memeorandum: Israel invites journalists into a car-width tunnel beneath Gaza, not far from its border. (New York Times)

5:00 PM ET, December 17, 2023

Top Items:

CBS News poll: Haley gains on Trump in New Hampshire while he continues to dominate in Iowa — Donald Trump still leads in New Hampshire, but Nikki Haley has consolidated much of the non-Trump vote and has emerged as the top alternative to him there. Among the top candidates …

Discussion: Axios, Washington Examiner, Washington Times, New York Post, Politico, NBC News, The Daily Caller, The Hill, The Daily Beast, The Guardian, ABC News, The Messenger, Associated Press and Wall Street Journal

Dana Blanton / Fox News:

Fox News Poll: Trump's lead in GOP primary widens — Voters split over whether impeachment of Biden is legit or bogus — Former President Donald Trump keeps gaining ground in the Republican presidential nomination contest, as fewer than one third of GOP primary voters now back all his rivals combined …

Discussion: The Messenger, Wall Street Journal, Twitchy, Bloomberg, RedState, Daily Caller News Foundation, USA Today, Political Wire and The Atlantic

Washington Post:

Ron DeSantis wanted to change the way campaigns were funded. Then the fights started. — With just weeks to go before the Iowa caucuses, the GOP candidate's bold strategy is now in tatters and its top architect has resigned — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis entered the Republican presidential race …

New York Times:

Jeff Roe, Top Strategist for Star-Crossed DeSantis Super PAC, Resigns — Mr. Roe, who helped lead Never Back Down, the super PAC behind the Florida governor's presidential campaign, resigned Saturday, the latest shake-up in the group. — Jeff Roe, the chief strategist for the leading super PAC supporting …

Discussion: The Messenger, Florida Politics, Associated Press and Talking Points Memo

New York Times:

Israel invites journalists into a car-width tunnel beneath Gaza, not far from its border. — U.S. to Push Israel to Scale Back War … Amid anguish over the accidental killing of hostages, Netanyahu vows to keep fighting. — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Sunday to keep fighting in Gaza …

Discussion: Business Insider, Exposing the role …, The Daily Beast, Associated Press, NewsNation, UPI, Bloomberg.com, Euractiv, NBC News and Washington Times

Tal Axelrod / ABC News:

Sen. Van Hollen bemoans ‘unacceptably high’ number of civilian deaths in Gaza — The Maryland Democrat said Biden's call for restraint isn't being followed. — Sen. Chris Van Hollen attends a news conference outside the Addison Road-Seat Pleasant Metro Station to announce …

Discussion: Washington Examiner and The Messenger

Isaac Arnsdorf / Washington Post:

Trump quotes Putin condemning American democracy, praises autocrat Orban — Trump also called Jan. 6 defendants “hostages” and again demonized immigrants as “poisoning the blood of our country” — DURHAM, N.H. — Republican polling leader Donald Trump approvingly quoted autocrats Vladimir Putin …

Discussion: ABC News, The Daily Beast, New York Times, Vanity Fair, PoliticusUSA, Politico and The Messenger

CNN:

Trump quotes Putin to call Biden ‘threat to democracy,’ reiterates anti-immigrant rhetoric at New Hampshire rally — Former President Donald Trump on Saturday quoted Russian President Vladimir Putin to attack President Joe Biden as a “threat to democracy” and doubled down on language condemned …

Discussion: HuffPost, The Hill, Bloomberg, Associated Press, The Conversation, Raw Story, Washington Examiner, Politico, The Messenger, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Mediaite

Nathan Layne / Reuters:
Trump repeats ‘poisoning the blood’ anti-immigrant remark

Discussion: NBC News, Raw Story, Mother Jones, Outside the Beltway, HuffPost, Business Insider, Breitbart, The Messenger, Mediaite, Washington Examiner, Rolling Stone and CNN

Zac Anderson / Sarasota Herald-Tribune:

Florida GOP votes to strip Chair Christian Ziegler of authority amid rape allegation — The Florida GOP on Sunday began the process of removing Chair Christian Ziegler amid a sexual assault allegation, with the party's executive board voting during an emergency meeting to censure the chair …

Discussion: The Daily Beast, The Messenger, Florida Politics, Crooks and Liars, Political Wire, Washington Examiner and NBC News

Jon Levine / New York Post:

Majority of Americans 18-24 think Israel should ‘be ended and given to Hamas’ — A majority of young Americans said they believe Israel should “be ended and given to Hamas,” according to a shocking poll. — The survey, conducted THIS WEEK by Harvard-Harris polling, found 51% of Americans between …

Discussion: Exposing the role …, Twitchy, Israpundit, The Gateway Pundit, The Times of Israel, Joanne Jacobs, RedState and Power Line

Michael Kranish / Washington Post:

James Biden's dealmaking caught on FBI tapes in unrelated bribery probe — While Joe Biden campaigned in Mississippi, his brother planned to build a powerful consulting business — a deal that brought him to the periphery of a federal case — OXFORD, Miss. — Richard “Dickie” Scruggs …

Politico:

Senate GOP enters critical stretch for fending off bad candidates — With Joe Manchin's retirement, Republicans only need to lock up one more Senate seat. They're not taking any chances on problematic nominees. — The GOP is escalating its push to head off problematic nominees in a slate …

Discussion: Raw Story

Lauren Irwin / The Hill:

Trump lawyer blasts Jack Smith's urgency for ruling in immunity case: 'It's un-American' — Alina Habba, a lawyer for former President Trump, blasted Special Counsel Jack Smith for his urgency in asking the Supreme Court to take up Trump's federal 2020 election criminal case and weigh in on his immunity defense.

Discussion: Mediaite

Associated Press:

An order blocking enforcement of Ohio's abortion ban stands after the high court dismissed an appeal — The Ohio Supreme Court has dismissed the state's challenge to a judge's order that has blocked enforcement of Ohio's near-ban on abortions for the past 14 months.

Discussion: The Daily Caller and Washington Examiner