TPM’s GOP Debate Roundup, Air Force Panned For MLK Day ‘Fun Shoot,’ and Fox News Runs Adrift

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January 15, 2016

Top Stories


Has The Sovereign Citizen Movement Hijacked The Oregon Standoff?

The Gist: In recent days, the refuge has become somewhat of a stage for anyone with extremist views who is hungry to catch a headline–including so-called “sovereign citizens.”

Neil Cavuto Blames Obama For The Bush Financial Crisis

The Gist: The Fox Business host completely glossed over the fact that the 2008 financial crisis came under President George W. Bush during Thursday’s GOP debate.

Air Force Apologizes For Planning MLK Jr. Day ‘Fun Shoot’ At Georgia Base

The Gist: Georgia Air Force officials pulled flyers advertising a shooting event to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, calling the framing of the event an “honest mistake.”

From The Reporter’s Notebook


As the Oregon standoff rages on, some experts who study extremists are beginning to wonder how it ends. While Mark Pitcavage of the Anti Defamation League believes the energy for the standoff will slowly fizzle out and interest will evaporate, he warns that there are some individuals holed up at the compound could could react violently. He told TPM’s Lauren Fox that it has the potential of becoming a very volatile situation.

Agree or Disagree?


Josh Marshall on Thursday’s Fox Business debate: “Cruz has taken and continues to hold the ‘alternative to Trump’ position that Rubio should have claimed. I saw nothing in this debate that will change that trajectory. I think we come out of this debate with it still being a Trump/Cruz race, with Trump in a somewhat stronger position than he went in, Cruz slightly weaker and the clock running out on Marco Rubio.”

Say What?!


“President Donald Trump knows how to make America great, deal from strength or get crushed every time.”

– Three girls from the musical group USA Freedom Kids sang a song praising Trump at his rally in Florida. It’s as weird as it sounds.

BUZZING: Today in the Hive


From a TPM Prime member: “Not a Rubio fan — but he was born on US soil so he is without question, a native born citizen — and it does not matter legally that his parents weren’t citizens. The only people who give a shit are far right deluded racists. As for Cruz — I am in favor of any effective action that makes him just go away — he is that dangerous a threat to this country and the world. However, if he is legally deemed to be not native born, then we’ll see the downgrading of citizenship status of every child born abroad to an american parent. I don’t think that a positive development. It would be infinitely better if Cruz was dispensed with by other means. A well targeted lightening bolt would be just perfect.”

Related: Rubio asked a court to dismiss a complaint that he is not a “natural-born citizen.”

Have something to add? Become a Prime member and join the discussion here.

What We’re Reading


With Roger Ailes absent, Fox News is drifting. (New York Magazine)

Can Silicon Valley build terrorist-spotting algorithms? (Fusion)


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