| | | | The Democratic A-list has teed her up. Bill Clinton told her life story. Joe Biden denounced opponent Donald Trump as an affront to American values. Michelle Obama sold her as a history-making role model for children and President Barack Obama handed her the baton with an onstage hug at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Now it's up to Hillary Clinton to deliver.
As she takes center stage, CNN's Maeve Reston writes, Clinton faces a critical task: persuading Americans that she understands their frustration and economic anxiety at a time when many of them still do not trust her. The pressure is intense because the race is much tighter than most expected at this juncture, particularly among white working-class voters in rust belt states like Ohio and Pennsylvania.
The un-naturals: If all goes right, Clinton could exceed expectations the way George H.W. Bush -- another charisma-challenged candidate -- did at the 1988 Republican National Committee, writes Politico's Annie Karni.
Dueling daughters: Chelsea Clinton will introduce her mother in a speech that'll inevitably be compared to her friend Ivanka Trump's introduction of her father last week in Cleveland. "I hope it will be kind of at least as clear why I'm so proud of my mom when I introduce her here in Philadelphia," she told NBC's Matt Lauer this morning.
Pre-butting Clinton: Trump will be on Fox News, interviewed by Greta Van Susteren in the 7 p.m. ET hour. | | | Singer Katy Perry prepared this afternoon for a prime-time performance at the Democratic National Convention. Also performing tonight: Carole King. | | Trump on Russia talk: 'Of course I'm being sarcastic' | | Donald Trump says he was only kidding when he appeared to encourage Russian intelligence agencies to find the thousands of Hillary Clinton's deleted emails. "Of course I'm being sarcastic," Trump said in a Fox News interview that aired the day after his comments sparked a national furor. "You have 33,000 emails deleted, and the real problem is what was said on the emails from the Democratic National Convention." More from CNN's Stephen Collinson and Tom Kludt.
Catch up quickly: CNN's Jeremy Diamond traces Trump's history of praising Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Now, more fallout from the DNC's email leak...
Donors' information hacked: Per ABC News' Matthew Mosk, Brian Ross and Rhonda Schwartz: "The Democratic Party has yet to notify thousands of wealthy donors whose email addresses and other personal information have been exposed by a pernicious cyberintrusion, including Hollywood stars, CEOs and some of America's super rich."
Months of escalating dysfunction: Politico's Edward-Isaac Dovere has an inside look at the problems surrounding the end of Debbie Wasserman Schultz's tenure as DNC chairwoman -- including clashes with Clinton's campaign and a strange request of Vice President Joe Biden. | | "He likes to harken back to his kind of Irish roots. He'd love to be called 'first laddie.'" -- Chelsea Clinton, to NBC's Matt Lauer, on what Bill Clinton would be called if Hillary Clinton becomes "Madam President." (Chelsea's preference: "First gentleman.") | | | Pence's TPP gymnastics: It's 'like Obamacare' | | Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence -- who'd never met a trade deal he didn't support and lobbied Indiana's congressional delegation to embrace the Trans-Pacific Partnership -- says now that he's running with Donald Trump, he opposes the 12-nation pact. "With the TPP, it feels a little bit like Obamacare. You remember, when Nancy Pelosi said, 'we gotta pass this bill so we can find out what's in it,'" Pence told Laura Ingraham today in comments posted by BuzzFeed's Andrew Kaczynski.
How did Trump turn him against trade? "Frankly, we're on the verge of electing one of the best negotiators in the world. As Donald and I sat down and talked earlier on, he talked to me about questioning the wisdom of these multicountry trade agreements that then, when they're not working out, the way that clearly NAFTA is not any longer, it's very difficult to unwind."
Bizarre press treatment: Washington Post reporter Jose DelReal was patted down at a Pence event last night and eventually told he couldn't come in -- because, according to a security guard, "I don't want you here. You have to go." | | Reid: Trump is 'dumb' and Sanders was treated unfairly | | Retiring Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, was as blunt as possible in an interview today with CNN's Manu Raju. Some of the highlights:
-- On Donald Trump: Reid said Trump was "being dumb" and is "a danger to our country," accused him of violating the Logan Act's prohibition of citizens negotiating with foreign governments that have disputes with the United States, and said Trump "can't control his mouth, can't control his brain." He suggested that intelligence officials "give him fake briefings. I think that the man is a loose cannon."
-- On Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the outgoing Democratic National Committee chairwoman: She should have quit "at least six weeks before she did."
-- On Bernie Sanders: "A lot of people who were running the DNC were not fans of Bernie. And I think that one of the difficult things we have whenever we have a primary election, is the party should be fair. It would be better if Bernie were treated a little better by the people that run the DNC." | | | Karen Pence, the wife of Mike Pence, led her husband and Donald Trump in a prayer en route to Pennsylvania for a campaign stop yesterday. Trump social media director Dan Scavino tweeted the photo today. | | Libertarian Gary Johnson tells CNN's Wolf Blitzer that Mitt Romney is considering endorsing him. ... Tim Kaine says Donald Trump is right: He was a "lousy" governor of New Jersey. (Kaine, in fact, was governor of Virginia.) ... Donald Trump Jr. says President Barack Obama plagiarized a phrase from his speech last week.
Coming tomorrow morning: A special "Hangover Edition" of Nightcap focused on Clinton's big night. | | | Get the Nightcap, a comprehensive summary of the most important political news, delivered to your inbox daily. | | | | | |
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