - On Air — ©2016 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, The Week, The Argo Journal, Politicus USA, Fox News Insider, Politico and TPNN


Consolidating Hispanic support, Clinton's campaign throws punches at Sanders
Discussion:
Political Insider blog

Bernie Sanders Cuts Into Hillary Clinton's National Lead: Poll
Discussion:
AOL, Washington Post, Talking Points Memo and RedState

Clinton Strong in South Carolina But Warning Signs Ahead, Bloomberg Poll Shows
Discussion:
New York Times, Politico and Talking Points Memo

Bloomberg Would Lose Big to Sanders and Trump — WSJ/NBC Poll
Discussion:
Washington Post


In 2002, Donald Trump Said He Supported Invading Iraq — “Are you for invading Iraq?” Howard Stern asked him, and Trump answered, “Yeah, I guess so.” — w.soundcloud.com — For months, Donald Trump has claimed that he opposed the Iraq War before the invasion began — as an example of his great judgment on foreign policy issues.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Guardian, Business Insider, Mediaite, Hot Air, Wall Street Journal, The Stranger …, CNN, Betsy's Page, Raw Story, AOL, Yahoo Politics, Weasel Zippers, Hit & Run, CBS New York, New York Times, Politico, Mother Jones, The Week, The Right Scoop, The Last Refuge, Independent Journal Review, Slantpoint and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

A canticle for Donald Trump — Donald Trump's progress toward the Republican nomination is beginning to look fated. When it comes to good luck, or divine intervention, can anything beat Pope Francis's condemnation of Donald Trump today for supporting a wall protecting the southern border of the United States?
Discussion:
Catholic Philly, Associated Press and National Review
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DONALD J. TRUMP RESPONSE TO THE POPE
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Washington Post, New York Times, New Yorker, Raw Story, U.S. News, Guardian, Yahoo Politics, CNN, Politico, Hollywood Life, Mother Jones, The Atlantic, VDARE, AMERICAblog NewsAMERICAblog …, Al Jazeera English, Right Wing Watch, CANNONFIRE, Mediaite, Vox, Gothamist, Friendly Atheist, BBC, Reuters, Hit & Run, Independent Journal Review, CRUX, Little Green Footballs, Vatican Radio English, Business Insider, The Slot, Political Insider blog, Salon, Roll Call, US News, Associated Press, Washington Monthly, The Resurgent, Taylor Marsh, Daily Kos, Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times, Los Angeles Times, Weasel Zippers, The Last Refuge, Refinery29, Charleston City Paper, addictinginfo.org, The Daily Caller, NO QUARTER USA NET, The Moderate Voice, Hot Air and Althouse


Donald Trump on Whether Pope Dust-up Will Hurt: ‘You Never Know’
Discussion:
Politico

Pope suggests contraception can be condoned in Zika crisis
Discussion:
The Scoop Blog, RH Reality Check, Associated Press, Infowars, Mother Jones and abc11.com

Donald Trump Fires Back at Sharp Rebuke by Pope Francis
Discussion:
The Federalist, Cincinnati.com, The Week, Vox, Political Wire and New York Times

Pope Francis says Trump ‘not Christian’ …
Discussion:
Joe.My.God., Raw Story and New York Magazine


Republicans, let's win this one for Nino — Let's understand something about the fight to fill the Supreme Court seat of Antonin ("Nino") Scalia. This is about nothing but raw power. Any appeal you hear to high principle is phony — brazenly, embarrassingly so.
Discussion:
Washington Post
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Biden hints at centrist Supreme Court pick
Discussion:
ABC News, Associated Press and The Huffington Post

In interview, Biden suggests Obama's Supreme Court pick shouldn't be too liberal
Discussion:
The Week


Reports: Chicago court to hear case to knock Cruz off White House ballot — A judge in Cook County Circuit Court will hear testimony Friday in a lawsuit filed by an Illinois voter that alleges Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz should not be allowed to run for president, CNN and ABC are reporting.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Political Wire and ballot-access.org
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Why aren't we talking about how big a frontrunner Donald Trump is for the Republican nomination?
Discussion:
Hullabaloo

U.S. Strikes ISIS Camp in Libya, Killing More Than 30 — WASHINGTON — American warplanes struck an Islamic State camp in Libya early Friday, targeting a senior Tunisian operative linked to two major terrorist attacks in Tunisia last year, according to a Western official.
Discussion:
The Week, NPR, RT and The Daily Beast
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Charles Koch: This is the one issue where Bernie Sanders is right — Charles G. Koch is chairman and chief executive of Koch Industries. — As he campaigns for the Democratic nomination for president, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) often sounds like he's running as much against me as he is the other candidates.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, New York Magazine and Scripting News


Secret Memo Details U.S.'s Broader Strategy to Crack Phones — ‘Decision memo’ directs agencies to find ways to access data — Officials met around Thanksgiving to discuss encryption plans — Silicon Valley celebrated last fall when the White House revealed it would not seek legislation …
Discussion:
emptywheel and The Atlantic


EXCLUSIVE- Pat Buchanan: Donald Trump's Rise Is Rejection of a Quarter Century of Bush Republicanism — In an exclusive statement to Breitbart News, Pat Buchanan declared that Trump's rise represents a rejection of 25 years of Bush Republicanism— an ideology which Buchanan …


EXCLUSIVE — Mom Whose Son Was Tortured to Death by Illegal Endorses Trump, Says 'Pope Doesn't Care About Me' — In an exclusive telephone interview with Breitbart News, Laura Wilkerson, whose son was tortured to death by an illegal alien, explained why she cast her early ballot today for GOP frontrunner, Donald Trump.
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit


ANALYSIS: Cable TV's $2.8 Million Donation to Donald Trump's Campaign — We all know that Donald Trump is not running the ‘traditional’ campaign but as an analysis conducted by 0ptimus reveals, single biggest campaign contributor to Donald Trump is the media.
Discussion:
Washington Post and Political Wire


Caitlyn Jenner: I get more ‘flak’ for being a Republican than being a transgender woman — There's an elephant in the room, and as far as Caitlyn Jenner is concerned, it has more to do with her Republican politics than her gender identity. — “I have gotten more flak for being a conservative Republican …
Discussion:
The Hill
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The media is misleading the public on Syria — COVERAGE OF the Syrian war will be remembered as one of the most shameful episodes in the history of the American press. Reporting about carnage in the ancient city of Aleppo is the latest reason why. — For three years, violent militants have run Aleppo.
Discussion:
CANNONFIRE