memeorandum: Judicial Crisis Network plans $2 million ad campaign opposing Obama's court pick (Burgess Everett/Politico)

9:45 AM ET, March 16, 2016

Top Items:

John Harwood / CNBC:

Paul Ryan won't categorically rule out accepting GOP nom — House Speaker Paul Ryan decided not to run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, but he declined to rule out accepting it if a deadlocked party convention turns to him this summer. — “You know, I haven't given …

Discussion: Washington Post, Weekly Standard, Fusion, National Review, Talking Points Memo, addictinginfo.org and The Week

Ezra Klein / Vox:

Hillary Clinton had an amazing night — and not just because of her victories — Tuesday night was an amazing night for Hillary Clinton, and not just because her wins in Florida and Ohio made Bernie Sanders's path to the nomination nearly impossible. — Tuesday night was an amazing night …

Discussion: Washington Post

Yahoo Politics:

A big night for Clinton, as she wins in four states — WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Tuesday was always supposed to be one of the most important nights in the Democratic presidential primary race, but for Hillary Clinton, it was even bigger than she and her team expected.

Discussion: Politico, Taylor Marsh, Daily Kos, ABC News and Allen B. West

Ben Kamisar / The Hill:

Trump risks falling short of delegate count for nomination — has secured more than half of the delegates needed to win the Republican nomination, but will need to pick up his pace to reach a clinching 1,237 delegates and avoid a contested convention. — Trump's strong performance …

Discussion: ThinkProgressPage Array, Joe.My.God., Politico and Washington Free Beacon

Kyle Cheney / Politico:

Kasich won Ohio. Now what? — John Kasich tasted victory for the first time in 2016 with a primary win in Ohio, and it came at precisely the moment he lost his chance to become the Republican presidential nominee without unprecedented chaos. — Despite the victory celebration …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Washington Post and The Last Tradition

Eliza Collins / Politico:

Trump says he will skip Monday's Fox News debate — Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he will not participate in Monday's Fox News debate, and will instead speak at a conference of the pro-Israel lobby, AIPAC. — The Republican frontrunner was asked on “Fox & Friends” …

Discussion: The Week

Tal Kopan / CNN:
Primary results: Live updates

Discussion: The Week, USA Today, The Nation, Independent Journal Review, ThinkProgressPage Array and RT

Frank Bruni / New York Times:
Rubio's Exit and the G.O.P.'s Spoiled Buffet

Discussion: USA Today and New York Magazine

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
Dem race tightens as Bernie surges in Midwest

Discussion: Politico, Washington Post, Common Dreams, Weasel Zippers, Guardian and Real Clear Politics

Michael Barbaro / New York Times:
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Are Winning Votes, but Not Hearts

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Hit & Run and Post On Politics

John McCormick / Bloomberg Business:
Trump Wins Florida as Rubio Suspends Campaign for President

Discussion: Vox, Politico, Washington Post, Allen B. West, Washington Free Beacon and YouGov US Opinion Center News

Manu Raju / CNN:
Ted Cruz urged to apologize for attacks against Mitch McConnell

Discussion: Politico, Allen B. West, The Right Scoop and The Resurgent

Julia Edwards / Reuters:

Srinivasan or Garland likely Obama choice for U.S. Supreme Court: source — President Barack Obama is likely to announce either Judge Sri Srinivasan or Judge Merrick Garland as his pick for U.S. Supreme Court nominee and the announcement could come as early as Wednesday, a source familiar with the selection process said on Tuesday.

Discussion: USA Today, NBC News, CNN, Slantpoint, The Week and Balloon Juice

Michael D. Shear / New York Times:

Obama to Announce Supreme Court Nominee — WASHINGTON — President Obama will announce on Wednesday his choice to fill the Supreme Court vacancy created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, even in the face of Republican vows not to consider his nominee, Mr. Obama said in an email to supporters sent from the White House.

Discussion: Politico, BuzzFeed, Above the Law, USA Today, Political Wire, Althouse and Guardian

Tanya Somanader / The White House:

Email from President Obama: “I've Made My Decision” — Summary: The President sent a message to the White House email list to announce that he has chosen a nominee who is eminently qualified to sit on the Supreme Court. … Today, I will announce the person whom I believe is eminently qualified to sit on the Supreme Court.

Discussion: The Atlantic, Guardian, The New Civil Rights Movement and New York Times

Juliet Eilperin / Washington Post:

Obama to announce Supreme Court nominee at 11 a.m. … President Obama will announce his nominee to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court in the White House Rose Garden at 11 a.m., he said in an email to supporters Wednesday. — While Senate Republicans have said they will not consider …

Eliza Collins / Politico:

Trump: Senate should block Obama's Supreme Court nominee — President Barack Obama plans to announce his Supreme Court nominee on Wednesday, but Donald Trump thinks the Senate shouldn't give the pick a hearing. — “I don't think so, no I think they should do what they're doing,” …

Discussion: The Week

Burgess Everett / Politico: Liberals flirt with lowering bar on Supreme Court confirmation

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Obama to announce SCOTUS nominee Wednesday

Discussion: John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Daily Kos and Outside the Beltway

Ellen Barry / New York Times:
Indian Town Prays for a ‘Son’ on Supreme Court

Discussion: Towleroad and Hit & Run

Greg Stohr / Bloomberg Business:
Obama to Announce U.S. Supreme Court Nominee at 11 A.M. Today

Discussion: USA Today

Burgess Everett / Politico:
Grassley denies knowledge of group backing him in court battle

Discussion: Philly.com

Shane Goldmacher / Politico:

Inside Marco's Hollow Campaign — Three days before Florida's climactic primary, Marco Rubio sank deep into a black leather armchair on his campaign bus. He had just spent 25 minutes smiling wide for supporters at a high-end boutique selling $150 candles.

Discussion: Political Wire and Eschaton

New York Times:
A Distant Second at Home, Marco Rubio Ends a Disappointing Campaign

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, ABC News, Grist, addictinginfo.org, Boing Boing, Scared Monkeys, Vox Popoli, MichelleMalkin.com, Politico and RT

CBS Miami: Marco Rubio Suspends Campaign After Losing Florida Primary

Ross Douthat / New York Times:
Goodbye, Bushism

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Glenn Thrush / Politico:
5 takeaways from Tuesday's primaries

Discussion: BuzzFeed and New York Magazine

Robert Draper / New York Times:

Donald Trump and the Fall of the Republican Campaign Guru — As hapless as the news media and the Washington establishment have at times appeared as they flail about in the political tempest wrought by Donald Trump, there is another group in the 2016 election cycle that has come off looking …

Robert Costa / Washington Post:
Rubio's demise marks the last gasp of the Republican reboot

Discussion: Business Insider and Political Wire

Russell Berman / The Atlantic:
The Rubio Campaign Ends Where It Began

Discussion: Washington Post, Slantpoint, Vox and TalkLeft

Hadas Gold / Politico:

POLITICO reporter denied access to Trump event — POLITICO reporter Ben Schreckinger was denied entry to Donald Trump's press conference on Tuesday night, despite having previously been granted credentials by the campaign. — The move followed a threat last week from Trump officials …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Mediaite, ThinkProgressPage Array, NBC News, TVNewser, Washington Post and RedState, more at Mediagazer »

Shane Goldmacher / Politico:
Top conservatives gather to plot third-party run against Trump

Discussion: Political Insider blog, Washington Post, Mother Jones, BizPac Review, Talking Points Memo, The Last Tradition, The Right Scoop, Politicus USA, The Moderate Voice and New York Times, more at Mediagazer »

Jake Sherman / Politico:

Boehner backs Paul Ryan for president — Former House Speaker John Boehner Wednesday endorsed current House Speaker Paul Ryan to be the Republican presidential nominee. — At the Republican convention, “anybody can be nominated,” Boehner said at a conference in Boca Raton, Fla.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Kevin Freking / Associated Press:
OBAMA DISMAYED BY VULGARITY, VIOLENCE OF CAMPAIGN

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Libor Jany / Star Tribune:

Local authorities, feds investigating alleged ISIL ‘kill list’ for Minnesota law enforcement — Caliphate Cyber Army released names; FBI is investigating threat. — TEXT SIZE — An alleged ISIL “kill list” containing the personal information of dozens of Minnesota law enforcement officers …

Discussion: Chicago Boyz

Edward-Isaac Dovere / Politico:

Bernie's longshot victory strategy — Bernie Sanders is falling further and further behind in pledged delegates — but even after Hillary Clinton's Tuesday romp, his campaign says there's a longshot strategy that lets him regain momentum and win the Democratic nomination by relying …

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and The People's View