memeorandum: 3 in 4 Republican voters now expect Trump to be the nominee (Kathy Frankovic/YouGov US Opinion …)

11:50 PM ET, February 28, 2016

Top Items:

Jose A. DelReal / Washington Post:

In major blow to Ted Cruz, Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama endorses Donald Trump for GOP nomination — MADISON, Ala. — Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), whose hard-line conservative stances on immigration and trade have made him a favorite of the party's base, endorsed Donald Trump's White House bid during …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Raw Story, Fox News, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Washington Times, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and ABC News

Philip Rucker / Washington Post:

The Republican Party's implosion over Donald Trump's candidacy has arrived — MADISON, Ala. — The implosion over Donald Trump's candidacy that Republicans had hoped to avoid arrived so virulently this weekend that many party leaders vowed never to back the billionaire and openly questioned whether …

Discussion: Political Wire and Politico

Elliot Smilowitz / The Hill:

Trump: Debates are a ‘waste of time’ — Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump — is ready to be done with debates. — Trump on Friday night hinted he had thought about skipping another GOP debate, as he lamented the events as “a terrible waste of time.” — “Aren't these debates ridiculous, though?”

Discussion: RedState

Ian Schwartz / RealClearPolitics:

Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions Endorses Donald Trump At Huntsville Rally — Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) endorsed Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Huntsville Sunday evening. Sessions ensured a “Gang of Eight” type of immigration reform bill will not will pass under Donald Trump

Discussion: Power Line, PoliPundit.com, Vox Popoli and The Resurgent

Eric Bradner / CNN:

Trump won't disavow support from KKK, David Duke — Washington (CNN)Donald Trump wouldn't disavow former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke's support for his presidential bid, saying Sunday that he knows nothing about the white supremacist leader. — “Just so you understand, I don't know anything about David Duke, OK?”

Discussion: TIME, JustOneMinute, The Resurgent, The Atlantic, ThinkProgressPage Array, Guardian, KTLA, Patterico's Pontifications, The Moderate Voice, ImmigrationProf Blog, Hullabaloo, Trail Blazers Blog, American Spectator, Mashable, Hit & Run, WTVR-TV, Scott Adams Blog and Los Angeles Times

Kathy Frankovic / YouGov US Opinion Center News:

3 in 4 Republican voters now expect Trump to be the nominee — His level of support nationwide is also at a high-water mark — Winning elections helps. Donald Trump has become an even more formidable frontrunner among Republican primary voters in the latest Economist/YouGov Poll …

Discussion: Political Wire

Eli Stokols / Politico:

Sen. Jeff Sessions endorses Trump — Donald Trump won another major endorsement Sunday, surprising the political world when he walked onto the stage for a rally in Madison, Ala., with Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions. — Two days ahead of Super Tuesday when 11 states will cast votes …

New York Times:

Christie Splits With His Past in Backing Trump — On the night he cruised to a landslide re-election in 2013, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, already eyeing the presidency, had a message for fellow Republicans outside his Democratic-leaning state. — “We don't just show up in the places where we're comfortable.

Discussion: Guardian, The Gateway Pundit and Washington Post

Kyle Cheney / Politico:
‘Cockamamie’: Kasich campaign rejects talk of brokered convention

Discussion: ABC News

NBC News:
Christie Campaign's Finance Co-Chair Calls on Donors to Reject Trump

Discussion: addictinginfo.org, Weekly Standard, Talking Points Memo, Independent Journal Review and Guardian

Nicki Rossoll / ABC News:
Despite Endorsement, Chris Christie Still Disagrees With Some of Donald Trump's Policies

Discussion: Business Insider and Yahoo Politics

Camila Domonoske / NPR:
Trump Fails To Condemn KKK On Television, Turns To Twitter To Clarify

Discussion: Political Insider blog, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, BuzzFeed, Jezebel, Business Insider, Outside the Beltway and Guardian

Associated Press:
The Latest: Rubio Keeps up Taunts of Trump

Discussion: Yahoo Politics, Politico, ABC News and Independent Journal Review

Sara Jerde / Talking Points Memo: Trump Criticizes The Republican Party: It's ‘Not Being Run Properly’

ABC News:
‘This Week’ Transcript: Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, and Bernie Sanders

Discussion: us3.campaign-archive1.com, KQED News, New York Times, Politicus USA and Politico

Alex Pareene / Gawker:

How We Fooled Donald Trump Into Retweeting Benito Mussolini — Is Donald Trump a fascist? Experts, historians, and pundits have debated the question for months. One thing has been certain for a while now: He tweets like one. That's why, last year, Gawker's Ashley Feinberg created …

Discussion: Fusion, Business Insider, Slantpoint, Joe.My.God., Mediaite, RedState, New York Magazine, Washington Post, Independent Journal Review, Hullabaloo, The Week, addictinginfo.org, The Daily Caller, The Right Scoop, Mashable and New York Times, more at Mediagazer »

Elena Schneider / Politico:
Trump explains tweeting Mussolini quote

Discussion: Yahoo Politics, RedState, The Hill, Washington Post, Mediaite and The Right Scoop

David Edwards / Raw Story:
Donald Trump: ‘It would be very unfair’ to disavow KKK and David Duke until I ‘do research on them’

Discussion: Bipartisan Report and addictinginfo.org

Kristen East / Politico:
Trump declines to condemn Ku Klux Klan

Discussion: Mashable, Washington Post, ABC News, New York Times, U.S. News, The Times of Israel and Hot Air

Sara Jerde / Talking Points Memo:
Gawker Takes Credit For Mussolini Account That Trump Retweeted

Discussion: RedState, The Gateway Pundit and Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Kyle Cheney / Politico:

Breaking down the GOP's Super Tuesday map — Super Tuesday could cripple every Republican presidential candidate not named Donald Trump. — The best-case scenario for Trump would put him far ahead of his rivals in the race for delegates, and polls have him competitive almost everywhere that Republicans are voting.

Discussion: Business Insider and Roanoke College

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
Super Tuesday Scorecard: Big night possible for Donald Trump

Discussion: Independent Journal Review and Hot Air

Caitlin Yilek / The Hill:

Trump tells Christie: ‘Get on the plane and go home’ — told Chris Christie to “go home” after the New Jersey governor introduced the billionaire at a campaign rally in Arkansas on Saturday. — “Get on the plane and go home,” Trump is heard saying to Christie.

Discussion: John Hawkins' Right Wing News and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Ben Sasse / Facebook:

AN OPEN LETTER TO TRUMP SUPPORTERS — To my friends supporting Donald Trump: — The Trump coalition is broad and complicated, but I believe many Trump fans are well-meaning. I have spoken at length with many of you, both inside and outside Nebraska. You are rightly worried about our national direction.

Discussion: RedState, Independent Journal Review and The Right Scoop

Kelley King / WDTN-TV:

Pastor killed in Dayton church shooting, brother believed to be shooter — DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — A Dayton pastor is dead after police said he was allegedly shot by his younger brother. — Family members of the two said they are in shock after what happened.

Discussion: addictinginfo.org, WCMH-TV, NBC News and Crime Blog