memeorandum: The ‘smoking gun’ proving North Carolina Republicans tried to disenfranchise black voters (Christopher Ingraham/Washington Post)

1:00 AM ET, July 31, 2016

Top Items:

Steve Turnham / ABC News:

Donald Trump to Father of Fallen Soldier: 'I've Made a Lot of Sacrifices' — In his first response to a searing charge from bereaved Army father Khizr Khan that he'd “sacrificed nothing” for his country, Donald Trump claimed that he had in fact sacrificed by employing “thousands and thousands of people.”

ABC News:

Muslim Family of Fallen Army Captain Responds to Trump: ‘Shame on Him’ — The grieving Khan family reacted tonight to Donald Trump's latest comments, telling ABC News in an emotional interview that “running for president is not an entitlement to disrespect Gold Star families and [a] Gold Star mother.”

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, NBC News and Deadline

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

Trump's Thunderbolts — Donald Trump is mad at me. He thinks I've treated him “very badly.” But he returned my call on Friday night on his way to a rally in Colorado and agreed to do a lightning round on the Democratic convention. He began, naturally, by bragging about his convention ratings …

Discussion: Politico, Mediaite, The Gateway Pundit, The Hill, Talking Points Memo, Mother Jones, NBC News and Politicus USA

Maggie Haberman / New York Times:

Donald Trump Suggests Khizr Khan's Wife Wasn't ‘Allowed’ to Speak — Donald J. Trump suggested in an interview with ABC News that the Muslim mother of a United States soldier killed in Iraq had let her husband do all the talking at the Democratic National Convention because she was not “allowed” to speak.

Discussion: ABC News, The Moderate Voice and BillMoyers.com

Ezra Klein / Vox:

Donald Trump's slander of Captain Humayun Khan's family is horrifying, even for Trump — What kind of person is Donald Trump? — The most emotional moment of the Democratic National Convention was the speech by Khizr Khan, the bereaved father of Army Captain Humayun Khan.

Discussion: The American Conservative, New York Magazine, Blue Virginia and Politico

James Fallows / The Atlantic:
Trump Time Capsule #65: 'I'd Like to Hear His Wife Say Something'

Discussion: The Reality-Based Community, Daily Kos, bradford-delong.com, Balloon Juice and Politico

MSNBC:
Slain soldier's dad: GOP should call out Trump

Discussion: Friendly Atheist, Washington Post and Balloon Juice

MSNBC: Capt. Khan's parents remember their son

Mark Joseph Stern / Slate: Islam, Equality, and Pocket Constitutions: How the DNC Did Religious Liberty Right

Katie Pelton / KKTV-TV:

Fire marshal responds after being called out by Trump at UCCS rally — COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) There wasn't enough room for all the ticket holders at Friday's rally for Donald Trump at UCCS, who called out the fire marshal several times during his speech.

Discussion: Denver Post, Politico, Raw Story and BizPac Review

Matea Gold / Washington Post:
As Trump lavishes Colorado with attention, he faces resistance in GOP enclave

Discussion: Booman Tribune

CBS News:
Donald Trump: I'm “starting to agree” Clinton should be in jail

Discussion: CBS New York and whorunsGov

Washington Post: In final 100 days, Clinton and Trump to chart different paths to White House

Anne Gearan / Washington Post:
On three-day bus tour, Clinton hopes to woo blue-collar voters away from Trump

Discussion: Politico

Brian Stelter / CNNMoney:

Donald Trump and RNC attack presidential debate schedule — Donald Trump says the fall debate schedule is “unacceptable,” raising the specter that he may try to skip them. — In a tweet on Friday night, Trump incorrectly said that Hillary Clinton and the Democrats are “trying to rig the debates.”

Discussion: Mediaite, The Daily Caller, Joe.My.God., AOL, RedState, USA Today, The Right Scoop, alan.com, CBS New York, Deadline, Independent Journal Review, The Gateway Pundit, Deadspin and Politicus USA

ABC News:
Trump Supports Three Presidential Debates, But May Object To Proposed Dates

Discussion: Raw Story

Tristan Lejeune / The Hill:
Trump floats opposition to debate schedule

Discussion: Joe.My.God. and The Right Scoop

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:

Clinton Image Improves Following Conventions; Leads Trump by 5 — PPP's new national poll, taken completely after both party's conventions, finds that Hillary Clinton emerged with a much more positive image than she had a month ago. Donald Trump meanwhile is just as unpopular as he was before the conventions.

New York Times:

Electoral Map Gives Donald Trump Few Places to Go — Donald J. Trump, confronting a daunting electoral map and a significant financial disadvantage, is preparing to fall back from an expansive national campaign and concentrate the bulk of his time and money on just three or four states …

Houston Chronicle:

These are unsettling times that require a steady hand: That's not Donald Trump. — Houston Chronicle Editorial Board endorses Hillary Clinton — On Nov. 8, 2016, the American people will decide between two presidential contenders who represent the starkest political choice in living memory.

James Dunn / Daily Mail:

German protesters prepare for Angela ‘Merkel Must Go’ demonstration — Merkel's premiership is hanging by a thread today as thousands gathered to call for her resignation while a key political ally dramatically withdrew his support over immigration policy. — More than 5,000 protested …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, neo-neocon, John Hawkins' Right Wing News and Vox Popoli

Katie Mansfield / Daily Express: Merkel MUST GO! Germans turn against Chancellor as thousands protest at open-door policy

Yahoo:

Swimsuit mural of Hillary Clinton creates a stir in Australia — Melbourne (AFP) - An Australian mural of US presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in a revealing, stars and stripes swimsuit may be taken down, after it has reportedly been deemed offensive. — The creator of the painting …

Discussion: The Age and Washington Times

Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:

PROOF=> TWITTER Caught Censoring Donald Trump's Tweets -Blocks His Fundraising Efforts — TWITTER CAUGHT CENSORING DONALD TRUMP'S TWEETS- — Social Media giant caught concealing Donald Trump's tweet asking for donations — On Thursday night Donald Trump sent a tweet out at 10:28 asking for donations.

Discussion: Liberty Unyielding

Katherine Stewart / Washington Post:

An After School Satan Club could be coming to your kid's elementary school — SALEM, Mass. —It's a hot summer night, and leaders of the Satanic Temple have gathered in the crimson-walled living room of a Victorian manse in this city renowned for its witch trials in the 17th century.