memeorandum: Cornyn declines to back Cruz ahead of Senate primary (Manu Raju/CNN)

9:40 AM ET, September 8, 2016

Top Items:

Matt Lauer's Pathetic Interview of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Is the Scariest Thing I've Seen in This Campaign — I had not taken seriously the possibility that Donald Trump could win the presidency until I saw Matt Lauer host an hour-long interview with the two major party candidates.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Gateway Pundit, No More Mister Nice Blog, Washington Post, Independent Journal Review, Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Week and Althouse

Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:

Matt Lauer Fields Storm of Criticism Over Clinton-Trump Forum — It was a high-stakes political moment, far from the chummier confines of the “Today” show and, for Matt Lauer, NBC's stalwart of the morning, a chance to prove his broadcasting mettle on the presidential stage. — The consensus afterward was not kind.

Discussion: Washington Post, Political Insider blog, BillMoyers.com, Political Wire, TVNewser, The Week and The Big Lead, more at Mediagazer »

Matt Flegenheimer / New York Times:

Here's What You Missed in the Presidential Forum — Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump squared off from the same stage Wednesday evening — if not exactly face to face — in a televised forum on national security and veterans issues. The candidates appeared and took questions separately …

Discussion: The Other McCain, Liberty Unyielding, Althouse and ABC News

Byron York / Washington Examiner:

As debates near, forum shows potential Trump advantage — NBC's “Commander in Chief Forum,” held Wednesday night aboard the USS Intrepid in New York, was the closest thing to a debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton until the real thing on Sept. 26.

Jeremy Herb / Politico:

‘Embarrassing to our country’: Trump suggests he'll fire top generals — Donald Trump trod into uncharted territory Wednesday night when he suggested that if elected he might fire some of the top generals now running the military. — As the Republican presidential nominee slammed …

Michael Calderone / The Huffington Post:

Matt Lauer Failed The Moderator Test — At NBC's “Commander-in-Chief Forum,” the host let Donald Trump slide on false Iraq and Libya claims he's made all campaign. — NEW YORK Wednesday night's “Commander-in-Chief Forum” on NBC should have gone down as the first time the two 2016 presidential candidate shared a stage.

Discussion: Salon, Washington Post, Washington Free Beacon, CNNMoney, Talking Points Memo, Breitbart, Politico, Common Dreams, Independent Journal Review, Daily Kos, twitchy.com and Balloon Juice

Matthew Yglesias / Vox:

Matt Lauer totally blew it on Trump's blatant lying about Iraq and Libya — “I heard Hillary Clinton say I was not against the war in Iraq,” Donald Trump told Matt Lauer during Wednesday night's Commander-in-Chief Forum. “I was totally against the war in Iraq. You can look at Esquire magazine from 2004.

Discussion: The Wrap, Washington Post, ThinkProgress, New York Times, BizPac Review, Raw Story and Guardian

Zack Beauchamp / Vox:
Donald Trump just lied about opposing the Iraq War before it started. Here's proof.

Discussion: NBC News, ThinkProgress, BuzzFeed, Towleroad, New York Times, Peacock Panache and Refinery29

NBC News:
Commander-In-Chief Forum — Who is better qualified to serve …

NBC News:
Analysis: Trump Is Erratic, Clinton Defensive in Veterans Forum

Discussion: Politico, fox8.com, Business Insider, WREG-TV, Guardian, Washington Post and Daily Kos

TIME:
Read Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump's Remarks at a Military Forum

Discussion: Hit & Run, Daily Kos and Mother Jones

Gabriel Debenedetti / Politico:
Clinton, Trump on defensive in national security forum

Discussion: ABC News, The Atlantic, New York Magazine and Washington Post

Patrick Healy / New York Times:
Forum Offers Preview of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Presidential Debate

Discussion: The Atlantic and Vox Popoli

Amie Parnes / The Hill:

Clinton campaign warns media to tread carefully — 's campaign is working the refs hard when it comes to reports about her health. — While Clinton responded to a fit of coughing this week with humor, saying she was “allergic” to GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump

Discussion: Infowars and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Associated Press:
The Latest: Clinton Camp: Trump Has ‘No Plan’ for IS

Discussion: Politico

Ryan Lovelace / Washington Examiner:
Veteran confronts Clinton on handling of classified info

Discussion: White House Dossier

Meghan Keneally / ABC News:
Trump Says Putin Better Leader Than Obama in Military Town Hall

Discussion: NBC News, Politico, Associated Press, Vox, New York Magazine, New Century Times, Talking Points Memo, The American Conservative and Politics News

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:

Dems sound alarm on Senate majority — The campaign chairman for Senate Democrats on Wednesday warned his colleagues that if the elections were held today, the party would gain only three Senate seats, according to lawmakers who were in the room. — That outcome would leave Democrats …

Seung Min Kim / Politico: Merrick Garland to visit Senate again

Associated Press:
Ginsburg: ‘Cooler Heads Will Prevail’ on High Court Nominee

Discussion: Political Wire and Washington Post

Evan Perez / CNN:

First on CNN: FBI director defends Clinton email probe, document releases — Washington (CNN)FBI Director James Comey is defending the bureau's Friday afternoon release of documents from the Hillary Clinton email investigation, saying “we don't play games” and that the documents were put out when ready.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Fox News, Washington Post, Western Journalism, Hot Air, Washington Free Beacon and The Daily Caller

Sarah Westwood / Washington Examiner:
FBI director defends Clinton email decision in memo to employees

Discussion: MichelleMalkin.com and twitchy.com

Jessie Hellmann / The Hill:
Comey defends releasing FBI's Clinton report before holiday weekend

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and The Daily Caller

MSNBC:

Gary Johnson asks: What is Aleppo? — Mike Barnicle asks Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson how he would handle Aleppo, Syria as president. Johnson responds. ... more Duration: {{video.duration.momentjs}}

Daniel Strauss / Politico:
Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson: ‘What is Aleppo?’

Discussion: ABC News

Katie Glueck / Politico:

Trump's shrinking swing state map — Two months from Election Day, Donald Trump's swing state map is shrinking. — Interviews with more than two dozen Republican operatives, state party officials and elected leaders suggest three of the 11 battleground states identified by POLITICO …

Discussion: The Week

Associated Press:

Obama: Americans will reject Trump's ‘wacky’ ideas — VIENTIANE, Laos (AP) — President Barack Obama said Thursday that Republican Donald Trump proves he isn't qualified to be president “every time he speaks,” adding that he was confident Americans would ultimately reject the brash billionaire on Election Day.

Discussion: Guardian

Daily Mail:
Obama DID meet with foul-mouthed Filipino leader after he apologized for calling U.S. president a ‘son of a bitch’

Discussion: Associated Press, Mediaite, ABC News and The Atlantic

Aaron Blake / Washington Post:

Donald Trump's thoroughly strange claim about his Mexico visit — Donald Trump made the case Wednesday night that he would be a studied and steady commander-in-chief during an NBC forum — the first matchup between him and Hillary Clinton on the same stage of the 2016 general election.

Discussion: NPR and New York Magazine

TMZ.com:

Ryan Lochte — Suspended for 10 Months — EXCLUSIVE — Ryan Lochte just got his punishment for his Rio gas station hijinks, and we're told the U.S. Olympic Committee was tough, but not career-ending. — USOC connected sources tell TMZ Sports ... Lochte has been suspended for 10 months.

Discussion: USA Today, NBCSports.com, WCTX-TV, myfox8.com, Bleacher Report, WDTN-TV, The Big Lead, Refinery29 and fox8.com

Morning Call:

Union workers walk out at Just Born, maker of Peeps, in first strike in decades — Of The Morning Call … BETHLEHEM — Kenneth Ayers has worked 38 years at Just Born Quality Confections — a job he says has been mostly rewarding, except during labor talks.

Discussion: WCMH-TV

Byron Tau / Wall Street Journal:

Colin Powell Gave Hillary Clinton Tips on How to Avoid Email Scrutiny — Former secretary of state warned of danger in BlackBerry use — WASHINGTON—Former Secretary of State Colin Powell told Hillary Clinton at the start of her tenure at the State Department that he used a personal computer …

Discussion: CNN, USA Today, The Right Scoop, The Week and twitchy.com

Manu Raju / CNN:

Cornyn declines to back Cruz ahead of Senate primary — Donald Trump renews rivalry with Ted Cruz — Washington (CNN)Texas Sen. Ted Cruz shouldn't expect much help from the senior GOP senator from his state, John Cornyn, ahead of a potential Senate primary challenge next cycle.

Discussion: Washington Examiner, RedState and The Right Scoop