memeorandum: Trump aims to break caucus records, but Iowa sometimes surprises (Dan Balz/Washington Post)

7:00 PM ET, January 13, 2024

Top Items:

Trump aims to break caucus records, but Iowa sometimes surprises — The former president is the heavy favorite, zapping some suspense ahead of Monday's Iowa caucuses, but Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis are angling for a surprise showing. — DES MOINES — Donald Trump's expected march …

Lisa Lerer / New York Times:

Ahead of Iowa Caucuses, Voters Fear the Prospect of Civil Unrest — As Monday's caucuses approach, voters casually throw around the prospect of World War III and civil unrest, anxious of divisions they fear are tearing the country apart. — Presidential elections traditionally speak to future aspirations …

Discussion: Business Insider, Talking Points Memo and Althouse

Meryl Kornfield / Washington Post:
Record winter storm upends plans in final Iowa caucus stretch

Axios:

Scoop: John Kerry to leave Biden administration, help campaign — John Kerry, the U.S. special presidential envoy for climate, will leave the administration later this winter, and plans to help President Biden's campaign, Axios has learned. … - Kerry is working with White House Chief …

Discussion: HuffPost, The Hill, NBC News, Reuters, Wall Street Journal, Washington Examiner, Fox News, The Daily Beast, The Messenger, RedState, The Guardian, Associated Press, The National Pulse+, The Gateway Pundit, Twitchy, The Daily Caller and Must Read Alaska

Washington Post:

John Kerry to step down as top U.S. climate change negotiator — The U.S. special climate envoy, who turned 80 last year, is expected to depart from the Biden administration by the spring — John F. Kerry, who has served as the U.S. special climate envoy for nearly three years …

Discussion: Politico, Bloomberg, New York Times, Political Wire, The Post Millennial and Reuters

Amanda Yen / The Daily Beast:

Trump Uses Mobster-Turned-Rat as Character Witness — The former president suggested two presiding justices could learn ethics from ex-mobster Sammy the Bull. — Donald Trump would like to thank former mob boss Salvatore Gravano aka “Sammy the Bull” for his support.

Discussion: HuffPost, Raw Story, TMZ.com, The Messenger and New York Times

Olivia Alafriz / Politico:
Utah Sen. Mike Lee endorses Trump

Discussion: One America News Network, Washington Examiner, New York Post, U-S-NEWS.COM, Raw Story, The Hill and The Post Millennial

CNN:

Taiwan voters dismiss China warnings and hand ruling party a historic third consecutive presidential win — Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party pulled off a historic third consecutive presidential victory on Saturday as voters shrugged off warnings by China that their re-election would increase the risk of conflict.

United States Department of State:
On Taiwan's Election — The United States congratulates Dr. Lai Ching-te on his victory in Taiwan's presidential election.

Discussion: Politico, Bloomberg, Focus Taiwan, The Hill, Taipei Times, Fox News, CNBC and Must Read Alaska

Reuters:
Polls open in Taiwan's critical elections watched closely by China

Discussion: Vox, BBC, The Counteroffensive …, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Semafor, New Bloom Magazine, Hong Kong Free Press HKFP, Al Jazeera, The Diplomat, Breitbart, Bloomberg, The Hill, The American Conservative, The Guardian, CBS News and NPR

Cindy Wang / Bloomberg:
Taiwan Elects US-Friendly President, Defying China Warnings

Discussion: Associated Press, The Guardian, Hong Kong Free Press HKFP, Mediaite, Focus Taiwan, PBS NewsHour, New York Times, Radio Free Asia, El País, Atlantic Council, Al Jazeera, CBS News, Washington Examiner and Semafor

Nate Raymond / Reuters:

Ban on guns in post offices is unconstitutional, US judge rules — A federal judge in Florida on Friday ruled that a U.S. law that bars people from possessing firearms in post offices is unconstitutional, citing a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling from 2022 that expanded gun rights.

Discussion: The Hill

Washington Post:

Tom Shales, Pulitzer-winning TV critic of fine-tuned wit, dies at 79 — He spent nearly 40 years writing for The Washington Post and was known for his incisive and barbed commentary — Tom Shales, a Pulitzer Prize-winning television critic for The Washington Post who brought incisive …

Discussion: The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, The Daily Beast, The Wrap and NPR

The White House:

Remarks by President Biden Before Marine One Departure — Q Mr. President, do you have a reaction to the Taiwan election? — THE PRESIDENT: We do not support independence. (Inaudible.) — Q Mr. President, would you call the situation on the southern border a “crisis”?

Discussion: National Review, RedState and The Hill

Mary Kekatos / ABC News:

Multiple earthquakes hit Oklahoma City metro area, including 2 of 4.4 magnitude — No damage or injuries have been reported so far. — This map from the USGS shows the epicenter of an earthquake near Oklahoma City on Jan 13, 2024. — A series of earthquakes struck Oklahoma Friday evening …

Discussion: KTLA and Deseret News

Michael R. Sisak / Associated Press:

Donald Trump ordered to pay The New York Times and its reporters nearly $400,000 in legal fees — Former President Donald Trump was ordered Friday to pay nearly $400,000 in legal fees to The New York Times and three investigative reporters after he sued them unsuccessfully …

Elena Schneider / Politico:

Biden campaign turns to a Jon Stewart vet for research help — The president's reelection effort is starting to fill out. — President Joe Biden's campaign is tapping a veteran of Jon Stewart's old show and a top aide from a progressive stalwart in the latest move to build out its national staff.

Discussion: The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline and The National Pulse+

Nnamdi Egwuonwu / NBC News:

Vivek Ramaswamy campaign still facing voter questions on race and religion days before Iowa — Apoorva Ramaswamy fielded several questions about her and her husband's race, ethnicity and beliefs during campaign stops across Iowa. — FORT MADISON, Iowa — Apoorva Ramaswamy had a simple ask …

Discussion: Mediaite and PoliticusUSA

United States House Committee on Oversight …:

Wenstrup Issues Key Takeaways from Interview with Dr. Francis Collins — WASHINGTON — Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) released key takeaways after the Select Subcommittee's seven-hour transcribed interview with Dr. Francis Collins …

Discussion: Washington Examiner and National Review