memeorandum: Who will speak the most tonight? (Noah Weiland/Politico)

11:10 PM ET, January 17, 2016

Top Items:

Watch Live: NBC News-YouTube Democratic Debate in S.C. — LOCAL NEWS — FEATURED — Watch Live: NBC News-YouTube Democratic Debate in S.C. — POLITICS NEWS — More — Getty Images

Discussion: Daily Kos and The Last Refuge

Noah Weiland / Politico:

Who will speak the most tonight? — Hillary Clinton has consistently spoken the most of the three candidates in previous debates, but this might be the debate Bernie Sanders attempts to out-talk the frontrunner. It's his last chance to make an impression of this magnitude until primary voting starts …

Discussion: Bloomberg.com

Bloomberg Business:

Sanders Releases ‘Medicare for All’ Health Care Plan Hours Before Democratic Debate — The Vermont senator's plan faces stiff opposition from the insurance industry, and would be paid for with a large tax increase. — aritbenie — aawayne — Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders laid …

Discussion: Politico and TIME

Bradford Richardson / The Hill:

DNC chief: Debates scheduled to ‘maximize’ candidates' exposure — Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) on Sunday said she scheduled primary debates with the goal of maximizing media attention for the party's presidential candidates.

Discussion: RedState and BostonGlobe.com

Mark Murray / NBC News:
Poll: Clinton Holds 25-Point National Lead Over Sanders

Discussion: Guardian, The Daily Banter, Slantpoint, Mediaite, The Moderate Voice, Yahoo Politics, Raw Story, Talking Points Memo, Taylor Marsh and Politico

Dan Merica / CNN:
Bernie Sanders backs away from 2005 gun vote

Discussion: ABC News, Slantpoint and The Week

Isaac Arnsdorf / Politico:

Rubio: Law-abiding undocumented immigrants could stay — Sen. Marco Rubio says people who immigrated to the U.S. illegally but haven't committed any major crimes could be allowed to stay. — In an interview airing Sunday on NBC's “Meet the Press,” the Florida contender …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Weasel Zippers, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Gateway Pundit, Allen B. West, RedState and The Last Refuge

Samantha Page / ThinkProgress:

Rubio Says He Bought A Gun On Christmas Eve To Help Defend America Against ISIS — Presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) said that he bought a gun on Christmas Eve and will use it to protect his family — and America — against ISIS. — “I'm a strong supporter of the second amendment.

Discussion: Guardian, Hullabaloo, The Daily Caller and Slantpoint

Dylan Stableford / Yahoo Politics:
Marco Rubio bought a gun to be ‘last line of defense between ISIS and my family’

Discussion: New York Times

John Hinderaker / Power Line:

Barack Obama and the Hall of Fame of Straw Men — Barack Obama is famous for the false choice: time after time, he posits only two alternatives, one of which is his preferred course while the other option is an obvious straw man, sometimes a course that has never been advocated by anyone.

Discussion: The White House and Washington Post

Associated Press:
Obama Celebrates Return of Prisoners, Announces Sanctions

Discussion: addictinginfo.org, The Last Tradition and Politico

David E. Sanger / New York Times:
Iran Complies With Nuclear Deal; Sanctions Are Lifted

Discussion: New Yorker, The Mahablog, Outside the Beltway, Climate Home, CBS News and Wall Street Journal, more at Mediagazer »

Josh Feldman / Mediaite:
Obama Speaks on Iran: We Achieved Deal ‘Without Resorting to Another War’

Discussion: The Daily Banter

David Edwards / Raw Story:

Fox host scorches Cruz over ‘carpet bombing’ ISIS rhetoric: It proves you have ‘no military experience’ — DON'T MISS STORIES. FOLLOW RAW STORY! — Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz has defended his plan to “carpet bomb” civilian areas occupied by ISIS in the face of critics …

Discussion: Mediaite, addictinginfo.org and alan.com

John Santucci / ABC News:

Donald Trump Ramps up Attacks on Ted Cruz, Says 'He's a Nasty Guy'

Discussion: The Hill, BizPac Review, Associated Press, Bloomberg Business, Washington Post, National Review, addictinginfo.org, American Spectator, MichelleMalkin.com, Fusion, Mediaite, Little Green Footballs, Outside the Beltway and New York Times

Alex Jaffe / NBC News:
Donald Trump Booed by Conservative Crowd After Attacks on Ted Cruz

Discussion: RedState, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Breitbart, The Resurgent and The Right Scoop

ABC News:
‘This Week’ Transcript: Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders

Discussion: Politico, Bloomberg.com and PoliticusUSA

OPB:

Militant Says Foster Children Were Pulled From His Home — A militant leader on the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge told OPB his involvement in the occupation has resulted in the loss of his four foster children. — Robert “LaVoy” Finicum and his wife Jeanette were foster care parents for troubled boys.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and addictinginfo.org

Brendan O'Connor / Gawker: Oregon Militia Spokesman Says Foster Children Were Removed From His Home

Russell L. Weaver / Courier-Journal:

U of L law professor: ‘Veered to partisan agenda’ — In a recent commentary, one of my colleagues attempted to portray the law school's decision to embrace “social justice” and “compassion” as benign, and having nothing to do with a “liberal agenda.” He viewed these concepts as essential in a modern society.

Discussion: ProfessorBainbridge.com and The Daily Caller

Paul Sperry / New York Post:

Don't be fooled by Bernie Sanders — he's a diehard communist — As polls tighten and self-described socialist Bernie Sanders looks more like a serious contender than a novelty candidate for president, the liberal media elite have suddenly stopped calling him socialist.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and alan.com