memeorandum: Florida offers reminder of Cruz's tough slog ahead (Tom LoBianco/CNN)

8:40 PM ET, April 17, 2016

Top Items:

Katie Glueck / Politico:

Trump massacred in delegate fights once more — The weekend was another delegate bloodbath for Donald Trump. — In Georgia. In Wyoming. In South Carolina. In Kansas. In Florida. Ted Cruz put on a clinic, mobilizing his GOP activist base to capture at least 50 delegates on Saturday …

Discussion: RedState, Newsmax, Slate, Oklahoma Grassroots, Debbie Dooley, CNN, The Charlotte Observer, Political Insider blog and Fox News

Jose A. DelReal / Washington Post:

Trump on contested convention: 'I hope it doesn't involve violence' … STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Sunday that he hopes a contested Republican convention in July “doesn't involve violence” if he is denied the nomination during second-ballot voting.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Little Green Footballs, Althouse and Talking Points Memo

Chris Cillizza / Washington Post:

With some smart moves, Trump had a pretty good week … Don't look now, but Donald Trump has made moves in the past week that are, wait for it, actually quite smart. — Consider: — Trump announced the hiring of Rick Wiley, who managed Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's presidential campaign …

Discussion: Hot Air and Politico

Patrick Howley / Breitbart:

EXCLUSIVE — Trump Campaign: Cruz Staged ‘Attack’ In Georgia To Steal Delegates...'Not Grassroots Activism' — The Donald Trump campaign is accusing the Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) campaign of staging a coordinated “attack” in Georgia that led to pro-Trump delegate candidates being challenged …

Discussion: BizPac Review

Kevin McCullough / Townhall.com:

Why Trump Loses — When Donald Trump looks back at the wasted time and money he put forward in producing the biggest flame-out in Presidential nominating history, he's going to easily be able to point to exactly where he lost it. — I've long thought of elections as similar to prize fights or NFL football match-ups.

CBS News:

Poll: Donald Trump keeps large lead in New York; ahead in California — Donald Trump heads into his home-state primary of New York with a large edge over Ted Cruz and John Kasich, 54 percent to 21 percent and 19 percent respectively. The lead, if it holds Tuesday night …

Discussion: Hot Air, Hullabaloo and RedState

Tom LoBianco / CNN:

Florida offers reminder of Cruz's tough slog ahead — Hialeah, Florida (CNN)If Wyoming's victory and a strong showing in Georgia boosted the morale among Ted Cruz supporters on Saturday, Florida proves a reminder that it's going to be a tough fight to wrest the Republican presidential nomination from front-runner Donald Trump.

Discussion: RedState

Leon H. Wolf / RedState:
Trump Supporters Steal American Flag, Walk out of Georgia Convention After Losing Delegate Fight

Discussion: John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Political Insider blog, ABC News and No More Mister Nice Blog

Mark Murray / NBC News:
Poll: 62% Say Republican with Most Votes Should Be Nominee

Discussion: Guardian, Talking Points Memo, Washington Post and The Daily Caller

Maggie Haberman / New York Times: Donald Trump Says ‘Rigged’ Convention Should Not Be Met With Violence

Ian Schwartz / RealClearPolitics: Priebus to Trump: “Delegates And Voters Choose The Nominee”; People Don't “Give A Darn” About Colorado

Jessie Hellmann / The Hill:
RNC chief: No changes to delegate requirement likely

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Politico and Drudge Retort

Ginger Gibson / Reuters:
Ted Cruz wins Wyoming Republican presidential nominating contest

Discussion: The Resurgent and Breitbart

Jenna Johnson / Washington Post:
Trump to RNC: Reform nomination system or ‘have a rough July at that convention’

Discussion: The Huffington Post and RedState

Bethania Palma Markus / Raw Story:
Trump threatens a ‘rough time’ at the Republican National Convention if he isn't given the nomination

Discussion: KCCI-TV and Syracuse Post-Standard

Paul Sperry / New York Post:

How US covered up Saudi role in 9/11 — In its report on the still-censored “28 pages” implicating the Saudi government in 9/11, “60 Minutes” last weekend said the Saudi role in the attacks has been “soft-pedaled” to protect America's delicate alliance with the oil-rich kingdom.

Discussion: Breitbart and Jihad Watch

Kristin Donnelly / NBC News:

Secret 28 Pages of 9/11 Report Under New Scrutiny — When the president leaves for a trip to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday an unresolved issue will go with him: did the Saudis play some role in supporting the hijackers responsible for the attacks on September 11th?

Discussion: Pamela Geller, Forbes and Hot Air

Daily Mail:
Victims of 9/11 families accuse Obama of ‘siding with Saudi Arabia’ …

Discussion: John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Independent Journal … and American Thinker

Liz Kreutz / ABC News:

Hillary Clinton Says ‘I Really Could Care Less’ About Donald Trump Calling Her ‘Crooked Hillary’

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, AOL, Business Insider, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, New York Magazine, BizPac Review, Fox News Insider, New York Times and Associated Press

Dan Merica / CNN:
Sanders supporters shower Clinton motorcade with dollar bills

Discussion: Associated Press, Balloon Juice and Washington Free Beacon

Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit: Donald Trump Is Outperforming Ted Cruz, Bernie Sanders AND Hillary Clinton

David Edwards / Raw Story:

Texas man brings real gun to water gun fight — and shoots 15-year-old girl — DON'T MISS STORIES. FOLLOW RAW STORY! — Law enforcement officials in Spring, Texas said over the weekend that they were questioning a man after he shot a 15-year-old girl who was playing with water guns.

Discussion: Click2Houston.com

Laura Bult / New York Daily News:

Hundreds of New York state voters to file suit calling the closed primary ‘a threat to our democratic system’ after claiming their party affiliation mysteriously changed — More than 200 outraged New York voters have joined a lawsuit claiming the party affiliation on their voter registration changed without their consent.

Discussion: Hot Air and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

EndPlay / WSB-TV:

Police: Mother leaves infant in hot car for strip club audition, 2 arrested — Two women face charges after an infant was left in a hot car outside of a strip club in Tennessee as the child's mother was onstage for an audition, according to multiple reports.

Discussion: myfox8.com and John Hawkins' Right Wing News