memeorandum: Trump slams RNC chairman, calls 2016 process ‘a disgrace’ (Bob Cusack/The Hill)

8:00 AM ET, April 13, 2016

Top Items:

In the Republican Primary: Donald Trump for President — Donald Trump is the father-in-law of the Observer's publisher. That is not a reason to endorse him. Giving millions of disillusioned Americans a renewed sense of purpose and opportunity is. — Explaining the phenomenon …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Gawker, The Daily Beast, Independent Journal …, Media Matters for America, New York Magazine, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, The Week, Politico and Guardian

New York Times:

Donald Trump, Losing Ground, Tries to Blame the System — WASHINGTON — Donald J. Trump and his allies are engaged in an aggressive effort to undermine the Republican nominating process by framing it as rigged and corrupt, hoping to compensate for organizational deficiencies that have left …

Discussion: Political Wire and Little Green Footballs

Bob Cusack / The Hill:

Trump slams RNC chairman, calls 2016 process ‘a disgrace’ — on Tuesday slammed the chairman of the Republican National Committee, claiming the party's system for selecting its presidential nominee is a “scam” and a “disgrace.” — During an exclusive interview with The Hill at Trump Tower, Trump said, “It's a disgrace for the party.

Discussion: Politico, Denver Post and Guardian

CNN:

First on CNN: Top Republicans may skip GOP convention — Washington (CNN)A number of high-profile Republicans, fearful of a potential melee in Cleveland this summer, are considering skipping the Republican National Convention and campaigning back home instead.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Indianapolis Star, AOL, The Last Refuge, Washington Monthly, NY State of Politics, New York Times and The Week

Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:

BREAKING: Colorado Republicans Passed Around “Resolution to Deny Trump Delegates” Back on March 22 — On Saturday Ted Cruz supporters took all 13 of the delegates up for grabs at the Colorado GOP Convention to complete a clean sweep of the state. — But it was not without controversy.

Discussion: Ari Armstrong, NBC News, The Right Scoop and myfox8.com

Ed O'Keefe / Washington Post:
Cruz likely to block Trump on a second ballot at the GOP convention

Discussion: Political Wire, The Atlantic, Hit & Run and RedState

New Jersey Online:
Ted Cruz is an American and can appear on N.J. primary ballot, judge says

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Gateway Pundit and AOL

MJ Lee / CNN:
Donald Trump: Rules ‘stacked against me’

Discussion: NBC News, Q13 FOX News, Business Insider, KTLA and The Week

Mark Hensch / The Hill: Registration-burning GOP voter: ‘I was disenfranchised’

Jeff Merkley / New York Times:

Why I'm Supporting Bernie Sanders — NO decision we make as Americans more dramatically affects the direction of our country than our choice for president. He or she is more than the manager of the executive branch, commander in chief or appointer of judges.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Politico, CNN and The Week

Editorials / New York Daily News:

Daily News Editorial Board says Vote Hillary Clinton: Her plans to give working- and middle-class Americans a fighting chance at rising incomes are far superior to Bernie Sanders' — A ritual that plays out at 8:30 a.m. on the first Friday of every month highlights the urgency …

Discussion: CNN, New York Post, CBS New York, Daily News Bin, Balloon Juice, Politico, The Week and Guardian

Prachi Gupta / Cosmopolitan:

Hillary Clinton Responds to Bernie Sanders' Remark That She's “Condescending” to Young People — “I'm excited that so many young people are involved in this campaign.” — While on the campaign trail in Las Vegas, a young girl asked Hillary Clinton, “If you're elected the girl president …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Gawker, NY State of Politics, The Week, New York Post, Politico, New York Times, Mediaite, The Daily Caller, Washington Free Beacon and Guardian

Ben White / Politico:

Cruz's message to Wall Street: Help me — NEW YORK — This Monday, assorted bankers, traders and Wall Street lawyers will gather inside the neo-Georgian walls of the Harvard Club in midtown Manhattan to write big checks to an unlikely recipient: Ted Cruz. — Cruz, who attended Harvard Law School …

Discussion: ABC News

Edward-Isaac Dovere / Politico:
Progressive groups target Julián Castro

Discussion: BuzzFeed, Washington Free Beacon and Towleroad

Stuart Rothenberg / Roll Call:
Democrats Are Headed off Their Own Cliff

Discussion: BarbWire.com

Carrie Dann / NBC News:

NBC Poll: Trump, Clinton Lead in Maryland — Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton hold big leads in Maryland two weeks before the state's presidential primary election, according to a new NBC 4/Marist poll released Tuesday night. — Among likely Republican voters, Trump holds a 12-point lead …

Discussion: Political Wire

Annie Karni / Politico:
Bill Clinton can't stop talking about himself

Discussion: CBS New York

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling: New York Hates Ted Cruz; Trump, Clinton Lead Big

Joshua Green / BostonGlobe.com: Don't underestimate Ted Cruz

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:

Team Clinton: Sanders ‘rigging the system’ with quest for superdelegates — 's presidenital campaign on Tuesday accused Bernie Sanders — of “rigging the system” by seeking to pick-off the superdelegates that have already pledged their support to Clinton.

Marcel Harmon / Salon:

Sam Brownback declares war on Kansas: This is how extremists gut a state — and democracy — The ultraconservatives take control, with an assist to ALEC and no concern for the people — It's not uncommon to see developments named after what they displace or sometimes destroy.

Nolan D. McCaskill / Politico:

Senators: NBA should move All-Star Game out of North Carolina — Six senators are calling on the NBA to move the league's 2017 All-Star game out of North Carolina due to the state's new law that bars anti-discrimination protections for gay and transgender people - adding …

Discussion: The Week and Talking Points Memo

Paul A. Specht / Raleigh News & Observer:
Raleigh visitors bureau says HB2 is affecting Wake economy

Discussion: NBC News, The Charlotte Observer, The Atlantic, Daily Kos, Occupy Democrats, PinkNews, Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, ThinkProgress, governor.nc.gov and Advocate

Associated Press:

Paul Ryan Is Not Running for President _ or Passing a Budget — House Speaker Paul Ryan's national stature is such that he had to call a news conference to deny he wants to be president. Back on Capitol Hill, he's about to blow through a statutory deadline to pass an annual budget, a major embarrassment for him and House Republicans.

Discussion: Politico

Katherine Krueger / Talking Points Memo:
Paul Ryan To GOP: I Know I'm Awesome, But I Can't Be Your President

Discussion: Balloon Juice

Bob Cusack / The Hill:

Trump won't attend White House dinner — says he will not be attending this year's White House Correspondents' Association dinner, despite receiving a flurry of invitations from the media. — Trump attended the annual dinner in 2011, only to have President Obama poke fun at him repeatedly in his comedy routine.

Discussion: Political Wire

KCBY-TV:

After mayor refuses trip to Mississippi, Navy will bring USS Portland to PDX — After Portland Mayor Charlie Hales announced he refuses to travel to Mississippi next month to commission the USS Portland over the state's anti-gay laws, the Navy has announced the commissioning will take place in Portland.

Discussion: Daily Kos and Towleroad

Media Matters for America:

Trump Ally Roger Stone Writing Entire Book Alleging That The Clintons Secretly Murdered JFK Jr. — Roger Stone is writing a book based on his conspiracy theory that the Clintons murdered John F. Kennedy Jr. Stone is an longtime ally and friend of Donald Trump, who has previously used …

Discussion: Hullabaloo

Ellen Nakashima / Washington Post:

FBI paid professional hackers one-time fee to crack San Bernardino iPhone — The FBI cracked a San Bernardino terrorist's phone with the help of professional hackers who discovered and brought to the bureau at least one previously unknown software flaw, according to people familiar with the matter.

Discussion: The Next Web, Mashable, AOL and Engadget

Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:

WOW! Glenn Beck: Nobody Can Understand the Moses-Like Burden Ted Cruz Carries (VIDEO) — What the hell? — Glenn Beck endorsed Senator Ted Cruz before the Iowa Caucuses and has been campaigning for the former Canadian for several weeks. — Radio host Glenn Beck told his audience …

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:

WH defends Clinton and de Blasio after ‘CP time’ joke flops — President Obama's top spokesman on Tuesday defended the civil rights record of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton — , who have come under fire for making a racially tinged joke at an event last week.

Discussion: Booman Tribune