Donald Trump speaks on the last day of the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016, in Cleveland, Ohio. (JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
He stayed in character –> On the last night of the Republican convention, we were watching to see if Donald Trump might take a stab at making himself more appealing to the nearly 60 percent or so of the country that doesn’t like him by telling stories about how he’s a regular guy. Nah.
Michael Barbaro at The New York Times: “It was Donald J. Trump’s best chance to escape his own caricature. He did not.
“After 40 years in the public eye, Mr. Trump decided on Thursday night that he was not interested in revealing himself to America with disarming tales of his upbringing, hard-earned lessons from his tumultuous career or the inner struggles masked by his outward pomposity. In the most consequential speech of his life, delivered 401 days into his improbable run for the White House, Mr. Trump sounded much like the unreflective man who had started it with an escalator ride in the lobby of Trump Tower: He conjured up chaos and promised overnight solutions.”
The speech contained a lot that wasn’t accurate, a Vox fact check found: “‘I will present the facts plainly and honestly,’ Trump said. But did he? We counted dozens of factual claims in the speech, and fewer than half scored as true or almost true. But there were also plenty of falsehoods, misleading or disputed claims or baseless accusations.”
Open for business –> So much for self-funding… Matea Gold at The Washington Post: “Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence have indicated that they are open to appearing at events for a super PAC seeking to raise at least $100 million, a reversal of Trump’s staunch opposition to big-money groups throughout the GOP primaries…
“Such a nod amounts to a dramatic change in position for Trump, who made disdain of big-money politics a central part of his pitch during the primary contest, railing against super PACs that can accept unlimited contributions from individuals and corporations. He called them horrible and corrupting. ‘I have disavowed all Super PACs, requested the return of all donations made to said PACs, and I am calling on all presidential candidates to do the same,’ Trump said in a statement in October, distancing himself from a super PAC that had connections to his campaign.”
NBA takes a pass on North Carolina –> The anti-transgender bathroom law means the state’s economy will be taking another hit. Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical: “Without any movement by state legislators in North Carolina to change newly enacted laws targeted at the LGBT community, the NBA on Thursday decided to pull the 2017 All-Star Game out of Charlotte…
“‘While we recognize that the NBA cannot choose the law in every city, state and country in which we do business, we do not believe we can successfully host our All-Star festivities in Charlotte in the climate created by [the laws],’ the league said. ‘… We look forward to re-starting plans for our All-Star festivities in Charlotte for 2019 provided there is an appropriate resolution to this matter.'”
Roger Ailes and his golden parachute –> “Roger Ailes has resigned from Fox News amid sexual harassment allegations — an ignoble end to his legendary, controversial 20-year tenure running the country’s dominant cable news channel… Ailes will receive in excess of $40 million, which accounts for the remainder he is owed under the terms of his multi-year contract with Fox.”
But Fox News isn’t going anywhere. Rupert Murdoch, 21st Century Fox Executive Chairman: “I am personally committed to ensuring that Fox News remains a distinctive, powerful voice. Our nation needs a robust Fox News to resonate from every corner of the country. To ensure continuity of all that is best about Fox News and what it stands for, I will take over as chairman and acting CEO.”
Clinton’s veep announcement is teed up –> Time magazine’s Philip Elliott and Sam Frizell: “The list of possible candidates, once a lengthy roster of Washington’s rising stars, has been clipped and culled to a safe handful: Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, Labor Secretary Tom Perez, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown. There is, of course, the possibility of someone completely out of left field that no one is discussing, such as Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. Aides, clearly enjoying the speculation, not-so-subtly asked reporters when the last time [was that] Clinton did something as unexpected as that.”
Tim Kaine, who is rumored to be her leading choice, might not help her with progressives in the Democratic Party. “Kaine signed two letters on Monday urging federal regulators to go easy on banks — one to help big banks dodge risk management rules, and another to help small banks avoid consumer protection standards,” Zach Carter writes for The Huffington Post. Kaine “is setting himself up as a figure willing to do battle with the progressive wing of the party. He has championed the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal that both Sanders and Warren oppose, and he is now publicly siding with bank deregulation advocates at the height of Clinton’s veepstakes.”
Morning Reads is compiled by John Light and Michael Winship. See a story that you think should be included in Morning Reads? Tell us in the comments!
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