memeorandum: Trump Jr.: Running for president a ‘step down’ (Gregory Krieg/CNN)

10:35 AM ET, October 20, 2016

Top Items:

Donald Trump's Contempt for Democracy — Donald Trump turned, in the third and final presidential debate, from insulting the intelligence of the American voter to insulting American democracy itself. He falsely insisted there were “millions of people” registered to participate in the election …

Discussion: Politico, FITSNews and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Aaron Blake / Washington Post:

The final Trump-Clinton debate transcript, annotated — The final debate of the 2016 presidential race comes as Hillary Clinton is threatening to shut the door on Donald Trump and as Donald Trump is threatening to unleash a torrent of attacks and accusations about the “rigged” election process.

Discussion: Power Line, The Atlantic, Supreme Court …, The American Singularity, Daily Wire, Raw Story, Wall Street Journal, Politico, Vox, The Daily Caller, Hit & Run, Media Matters for America, Mother Jones and CityLab

Politico:

Full transcript: Third 2016 presidential debate — Chris Wallace: Good evening from the Thomas and Mack Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I'm Chris Wallace of Fox News and I welcome you to the third and final of the 2016 presidential debates between secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump.

Discussion: Washington Post, New York Times, Althouse, Constitution Daily, Scared Monkeys and Taylor Marsh

Matthew Nussbaum / Politico:

The 14 biggest moments of the final debate — LAS VEGAS — Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump did not hide their personal animus in their final debate. — Like their last meeting, they skipped the handshake and immediately launched into a heated battle on everything from abortion rights …

Discussion: ABC News and Vox

James Hohmann / Washington Post:
The Daily 202: Trump's lack of self-control allows Clinton to sweep the debates

Discussion: New York Times and New Yorker

John Avlon / The Daily Beast:
Donald Trump's Final Insult to American Democracy

Discussion: New York Magazine and Business Insider

Washington Post:
Trump's breathtaking repudiation of American democracy

Discussion: Wall Street Journal

New York Times:
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Trade Bitter Exchanges Over Nation's Future

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, FiveThirtyEight, Raw Story, The Root and electionlawblog.org

Karen Tumulty / Washington Post:
At third debate, Trump won't commit to accepting election results if he loses

Discussion: Weekly Standard, The Huffington Post, Orlando Sentinel, Roll Call, Associated Press, Politico and BostonGlobe.com

German Lopez / Vox:
3rd presidential debate highlights: Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and a fitting end to this bizarre election

Discussion: Politico and Washington Post

CNN:

Hillary Clinton wins third presidential debate, according to CNN / ORC poll — (CNN)Hillary Clinton won the final presidential debate 52% to 39% for Donald Trump, according to a CNN / ORC poll of debate watchers.

New York Times:

Hillary Clinton Told People to Google ‘Donald Trump Iraq.’ They Did. — During Wednesday's presidential debate, Hillary Clinton called for Americans to go online to search for “Donald Trump Iraq.” — People actually listened. — Mrs. Clinton's suggestion came during a discussion …

Discussion: Telegraph, CNN, The New Civil Rights Movement and BBC

Breitbart:

Poll: Who Won the Third Presidential Debate? — Presidential rivals Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton faced off at the third and final presidential debate at UNLV in Las Vegas, Nevada. — The candidates butted heads on the Supreme Court, abortion, gun rights, and even Wikileaks and the Clinton Foundation.

Discussion: FOX 61 and Politicus USA

Andrew Sullivan / New York Magazine:
Andrew Sullivan Liveblogs the Final Presidential Debate

Discussion: Political Wire and The Moderate Voice

Stephen Collinson / CNN:
Donald Trump refuses to say whether he'll accept election results

Discussion: CNNMoney, Mediaite, The Moderate Voice, Raw Story, TVNewser, WQAD-TV and The Root, more at Mediagazer »

Gregory Krieg / CNN:

Trump Jr.: Running for president a ‘step down’ — (CNN)Donald Trump's eldest son said Wednesday night that his father's unlikely pursuit of the presidency represented a “step down” from the Republican nominee's business career. — “Unlike Hillary Clinton, who's gotten very rich being a politician …

Discussion: BizPac Review, alan.com, Independent Journal Review, Jamie Dupree, The Week and Fox News Insider

Morgan Winsor / ABC News:
Donald Trump Just Wants a ‘Fair Shot’ at Winning, Campaign Manager Says

Discussion: Politico and The New Civil Rights Movement

John Hinderaker / Power Line:

On “Accepting Election Results” — I said I wouldn't comment on tonight's debate until tomorrow, when I host the third hour of Laura Ingraham's radio show. But I can't resist, having seen how the liberal press is trying to spin what, by any objective standard, was a pretty good night for Donald Trump.

Discussion: Hit & Run and The Week

Larry O'Connor / Hot Air:

Last week Hillary agreed that Gore ‘won’ 2000 election — As the New York and Beltway media light their collective heads on fire over Donald Trump's reluctance to accept the results of an election that has yet to take place, let's walk down memory lane for a moment to see how willing Hillary Clinton …

Katie Glueck / Politico:

Republicans despondent that Trump threw away final debate — Donald Trump's rocky performance on the final debate stage did little to allay his party's concerns that the GOP is headed for an electoral catastrophe up and down the ticket. — In interviews with over a dozen senior Republican strategists …

Discussion: Political Wire and Raw Story

Ezra Klein / Vox:

Hillary Clinton's 3 debate performances left the Trump campaign in ruins — Donald Trump didn't just destroy himself. Hillary Clinton destroyed him. — The third and final presidential debate has ended, and it can now be said: Hillary Clinton crushed Donald Trump in the most effective series …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Politico, TheStreet.com, Washington Post, Balloon Juice, Politicus USA and CNBC

Media Matters for America:

Trump Ally Alex Jones Suffers Debate Meltdown Over “Lying Whore” Hillary Clinton — Conspiracy theorist and prominent Donald Trump ally Alex Jones ranted throughout his livestream of the third presidential debate, calling Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton a “lying whore” and …

Discussion: alan.com

David Mack / BuzzFeed:

BuzzFeed CEO: I Heard Ivanka Trump Talk About “Mulatto Cocks” — “Surprised Ivanka would be shocked by lewd language. I met her once & she casually said: 'I've never seen a mulatto cock, but I'd like to!'” Peretti tweeted. — Ivanka Trump once told a gathering of friends and acquaintances …

Discussion: PinkNews, Jezebel, The Daily Caller, Occupy Democrats, The Root, Business Insider, Towleroad, Slate, Mashable, Independent Journal Review and Mediaite

David Edwards / Raw Story:
Ivanka Trump distances herself from father's campaign: 'I'm not a surrogate, I'm a daughter'

Discussion: The Daily Beast, Towleroad and The New Civil Rights Movement

Libby Nelson / Vox:

Donald Trump just said he might not concede the election if Clinton wins — It's extraordinary that Chris Wallace had to ask this question of Donald Trump during a presidential debate: If he loses, will he accept the result of the election? — But what is even more stunning was Trump's response: You'll just have to wait and see.

Discussion: Slate

Ben Kamisar / The Hill:
Trump refuses to say he'll accept election results

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Politico and twitchy.com

Matt Shuham / Talking Points Memo:
Trump On Accepting Election Results: 'I'll Keep You In Suspense, Okay?' (VIDEO)

Discussion: The Mahablog

Robert Costa / Washington Post:

Trump-driven divide will consume GOP long after the election … LAS VEGAS — The third and final debate Wednesday marked the beginning of the end of a presidential race that most Republican leaders cannot wait to forget. But the party's Donald Trump-driven divisions will not cease on election night.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Joe Concha / The Hill:

Sorry not sorry: Politico's Thrush doubles down on Podesta emails — Contrition is defined as the state of feeling remorseful and penitent. And it is something that is lacking in today's media. — Mistakes will be made, of course, that's understood. But understand this …

Discussion: RT and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Philip Klein / Washington Examiner:

It's over for Trump — the fat lady has started singing — The outcome of Wednesday's debate is pretty straight-forward: Donald Trump has lost the presidential election — it just won't be official for another few weeks. — Going in to Wednesday's final presidential debate …

New York Times:

Trove of Stolen Data Is Said to Include Top-Secret U.S. Hacking Tools — WASHINGTON — Investigators pursuing what they believe to be the largest case of mishandling classified documents in United States history have found that the huge trove of stolen documents in the possession …

Discussion: Engadget

Bre Payton / The Federalist:

8 Times Liberals Claimed An Election Was Stolen Or Rigged — Over the past couple of weeks, Donald Trump has ramped up complaints that the election process is rigged in favor of Hillary Clinton. Many have been quick to dismiss his claims and have been acting like he's crazy for saying as much.

Discussion: Vox, mrctv.org/videos and Occupy Democrats

CBS News:

CBS News Battleground Tracker poll: Who won final debate? — More Democrats than Republicans watched the third debate, and people who watched say Hillary Clinton won, and voters in the battleground states say the losing candidate should accept the results of the election.

Discussion: WCCO | CBS Minnesota