memeorandum: Cruz wins Senate Conservatives Fund straw poll (Daniel Strauss/Politico)

2:05 PM ET, March 8, 2016

Top Items:

Trump Hits a Wall Within the GOP; His Critics Back a Convention Fight (POLL)

Discussion: U.S. Uncut, Washington Free Beacon, Balloon Juice, The Resurgent, The Week and Political Wire

David Brooks / New York Times:

It's Not Too Late! — It's 2 a.m. The bar is closing. Republicans have had a series of strong and nasty Trump cocktails. Suddenly Ted Cruz is beginning to look kind of attractive. At least he's sort of predictable, and he doesn't talk about his sexual organs in presidential debates!

Discussion: NBC News and Balloon Juice

Dan Balz / Washington Post:

Poll: Trump leads GOP race nationally but with weaker hold on the party … The state of the 2016 race — Donald Trump continues to lead his rivals nationally in the contest for the Republican presidential nomination, but his hold on the GOP electorate has weakened since the primary season began …

Discussion: Hot Air, NBC News, Talking Points Memo, New York Post, Politicus USA, Weasel Zippers, Politico, Florida Politics, Washington Times, The Week and BloombergView.com

Patrick Reis / Politico:

Is Trump peaking? We'll find out today — On Tuesday, Donald Trump will discover whether his weekend struggles were a speed bump — or the first signs of larger troubles ahead. — If the polls are to believed, Trump is in for a dominant day, with blowouts in Michigan and Mississippi to be complemented by another win in Idaho.

Discussion: idahopoliticsweekly.com, Washington Post, Political Insider blog and Washington Times

Chicago Tribune:

Trump leads splintered Republican primary field in Illinois — Republican presidential candidates, from left, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., businessman Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich at a debate at on March 3, 2016, in Detroit. — Privacy Policy

Discussion: Washington Post, Politico and Washington Times

Fallon Silcox / mynews13.com:

Exclusive Florida Decides Poll: Trump, Clinton lead Florida's presidential primaries — If Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were the candidates in November, Clinton would lose a close contest to Trump, according to our exclusive poll. — What will the outcome of the presidential primary elections be?

Discussion: EveryJoe, The Gateway Pundit and Florida Politics

Plain Dealer:

Mitt Romney tapes Michigan robocall for John Kasich — FILE - In this April 27, 2012 file photo, Republican then-presidential candidate Mitt Romney, right, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich participate in a roundtable discussion in Westerville, Ohio. (Jae C. Hong, The Associated Press)

Discussion: Daily Kos, Talking Points Memo, Washington Post and The Week

Stuart Rothenberg / Roll Call:

Dem Senate Takeover Probable, If Cruz or Trump Nominee — With Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz seemingly positioned to fight it out for the Republican presidential nomination, Democrats are now poised to take over the Senate in November. — The two Republicans still in the race …

Discussion: Politicus USA

Michael R. Bloomberg / BloombergView.com:

The Risk I Will Not Take — Americans today face a profound challenge to preserve our common values and national promise. — Wage stagnation at home and our declining influence abroad have left Americans angry and frustrated. And yet Washington, D.C., offers nothing but gridlock and partisan finger-pointing.

Morning Consult:
Romney Speech Had Minimal Effect on Trump Support, Poll Shows

Discussion: The Daily Caller, The Bob and Chez Show, Hot Air and Political Wire

Jonathan Martin / New York Times:
Mitt Romney Records Phone Message for Marco Rubio's Campaign

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Washington Post, The Week, Business Insider, New York Magazine, Politico and Reuters

Washington Post:
Seeing Trump as vulnerable, GOP elites now eye a contested convention

Discussion: Vox, New York Times, CNN, USA Today, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Resurgent, Fox News Insider, New York Magazine, Daily Kos, Towleroad, Talking Points Memo, The Gateway Pundit, Florida Politics, Washington Times, Business Insider, Politico and The Daily Caller

New York Times: What We're Watching as 4 States Vote and Both Parties Court Michigan

Daniel Strauss / Politico:
Cruz wins Senate Conservatives Fund straw poll

Discussion: RedState, Daily Kos and National Review

Michelle Goldberg / Slate:
Ready to Hold Their Noses

Discussion: Salon and Hullabaloo

Nolan D. McCaskill / Politico:
Graham: We should have kicked Trump out of the party

Discussion: Washington Post

Nick Corasaniti / New York Times:

Fox News Forum May Signal Thaw Between Democrats and Network — DETROIT — Rebuffed yet again in coaxing Hillary Clinton onto Fox News, executives at the network had an outside-the-box idea last month that would have made primary debate history: a face-off between Senator Bernie Sanders …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Liberty Unyielding, Mediaite and The Week

Adam Howard / MSNBC:
‘Ghetto’ gaffe highlights Bernie Sanders campaign's struggle with race

Discussion: The Atlantic, theGrio, NBC News, Washington Post, The Daily Caller and Vox

Brian Flood / The Wrap:
Fox News' Bret Baier: Some Republicans Could Back Hillary Clinton Over Donald Trump

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite and Hot Air

Jamelle Bouie / Slate:
The Real Difference Between Hillary and Bernie

Discussion: US News, Washington Post and Independent Journal Review

CNN:

Some Rubio advisers say get out before Florida — Washington (CNN)A battle is being waged within Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's campaign about whether he should even remain in the Republican presidential race ahead of his home state primary on March 15, sources say.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Patterico's Pontifications, NBC News, Talking Points Memo, New York Times, Mediaite, Western Journalism, Daily Kos, TheBlaze.com, The Right Scoop, Politico, RedState, Washington Post, Towleroad, The Week, Politicus USA, Hot Air and The Last Tradition

Eliza Collins / Politico:
Rubio campaign accuses Cruz of ‘dirty tricks’ in Hawaii

Discussion: New York Magazine, The Gateway Pundit, ABC News and The Daily Caller

Katie Glueck / Politico:
Cruz forces Rubio to defend turf

Discussion: Naked Politics and Talking Points Memo

Travis Gettys / Raw Story:

Conservative lawyer says Scalia might never be replaced: 'There's nothing magical' about nine justices — DON'T MISS STORIES. FOLLOW RAW STORY! — A conservative legal activist is promoting the idea that the U.S. Senate can hold off indefinitely in naming a replacement for the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

Discussion: addictinginfo.org

Ted Barrett / CNN:
Supreme Court nominee would be a ‘piñata,’ Cornyn says

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Washington Post and Daily Kos

Peter Montgomery / Right Wing Watch:
Federalist Society VP Says Senate Could Ignore SCOTUS Nominees Indefinitely

Discussion: liberalamerica.org

CNN:

White House ‘surprised’ to learn Netanyahu turned down meeting — 2015: Obama meets with his least favorite ally — Washington (CNN)The White House said Monday it was “surprised” to learn through press reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had declined an invitation …

Discussion: Haaretz, Washington Post, Foreign Policy and Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Reuters:
Israel's Netanyahu declines offer to meet with Obama: White House

Discussion: Hot Air, Weasel Zippers and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Julie Hirschfeld Davis / New York Times:
Netanyahu Calls Off Obama Visit, and Fingers Point

Discussion: The Atlantic, Associated Press, Mother Jones, The Times of Israel and New York Magazine, more at Mediagazer »

Ryan Grim / The Huffington Post:

At Secretive Meeting, Tech CEOs And Top Republicans Commiserate, Plot To Stop Trump — Karl Rove shared focus group findings that give hope to the GOP establishment. — Washington bureau chief for The Huffington Post Senior Enterprise Editor, The Huffington Post Congressional Reporter, The Huffington Post

Discussion: AppleInsider, Mashable, Infowars, The Daily Caller, Western Journalism, The Verge, Business Insider, ProfessorBainbridge.com and Shakesville

Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit: Top Tech Giants, GOP Elites, McConnell, Paul Ryan Hold Secret Meeting on How to Stop Trump

Craig Torres / Bloomberg Business:

Fed Governor Donates to Clinton Even as Bank Guards Independence — $750 in donations from November to January was within rules — Issue of Fed governor giving to a candidate is ‘one of optics’ — At a time when Federal Reserve officials are making the case that monetary policy needs …

Discussion: The Daily Caller

CBS News:

Donald Trump falsely claims he “employs many people” at Honolulu hotel — Donald Trump on Monday asked the people of Hawaii to vote for him in the March 8 GOP caucuses - claiming he “employs many people” at his Honolulu hotel.

Discussion: Power Line, National Review and The Right Scoop

Jesse Byrnes / The Hill:

Trump: Contested convention would be ‘pretty unfair’ … GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump — on Tuesday threw cold water on the possibility of Republicans holding a brokered convention in the event he does not lock up the necessary number of delegates to secure the nomination.

Discussion: Daily Kos