Why the Debate Over Refugees Turned Ugly

The debate over accepting Syrian refugees took a darker turn Wednesday, as a Tennessee Republican leader called for them to be forcibly rounded up in his state. In Washington, Republicans are set to move forward with a bill to halt accepting new refugees until the Obama Administration takes new steps to verify their security status, while the White House has promised to veto the legislation. GOP presidential candidates have shifted their positions on refugees following the Paris attacks, taking a more hard-line view than they had just weeks ago. It’s not only Republicans. New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan has called for a refugee freeze, while the Democratic mayor of Roanoke, Virginia, cited the example of World War II internment of Japanese-Americans to justify turning refugees away.

Jeb Bush has seen a marked improvement on the stump, after his campaign hired a new public speaking coach. The one-time GOP front-runner delivered a well-regarded speech on foreign policy Wednesday, before beginning a two-day New Hampshire swing. His remarks were panned, however, by John Kasich, who argued he’d already laid out similar positions. Meanwhile, the Kasich super PAC is comparing Donald Trump and Ben Carson to Obama in a new ad, arguing the country can’t afford leaders who are learning on the job..

Bernie Sanders’ is benefitting from a super PAC despite his frequent attacks on the influence of money in politics. Obama pledges to continue efforts to close Guantanamo. And the marriage that changed what it means to be First Lady.

Here are your must-reads:

Must Reads

How to Beat ISIS
The war against the terror group requires the kind of grit and leadership that have gone missing, TIME’s David Von Drehle writes on the cover of this week’s magazine

Republican Candidates Weren’t Always Skeptical of Syrian Refugees
Candidates adjust their position after Paris attacks [TIME]

Bernie Sanders Benefits From $569,000 in Super PAC Support From Nurses Union
Campaign finance stance meets its limits [Sunlight Foundation]

Jeb Bush Did Something New: He Commanded the Room
The cash-rich, poll-poor contender made an investment in a speech coach, and it’s paying off [Politico]

Two Clintons, 41 Years, $3 Billion: Inside the Couple’s Donor Network
How they did it [Washington Post]

U.S. Investigators Struggle to Track Homegrown ISIS Suspects
A different challenge at home after Paris [New York Times]

Sound Off

“We need to activate the Tennessee National Guard and stop them from coming in to the state by whatever means we can…We need to gather (Syrian refugees) up and politely take them back to the ICE center.” — Tennessee House GOP Caucus Chairman Glen Casada

“I expect that early by next year we may even have fewer than a hundred people at Guantanamo.” — President Obama on attempting to fulfill one of his campaign promises Thursday

Bits and Bites

Joe Klein: The 2016 Candidates Need Thoughtful Strategies on ISIS—Soon [TIME]

Adviser Who Questioned Ben Carson’s Grasp of Mideast Is Consulted for Op-Ed Piece [New York Times]

The Marriage That Changed What It Means to Be First Lady [TIME]

Hillary Clinton to Lay Out ISIS Strategy [TIME]

Roanoke Mayor David Bowers: Reject Refugees Like U.S. Interned Japanese [Washington Post]

Ted Cruz Challenges President Obama to Debate on Syrian Refugees [New York Times]

Syrian Refugees Split Democratic Party [Politico]

Bernie Sanders Flirted With 100 Percent Marginal Tax on the Rich, Maximum Wage [Bloomberg]

Martin O’Malley Likely To Accept Public Funding, Campaign Says [BuzzFeed]

New Hampshire Primary Source: ‘Deflate-gate’ law firm hosting Clinton for fundraiser [WMUR]

Senators Gripe After FBI Director Skips Paris Briefing [Politico]