| | | | Trump's campaign points a finger | | Seeking to finally put to rest controversy over Melania Trump's plagiarism of Michelle Obama in her Republican National Convention speech, Donald Trump's campaign identified the writer: Meredith McIver, a family friend and writer for the Trump Organization.
How did it happen? McIver explained that during a phone conversation, Melania Trump read passages from Obama's 2008 speech as examples of the kind of tone she wanted to strike because she admired the first lady. "I wrote them down and later included some of the phrasing in the draft that ultimately became the final speech. I did not check Mrs. Obama's speeches. This was my mistake, and I feel terrible for the chaos I have caused Melania and the Trumps, as well as to Mrs. Obama. No harm was meant."
How'd Donald Trump take it? McIver said he told her that "people make innocent mistakes and that we learn and grow from these experiences." The Trumps didn't accept her resignation. More from CNN's Maeve Reston. (And CNN's Sophie Tatum answers the question: Who is McIver?)
That information was all new. Trump himself weighed in, though, with a take of his own -- which for a few hours gave new life to the story without offering additional details: | | | Behind the scenes in Cleveland, Trump's campaign -- represented by Paul Manafort and Mike Pence aide Marty Obst -- blessed a major super PAC effort at a meeting with about 20 top donors. The scoop from Politico's Alex Isenstadt and Ken Vogel. | | | Ted Cruz arrived in Cleveland for a rally today. At the exact moment he started to tell the crowd that "we have a nominee now," Donald Trump's plane flew right behind his stage. CNN's Ted Barrett was there and reports that Cruz laughed and said, "That was pretty well orchestrated," before turning more serious and saying about his political path: "I don't know what the future holds." | | Tonight's RNC headliner: Mike Pence | | Indiana Gov. Mike Pence will deliver his first major speech as the Republican vice presidential nominee tonight, a warm-up act for Donald Trump's speech Thursday. Watch for Pence to sell Trump as the new Ronald Reagan, making the case for Trump while remaining the GOP ticket's happy warrior.
The phrase to watch: Pence will call Clinton the "secretary of status quo."
Pass the Kleenex: Pence's mother, Nancy Pence-Fritsch, will be in the audience -- and other Hoosiers are bringing tissues for her, knowing it'll be an emotional moment. The rest of Pence's family will be on hand, too.
How'd the speech come together? It was 90% Pence himself, aides said. He got early help from speechwriters Matthew Scully and John McConnell, and the last few days the team helping finalize the speech consisted of Marc Short, Nick Ayers and Josh Pitcock.
Pence's chief adviser: His wife Karen Pence, for whom Pence had a firetruck red phone installed on his Statehouse desk. How Pence makes decisions: "I'm going to sleep on it, pray about it and talk to Karen." More from CNN's Tom LoBianco.
In the spotlight: Ted Cruz. He's not going to endorse Trump, and he's not likely to hide his 2020 presidential ambitions. It will make for an interesting speech on the third night of the RNC, and CNN's Theodore Schleifer looks at Cruz's tightrope walk.
The VP who wasn't: Donald Trump Jr., the Republican nominee's son, tried to entice John Kasich with a position as the most powerful vice president in history, but he turned it down, The New York Times' Robert Draper reports.
The Trump campaign's response: "It's completely ridiculous," Jason Miller said. "There was never an offer made. It's completely made up." Miller added: "Gov. Kasich is just being a sore loser." Here's more on the Kasich offer -- and Trump's response: | | "Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason." -- Al Baldasaro, a New Hampshire state representative who is backing Donald Trump as a delegate in Cleveland and has appeared with Trump at events, on the Jeff Kuhner show on Tuesday. The remarks were first noticed by BuzzFeed's Andrew Kaczynski. Now, the Secret Service is investigating. | | | | Evan Bayh's downstairs neighbor at his Indiana condo seemed to be trolling him on Twitter. First, when Bayh announced his campaign for Indiana's Senate seat, his neighbor tweeted this: | | | Then, today, he mused about a job on Bayh's staff. | | | When I suggested he was trolling Bayh, though, he said the joke's on us. | | Clinton nears VP choice; Kaine and Vilsack lead | | From CNN's Jeff Zeleny and Dan Merica: Hillary Clinton is spending two days at home in New York, finalizing her decision for a running mate before formally introducing her Democratic ticket during a weekend campaign swing in Florida, according to several Democrats familiar with the search.
Leading the pack: Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, per Democrats close to the process -- though they're not the only contenders. "I don't expect a decision is made or announced until the weekend between the convention," Kaine said today during an appearance before the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce. "It's wonderful to be mentioned. But I love my job and (am) trying not to overly think it." | | Bob Dole turns 93 in Cleveland | | CNN's MJ Lee's take on a birthday in Cleveland: To celebrate turning 93 on Friday, Bob Dole is planning to have a joint birthday party with his wife, Elizabeth. But he's already warned friends: no gifts. "At my age, what do I need?" Dole said Tuesday, as he mused that the only thing he likes to splurge on these days is a good Italian cappuccino. "It's so good, the way the Italians make them. So now I'm sort of an addict. I know you probably shouldn't drink coffee, but when you're 93, I think you can drink most anything."
Spotted in Cleveland by CNN's Stephen Collinson: Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders, who is attending the RNC with friends from Tennessee. Wilders warns that Muslim immigration is swamping Europe and says political forces that lifted Trump in the United States are similar to those raging across the Atlantic. He's not the only right-wing European icon sizing up Trump -- Nigel Farage, former head of UKIP that successful campaigned to get the United Kingdom out of the European Union, is also attending the RNC. | | | Chris Christie says he suspects Donald Trump will have to commit more troops than he's planned to fight ISIS. ... Rep. Mark Takai has died after a battle with cancer. ... News from the 2020 primary: Rick Santorum criticized Ted Cruz for failing to back Trump. | | | Get the Nightcap, a comprehensive summary of the most important political news, delivered to your inbox daily. | | | | | |
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