memeorandum: Cleric denies ties to San Bernardino killers as phone records surface (Paul Sperry/New York Post)

10:20 AM ET, December 28, 2015

Top Items:

Nick Gass / Politico:

Trump ties with Pope Francis in U.S. poll for second most-admired man in the world — Americans named Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama as their most admired woman and man in the world in 2015, with Donald Trump earning the same share of admiration as Pope Francis …

Discussion: Bloomberg.com news and Althouse

Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:

Clinton Most Admired Woman for Record 20th Time — PRINCETON, N.J. — Americans again name Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama the woman and man living anywhere in the world they admire most. Both win by wide margins over the next-closest finishers, Malala Yousafzai for women and Pope Francis and Donald Trump for men.

Discussion: Washington Times, NBC News and PoliticusUSA

Bradford Richardson / The Hill:

Colbert: Trump is playing my old character better than I could — Comedian Stephen Colbert says he had to give up his old faux conservative character on the “Colbert Report” because GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump is playing it better than he ever could.

Discussion: Political Wire

Byron York / Washington Examiner:

Trump: ‘Sexist’ Bill Clinton won't help Hillary — Share Tweet Reddit Digg Mail Print SMS More — Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump, increasingly focusing on Hillary Clinton rather than his GOP rivals, says he's not concerned by reports Bill Clinton will soon hit the trail for the Clinton campaign.

David McCabe / The Hill:
DNC chairwoman: Trump represents ‘new low’ in GOP presidential politics

Discussion: Politico

Paul Sperry / New York Post:

Cleric denies ties to San Bernardino killers as phone records surface — The cleric acting as spokesman for the San Bernardino mosque where terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook worshipped claims he barely knew Farook and didn't know his terrorist wife at all. But phone records and other evidence uncovered …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, The Gateway Pundit, Pamela Geller and Jihad Watch

Bradford Richardson / The Hill:

David Spade: Obamas too ‘thirsty’ for attention — Actor David Spade says President Obama's appearances on reality TV shows like “Running Wild with Bear Grylls” are unbecoming of the presidency. — “I criticized Obama because I thought, you know, a president should have a little more dignity than …

Steven Ginsberg / Washington Post:

Ben Carson on the brink: ‘A process like this is pretty brutal’ — Two days before Christmas, with his presidential campaign fading fast, Ben Carson sought to take control at his manse in the countryside west of Baltimore. — A video crew was in the front living room preparing to film a campaign ad.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Erick on the Radio, alan.com and Politico

Bruce Weber / New York Times:

Meadowlark Lemon, Harlem Globetrotter Who Played Basketball and Pranks With Virtuosity, Dies at 83 — Meadowlark Lemon, whose halfcourt hook shots, no-look behind-the-back passes and vivid clowning were marquee features of the feel-good traveling basketball show known as the Harlem Globetrotters …

Discussion: abc7chicago.com and New York's PIX11

Al Jazeera America:

The dark side: The secret world of sports doping — Al Jazeera investigation raises questions about whether sports heroes are linked to performance-enhancing drugs — Inside a hotel room in Austin, Texas, a pharmacist advises a professional athlete on taking performance-enhancing drugs.

Discussion: New York Times, abc13.com, ABC News, Hot Air, Mediaite and Slantpoint

Bradford Richardson / The Hill:
Manning retains Ari Fleischer amid HGH allegations

Discussion: ProFootballTalk

Denver Post:
Ari Fleischer, an adviser to Manning, called the report “junk journalism”

Discussion: RedState, Washington Post and ProFootballTalk

Chris Enloe / Business Insider:

A Texas restaurant chain posted a notice declaring itself ‘politically incorrect’ — See Also — About two weeks ago, Berryhill Baja Grill, a restaurant chain that specializes in Mexican cuisine, posted notices outside each of their nine locations warning their customers that the restaurant is …

Timothy Cama / The Hill:

Republicans split on attacking climate science — The Republican Party is divided over whether to attack the science of climate change when opposing liberal policies. — Many of the most vocal Republicans say they have significant problems with the scientific consensus that the Earth …

Discussion: Prairie Weather

Niall Stanage / The Hill:

Winners and losers of the year — It's been a wild year in politics, both on the presidential campaign trail and in the halls of Congress. — But as 2015 draws to a close, it's time to take stock of who saw their fortunes rise, and who might want to put the past 12 months behind them. — WINNERS

CNN:

CNN/ORC poll: More Americans say terrorists are winning than ever before — Washington (CNN)Americans are more likely to say that terrorists are winning the war against the United States than they have been at any point since the September 11 attacks, according to a new CNN/ORC poll.

Discussion: Mediaite, Politico and Telegraph