memeorandum: Obama: Americans will reject Trump's ‘wacky’ ideas (Associated Press)

9:05 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: Independent Journal Review, Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Week and Althouse

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

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, CNNMoney, Talking Points Memo, Common Dreams, Independent Journal Review, Daily Kos, Politico, Business Insider, New York Times, Informed Comment and Balloon Juice

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: BillMoyers.com, Political Wire, TVNewser, The Week and The Big Lead, more at Mediagazer »

NBC News:

Commander-In-Chief Forum — Who is better qualified to serve as America's next Commander in Chief? — NBC News and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America present a historic event Wednesday: The Commander-in-Chief Forum live from New York City. — Democratic presidential nominee …

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

Discussion: NBC News, BuzzFeed, ThinkProgress, The Atlantic, Peacock Panache and Refinery29

Byron York / Washington Examiner: As debates near, forum shows potential Trump advantage

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

Discussion: Hit & Run, Daily Kos and Mother Jones

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

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

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

Matthew Yglesias / Vox:
Matt Lauer totally blew it on Trump's blatant lying about Iraq and Libya

Discussion: ThinkProgress, New York Times, Washington Free Beacon, No More Mister Nice Blog and BizPac Review

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

Discussion: The Atlantic and Vox Popoli

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

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:

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

Bre Payton / The Federalist:
In Laos, Obama Repeatedly Calls Americans ‘Lazy’

Discussion: Associated Press, MichelleMalkin.com, Mediaite, The Daily Caller and twitchy.com

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, Washington Post, Fox News, Western Journalism, Hot Air, Washington Free Beacon and The Daily Caller

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

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and The Daily Caller

Ryan Lovelace / Washington Examiner:

Veteran confronts Clinton on handling of classified info — A veteran confronted Hillary Clinton about her handling of classified information as secretary of state during a presidential forum on Wednesday. — An Air Force and Navy veteran, who said he held “the top secret sensitive …

Discussion: White House Dossier

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

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

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, myfox8.com, Bleacher Report, WDTN-TV, The Big Lead, Refinery29 and fox8.com

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

Matthew Nussbaum / Politico:

Pence breaks with Trump, says Obama born in Hawaii — SAN DIEGO — Mike Pence on Wednesday declined to say whether Donald Trump should apologize for suggesting Barack Obama was born outside the U.S., but he did say Trump's stance wouldn't hurt him with minority voters.

Discussion: ABC News, CBS News, Business Insider, Daily Kos, No More Mister Nice Blog, AOL, Mediaite, Hullabaloo, Little Green Footballs, ThinkProgress and Washington Post

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

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

Morning Consult:

50-State Poll: Hillary Clinton Still Leads Where It Matters — How the Election Has Changed Since the Conventions — Hillary Clinton would top Donald Trump 321-195 in electoral votes to clinch the White House if the election were held today, according to an extensive Morning Consult analysis of registered voters.

Discussion: Guardian

Brian Beutler / New Republic:

The Media Coverage of Hillary Clinton Is Out of Whack — The problem isn't the scrutiny of her emails or the Clinton Foundation, but treating such sins as comparable to Donald Trump's. — By the end of last week, high-profile liberals and members of the political press corps were battling …

Discussion: The Federalist, Raw Story and Politico

Marlon James / New York Times:

Five or Six Things I Didn't Know About Brad Pitt, by Marlon James — The worst kind, too. The kind who lets a plant starve to death. The evidence, at two opposing corners of his office in Beverly Hills; skeletal remnants that long gave up hope of ever being watered. He's been away for 10 months, he says.

Discussion: USA Today, New Century Times, AOL, The Daily Caller, Mediaite and New York Magazine

Rachael Bade / Politico:

Freedom Caucus eyes biggest power grab since Boehner — The House Freedom Caucus is eyeing its biggest power play since it pushed out John Boehner as speaker last year. — Members of the group of far-right agitators are considering a plan to run one of their own as a candidate …