memeorandum: The broad support behind Trump's Nevada win should terrify the Republican establishment (Michelle Hackman/Vox)

2:30 PM ET, February 24, 2016

Top Items:

Jim Tankersley / Washington Post:

There's a very good reason for Rubio and Cruz not to destroy Trump — It has long been tempting to look at the rise of Donald Trump as a textbook case of what economists call a “collective action problem.” It's what happens when a group of people fail to work together, for selfish individual reasons …

Discussion: American Power and National Review

Michelle Hackman / Vox:

The broad support behind Trump's Nevada win should terrify the Republican establishment — Donald Trump won yet another smashing victory in Nevada last night, crushing Marco Rubio by 22 points with voters across the ideological spectrum, and even with Hispanics.

Discussion: Mother Jones, Talking Points Memo, ABC News, The Week, The Daily Caller, National Review and Instapundit

Caitlin MacNeal / Talking Points Memo:

Rubio: 'You Don't Win The Nomination By How Many States You Win' (VIDEO) — Following another second-place finish in the Nevada GOP caucus, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) argued Wednesday that candidates don't win presidential primaries simply by winning individual states.

Discussion: RedState, The Gateway Pundit, AMERICAblog NewsAMERICAblog … and Political Wire

Maeve Reston / CNN:

Trump scores big win in Nevada — Las Vegas (CNN)Donald Trump notched a resounding win in the Nevada caucuses Tuesday, channeling the roiling anger of Republican voters against the establishment and sweeping almost every category of the electorate to build his dominance in the delegate count.

Discussion: FiveThirtyEight, The Hill, Slate, NBC News, Fox News, WLS-AM 890, Hot Topics, Washington Free Beacon, Downtrend, New York's PIX11, Lawyers, Guns & Money, NPR, Jezebel and The Week

Jerry Zremski / Buffalo News:

Chris Collins becomes first sitting member of Congress to endorse Trump — WASHINGTON - Rep. Chris Collins, a mainstream Republican from Clarence, on Wednesday became the first sitting member of Congress to endorse bombastic billionaire Donald Trump for president.

Discussion: Guardian, New York Magazine, Politico, Washington Times and Independent Journal Review

Nick Gass / Politico:

Trump lands his first congressional endorsements — Donald Trump finally has official supporters in Congress. — Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) told POLITICO on Wednesday that he will support Trump for the Republican nomination, making him one of the first members of Congress …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Yahoo Politics, NPR and Business Insider

Eliza Collins / Politico:
Trump crashes Glenn Beck's caucus speech

Discussion: Washington Post, Breitbart, Independent Journal Review, Downtrend, Hullabaloo and Raw Story

Katie Zezima / Washington Post:
Shouts of ‘liar’ are taking their toll on Ted Cruz's campaign

Discussion: Politico, The Moderate Voice, Politicus USA, Political Insider blog, The Texas Tribune, CNN, Conservative Review, American Power, Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times and Townhall.com

Sahil Kapur / Bloomberg Business:
How Marco Rubio Blunted Ted Cruz—and Boosted Donald Trump

Discussion: Washington Post, U.S. News, Vox, U.S. News, Politico, Real Clear Politics, Independent Journal Review and New York Magazine

Adrian Carrasquillo / BuzzFeed:
Let's Not Get Carried Away With That “Trump Won Latinos” Entrance Poll

Discussion: Latino USA and Patterico's Pontifications

Ben Schreckinger / Politico:
Trump taunts rivals and predicts quick end to GOP race

Discussion: Washington Post, Guardian, Outside the Beltway, Common Dreams, Hot Air and Refinery29

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
Trump rides momentum into winner-take-all states

Discussion: Washington Post, Politico and The Week

James Hohmann / Washington Post:
The Daily 202: Trump's romp in Nevada shows why conventional wisdom about his ceiling may be wrong

Discussion: Hit & Run and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Shane Goldmacher / Politico:
Trump wins Nevada caucuses

Discussion: ABC News, Heavy.com, Power Line, Scared Monkeys, Vox Popoli and The Atlantic

Lisa Hagen / The Hill:
Reports surface of irregularities at Nevada caucuses

Discussion: Vox, CNN, Politico, Outside the Beltway, The Right Scoop, Guardian, National Review, Washington Post, The National Interest, Yahoo Politics and The Daily Caller

President Barack Obama / SCOTUSblog:

A Responsibility I Take Seriously — The Constitution vests in the President the power to appoint judges to the Supreme Court. It's a duty that I take seriously, and one that I will fulfill in the weeks ahead. — It's also one of the most important decisions that a President will make.

Kevin Robillard / Politico:
Ayotte, Portman won't meet with an Obama SCOTUS nominee

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Burgess Everett / Politico:
Reid: Grassley an inept chairman

Discussion: Daily Kos and Des Moines Register

Alexander Mallin / ABC News:
President Obama Outlines What He's Looking for in a Supreme Court Nominee

Discussion: Politico, Associated Press and Talking Points Memo

New York Times:
Judiciary Committee Letter Opposing Supreme Court Hearings

Discussion: Washington Post, Mediaite, Slantpoint, Truthout Stories, New York Magazine, Mother Jones, Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times, Prairie Weather and Balloon Juice

Ben Smith / BuzzFeed:

The Only Strategy For Hillary Clinton Is To Scorch The Earth — If Hillary Clinton manages to beat Bernie Sanders, the early primaries have already revealed that there's only one strategy for the general election against a Republican, be it Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, or Ted Cruz: Scorch the earth.

Manu Raju / CNN:

CNN exclusive: Harry Reid endorses Hillary Clinton — Washington (CNN)Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid announced Wednesday in an exclusive interview with CNN that he is endorsing Hillary Clinton for president, a sign that Democratic leaders are eager to put the party's contentious primary fight behind them.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Politico, Infowars, National Review and Guardian

Shane Goldmacher / Politico:

Trump shatters the Republican Party — After winning three of the first four nominating contests, Donald Trump hasn't just hijacked the Republican Party but fractured it newly into three. — The populist billionaire's rise to the pinnacle of Republican politics has upended what had been decades …

Discussion: The Hill, Washington Post, Raw Story, Common Dreams, Taylor Marsh, The Week and New York Magazine

Aaron Williams / Alternet:

Noam Chomsky: We Owe the Rise of Trump to Fear and the ‘Breakdown of Society’ — Leading GOP candidate is taking advantage of America's fears. — Noam Chomsky. — Noam Chomsky, 87, is without a doubt the most significant academic figure to cast a highly critical eye on U.S. foreign policies.

Discussion: Politico, Raw Story and The Daily Caller

Jay Newton-Small / TIME:

Q&A: David Brock on Attacking Bernie Sanders — An interview with Hillary Clinton's chief defender — Correction appended, Feb. 24, 2016 — If Robby Mook manages Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, former journalist David Brock rules the external Clinton machine.

Discussion: Mediaite and Raw Story

Nick Gass / Politico:

Melania Trump: ‘I followed the law’ as immigrant — Melania Trump is defending her husband's campaign, particularly his outspoken rhetoric on immigration and what critics have perceived as a harsh tone directed toward women. — “I followed the law,” Trump said in an interview …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and The Week

Matt Taibbi / Rolling Stone:
Morning Blow: How Joe and Mika Became Trump's Lapdogs

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Washington Post, Slate and Mediaite

Mark Finkelstein / NewsBusters:
Mika Rips Rubio: ‘Sucking Up’ to Trump to be His VP Pick

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Associated Press:

Texas Court Clears Ex-Gov. Rick Perry of 2nd Felony Charge — Texas' highest criminal court tossed the second and final felony charge against former Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday, likely ending a case the Republican says helped sink his short-lived 2016 presidential bid.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, RedState, American Spectator, The Federalist, Washington Free Beacon and The Daily Caller

Eleanor Ainge Roy / Guardian:

The $400,000-a-year New Zealand job with three months' holiday that no one wants — GP surgery in Tokoroa has been looking for a junior doctor for two years, with no takers so far despite generous package — A rural GP in New Zealand is offering a $400,000 (£190,000) …

Discussion: New York's PIX11 and FOX31 Denver

New Zealand Herald: The $400,000 smalltown job that no one wants

Julian Hattem / The Hill:

Attorney general promises ‘independent’ review of Clinton email case — Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Wednesday promised that any Justice Department review of possible criminal charges connected to Hillary Clinton — 's handling of classified information would be “independent,” without regard to politics or outside influence.

Discussion: Hot Air

Washington Post:
Aides' email-server testimony could throw Clinton campaign a curveball

Discussion: Mother Jones and LawNewz

Bloomberg Business:

Abortion Clinics Are Closing at a Record Pace — At least 162 providers have closed since 2011. — Esmé E Deprez — Abortion access in the U.S. has been vanishing at the fastest annual pace on record, propelled by Republican state lawmakers' push to legislate the industry out of existence.

Discussion: Guardian, Jezebel, Independent Journal Review, Common Dreams, Shakesville and LifeNews.com