| | | | Trump to Russia: Find Clinton's email | | Donald Trump made an unprecedented appeal to a foreign country today to essentially launch an espionage operation against a political opponent -- calling on Russia to hack and release Hillary Clinton's deleted emails. "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing," he said at a news conference in Doral, Florida. "I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press."
In the wake of the Democratic National Committee email hack -- which a U.S. official says there's "little doubt" Russia was behind -- Trump's remarks set off a day of squabbling over just what he meant. Clinton senior policy adviser Jake Sullivan accused Trump of encouraging espionage and creating "a national security issue." Trump rapid response director Steven Cheung said Trump just wanted Russia to hand over the emails if they have them.
Another Trump claim: Russian President Vladimir Putin hates President Barack Obama so much that Putin once used the "N-word." "I was shocked. Number one, he doesn't like him. Number two, he doesn't respect him," Trump said.
It was a wild news conference. The Washington Post's Philip Bump annotated the whole thing, and called it "falsehood-laden." And the Post's Aaron Blake notes that Trump also suggested he's open to recognizing Crimea as a Russian territory.
The Democratic response: Watch former CIA Director and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta tonight at the Democratic National Convention. A source familiar with Panetta's speech tells CNN's Dana Bash: "Secretary Panetta changed his speech this afternoon -- inserted a direct attack on Trump for his rhetoric suggesting that Russia meddle in the election."
Here's what Panetta told CNN's Christiane Amanpour today: "This just is beyond my own understanding of the responsibilities that candidates have to be loyal to their country and to their country alone, not to reach out to somebody like Putin and Russia, and try to engage them in an effort to try to, in effect, conduct a conspiracy against another party." | | "Be quiet." -- Donald Trump to NBC's Katy Tur, who was trying to press him at today's news conference on his suggestion that Russia should hack and release Hillary Clinton's emails. | | | Tonight's headliners: Obama, Biden, Kaine, Bloomberg | | Democrats checked off today's most important official piece of business -- nominating Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine for vice president -- but it wasn't smooth sailing. Fearing that Bernie Sanders supporters would boo, the party scrapped Virginia Rep. Bobby Scott's planned nominating speech. Instead, Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge, who's running the convention, mentioned Kaine's name and put him into nomination. He was approved on a voice vote and tech hands immediately cranked up the music as some delegates shouted, "Roll call! Roll call!"
Will Sanders supporters cause a scene tonight over Kaine? Politico's Darren Samuelsohn reports they're planning on it.
The pro-Kaine pushback, from CNN's Jeff Zeleny: Shaun Brown is proudly wearing her Bernie Sanders hat on the convention floor, where she's a member of the Virginia delegation. But tonight, her hat is adorned with a new addition: A Hillary Clinton-Tim Kaine button. She calls Kaine "a moral progressive." She is spreading the word to fellow Sanders delegates around the convention hall tonight to study Kaine's background, particularly his time as a civil rights lawyer. "We want the rest of the country to give him a chance," Brown said in an interview.
Now, about tonight's lineup...
It's star-studded. President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Kaine and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg are all set for prime-time slots.
For Obama, it's about legacy -- how Hillary Clinton can secure his, and how Donald Trump can undermine it. CNN's Kevin Liptak reports that Obama hopes to use Clinton's record as the central argument for her candidacy -- and suggest her rival's record represents just the opposite. (Another great read on this comes from The New York Times' Michael Shear, who draws the line from Obama's undoing of many of President George W. Bush's policies to his motivation to make sure the next president doesn't do the same thing to him.)
What Bloomberg will try to accomplish: The political independent is aiming to speak to independents, moderates and swing voters. "As one of America's business leaders, Bloomberg has become increasingly concerned about what a Trump presidency would mean for our economy. He will lay out why voters cannot trust Trump to ensure our economic future," one adviser tells Kevin.
One more thing to watch: Will Sanders supporters seize on the enormous headache Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe caused Clinton over the Trans-Pacific Partnership? Get up to speed on that issue here. | | CNN's Gabe Ramirez has a great video on the last gasps of Bernie Sanders' supporters at the Democratic National Convention from Tuesday.
Meanwhile, CNN sent photographer Peter van Agtmael into the crowds of Philadelphia to get a handle on what it's like away from the politicians and delegates. Here are some of his shots: | | Obama's library choice: Chicago's South Side | | | President Barack Obama's presidential library will be built in Jackson Park, a short walk from the University of Chicago, where Obama once taught law. The South Side location on Lake Michigan could boost nearby communities struggling with gang violence. It was selected over Washington Park in Chicago and options in New York City and Hawaii. The Associated Press' Josh Lederman and Don Babwin had the scoop. | | | From catfish vs. a place called Hope to Bob Dole vs. Barack Obama's mother, Republicans and Democrats have very different ways of describing their states at convention roll call votes. CNN's Chris Moody compares them all. | | | Hillary Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook's advice to Donald Trump: "I absolutely encourage Donald Trump to spend time campaigning in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey." ... Jane Sanders, the wife of Bernie Sanders, says she doesn't understand why her husband's supporters aren't rallying around Clinton. | | | Get the Nightcap, a comprehensive summary of the most important political news, delivered to your inbox daily. | | | | | |
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