Top Items:
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.
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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.
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, ABC News, New York Daily News, Guardian, The New Civil Rights Movement and The Gateway Pundit
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
Trump Has Won and the Republican Party Is Broken — The surreal has finally become real. — It is fitting that Donald Trump has essentially locked up the Republican presidential nomination on the same day he made yet another bizarre and senseless (that is, lacking any discernible purpose) …
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
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 …
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:
New York Times, Talking Points Memo, Politico, New York Magazine, Guardian, Business Insider, Hot Air, Associated Press, AOL, NBC News, CNN, WISH-TV, The Week, CBS New York and Real Clear Politics
Ian Hanchett / Breitbart:
Bernstein: There Will Be ‘Very Damaging’ Leaks From Hillary Email Investigation, Her Actions Reckless and Entitled — On Wednesday's “CNN Tonight,” Journalist and author Carl Bernstein stated that there would be “very damaging” leaks from the investigation into Democratic presidential candidate …
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:
Prairie Weather, 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
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.
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 Moderate Voice and Vox Popoli
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
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, Washington Post, Outside the Beltway, Los Angeles Times, NBC News, Raw Story, Media Matters for America and Politico
Benjy Sarlin / MSNBC:
Donald Trump is obsessed with race-baiting conspiracy theories
Donald Trump is obsessed with race-baiting conspiracy theories
Discussion:
American Prospect, RedState, Mediaite, CANNONFIRE, Guardian, NBC News, Raw Story, AOL, Washington Monthly and Fox News
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
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
Sean Sullivan / Washington Post:
Ted Cruz drops out of the Republican presidential race
Ted Cruz drops out of the Republican presidential race
Discussion:
whorunsGov, Hit & Run and Scared Monkeys
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 »
Harper Neidig / The Hill:
Kasich campaign: Indiana results won't alter our plans
Kasich campaign: Indiana results won't alter our plans
Discussion:
Western Journalism and rubber hose
Matthew Nussbaum / Politico:
GOP establishment moves from ‘Never Trump’ to just ‘Trump’
GOP establishment moves from ‘Never Trump’ to just ‘Trump’
Discussion:
Washington Post
CBS News:
Live updates: Republican primary in Indiana
Live updates: Republican primary in Indiana
Discussion:
WSPA-TV, Public Religion Research …, Friendly Atheist, Vox and BizPac Review
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
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, JP Updates, ABC News and Heat Street
Veronica Stracqualursi / ABC News:
Indiana GOP Primary: Donald Trump Projected to Win
Indiana GOP Primary: Donald Trump Projected to Win
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Politico, The Resurgent, The Hill, Slate and American Power
Nick Gass / Politico:
Sanders surprises Clinton in Indiana — Bernie Sanders upset Hillary Clinton in Indiana's Democratic primary Tuesday night, giving his flagging campaign another reason to carry on to Philadelphia even though he has virtually no chance of overtaking Clinton for the nomination.
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys and Hit & Run
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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:
The Week and Political Wire
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.
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