memeorandum: Bloomberg quietly plotting brokered convention strategy (David Siders/Politico)

12:55 AM ET, February 21, 2020

Top Items:

Lawmakers Are Warned That Russia Is Meddling to Re-elect Trump — A classified briefing to House members is said to have angered the president, who complained that Democrats would “weaponize” the disclosure. — WASHINGTON — Intelligence officials warned House lawmakers last week that Russia …

Washington Post:

After a congressional briefing on election threats, Trump soured on acting spy chief — President Trump erupted at his acting director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire, in the Oval Office last week over what he perceived as disloyalty by Maguire's staff, ruining his chances of becoming …

Discussion: Redstate, The Hill, Vanity Fair, Raw Story, Mother Jones, HuffPost, CANNONFIRE, POLITICUSUSA, CyberScoop, Talking Points Memo, The Guardian, Law & Crime and Daily Kos

Daniel Lippman / Politico:

NSC aide who worked to discredit Russia probe moves to senior ODNI post — Kash Patel, a former top National Security Council official who also played a key role as a Hill staffer in helping Republicans discredit the Russia probe, is now a senior adviser for new acting Director …

Discussion: The Guardian and Raw Story

The Daily Beast:

Russia Is Helping Elect Trump Again, Intel Official Says — “Republicans went nuts” when an intelligence official told Congress that Russia was siding with Trump in the election—again. Then Trump tapped a political ally as his top spy. — Intelligence officials briefed House lawmakers …

Discussion: Raw Story, The Week, POLITICUSUSA and New York Times

CNN:
Russia is looking to help Trump win in 2020, election security official told lawmakers

Discussion: Raw Story

Natasha Bertrand / Politico:
‘All traitors must die’: Feds charge man for threatening whistleblower attorney

Discussion: Raw Story, Washington Post, Law & Crime and Axios

Washington Post:
Trump puts an unqualified loyalist in charge of national intelligence

Discussion: Vanity Fair, The American Independent and UPI

Ken Dilanian / NBC News:
Trump anger cost Joseph Maguire the job of director of national intelligence

Discussion: The Hill

Steve Benen / MSNBC:
As of today, how many jobs does Richard Grenell have?

Discussion: Washington Post, The National Memo, NPR and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Marianne LeVine / Politico:
Richard Grenell finds modest Republican support for intelligence post

Discussion: Associated Press, New York Times, Breitbart, CNN and One America News Network

Morning Consult:

The 2020 U.S. Election — On a daily basis, Morning Consult is surveying over 5,000 registered voters across the United States on the 2020 presidential election. Every week, we'll update this page with the latest survey data, offering an in-depth guide to how the race for the White House is shaping up.

Discussion: Breitbart, Politico, Washington Post and National Review

David Siders / Politico:

Bloomberg quietly plotting brokered convention strategy — LAS VEGAS — Mike Bloomberg is privately lobbying Democratic Party officials and donors allied with his moderate opponents to flip their allegiance to him — and block Bernie Sanders — in the event of a brokered national convention.

Discussion: Associated Press, Power Line, Axios, Breitbart and Outside the Beltway

Paul Kane / Washington Post:
Harry Reid says Sanders needs more than plurality to win Democratic nomination

Discussion: Associated Press and Axios

Washington Post: The Democratic race is now Sanders against the field, and a contested convention possibly awaits the party

Dominique Cuce / NBC News:
NBC NEWS AND MSNBC BREAK RATINGS RECORD AGAIN WITH THE MOST-WATCHED DEMOCRATIC DEBATE EVER

Discussion: Rolling Stone, The Mahablog, HuffPost, The Hill and The American Independent

Gregg Re / Fox News:

Trump, energized after Dems' debate melee and frustrated with Oscars, takes rally blitz to Colorado — President Trump continued his four-state trip out west Thursday evening with a wild rally in Colorado Springs, Colo., as he openly celebrated Democrats' intra-party squabbling …

Discussion: Associated Press, Raw Story, Breitbart, FOX21News.com and The Gateway Pundit

New York Times: Elizabeth Warren ‘Crushed’ the Debate. But Is It Too Late?

Associated Press:
Wounded but defiant, Bloomberg promises to keep fighting

Discussion: Politico, The Daily Caller, Rolling Stone and The Hill

New York Times:
How Bloomberg Bungled a Debate That He Had Been Prepped For

Discussion: Press Watch and No More Mister Nice Blog

Molly Redden / HuffPost:
Bloomberg Says Women ‘Get Paid Exactly The Same As Men’ At His Company. They Don't.

Discussion: The Daily Beast, Daily Kos, Talking Points Memo, Power Line and Washington Monthly

ABC News:
Bloomberg dismisses past comments as ‘a joke.’ NDA shows plaintiff barred from offering differing view

Discussion: Associated Press, The Daily Beast, CNN, The Hill, Vox and Daily Kos

Nolan D. McCaskill / Politico:
Warren taunts Bloomberg with document to release his employees from NDAs

Discussion: The Week and The Hill

John Koblin / New York Times:
Democrats Set a TV Ratings Record at Their Las Vegas Debate

Discussion: Townhall

Nihar Kabinittal / ABC News:
Pigeon protest group P.U.T.I.N releases birds wearing MAGA hats, Trump wigs

Discussion: Twitchy

Fox News:
Warren pummels Bloomberg after brutal debate, vows he won't be nominee

Discussion: TheBlaze, NBC News and PJ Media Home

Scott Morefield / The Daily Caller:

Tucker Carlson Calls For Roger Stone Judge's Impeachment: ‘Democratic Activist Wearing Robes’ — Fox News host Tucker Carlson called for the impeachment of U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson during a Thursday night “Tucker Carlson Tonight” monologue in which he called her a “Democratic activist wearing robes.”

Bloomberg: Trump Stews Over McCabe But Is Wary of Driving Barr to Resign

Dareh Gregorian / NBC News:
Trump says Roger Stone has ‘very good chance of exoneration’ hours after sentencing

Discussion: The Hill, The Daily Beast, Raw Story, The Slot, Right Wing Watch, The Week, Breitbart, TheBlaze and Politico

courthousenews.com:
Judge Hands Stone Light Sentence but Scorches Meddling at Justice

Discussion: CNBC, The Moderate Voice, TalkLeft and Mother Jones

Washington Post:
At the Justice Dept., a cautious sigh of relief as Roger Stone's sentence hits Barr's preferred target

Discussion: American Greatness, Breitbart and The National Memo

CNN:
Trump says he won't pardon Roger Stone — for now

Discussion: Washington Post, The National Interest, Raw Story and Center for American …

Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
Roger Stone's sentencing shows what the ‘rule of law’ is all about

Discussion: NBC News, The Guardian and Townhall

Matthew Cole / The Intercept:
The FBI Is Investigating Erik Prince for Trying to Weaponize Crop Dusters

Discussion: The Independent, Raw Story and CNBC

Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC 29733, USA:

Current Findings — Results of Winthrop Poll released on February 21, 2020 of Likely Voters in the Feb. 29 SC Democratic Presidential Primary. — ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA - Joe Biden remains the top choice for South Carolina voters for the Democratic Party presidential nominee …

Discussion: Florida Politics, Terminally Chill, Breitbart, Politico and The Hill

Maggie Severns / Politico:
Dems race to avoid going broke before Super Tuesday

Discussion: Breitbart

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
The Debate Exposed Bloomberg's Downside — But It Was There All Along

Discussion: Tangle and Spectator USA

Kevin Robillard / HuffPost:
How Super PACs Took Over The 2020 Democratic Primary

Discussion: Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller and The Hill

Craig Timberg / Washington Post:

How conservatives learned to wield power inside Facebook — Facebook created “Project P” — for propaganda — in the hectic weeks after the 2016 presidential election and quickly found dozens of pages that had peddled false news reports ahead of Donald Trump's surprise victory.

Discussion: Mediaite, The Daily Caller and Balloon Juice, more at Techmeme »

Alex Ward / Vox:

Mike Bloomberg tweeted a doctored debate video. Is it political spin or disinformation? — Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg is shown on a screen during a Democratic debate watch party at the candidate's field office on February 19, 2020. Jeenah Moon/Getty Images

Discussion: Washington Free Beacon, HuffPost, Rolling Stone and Twitchy

Ben Collins / NBC News:

Twitter is testing new ways to fight misinformation — including a community-based points system — A leaked demo features bright red and orange badges for tweets that have been deemed “harmfully misleading.” — Facebook releases trove of data to social science academics to combat hate speech, misinformation

Discussion: National Review, Vox, The Verge, Big League Politics, Engadget, The Hill, NB Blog, Talking Points Memo, Twitchy and The Week, more at Mediagazer »

Michael Isikoff / Yahoo News:

Rohrabacher confirms he offered Trump pardon to Assange for proof Russia didn't hack DNC email — WASHINGTON — Former California Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher confirmed in a new interview that during a three-hour meeting at the Ecuadorian Embassy in August 2017 …

Discussion: The Hill, Rolling Stone, Raw Story, The American Independent, Talking Points Memo, IJR, The Week, Contemptor, Washington Post, The Guardian and Letters from an American

Associated Press:

Biden slams rival Sanders over past gun control stance — LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Latest on presidential campaign developments (all times local.): — Former Vice President Joe Biden has picked up the endorsement of a prominent progressive Hispanic organization ahead of Saturday's caucus in Nevada.

Discussion: The Hill, NBC News and The Guardian

Tomas Kloosterman / Latino Victory: Latino Victory Fund Announces Endorsement of Vice President Joe Biden for President of the United States

Nicole Gaudiano / Politico:
American Federation of Teachers urges members to support Biden, Sanders, Warren

Discussion: The Hill

Monmouth University Polling Institute:

Sanders Leads with One-Quarter of Vote — Projected high Latino turnout boosts poll front-runner — West Long Branch, NJ - Bernie Sanders leads the field in California's Super Tuesday primary, despite the fact that only 1 in 4 likely voters currently support him.

Discussion: Washington Post, Politico and The Hill

Washington Post:

Coronavirus-infected Americans flown home against CDC's advice — In the wee hours of a rainy Monday, more than a dozen buses sat on the tarmac at Tokyo's Haneda Airport. Inside, 328 weary Americans wearing surgical masks and gloves waited anxiously to fly home after weeks in quarantine aboard …

Discussion: The Week, The Gateway Pundit and New York Post

Reid Wilson / The Hill:

Top GOP super PAC spent money on NC Democrat — CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The largest super PAC that supports Republican Senate candidates will say in a filing with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) late Thursday it spent millions of dollars to boost a liberal Democratic candidate running …

Washington Post:

Mulvaney says U.S. is ‘desperate’ for more legal immigrants — Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney told a crowd at a private gathering in England on Wednesday night that the Trump administration “needs more immigrants” for the U.S. economy to continue growing …

Discussion: New York Times, HuffPost, CNN, Vanity Fair, POLITICUSUSA, National Review, The Week, The Hill and Mother Jones

Bloomberg:

Trump Ads Will Take Over YouTube's Homepage on Election Day — In the immediate run up to the U.S. presidential election and on Election Day, the homepage of YouTube is set to advertise just one candidate: Donald Trump. — The president's re-election campaign purchased the coveted advertising space atop …

Discussion: The Hill, more at Mediagazer »