Top Items:
Shane Goldmacher / Politico:
Ted Cruz drops out of presidential race — Ted Cruz dropped out of the presidential race on Tuesday night, ending one of the best-organized campaigns of 2016 after a series of stinging defeats left Donald Trump as the only candidate capable of clinching the nomination outright.
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Josh Barro / Business Insider:
The crisis in the Republican Party is even worse than it looks — Donald Trump is going to be the Republican nominee for president, and this alarms ideological conservatives for several reasons: — 1. They think he will lose badly to Hillary Clinton, perhaps so badly that Republicans lose control of both houses of Congress.
Discussion:
National Review, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Vox, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Booman Tribune and AOL
CNN:
At the starting gate: Clinton leads Trump by double-digits — Indianapolis (CNN)As Donald Trump captures the mantle of presumptive Republican nominee, a new poll finds he begins his general election campaign well behind Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.
Discussion:
NBC News, Washington Free Beacon and The Week
Chris Cillizza / Washington Post:
Winners and Losers from the Indiana primary … Donald Trump crushed the competition in Indiana's primary, sealing his stranglehold on the Republican nomination. Bernie Sanders eked out a win over Hillary Clinton in the Democratic race, a victory for the underdog but one that will do little …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, New York Times, Politico, Business Insider, Hot Air, Associated Press, AOL, NBC News, CNN, WISH-TV, The Week, Guardian, New York Magazine and Washington Blade
Fred Barnes / Weekly Standard:
What Went Wrong for Ted Cruz — What happened to Ted Cruz? A month ago, he won the Wisconsin primary in a landslide and was poised to combat Donald Trump with a fresh burst of enthusiasm. Now he's out of the race and Trump is the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
Nate Cohn / New York Times:
Yes, It's Early, but Donald Trump Would Have Uphill Battle Against Hillary Clinton — A general election matchup between Donald J. Trump and Hillary Clinton became all but certain on Tuesday after Mr. Trump's decisive victory in Indiana. — He would begin that matchup at a significant disadvantage.
Discussion:
Vox and Business Insider
Neil King Jr / Wall Street Journal:
Six Months Out, the General Election Map Looks Tough for Donald Trump — Indiana has all but sealed it: The general election will feature a face off between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. — So with six months to go before Election Day, what are the rough outlines of the race? Can Mr. Trump win?
Discussion:
The Week
Mark Cunningham / New York Post:
With Trump's win, it's time for GOP to unite against Hillary — MORE FROM: — Ted Cruz did the right and honorable thing by suspending his presidential campaign Tuesday night. John Kasich should follow suit. It's time for the party to unite against Hillary Clinton.
Discussion:
Washington Post, New York Daily News, Guardian and The Gateway Pundit
Ross Douthat / New York Times:
The Defeat of True Conservatism — When Donald Trump knocked first Jeb Bush and then Marco Rubio out of the Republican primary campaign, he defeated not only the candidates themselves but their common theory of what the G.O.P. should be — the idea that the party could essentially recreate …
New York Times:
It's Donald Trump's Party Now — The Republican Party's trek into the darkness took a fateful step in Indiana on Tuesday. — The Hoosier State delivered an all-but-crowning victory to Donald Trump, who beat Ted Cruz soundly in the state, sweeping up at least 51 delegates.
Discussion:
Business Insider, AOL, The Huffington Post, Politico, The Hill, The Moderate Voice and Vox Popoli
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
Trump Has Won and the Republican Party Is Broken
Trump Has Won and the Republican Party Is Broken
Discussion:
Politico, Rasmussen Reports, The Atlantic, Vox, Washington Post, NBC News, National Review, Hit & Run and Scared Monkeys
New York Times:
Donald Trump All but Clinches G.O.P. Race With Indiana Win; Ted Cruz Quits
Donald Trump All but Clinches G.O.P. Race With Indiana Win; Ted Cruz Quits
Discussion:
Breitbart, Public Religion Research …, CBS News, Raw Story, Los Angeles Times, NBC News and Media Matters for America
Maeve Reston / CNN:
Ted Cruz drops presidential bid
Ted Cruz drops presidential bid
Discussion:
LawNewz, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Red Alert Politics, The Federalist, The Jawa Report and Scared Monkeys
Ian Hanchett / Breitbart:
Bernstein: There Will Be ‘Very Damaging’ Leaks From Hillary Email Investigation, Her Actions Reckless and Entitled
Gregory Wallace / CNN:
The anti-Trump movement spent upwards of $75 million and ultimately lost
The anti-Trump movement spent upwards of $75 million and ultimately lost
Discussion:
Red Alert Politics, Business Insider and Washington Free Beacon
Sean Sullivan / Washington Post:
Ted Cruz drops out of the Republican presidential race
Ted Cruz drops out of the Republican presidential race
Discussion:
whorunsGov
Karen Tumulty / Washington Post:
Trump promises to obliterate Clinton's record
Trump promises to obliterate Clinton's record
Discussion:
The Week, Political Wire, ThinkProgress and No More Mister Nice Blog
Benjy Sarlin / MSNBC:
Donald Trump is obsessed with race-baiting conspiracy theories
Donald Trump is obsessed with race-baiting conspiracy theories
Discussion:
RedState, CANNONFIRE, NBC News, Raw Story, AOL, Mediaite and Washington Monthly
Hannah Levintova / Mother Jones:
Ted Cruz Ends Presidential Campaign After Trump Sweep in Indiana
Ted Cruz Ends Presidential Campaign After Trump Sweep in Indiana
Discussion:
Washington Post, Mediaite, Towleroad, CBS New York, ABC News and Heat Street
Harper Neidig / The Hill:
Kasich campaign: Indiana results won't alter our plans
Kasich campaign: Indiana results won't alter our plans
Discussion:
rubber hose and Western Journalism
Matthew Nussbaum / Politico:
GOP establishment moves from ‘Never Trump’ to just ‘Trump’
GOP establishment moves from ‘Never Trump’ to just ‘Trump’
Discussion:
Washington Post
Greta Van Susteren / Gretawire:
I don't know about “Lyin' Ted” but I do know about “Doesn't Tell The Whole Story Ted”
I don't know about “Lyin' Ted” but I do know about “Doesn't Tell The Whole Story Ted”
Discussion:
Mediaite, TVNewser and Politico, more at Mediagazer »
Tierney Sneed / Talking Points Memo:
McCain's Former Top Aide Will Support Clinton Over Trump
McCain's Former Top Aide Will Support Clinton Over Trump
Discussion:
Hit & Run, CNN, New York Daily News and The Week
Donovan Slack / USA Today:
Trump bizarrely links Cruz's father to JFK assassin; Cruz goes ballistic
Trump bizarrely links Cruz's father to JFK assassin; Cruz goes ballistic
Discussion:
Hot Air, Vox, Hit & Run, Mediaite, American Spectator, The Atlantic, Post On Politics and Independent Journal …
New York Post:
Even Hillary Clinton's pals can't pretend to believe her lies — Figuring she has the Democratic nomination sewn up, Hillary Clinton this week headed to swing state West Virginia, aiming to “feel the pain” of coal country. — But then she ran into Bo Copley, a recently laid-off miner.
Discussion:
Power Line
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Heidi M Przybyla / USA Today:
Sanders wins Indiana, but Clinton looks to November
Sanders wins Indiana, but Clinton looks to November
Discussion:
AOL, Cincinnati.com and Guardian
Nolan D. McCaskill / Politico:
Trump says he's begun vetting VP picks — Donald Trump's campaign has begun vetting vice-presidential picks, but it's too soon to disclose any names, the presumptive Republican nominee said Wednesday. — Calling into MSNBC's “Morning Joe” following a decisive victory in Indiana …
Discussion:
Political Wire and The Week
Thomas L. Friedman / New York Times:
Trump and the Lord's Work — Like many others, I watched the video that President Obama showed at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday of him inviting former House Speaker John Boehner over to solicit his advice on what Obama should do post-presidency.
Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
The Mythology Of Trump's ‘Working Class’ Support — It's been extremely common for news accounts to portray Donald Trump's candidacy as a “working-class” rebellion against Republican elites. There are elements of truth in this perspective: Republican voters, especially Trump supporters, are unhappy about the direction of the economy.
Discussion:
CBS Philly and Washington Post