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

10:40 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: Vox, Talking Points Memo, Washington Monthly, Washington Post, The New Civil Rights Movement, Independent Journal Review, The Gateway Pundit, No More Mister Nice Blog, New York Times, Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Week, Business Insider, Mediaite 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, Business Insider, Political Insider blog, BillMoyers.com, Political Wire, TVNewser, AOL, The Week and The Big Lead, more at Mediagazer »

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: Mother Jones, Washington Post, CNNMoney, Washington Free Beacon, Talking Points Memo, press.nbcnews.com, Breitbart, AOL, Politico, Independent Journal Review, Liberty Unyielding, Common Dreams, twitchy.com, New York Times, Informed Comment, NBC News, Daily Kos 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, Salon, New York Times, Mediaite, BizPac Review, New York Magazine, Raw Story, Media Matters for America and Guardian

NBC News:

Analysis: Trump Is Erratic, Clinton Defensive in Veterans Forum — Clinton, Trump differ on Foreign Policy 7:11 — NEW YORK — Wednesday's Commander-in-Chief Forum will be remembered as the time Donald Trump offered more praise for Russian strongman Vladimir Putin than America's own military leadership …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Hillary Clinton Speeches, Politico, Business Insider, WREG-TV, Guardian, Washington Post and Daily Kos

Matt Flegenheimer / New York Times:
Here's What You Missed in the Presidential Forum

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

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

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

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

Discussion: Mother Jones, Hit & Run and Daily Kos

Daniel Strauss / Politico:

Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson: ‘What is Aleppo?’ — Asked what he would do about the Syrian city of Aleppo, the region at the center of that nation's civil war and refugee crisis, Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson responded by asking, “what is Aleppo?”

Discussion: RedState and Outside the Beltway

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}}

Discussion: Business Insider

Alan Rappeport / New York Times:
‘What Is Aleppo?’ Gary Johnson Asks, in an Interview Stumble

Discussion: The Atlantic, Fox News Insider, Raw Story and The Week

Jordyn Phelps / ABC News:
Libertarian Presidential Candidate Gary Johnson Asks ‘What Is Aleppo?’ in TV Interview

Discussion: Politico

Morning Consult:
50-State Poll: Hillary Clinton Still Leads Where It Matters

Discussion: Guardian

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: The Gateway Pundit, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Hot Air, Scared Monkeys and White House Dossier

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 …

Discussion: RedState

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

Discussion: Politico

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

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

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

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

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

Discussion: Washington Post and Associated Press

Katherine Krueger / Talking Points Memo:

WATCH LIVE: Clinton To Hold Press Conference On NY Tarmac At 9:15 AM ET — Hillary Clinton is slated to take questions from the press on the tarmac in White Plains, New York, Thursday morning before flying to Charlotte after weeks of intensified criticism about not holding a formal press conference for more than 250 days.

Discussion: Balloon Juice

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, The Hill, 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

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

Eric Fehrnstrom / BostonGlobe.com:

Are Clinton's memory lapses a health issue, or just dishonest dodging? — THE STORIES ABOUT Hillary Clinton's failing health at first glance seemed like more vapors from the gaseous swamp of this year's toxic presidential race. The coughing fits, a photo showing her being assisted in walking …

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

Allegra Kirkland / Talking Points Memo:

RNC Chief Criticized For Telling Clinton To ‘Smile’ During National Security Forum — Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus gave Hillary Clinton's performance at Wednesday's NBC town hall negative marks because, in part, he didn't like her facial expression.

Discussion: Politico, Vox, Independent Journal Review and Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times

Jim Geraghty / National Review:

The Problem with Temporarily Embracing Julian Assange — Chewing over Ramesh's question... Sure, it's somewhat pleasing to see Assange scoffing at Hillary Clinton's claim that she didn't know that “(c )” on a document meant it was classified confidential and pointing to memos she wrote …

Discussion: Hot Air and RealClearPolitics