memeorandum: Trump's flirtation with fascism (Dana Milbank/Washington Post)

4:15 PM ET, March 8, 2016

Top Items:

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

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

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

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: Washington Post, No More Mister Nice Blog, 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: NBC News, Hot Air, New York Post, Talking Points Memo, Politicus USA, Politico, Weasel Zippers, Florida Politics, Washington Times, The Week and BloombergView.com

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: Power Line, Washington Post, NBC News, Politico and Washington Times

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, New York Times, Washington Post and Washington Times

Morning Consult:

Romney Speech Had Minimal Effect on Trump Support, Poll Shows — A new Morning Consult poll finds that Mitt Romney's speech last week condemning Donald Trump apparently had very little effect on the GOP front-runner. — Thirty-one percent of GOP voters said they were more likely to vote for Trump …

Discussion: RedState, Infowars, The Daily Caller, Hot Air, ABC News, Political Wire and The Bob and Chez Show

Eliza Collins / Politico:

Rubio campaign accuses Cruz of ‘dirty tricks’ in Hawaii — Marco Rubio and his campaign are accusing Ted Cruz's campaign of spreading rumors that the Florida senator is dropping out of the race, after an email bearing Cruz's likeness was sent to supporters in Hawaii this morning.

Discussion: RedState, The Gateway Pundit, Talking Points Memo, New York Magazine, ABC News, The Daily Caller and CNN

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:

Rubio On CNN Story: “They Just Made It Up” — In the interview he tore into a CNN report that some advisers are saying he should drop out before Florida — and gave a very wide ranging look at the race. — Joe Raedle / Getty Images — w.soundcloud.com

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Stuart Rothenberg / Roll Call:
Dem Senate Takeover Probable, If Cruz or Trump Nominee

Discussion: Politicus USA

Alex Swoyer / Breitbart:
Poll: Mitt Romney Helped Donald Trump, More Voters Now More Likely to Support the Billionaire

Discussion: Western Journalism

Fox News:
Romney sends out anti-Trump robo-calls for Rubio, Kasich

Discussion: New York Times, Talking Points Memo and Washington Post

CBS News:
Donald Trump falsely claims he “employs many people” at Honolulu hotel

Discussion: Power Line, National Review and The Right Scoop

Plain Dealer:
Mitt Romney tapes Michigan robocall for John Kasich

Discussion: Daily Kos, Washington Post and The Week

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

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

Eliza Collins / Politico:
Cruz knocks Trump for treating his supporters ‘like subjects of a king’

Discussion: Political Wire

Michelle Goldberg / Slate:
Ready to Hold Their Noses

Discussion: Salon and Hullabaloo

Jon / Common Dreams:

Washington Post Ran 16 Negative Stories on Bernie Sanders in 16 Hours — In what has to be some kind of record, the Washington Post ran 16 negative stories on Bernie Sanders in 16 hours, between roughly 10:20 PM EST Sunday, March 6, to 3:54 PM EST Monday, March 7—a window that includes …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Daily Caller, U.S. Uncut, Washington Post and The Moderate Voice

Ron Fournier / The Atlantic: Why Michigan Voters Are Hungry for Change

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

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

Heidi M Przybyla / USA Today:
Michigan could be pivotal for Sanders to mount comeback

Discussion: CBS Detroit, Political Insider blog, The Week, USA TODAY College and 12NewsNow.Com

Raoul Wootliff / The Times of Israel:

Stabbing victim pulls knife out of own neck, kills terrorist — Israeli man hospitalized in moderate condition after Petah Tikva attack — An Israeli man who was stabbed multiple times Tuesday afternoon in a terror attack in Petah Tikva managed to remove the knife fromn his neck and use …

Discussion: EveryJoe, The Daily Caller, Pamela Geller and The Week

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, The Times of Israel, Mother Jones and New York Magazine, more at Mediagazer »

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: AMERICAblog NewsAMERICAblog …, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, Liberty Unyielding and The Week

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: Right Wing Watch, liberalamerica.org and addictinginfo.org

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

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Washington Post and Daily Kos

Les Zaitz / Oregonian:

Bullet hole on LaVoy Finicum's truck traced to elite FBI team — BEND - Something didn't seem right about the bullet hole in the top of Robert “LaVoy” Finicum's white Dodge pickup. — Investigators from the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office could account for bullet holes in the left front hood …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Statesman Journal and Raw Story

Thomas Frank / Guardian:

Millions of ordinary Americans support Donald Trump. Here's why — When he isn't spewing insults, the Republican frontrunner is hammering home a powerful message about free trade and its victims — et us now address the greatest American mystery at the moment: what motivates the supporters …

Katie Glueck / Politico:

Bush family member endorses Cruz — Ted Cruz on Tuesday nabbed an unlikely endorsement: the backing of a Bush. — Neil Bush, a brother of George W. Bush and Jeb Bush, was listed (along with his wife) as one of 13 new additions to Cruz's national finance team.

Discussion: Independent Journal Review and The Week

KTVU-TV:

Video: Car nearly crashes into KTVU reporter, everyone ok — ALAMEDA COUNTY (KTVU) - As KTVU reporter Alex Savidge was covering the train derailment in Alameda County on Tuesday morning, a car crashed and careened toward him and his photographer. — Alex was live on Mornings on 2 at that moment.

Discussion: Mediaite, WDTN-TV, Fox News Insider, FOX 61 and KTLA