memeorandum: I've had a very enlightening and exciting weekend since Thursday evening. (Jim Fouts/Facebook)

6:20 PM ET, March 8, 2016

Top Items:

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

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

Peter Moore / YouGov US Opinion Center News:

Most Americans agree Trump is a ‘fraud’ and a ‘phony’ — Just over half of Americans agree with Mitt Romney that Trump is a ‘fraud’ and a ‘phony’, but Republicans disagree … As the Trump campaign maintained its strong momentum Republican heavyhitters Mitt Romney and John McCain blasted the frontrunner in unusually blunt language.

Discussion: New York Times, Independent Journal Review, Slantpoint and Washington Post

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: Guardian, The Gateway Pundit, EveryJoe and Florida Politics

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

Mark Murray / NBC News:

Trump and Cruz Locked in Tight Race Nationally in New Poll — Donald Trump and Ted Cruz are locked in a tight Republican race - separated by just three points - according to results from a new national NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. Trump is the first choice of 30 percent of Republican primary voters …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Political Wire

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

David Brooks / New York Times:
It's Not Too Late! — It's 2 a.m. The bar is closing.

Discussion: Washington Post, No More Mister Nice Blog, Balloon Juice and NBC News

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:
Rubio On CNN Story: “They Just Made It Up”

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Chicago Tribune:
Trump leads splintered Republican primary field in Illinois

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

Jennifer Steinhauer / New York Times:
Ted Cruz's Prospects Ascendant, Though Perhaps Not With Senate Peers

Discussion: The Week, Raw Story, Washington Post, Politico and National Review

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

Discussion: Western Journalism

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

Discussion: National Review, Power Line and The Right Scoop

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

Discussion: Politicus USA

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

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

Plain Dealer:
Mitt Romney tapes Michigan robocall for John Kasich

Discussion: CNN, New York Times, Western Journalism, Washington Post, Daily Kos, The Week, Business Insider and Talking Points Memo

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, The Moderate Voice and Associated Press

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

Discussion: theGrio, NBC News and MSNBC

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

Discussion: CBS Detroit, The Week, Political Insider blog and USA TODAY College

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

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

Brian Stelter / CNNMoney:
Why Donald Trump scrapped this morning's live TV hits

Discussion: Mediaite 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, Western Journalism, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Washington Post and Foreign Policy

Eliza Collins / Politico:
Biden: Reagan couldn't win in 2016

Discussion: ABC News, Talking Points Memo and Political Wire

Daniel Estrin / Associated Press:
Vice President Biden in Israel amid Palestinian attacks

Discussion: ABC News, New York Times, addictinginfo.org, The Atlantic, The Times of Israel and Israel Matzav

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: CBS Detroit, WHTM-TV, Mediaite, Fox News Insider, FOX 61 and KTLA

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 …

Discussion: Shakesville

Aaron Elstein / Crain's New York Business:

How did Trump qualify for a middle-class tax break? — The GOP front-runner received a tax break available only to couples deemed by the state to have made $500,000 or less — One of the enduring mysteries of Donald Trump is just how much wealth he has. Forbes pegs his net worth at $4.5 billion …

Discussion: RedState, Forbes and Politicus USA

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: Washington Monthly, Star Tribune, Trail Blazers Blog, Talking Points Memo, Washington Post and Daily Kos

Joan E. Solsman / The Wrap:

GOP and Tech Leaders Hold Secret Meeting to Stop Trump — Gathering took place at a private island resort over the weekend — Silicon Valley may be a bastion of liberals, but the threat of a Donald Trump presidency had some of technology's biggest names meeting behind closed doors with members of the Republican elite.

Discussion: Telegraph, AppleInsider, Mashable, The Daily Caller, The Gateway Pundit, Business Insider and Western Journalism

Ian Tuttle / National Review:

Add Another Yuuge Failure to Trump's Pile: The Trump Network — In 2009, lots of people were feeling vulnerable. The housing bubble had burst, taking with it millions of jobs. Pensions had vanished. Stocks were slumping. For a shrewd businessman, it was the perfect time for a get-rich-quick scheme.

Discussion: Mother Jones

Tom Wheeler / fcc.gov:

Federal Communications Commission — Welcome to the new FCC.gov. Help us improve by providing feedback & reporting bugs. — Consumer - Enforcement - International - Media - Public Safety - Wireless - Wireline - Offices — Broadband: A Lifeline for the 21st Century — Commissioner

Discussion: Computerworld, Washington Post, Consumerist, Engadget and Common Dreams