memeorandum: Meet the 71-year-old staging a one-man protest in his Trump-loving retirement community (Brittany Shammas/Washington Post)

12:20 PM ET, February 8, 2020

Top Items:

Exclusive NH Tracking Poll: Buttigieg Takes Lead Over Sanders In Tight New Hampshire Race — BOSTON (CBS) - Pete Buttigieg continued his rise in Friday night's exclusive WBZ/Boston Globe/Suffolk University poll, for the first time taking a narrow lead that falls within the survey's 4.4% margin of error.

Discussion: BuzzFeed News and Washington Post

Aaron Blake / Washington Post:

Winners and losers from the New Hampshire Democratic debate — The Democratic presidential primary entered a new phase Friday night, with the Iowa results finally all in and the candidates debating in New Hampshire ahead of Tuesday's primary. — Below, some winners and losers. — Winners

Discussion: Breitbart, The Daily Beast and Bern Notice

Matthew Yglesias / Vox:

Bernie Sanders showed us he's a very skilled politician — Sen. Bernie Sanders walks onstage as he arrives for the Democratic debate on February 7, 2020. Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images — He's a much savvier operator than the establishment gives him credit for.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Politico, The Federalist, Breitbart, ABC News and Outside the Beltway

Axios:

Bloomberg's big bet on massive campaign spending — Data: Advertising Analytics, FEC; Chart: Danielle Alberti/Axios — Michael Bloomberg's prolific spending aims to make him as legitimate and familiar as his rivals. It also confronts two realities: President Trump is out-raising …

Discussion: The Hill, Ballotpedia News, Fox News, Washington Post and Politico

The Boston Globe:

Buttigieg opens slight lead over Sanders in N.H., Globe/WBZ/Suffolk poll shows — Former South Bend, Ind., mayor Pete Buttigieg has moved slightly ahead of Senator Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire, besting the Vermont independent by 1 percentage point among likely Democratic presidential primary voters …

Discussion: Axios, Politico and New York Post

Niall Stanage / The Hill:

Five takeaways: Fear of Trump hangs over Democratic debate — Seven Democratic candidates took to the debate stage Friday evening at St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, just days before the state's vital primary. — What were the key takeaways? — Fear of Trump casts long shadow

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Politico and NBC News

Politico:
Everything you need to know about the 2020 race in New Hampshire today

Discussion: The Hill and Washington Post

NBC News: Elizabeth Warren's ‘unity’ pitch clashes with her ‘fighter’ message

Nihar Kabinittal / ABC News:
Klobuchar takes aim at Buttigieg in ABC News debate in New Hampshire

Discussion: New York Times and Breitbart

Alex Griswold / Washington Free Beacon:
Pete Buttigieg Refuses to Answer Half of NYT Foreign Policy Survey

Discussion: New York Times and New York Times

New York Times:
7 Takeaways From the Democratic Debate in New Hampshire

Discussion: Mother Jones and The Hill

New York Times:
How Pete Buttigieg Became the Surprise of the Iowa Caucuses

Discussion: Mediaite

Astead W. Herndon / New York Times:
Elizabeth Warren Has a Pete Buttigieg Problem

Discussion: Mediaite and The Guardian

Mark Murray / NBC News:
NBC News/Marist poll: Sanders, Buttigieg continue to lead in New Hampshire

Discussion: One America News Network, Politico, The Hill, Bloomberg and The Boston Globe

New York Times:

Trump Fires Impeachment Witnesses Gordon Sondland and Alexander Vindman in Post-Acquittal Purge — Emboldened by his victory and determined to strike back, the president removed Mr. Sondland as ambassador to the European Union after the White House earlier on Friday dismissed Colonel Vindman.

David Rothkopf / The Daily Beast:

Friday Night Massacre's Just the Beginning for Acquitted Trump — Nine months before election day, our most corrupt, unfit, demented and malevolent president has been given more power than any other human being in our history. — BEAST INSIDE — In an administration founded on lies, telling the truth is the ultimate crime.

Discussion: Raw Story

Washington Post:

Trump ousts Vindman and Sondland, punishing key impeachment witnesses in post-acquittal campaign of retribution — President Trump on Friday punished two witnesses who testified in the investigation that led to his impeachment, removing them from their posts in an apparent campaign …

Discussion: Mother Jones, Vox, UPI, The Resurgent, The Last Refuge, Associated Press, Raw Story, The Hill and Talking Points Memo

NBC News:
Vindman, who provided key impeachment testimony, ‘escorted’ from White House, attorney says

Discussion: Axios, The Hill, New York Daily News, The Daily Beast, Slate, HuffPost, CNN, Common Dreams, The Federalist Papers, Washington Post, Task & Purpose, Newsy and ABC News

Washington Post:
Trump fires Gordon Sondland, the second impeachment witness to be removed from his post Friday

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA

Alex Pappas / Fox News:
Trump ousts key impeachment figures Sondland, Vindman days after Senate acquittal

Discussion: Redstate and Townhall

The Philadelphia Inquirer:

Trump used Philly girl's story to attack ‘failing government schools.’ But she's at one of the city's most desired charters. — President Donald Trump turned a Philadelphia fourth grader into a poster child for the school-choice movement Tuesday when he told the nation that thousands of students were …

Brittany Shammas / Washington Post:

Meet the 71-year-old staging a one-man protest in his Trump-loving retirement community — For most of his life, Ed McGinty kept his political beliefs to himself. — Raised Irish Catholic in Philadelphia, the 71-year-old retired real estate broker has always been a Democrat, just like his parents before him.

Discussion: Raw Story

New York Times:

Amy Klobuchar — Jamelle Bouie (7/10) — Klobuchar sounded confident and aggressive, willing and able to go after her competitors. Her defense of experience, in particular, was strong. More and more, she looks like a real alternative for moderate Democrats.

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:

Collins says it would not be appropriate for Trump to retaliate against impeachment witnesses — Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), one of two Republicans to vote last week to subpoena additional witnesses and extend the impeachment trial, said Friday that she would disapprove of President Trump retaliating …

Andrew Feinberg / The Independent: Trump is now free to take revenge against those who wronged him during impeachment.

Elizabeth Spiers / Washington Post:
Trump is the ultimate sore winner. Now he'll seek revenge.

Discussion: VTDigger, Law & Crime and The Daily Caller

Riham Feshir / MPR News:

Thousands of Hmong and Lao Americans face deportation under Trump proposal — In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Rep. Betty McCollum calls the plan ‘unconscionable’ — Advocates warn that a Trump administration proposal to deport thousands of Hmong and Lao Americans back to Laos …

Todd Spangler / Detroit Free Press:

Bloomberg gets key endorsement from Michigan congresswoman, who says he will be president — WASHINGTON — Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg is pulling out all the stops to win Michigan's March 10 presidential primary and on Saturday picked up what could be a watershed endorsement …

Discussion: Political Wire

Wall Street Journal:

Iowa Democratic Turnout Prompts Concerns About Voter Enthusiasm — Some in the party wonder if state has become more conservative as turnout falls short of the 2008 record — Democratic turnout for this week's Iowa caucuses fell well below expectations, leading some in the party to wonder …

Ryan Teague Beckwith / Bloomberg:
Team Clinton Hits Sanders Ahead of New Hampshire Primary

Discussion: Raw Story, CNN and The Daily Caller

Week / Al-Monitor:

Rouhani faces winter of Iran's discontent — Iran's hard-liners have already secured a takeover of the parliament in elections this month; Trump says any negotiations are totally up to Iran. — Charly Triballeau/Pool via REUTERS — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani meets Japanese Prime …

Coral Davenport / New York Times:

Justice Department Drops Antitrust Probe Against Automakers That Sided With California on Emissions — WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has dropped its antitrust inquiry into four automakers that had sided with California in its dispute with the Trump administration over reducing climate …

Discussion: Axios, The Verge and Newsy