memeorandum: Mike Pence proves you can be both kind and ruthless during rousing RNC speech (Kyle Smith/New York Post)

1:30 PM ET, July 21, 2016

Top Items:

Donald Trump Sets Conditions for Defending NATO Allies Against Attack — CLEVELAND — Donald J. Trump, on the eve of accepting the Republican nomination for president, said Wednesday that if he were elected, he would not pressure Turkey or other authoritarian allies about conducting purges …

New York Times:

Transcript: Donald Trump on NATO, Turkey's Coup Attempt and the World — Donald J. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, discussed his views on foreign policy in Cleveland on Wednesday with David E. Sanger and Maggie Haberman of The New York Times. Here is an edited transcript of their interview.

Discussion: Vox, Power Line, The Atlantic, ThinkProgress, Mother Jones, twitchy.com, Talking Points Memo, Daily Wire, Washington Post, RT, New York Magazine, Hot Air, Shakesville, Washington Times, Mediaite and The Diplomat

Breitbart:

Exclusive — Sarah Palin to Ted Cruz: Delete Your Career — In an exclusive statement to Breitbart News, former Alaska Governor and 2008 Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin weighed in on Senator Ted Cruz's refusal to honor his pledge and endorse the GOP nominee Donald Trump.

Discussion: Politico, Daily Wire, Politicus USA, The Daily Caller, Raw Story, Mediaite and Independent Journal Review, more at Mediagazer »

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:

Ted Turns the Tables on Trump. Hard. — As you know, I believe in my heart that Ted Cruz is an odious weasel. I base this on observing him for years now and on the accounts and traumas of many close friends who've known him for far longer. But that was a singular moment.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, neo-neocon, RedState, The Hayride, Hullabaloo, Scripting News, Townhall.com, Politico, Business Insider and The Resurgent

Christopher Massie / BuzzFeed:

Cruz Campaign Manager: Christie “Turned Over His Political Testicles Long Ago” — Jeff Roe responded to the New Jersey governor's criticism of Cruz's convention speech. — Timothy A. Clary / AFP / Getty Images — Ted Cruz's campaign manager responded on Thursday to Chris Christie's criticism …

Discussion: Real Clear Politics, Daily Wire, Mediaite, Raw Story and Business Insider

Chris Cillizza / Washington Post:

Ted Cruz's massive political gamble, explained — Ted Cruz risked his political career on Wednesday night when he pointedly decided against endorsing Donald Trump from the stage of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. — It was a stunning thing to witness.

Discussion: Washington Monthly and Talking Points Memo

New York Times:

Ted Cruz Stirs Convention Fury in Pointed Snub of Donald Trump — CLEVELAND — The Republican convention erupted into tumult on Wednesday night as the bitter primary battle between Donald J. Trump and Senator Ted Cruz reignited unexpectedly, crushing hopes that the party could project unity.

Jeffrey Goldberg / The Atlantic:

It's Official: Hillary Clinton Is Running Against Vladimir Putin — The Republican nominee for president, Donald J. Trump, has chosen this week to unmask himself as a de facto agent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, a KGB-trained dictator who seeks to rebuild the Soviet empire by undermining …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Vox, Washington Post, RedState, Politico, Sputnik International, www.wnyc.org, Washington Free Beacon and New Atlanticist

Nahal Toosi / Politico:

Trump's remarks on NATO set off freakout — Donald Trump's suggestion that the United States shouldn't automatically come to the defense of fellow NATO members if they are attacked brought swift and sharp rebukes from longstanding American allies — and other Republicans — on Thursday …

Discussion: The Atlantic, The Hill, Business Insider, Daily Kos, Washington Post, Allen B. West, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, ABC News and Media Matters for America

CNN:

Cruz booed — Cleveland (CNN)Ted Cruz sensationally withheld an endorsement of Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention Wednesday, earning a chorus of boos from the floor before he was upstaged in a power play by the GOP nominee himself. — In a dramatic development …

Discussion: PolitiFact, Vox, NBC News, Independent Journal Review, BuzzFeed, The Atlantic, The Resurgent, The Week, SiriusXM Blog, The Huffington Post, WQAD-TV, Talking Points Memo, Fox 59, KTLA, Dallas Morning News, Washington Free Beacon and WTVR-TV

Mike Huckabee / Facebook:
The question of the night was whether Ted Cruz would honor …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Business Insider, The Right Scoop, Raw Story, Hot Air, AOL and The Daily Caller

Jordyn Phelps / ABC News:
Ted Cruz ‘Not in the Habit’ of Endorsing People Who Attack His Family

Discussion: Associated Press, Althouse, Politico and Bloomberg

Associated Press:
The Latest: Pence: Trump Would Stand by US's NATO Allies

Discussion: Indianapolis Star, ABC News, Politico and Associated Press

Jesse Byrnes / The Hill:
Kasich doesn't regret skipping convention

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Mediaite

Ben Kamisar / The Hill:
Cruz defends distance from Trump: I won't be ‘servile puppy’

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Politico, Business Insider, The Week and Joe.My.God.

Katie Glueck / Politico:
Cruz: I won't be a ‘servile puppy dog’ for Trump

Discussion: ABC News, Allen B. West and Towleroad

Dara Lind / Vox:
Ted Cruz is betting Trump will lose disastrously in November and he can pick up the pieces

Discussion: Business Insider, New Republic, Talking Points Memo, Washington Monthly, Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Week, Los Angeles Times, The Right Scoop, Outside the Beltway, FOX31 Denver, CBS New York, Hot Air and Townhall.com

Meghan Keneally / ABC News:
Ted Cruz Booed for Failing to Endorse Donald Trump, Tells RNC to ‘Vote Your Conscience’

Discussion: Hot Air, Weekly Standard, Politico, The American Conservative, Newsmax, Vox, The Nation, Talking Points Memo, NPR, Taylor Marsh, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Washington Post, Associated Press, Joe.My.God. and BizPac Review

Ben Shapiro / Daily Wire:
EXCLUSIVE: Cruz Camp: Trump Campaign Approved Speech, ‘Orchestrated’ RNC Blowback To ‘Make Cruz a Pariah’

Discussion: Fox News, The Federalist, Heat Street, Washington Post and The Hayride

The Right Scoop:
EPIC! Ted Cruz SCHOOLS delegate on why didn't honor his pledge and support Trump [WATCH!]

Discussion: Vox Popoli

Tara Golshan / Vox:
Why Mark Cuban went from saying Trump is the “best thing” for America to #NeverTrump

Discussion: Business Insider, Mother Jones and The Week

Francois Lenoir / BuzzFeed:
NATO Chief Hits Back After Trump Says He Wouldn't Automatically Defend Member Countries

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Atlantic, Washington Post, Mediaite, The Week, National Review and NBC News

Nicholas Confessore / New York Times:
G.O.P.'s Moneyed Class Finds Its Place in New Trump World

Discussion: American Prospect and WhoWhatWhy

Jonah Goldberg / National Review:
I Choose Ted — I find it nothing short of hilarious …

Discussion: RedState and Washington Monthly

Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
Republicans in Chaos Must Decide Whether to Elect a Madman

Discussion: The Week, Washington Post, Newsworks.org, Politico, New York Times, Media Matters for America, NBC News and The Moderate Voice

Theodore Schleifer / CNN:
Chris Christie says Ted Cruz speech ‘awful’ and ‘selfish’

Discussion: The American Spectator, AOL, Business Insider and Daily Wire

Roll Call:
Jeers and Boos: Transcript of Ted Cruz's Speech

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Balloon Juice, New York Times and The Resurgent

Johari Canty / WSVN-TV:

Video shows moments before North Miami Police shot unarmed man — A therapist who works with people with disabilities is telling his story after he said North Miami police shot him while he was trying to help his patient with autism. — Cellphone video was released Wednesday afternoon …

Discussion: New York Magazine, ThinkProgress, NBC News, Mediaite, Mashable, Shakesville, Business Insider, Associated Press, AOL, NPR, The Daily Caller, Bearing Arms, The Root, WHNT-TV, KTLA, fox8.com, LawNewz and Hit & Run

Charles Rabin / miamiherald:

Cop shoots caretaker of autistic man playing in the street with toy truck — Cellphone video shows the man on ground with hands in the air — As the worker lays there, the autistic man continues to play with his toy — There's no indication a weapon of any type was found at the scene

Discussion: Common Dreams, USA Today, The Root, Florida Politics, Guardian, CBS Baltimore, The Crime Report and CBS Miami

Michael E. Miller / Washington Post:
Fla. police shoot black man with his hands up as he tries to help autistic patient

Discussion: Daily Kos and The Week

Scott Whitlock / NewsBusters:

MSNBC Warns Sensitive Viewers Before Showing Anti-Hillary Buttons — Warning, sensitive MSNBC viewers may want to look away. That's essentially what Rachel Maddow told liberal watchers on Wednesday night before showing a picture of anti-Hillary Clinton buttons at the Republican convention.

Discussion: The Daily Caller and The Gateway Pundit

Kyle Smith / New York Post: Mike Pence proves you can be both kind and ruthless during rousing RNC speech

Elon Musk / Tesla Motors:

Mobile Menu — Master Plan, Part Deux — The first master plan that I wrote 10 years ago is now in the final stages of completion. It wasn't all that complicated and basically consisted of: — And... The reason we had to start off with step 1 was that it was all I could afford to do with what I made from PayPal.

Discussion: The Atlantic, Bloomberg, Techdirt, Mashable, New York Magazine, Tech Insider, Tech Times, Vocativ, The Daily Caller, NBC News, Wall Street Journal, The Verge, ABC News, Engadget, CBS San Francisco and MarketWatch

Associated Press:

Brazil police arrest at least 10 in possible ISIS-linked Rio Olympics attack plot — Brazilian police arrested 10 people who allegedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group on social media and discussed possible attacks during the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, officials said Thursday.

Discussion: Guardian, Liberty Unyielding and Allen B. West

CNN:
Brazilian police arrest 10 suspected of planning terrorist acts during Olympics

Discussion: The Week

Jane Mayer / New Yorker:

Donald Trump Threatens the Ghostwriter of “The Art of the Deal” — When Tony Schwartz, Donald Trump's ghostwriter for his 1987 memoir “The Art of the Deal,” decided to tell the public about his concerns that Trump isn't fit to serve as President, his main worry was that Trump …