memeorandum: Top journalist announces he is converting to Christianity (Ruth Gledhill/Christian News …)

9:15 AM ET, July 31, 2016

Top Items:

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: The Wrap, NBC News, Deadline, Talking Points Memo and Al Jazeera English

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.”

Stephanie McCrummen / Washington Post:

Khizr Khan responds to the latest from Trump: ‘Typical of a person without a soul’ — Two days after delivering one of the most memorable speeches of the 2016 campaign season — a moment one commentator described as the ‘fulcrum’ of the election — Khizr Khan was checking into a D.C. hotel …

Discussion: The Hill and The Week

Maggie Haberman / New York Times:
Donald Trump Suggests Khizr Khan's Wife Wasn't ‘Allowed’ to Speak

Discussion: RedState, Hit & Run, ABC News, Raw Story and The Moderate Voice

MSNBC: Capt. Khan's parents remember their son

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

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

Ezra Klein / Vox:
Donald Trump's slander of Captain Humayun Khan's family is horrifying, even for Trump

Discussion: New York Magazine and Politico

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:
Trump's Thunderbolts — Donald Trump is mad at me.

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

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.

Discussion: Washington Monthly and twitchy.com

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, Raw Story, Talking Points Memo, Politico and BizPac Review

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

Discussion: whorunsGov

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

Discussion: Booman Tribune

CNN:

Mark Cuban endorses Hillary Clinton, calls Donald Trump ‘bats— crazy’ — Cuban: Trump has ‘no choice’ but to ask for cash — Pittsburgh (CNN)Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban endorsed Hillary Clinton on Saturday during a campaign event in Pittsburgh, telling CNN that he had decided Donald Trump had gone “bats— crazy.”

Discussion: NBC News and Politico

Yahoo:
Swimsuit mural of Hillary Clinton creates a stir in Australia

Discussion: The Age and Washington Times

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, Infowars, BizPac Review, BuzzFeed, The Daily Caller, AOL, RedState, Joe.My.God., Deadline, Independent Journal Review, alan.com, Deadspin, Politicus USA and The Gateway Pundit

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

Discussion: twitchy.com and Raw Story

Cameron Easley / Morning Consult:

Poll: Clinton Rides Convention Bump Past Trump — Hillary Clinton is once again leading Donald Trump in the presidential race after her party's Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. — The former secretary of State leads the brash businessman, 43 percent to 40 percent …

Ruth Gledhill / Christian News on Christian Today:

Top journalist announces he is converting to Christianity — A leading Muslim journalist as announced his conversion to Catholicism with the hashtag #Iamjacqueshamel — A leading journalist has announced on Twitter that he is becoming a Christian. — Sohrab Ahmari, editorial writer …

Discussion: Jihad Watch

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

Thanks, Obama — PHILADELPHIA — IT wasn't easy for Barack Obama, a skinny newcomer to national politics with an exotic name and scant résumé, to overthrow the voracious Clinton machine. — The 45-year-old had to turn himself into a dream catcher.

Discussion: Althouse

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 …