memeorandum: Donald Trump's Foes Fear Indiana Primary Could Be Decisive Blow (Alexander Burns/New York Times)

1:25 PM ET, May 3, 2016

Top Items:

Nolan D. McCaskill / Politico:

Trump accuses Cruz's father of helping JFK's assassin — Donald Trump on Tuesday alleged that Ted Cruz's father was with John F. Kennedy's assassin shortly before he murdered the president, parroting a National Enquirer story claiming that Rafael Cruz was pictured with Lee Harvey Oswald handing …

Frank Newport / Gallup:

Cruz's Image Plummets, Trump's Improves Among Republicans — Ted Cruz — attempting to hold on to the narrowing possibility that he can wrest the GOP nomination away from front-runner Donald Trump — faces a crucial Indiana primary on Tuesday. Meanwhile, and perhaps ominously for Cruz …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Washington Times, YouGov US Opinion Center News and NBC News

Philip Rucker / Washington Post:

As voting begins, Trump sees a decisive Indiana victory, demise of Cruz, Kasich candidacies — These 10 states will decide whether Trump is the GOP nominee … INDIANAPOLIS — As voting began Tuesday in Indiana's critical primary, the state appeared poised to move Donald Trump closer …

Discussion: Politico, Vox, ABC News and FiveThirtyEight

Betsy Woodruff / The Daily Beast:

Ted Cruz Seeks Divine Intervention in Indiana—and if That Doesn't Work, Louie Gohmert Is There to Help — The Texas senator needs a win in Indiana to stay relevant in the 2016 race, so he has enlisted the help of the three G's: God, Glenn, and Gohmert. — Hoosiers are Ted Cruz's last hope.

Discussion: Breitbart, NBC News, Wall Street Journal, Real Clear Politics, Right Wing Watch, Trail Blazers Blog, Balloon Juice and The Daily Caller

The Hill:

Cruz: Trump is an ‘utterly amoral’ bully, narcissist, pathological liar … with his most personal and toughest criticism since the GOP presidential campaign began, calling him a “pathological liar” on Tuesday who doesn't understand the difference between the truth and lies.

Discussion: CNN

Daily Mail:

EXCLUSIVE: Time to quit, Ted!: Trump tells Cruz to get ready to ‘leave the race’ and won't offer the constitutional lawyer a spot on the Supreme Court as a consolation prize because of his ‘tough temperament’ — Donald Trump says it will be time for Ted Cruz to quit the presidential race …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, AOL and The Hill

Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:
Rafael Cruz: “I Implore Every Member of the Body of Christ to Vote According to the Word of God” (VIDEO)

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Salon, Washington Examiner and Hot Air

Katherine Krueger / Talking Points Memo:
Trump Floats Conspiracy Theory That Ted Cruz's Dad Linked To Lee Harvey Oswald (VIDEO)

Discussion: Right Wing Watch, Pirate's Cove and The Daily Caller

Alexander Burns / New York Times:
Donald Trump's Foes Fear Indiana Primary Could Be Decisive Blow

Discussion: The Atlantic, Indianapolis Star, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Politico, Daily Kos and American Power

Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:

There Is A Hole In Bernie Sanders' Strategy For Winning The Nomination — Just how democratic should the Democratic primary be? — Sen. Bernie Sanders' revamped plan for winning the Democratic presidential nomination suffers from an inconsistency that could complicate the case he makes to party insiders and allied groups.

Discussion: CNN, liberalamerica.org and Outside the Beltway

Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:

NEWT GINGRICH: ALL 50 STATES IN PLAY If Trump Runs General Like Primary (VIDEO) — NEWT GINGRICH: ALL 50 STATES IN PLAY If Trump Runs General Like Primary- — Newt Gingrich took time out today to discuss the Indiana primary election on Tuesday. — Newt says Indiana will be Senator Cruz's last stand:

Discussion: BizPac Review

Rich Noyes / NewsBusters:
TV News Touts Trump, Crushes Cruz and Gives Bernie a Shot at Hillary

Discussion: RedState and Washington Times

Michael A. Cohen / BostonGlobe.com:
Bernie Sanders declares war on reality

Discussion: USA Today

Nolan D. McCaskill / Politico:
Poll: Trump up to 56 percent nationally

Discussion: Taylor Marsh and The Week

Matthew Yglesias / Vox:
Donald Trump is really going to be the nominee. This is actually happening.

Discussion: Mother Jones

The Hill:
Clinton allies fume over Sanders's vow to fight on

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Hit & Run and Washington Post

Bill / The Hill:

Press: It's time to end Nerd Prom — OK, everybody — breathe a sigh of relief. We survived another White House Correspondents' Association dinner. But before we rush on to the next one, can't we all agree that this event is out of control and in desperate need of a big shake-up?

Jordyn Phelps / ABC News:
President Obama Says Donald Trump Is Not Equipped to Be President

Discussion: AOL and Talking Points Memo

Gregory Korte / USA Today:
Obama has no problem with Larry Wilmore's use of racial slur, aide says

Discussion: Salon, Raw Story, The Atlantic, New York Magazine, Liberty Unyielding and Independent Journal …

Associated Press:

Defense Secretary Carter: American killed in combat in Iraq — BAGHDAD (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Tuesday that an American serviceman has been killed in Iraq, describing it as a “combat death.” — The defense secretary, who spoke to reporters in Stuttgart, Germany …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Politico, Washington Free Beacon and CNN

Fox News: US service member killed by ISIS militants in northern Iraq

CBS News:
“Enemy fire” kills U.S. troop in northern Iraq

Discussion: Navy Times, Western Journalism, CBS New York, The Atlantic, The Week and Hot Air

Paula McMahon / Sun-Sentinel:

Hollywood man accused of plot to blow up Aventura synagogue — James Gonzalo Medina appeared in federal court Monday afternoon in Miami. He is accused of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction to blow up a synagogue in Aventura. — South Florida Sun-Sentinel … Privacy Policy

Discussion: Power Line, Fox News, Liberty Unyielding and Pamela Geller

Jay Weaver / miamiherald:
Plot to blow up Aventura synagogue ends with man's arrest

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Front Page Magazine, Hot Air and WSVN-TV

Mark Plotkin / The Hill:

Cruz's slip of the tongue will doom him in Indiana — There are times when a politician firmly and unmistakably puts a foot in his mouth and pays for it dearly. — Last week in Indiana, Sen. Ted Cruz — (R-Texas) won the prize for a verbal infraction that was so huge, it will be cited for years to come.

Discussion: Washington Post and The Week

Monica Alba / NBC News:

Hillary Clinton Apologizes to Coal Country Over ‘Out of Business’ Comments — WILLIAMSON, W.Va.— Hillary Clinton, in a rare candid moment on the trail, apologized to a man who confronted her over comments made earlier this year about putting coal miners “out of business.”

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Hot Air and Western Journalism

Amy Chozick / New York Times:
Hillary Clinton Hears Wrath of Coal Supporters in West Virginia

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, BuzzFeed, Talking Points Memo, The Atlantic, Politico, Core News, Washington Free Beacon, Reuters and rubber hose

Mark Molloy / Telegraph:

Loyal dogs refuse to leave side of dying baby girl at hospital — A family's loyal basset hounds have refused to leave the side of a dying baby girl who suffered a major stroke. — Nora Hall's parents have taken the heartbreaking decision to turn off their five-month-old daughter's life support …

Liam Ford / Chicago Tribune:

‘Active shooter’ at Target was just ‘disturbance’ about transgender restrooms: Cops — A call about an “active shooter” at a Target in Bradley, Illinois, May 2, 2016, turned out to be a “disturbance” at the store caused by a man protesting the company's new transgender bathroom policy. (CBS Chicago)

Discussion: Gawker and Independent Journal …

Richard Cohen / Washington Post:

Trump should break the bad news to his supporters — If Donald Trump looked at a demographic profile of his supporters, he would sneer. They are disproportionately out of work or not seeking it. If they do have a job, they're probably working with their hands, maybe something a machine …

Discussion: Hot Air and Prairie Weather

Leon H. Wolf / RedState:

CNN Destroys Fox News in April Prime Time Ratings — While you weren't looking, CNN has been busy demolishing the once-invincible ratings gap between themselves and Fox News. CNN beat Fox News decisively for their prime time lineup in April, and especially in the coveted age gap of 25-54.

Lisa Hagen / The Hill:

DNC chairwoman: If up to me, I'd exclude independents from Dem primaries — Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said if it was her decision, she would scrap open primaries and only allow voters registered as Democrats to participate in primaries.

Discussion: Washington Examiner and Hot Air