memeorandum: Cruz blasts Trump's ties to Democrats (Jordain Carney/The Hill)

8:35 AM ET, January 19, 2016

Top Items:

Molly Ball / The Atlantic:

The Religious Right's Donald Trump Dilemma — There were many unbelievable moments over the course of Donald Trump's speech on Monday at Liberty University, the evangelical college founded by the late Jerry Falwell. — There was his citation of the Bible: “Two Corinthians 3-17, that's the whole ball game. ...

Discussion: New York Times, Mother Jones, CANNONFIRE and Mediaite

Jordain Carney / The Hill:

Trump: Christianity ‘under siege’ — GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump touted his faith at Liberty University on Monday, telling the conservative college that Christians have to ban together because their religion “is under siege.” — “We're going to protect Christianity,” he said.

Discussion: TIME

Caleb Howe / RedState:

Documents Show Donald Trump's New York Values Do NOT Include Giving To 9/11 Charities — Donald Trump has been talking (and tweeting) about 9/11 an awful lot lately, mostly in response to a relentlessly scrutinized comment that Ted Cruz made about “New York values.”

Discussion: Raw Story and Mediaite

Jordain Carney / The Hill:

Cruz blasts Trump's ties to Democrats — Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) blasted 2016 rival Donald Trump on Monday, questioning his ties to Democrats and previous support for liberal positions as the two battle for the top spot in Iowa. — “If he's giving checks to Democratic politicians …

Discussion: Politico, Fox News and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Ben Schreckinger / Politico:

How Donald Trump defeats Hillary Clinton — If Donald Trump becomes the next president of the United States, there will be plenty of surprises along the way. One of the biggest will be the help he gets from black voters. — According to Republican pollsters and Trump's allies …

Discussion: Associated Press, CNN and New York Times

Blake Hounshell / Politico:

Trump bungles Bible reference at Liberty University — Donald Trump, speaking to a religious crowd at Virginia's Liberty University on Monday, turned to Scripture. — “We're going to protect Christianity. I can say that. I don't have to be politically correct,” he said.

Discussion: TIME, addictinginfo.org, Bloomberg Business and Washington Monthly

Eli Stokols / Politico:

In Iowa, it's down to Trump and Cruz — With 14 days to go, the race for Iowa has become a contest between two men the GOP hoped would have been marginalized by now. — Ted Cruz and Donald Trump stand alone at the top of the pack, separated by two to three points at most.

Molly Ball / The Atlantic:
Portrait of a Party on the Verge of Coming Apart

Discussion: Online Library …, DownWithTyranny!, Princeton Election Consortium and FOX News Radio

Jon Ward / Yahoo Politics:
At Liberty University, Donald Trump again stumbles when discussing religion

Discussion: Hot Air and Steve Deace

Michael Falcone / ABC News:
The Note: Democratic Debate Speed Read

Discussion: Politico, Hot Air, RedState, The Daily Caller and Associated Press

Laura Hughes / Telegraph:
Donald Trump branded a ‘buffoon, demagogue and wazzock’ by MPs - but Republican ignores UK ban debate

Discussion: addictinginfo.org and Hullabaloo

Jeremy Diamond / CNN:
Donald Trump takes Liberty, courts Christian crowd

Discussion: NPR and Washington Post

Leon H. Wolf / RedState:
Donald Trump's Epic Weekend Meltdown

Discussion: Washington Post, Doug Ross, The Right Scoop, Mediaite and Hullabaloo

Zeke J Miller / TIME:
Exclusive: Chris Christie Calls Ted Cruz ‘Asinine’ For New York Values Smear

Discussion: Washington Post, CBN.com, Hot Air, The Moderate Voice, Talking Points Memo, Patterico's Pontifications, The Daily Caller, National Review and BuzzFeed

TMZ.com:

Glenn Frey — Eagles Guitarist Dead At 67 — EAGLES GUITARIST DEAD AT 67 — EXCLUSIVE — Glenn Frey, co-founder and guitarist for the Eagles, has died ... TMZ has learned. — We're told the cause of death was a combination of complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis, and pneumonia.

Discussion: EW.com, Instapundit, AMERICAN DIGEST, Mashable, WREG-TV and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Eagles:

It Is With The Heaviest of Hearts That We Announce... ...the passing of our comrade, Eagles founder, Glenn Frey, in New York City on Monday, January 18th, 2016. — Glenn fought a courageous battle for the past several weeks but, sadly, succumbed to complications from Rheumatoid Arthritis, Acute Ulcerative Colitis and Pneumonia.

Discussion: BBC, Taylor Marsh, Boing Boing, USA Today, TalkLeft, Outside the Beltway, CBS San FranciscoCBS … and Mashable

Hadas Gold / Politico:

RNC replaces NBC with CNN for February debate — The Republican National Committee officially severed ties on Monday with NBC for what was supposed to be a Feb. 26 Republican primary debate in Houston. Instead, CNN will host the debate in Houston on Thursday, Feb. 25, five days before Super Tuesday.

Discussion: Hot Air, RedState, The Resurgent and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »

Matthew Boyle / Breitbart:
Exclusive — RNC Officially Severs Ties With NBC News For Upcoming GOP Debate

Discussion: BizPac Review, New York Times and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Mara H. Gottfried / TwinCities.com:

St. Paul cop allegedly urged drivers to hit Black Lives Matter protesters — St. Paul police have placed a sergeant on leave as they investigate a report that he posted on Facebook, “Run them over,” in response to an article about a Black Lives Matter protest, which blocked traffic Monday.

Discussion: Raw Story and Slantpoint

Benjamin Ginsberg / Politico:

Why the GOP Primary Could Be Even Crazier Than You Think — Welcome to a 2016 Republican presidential primary unlike any other. A crowded field, angry electorate and uncharacteristically divided establishment, not to mention the wild-card role of super PACs, have already made this nominating contest …

Nancy A. Youssef / The Daily Beast:

Exclusive: Pentagon May Demote David Petraeus — The defense secretary is looking to clamp down on misbehaving generals. Pentagon insiders say Petraeus could be the next general to face the consequences. — The Pentagon is considering retroactively demoting retired Gen. David Petraeus …

Discussion: Instapundit and The Daily Caller

Emily Shapiro / ABC News:

Gas Price Hits 47 Cents a Gallon in Michigan After Price War

Discussion: addictinginfo.org and The Week

On Our Minds:

New statement about the picture book “A Birthday Cake for George Washington” — Scholastic is announcing today that we are stopping the distribution of the book entitled A Birthday Cake for George Washington, by Ramin Ganeshram and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, and will accept all returns.

Discussion: Truth Revolt, Talking Points Memo, ThinkProgress and New York Times