HIGHLY DEBATABLE

Now, THAT'S a debate

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/04/hillary-unleashes-the-kraken-on-bernie.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/the-buzziest-moments-at-the-nh-democratic-debate/2016/02/05/e2a8aeac-cbcf-11e5-b9ab-26591104bb19_video.html

More highlights: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/05/us/politics/what-you-have-missed.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/4/10920464/msnbc-democratic-debate-transcript

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/02/what-you-missed-5th-democratic-debate.html

This is why we have debates

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/05/finally-a-debate-that-voters-deserve.html
Well that was great. That was one of the best debates I’ve ever watched. The questions were (mostly) good and tough and not stupid, and Chuck Todd and Rachel Maddow did a really good job of steering it without getting in the way. Both candidates were good. Very good. There were a few tough moments, a few tender moments. It was real. . . .

More: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/02/clinton-and-sanders-debate-moderation.html
Clinton and Sanders Clash Over Competing Visions for the Democratic Party

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/5/10921320/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-debate
Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton had a real argument over how politics works

Who won?

Clinton! https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/04/winners-and-losers-from-the-5th-democratic-presidential-debate/

Sanders! http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2016/02/bernie_sanders_won_the_msnbc_debate_narrowly.html

Clinton AND Sanders! http://www.vox.com/2016/2/5/10921246/democratic-debate-clinton-sanders-winners-losers

Why a tough campaign is GOOD for Hillary, and for the Democrats

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2016/02/bernie_versus_hillary_is_good_for_democrats.html

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/5/10921202/democratic-debate-clinton-sanders-moderate

As a Bernie skeptic, I feel obliged to share Robert Reich's "Six Responses to Bernie Skeptics" (thanks to LW for the link)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfIhonVoFSg

Guess who ALSO received classified information on their personal emails?

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/rice-aides-powell-also-got-classified-info-personal-emails

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/republican-email-scandal-say-it-aint-so.html

The Des Moines Register blasts the Iowa primary caucuses

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/editorials/caucus/2016/02/03/editorial-something-smells-democratic-party/79777580/
Once again the world is laughing at Iowa. Late-night comedians and social media mavens are having a field day with jokes about missing caucusgoers and coin flips.  That’s fine. We can take ribbing over our quirky process. But what we can’t stomach is even the whiff of impropriety or error.  What happened Monday night at the Democratic caucuses was a debacle, period. Democracy, particularly at the local party level, can be slow, messy and obscure. But the refusal to undergo scrutiny or allow for an appeal reeks of autocracy.  The Iowa Democratic Party must act quickly to assure the accuracy of the caucus results, beyond a shadow of a doubt. . . .

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2016_02/the_iowa_caucuses_should_be_do059510.php

Has Trump peaked?

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/02/trump-support-plummets-in-new-national-poll.html

Rick Santorum endorses Marco Rubio. Stop the presses! But that's not the funny part

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/02/santorum-struggles-name-any-rubio

What a jerk

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/02/04/pharma-bro-martin-shkreli-faces-congress-today-but-pledges-silence/
‘Pharma bro’ Shkreli stays silent before Congress, calls lawmakers ‘imbeciles’ in tweet

More: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/04/martin-shkreli-turns-his-trolling-of-congress-up-to-11/ 

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/02/10-most-punchable-faces-of-martin-shkreli.html 
The 10 Most Punchable Faces of Martin Shkreli

Bonus item: The serious, substantive Democratic debate makes the clown show of the Republican campaign all the more apparent

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/02/larry-wilmore-pokes-fun-pathetic-state-gop

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL: http://pbd.blogspot.com

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

SORE LOSER

I raised the question yesterday, half seriously, if Ted Cruz had won Iowa by stealing votes from Ben Carson. Be careful what you say, I guess -- now Trump is saying it, very seriously, and asking for a primary do-over

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/02/03/donald-trump-says-ted-cruz-stole-victory-in-iowa-caucuses/?partner=rss&emc=rss

More: http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/02/excuses-are-flying-high-trumpworld
The Excuses Are Flying High in Trumpworld

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-better-ground-game
Trump On Iowa: I Only Recently Learned What 'Ground Game' Means!

SO typical

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/02/03/donald-trump-tells-crowd-in-arkansas-i-think-i-came-in-first-in-iowa/?partner=rss&emc=rss
Donald Trump Tells Crowd in Arkansas, ‘I Think I Came in First’ in Iowa
 
Jimmy Fallon: http://www.salon.com/2016/02/04/donald_trump_has_even_lost_jimmy_fallon/ 

Jimmy Kimmel: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/04/a-supercut-of-donald-trump-kicking-hecklers-out-of-his-rallies-video/

Okay, Ted, your turn

https://politicalwire.com/2016/02/03/cruz-relentlessly-mocks-trump-for-iowa-loss/
“Have you noticed Donald doesn’t take losing well? Donald told us every day for a year he was going to win Iowa, win it big, win it ‘yuuuuuge.'”
 
Dr. Magoo has taken his break and comes back. For real

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/03/ben-carson-s-super-bizarre-press-conference.html
Ben Carson’s Super Bizarre Press Conference
 
This is just sad. Poor Jeb(!)

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/jeb-bush-please-clap
Jeb Pleads With Supporters After Fiery NH Stump Speech: 'Please Clap'  

Rand Paul, Rick Santorum quit the race

https://politicalwire.com/2016/02/03/paul-will-end-presidential-bid/

https://politicalwire.com/2016/02/03/santorum-will-end-presidential-bid/

Obama visits a mosque, calls for tolerance toward Muslims. I think you can guess what happens next

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/02/03/the-importance-of-obamas-mosque-visit-in-an-era-of-hate-crimes-against-muslims/

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/obama-makes-first-ever-mosque-visit-draws-ugly-fire-rubio

More: http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/02/marco-rubio-lashes-out-against-call-religious-toleration
Marco Rubio Lashes Out Against Call For Religious Toleration

Paul Ryan is starting to realize what being Speaker of the House is really going to be like

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/02/03/1479308/-New-budget-negotiation-different-House-speaker-same-ol-House-crazy-caucus

More: https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/02/03/paul-ryan-to-tea-party-you-are-the-problem/

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/02/house-gop-living-their-own-groundhog-day

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2016_02/speaker_ryan_cant_reauthorize059505.php

The Democratic debate over who is a "progressive"

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/04/us/politics/bernie-sanders-and-hillary-clinton-tangle-in-new-hampshire-over-rights-to-progressive-label.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/02/6-highlights-from-cnns-democratic-town-hall.html

What if. . . .

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/3/10903404/gop-campaign-against-sanders
Give a little thought to what a GOP campaign against Bernie Sanders might look like

In a time of gridlock, obstruction, and the impossibility of grand reform, how do you run an inspiring - but also honest - campaign?

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/4/10910576/hillary-clinton-grand-bargain

"This shocking drone footage from Syria shows what a destroyed city looks like"

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/3/10906078/drone-syria-homs

Bonus item: The Daily Show shows that you can spin the winner/loser narrative in these races any way that you want

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/3/10904468/daily-show-iowa-caucus

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL: http://pbd.blogspot.com

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

MR. WONDERFUL?

Bernie wants to create a "political revolution." I think that's nonsense, but I'm in a generous mood today, so let's give him his moment

http://www.democracynow.org/2016/2/2/watch_bernie_sanders_says_iowa_is

More: http://prospect.org/article/praise-unrealistic-ideas
In Praise of Unrealistic Ideas

http://www.salon.com/2016/02/02/no_bernie_sanders_cant_overcome_gop_obstructionism_heres_why_that_shouldnt_matter/
No, Bernie Sanders can’t overcome GOP obstructionism. Here’s why that shouldn’t matter 

http://www.salon.com/2016/02/03/robert_reich_bernie_sanders_is_the_only_candidate_of_change_partner/
Robert Reich: Bernie Sanders is the only candidate of change

http://www.salon.com/2016/02/03/the_bernie_sanders_era_is_upon_us_why_iowa_was_a_watershed_moment_for_american_politics/
The Bernie Sanders era is upon us

Key word: "young"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/02/bernie-sanders-crushed-hillary-clinton-by-70-points-among-young-people-in-iowa-but/
Bernie Sanders crushed Hillary Clinton by 70 points among young voters in Iowa

What Hillary must learn from Iowa

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/02/02/hillary-clinton-barely-survived-iowa-top-democrats-say-she-must-learn-from-it/

More: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/03/hillary-clinton-can-t-go-nuclear-on-bernie-sanders-yet.html
Hillary Clinton Can’t Go Nuclear on Bernie Sanders…Yet

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/02/coin-tosses-did-not-decide-iowa-democratic
Coin Tosses Did Not Decide The Iowa Democratic Caucus 

If a Democrat wins, they'll have to deal with this

http://www.vox.com/polyarchy/2016/2/2/10895670/mitch-mcconnell-2016
Mitch McConnell just announced the Senate might not take up any substantive legislation in 2016

Trump gave a surprisingly gracious concession speech in Iowa. But don't worry: by the next day normalcy had returned

Before: https://politicalwire.com/2016/02/02/humbled-trump-lasts-only-one-night/

After: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/nobody-gives-him-credit-for-anything.html 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/02/02/trump-says-campaign-didnt-have-much-of-a-ground-game-in-iowa/

Tweet from a Trump supporter

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/quite-possibly-greatest-tweet-in-human-history
Trump supporters are totally shocked. One woman tearfully says, “It’s just heartbreaking. He really wanted to Make America Great Again."

Did Cruz win Iowa by stealing votes from Carson?

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/02/02/carson-accuses-cruz-camp-spreading-false-rumors-on-campaign-suspension.html
Upon hearing reports that their candidate was leaving the trail to return to his home in Florida, Team Carson responded swiftly, saying the retired neurosurgeon was only going home for clean clothes but was then headed to New Hampshire for the Feb. 9 primary.  But Carson told Fox News Tuesday morning that Cruz supporters and representatives took that narrative a step further, and began telling caucus-goers at “many” precincts that he was dropping out. . . .

Part of the dysfunctional dynamic of the GOP race is the mass rush to pull down anyone who emerges as viable -- they're fighting one another for the privilege of being the next one. . . to be pulled down by the others

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/02/establishment-candidates-to-spoil-rubios-surge.html

How were the polls so wrong?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/02/why-were-the-iowa-polls-so-wrong/

More: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/03/upshot/polls-were-way-off-on-donald-trump-heres-what-it-means.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Bonus item: Fox News nails it!

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/02/screenshot-night-fox-news-right-once

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL: http://pbd.blogspot.com

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

JUGGER-NOT

Mr. Inevitable barely escapes third place

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/1/10892258/iowa-caucus-result-clinton-wins
Ted Cruz has prevailed in the Iowa Republican caucuses. Cruz earned the support of around 28 percent of caucusgoers.  Donald Trump got about 24 percent of the vote. Marco Rubio got about 23 percent of the vote. Ben Carson and other candidates were far behind the top three.  Rubio emerges as the strongest of the establishment-friendly candidates, and his relatively strong finish in the state may cement his status as the mainstream alternative to Cruz and Trump. . . . [read on] 

More: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/01/donald-trump-the-hater-is-now-a-loser.html
Can the longtime Republican frontrunner—the man who predicated his entire campaign on #winning—survive a humbling defeat in Iowa?

Ted Cruz's ground game nets him an unexpected win

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-clinton-cautiously-optimistic-ahead-of-iowa-caucuses/2016/02/01/914388ae-c88a-11e5-a7b2-5a2f824b02c9_story.html
Sen. Ted Cruz scored a hard-fought upset win over businessman Donald Trump in the Iowa Republican caucuses Monday night, making good on his bet that a methodical campaign organization would eclipse the New Yorker’s media dominance in the first test of GOP voters. . . .

More: http://www.vox.com/2016/2/2/10892870/ted-cruz-bio-iowa-caucus
 
Renewed hope that Marco Rubio may emerge as the not-Trump/Cruz alternative

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/1/10892400/marco-rubio-iowa-speech 

More: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/02/after-iowa-rubio-prepares-to-take-on-trump.html

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/02/you-better-get-on-board-with-marco-rubio.html

On the Democratic side, Clinton squeaks by Sanders -- but it's Bernie who's happy

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/2/10892714/hillary-clinton-iowa-reaction
Hillary Clinton: I'm breathing a 'big sigh of relief' 

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/02/what-hillarys-iowa-lead-means-for-the-democrats.html
What Hillary’s Slight Iowa Lead Means for the Democratic Race — If It Holds

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/coin-flips-decide-tied-iowa-precincts/2016/02/02/cfddea00-c984-11e5-b9ab-26591104bb19_video.html
At least two precincts reported ties between Democratic candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton during the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 1, so they flipped a coin. Hillary Clinton won both tosses.
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/02/us/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-democratic-iowa-caucus.html?ref=politics
The close results were deeply unnerving to Mrs. Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, as well as her advisers, some of whom had expressed growing confidence in recent days that they had recaptured political momentum after weeks when Mr. Sanders was drawing huge crowds and rising in the polls. . . 
 
More: http://www.vox.com/2016/2/2/10892152/iowa-caucus-result-clinton-wins
Bernie Sanders fights Hillary Clinton to a draw in Iowa

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/2/10892802/iowa-caucus-bernie-sanders-tie
Bernie Sanders's tie should be the biggest story of the Iowa caucuses

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/02/iowa-bernie-sanders-won-his-partys-future.html
The Democrats Effectively Tied in Iowa, But Sanders Won the Future

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/2/10892724/bernie-sanders-wake-up-call
The surprising success of Bernie Sanders's insurgency should be a wake-up call to the Democratic establishment 

Well, maybe

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/02/upshot/how-the-virtual-tie-in-iowa-helps-hillary-clinton.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Why ‘Virtual Tie’ in Iowa Is Better for Clinton Than Sanders 

Martin O'Malley drops out

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/1/10892184/omalley-drops-out 

Trump is still inciting his crowds to violence

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/trumps-inciting-violence-and-offering.html

Former Trump staff member sues him for gender discrimination (hard to believe, eh?)

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/1/10886760/trump-sexism-elizabeth-davidson

How Clinton will go after Trump, if she has to

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-iowa-218510

The end of Jeb?

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/02/jebs-last-iowa-rally-hecklers-dated-rhetoric.html
Jeb Bush’s Last Rally in Iowa Weighed Down by Dated Conservatism and Reports of Paid Chair-Fillers 

Mike Huckabee drops out

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/1/10892324/mike-huckabee-drops-out

"Dog Whistle Politics": the use of coded language to say what you aren't supposed to say, in such a way that everyone understands what you really mean

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/1/10889138/coded-language-thug-bossy
 
What a way to run a campaign for president

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/02/us/politics/zany-mean-classified-and-yuge-the-2016-campaign-so-far.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=a-lede-package-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
Vulgar, Mean, Classified and Zany: The 2016 Campaign So Far 

How fringe conspiracy theories migrate into real news coverage

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/the-wages-of-derp-are-derp-lots-of-it

Sarah! freaks out on the Today show, denies ever blaming Obama for her son's PTSD and domestic violence -- but, of course, we have the quote

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/01/sarah-palin-freaks-out-on-today-show-over-ptsd-question.html

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/02/sarah-palin-denies-blaming-obama-for-ptsd.html

Bonus item: This is when it all starts to change

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/1/10886644/crispr-news-uk-niakan
In a world first, UK scientists just got approval to edit human embryos

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL: http://pbd.blogspot.com

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

DEMOCRACY BEGINS

How do the Iowa caucuses work?

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/29/politics/iowa-caucuses-explainer/

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/02/us/politics/iowa-caucuses-faq-our-man.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/1/10880714/iowa-caucus-2016-time-schedule-poll

Video: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/01/31/video-how-do-the-complicated-iowa-caucuses-work.html

The rise of Trump: an historical view

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/interrogation/2016/01/rick_perlstein_historian_of_conservatism_on_donald_trump_and_the_gop_crack.html
Rick Perlstein has established himself as the pre-eminent historian of modern conservatism. . . . Perlstein has shown how the Republican Party became more and more aligned with a powerful conservative movement, moving both the party itself—and the country—to the right. . . . [read on]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/books/ct-prj-why-the-right-went-wrong-ej-dionne-20160121-story.html
Is anyone out there in the punditsphere capable of even describing, much less explicating, the torturous historical process through which the party of Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt degenerated into the party of Donald Trump and the Tea Party? If anyone can, it's E.J. Dionne Jr., columnist for the Washington Post and author of the new book, "Why the Right Went Wrong." . . . [read on]

More: http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/01/donald-trump-isnt-really-anything-new
Donald Trump Isn't Really Anything New 

Donald Trump, mean girl

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/make-america-illiterate-again.html 

One more time 

http://www.salon.com/2016/02/01/why_im_supporting_sanders_over_clinton_this_could_be_the_moment_to_reclaim_the_democratic_party_and_reshape_history/
Why I’m supporting Sanders over Clinton 

http://www.salon.com/2016/02/01/why_im_supporting_clinton_over_sanders_liberals_dont_need_a_savior_but_someone_who_can_actually_get_things_done_in_washington/
Why I’m supporting Clinton over Sanders

More: http://prospect.org/article/trouble-bernie-sanderss-revolution 

What would the election of Hillary mean for gender relations?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/the-sexist-backlash/2016/02/01/827826ca-c8a5-11e5-b9ab-26591104bb19_video.html  
Sal Meyers would love to see America elect Hillary Clinton as its first female president. But she also doesn't think America responded well to the election of its first black president and fears the potential sexist backlash that could follow. . . 

Bonus item: A man with a big plane

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/01/the-one-donald-trump-photo-that-explains-donald-trumps-entire-campaign/

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL: http://pbd.blogspot.com

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***