memeorandum: I Thought I'd Be Mocking the McCloskeys. Boy, Was I Wrong. (Matt Lewis/The Daily Beast)

10:30 AM ET, August 25, 2020

Top Items:

John Podhoretz / New York Post:

First night of RNC 2020 was very effective, to media's dismay — The first night of the Republican National Convention was, all in all, sensationally effective — and effective in ways that the mainstream media and its Twitter chatterers clearly found it impossible to understand.

Discussion: Washington Post

Natasha Korecki / Politico:

'He's going to be unleashed': Republican DOJ appointees urge against Trump second term — A group of onetime Republican presidential appointees who served as senior ethics or Justice Department aides are endorsing Joe Biden for president, warning that Donald Trump has “weaponized” …

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA and Raw Story

Bob Brigham / Raw Story:

Was Donald Trump, Jr. ‘coked out of his mind’ during RNC speech? — Donald Trump, Jr. addressed the Republican National Committee on Monday, urging Americans to trust his father with four more years in office. — But instead of focusing on the words coming out of his mouth …

Discussion: The Wrap and Althouse

Daniel Lippman / Politico:

Former Trump DHS officials launch anti-Trump group — Miles Taylor, the former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security in the Trump administration who endorsed Joe Biden last week, has started a group of current and former administration officials and other Republican leaders …

Discussion: Fox News, CNN, IJR, Washington Post, CNN, CNN, Breitbart, The Daily Caller, One America News Network, The Hill, Raw Story, Reuters, The Daily Beast, The Week, NBC News, CNBC, CNN, Roll Call, POLITICUSUSA, USA Today and Fox News

Matthew Continetti / Washington Free Beacon:

The Mirror-Image Convention — The first night of the 2020 Republican National Convention was a mirror image of last week's Democratic telethon. The issues that the Democrats ignored—violence in the cities and China—were mentioned again and again. Where the Democrats showcased elected officials …

Discussion: Real Clear Politics

Associated Press:

Republican Convention takeaways: All Trump, all the time — WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump aggressively asserted control over the Republican National Convention on Monday, overshadowing the prime-time speakers, as he made clear he wants voters to focus on him.

detroitnews:

James at GOP convention: Democracy is ‘all or nothing proposition’ — Republican U.S. Senate candidate John James pitched his vision for democracy as an “all or nothing proposition” during a pre-recorded address shown Monday during the Republican National Convention.

John Daniel Davidson / The Federalist:
I Was Wrong About Trump. He Didn't Destroy the GOP, He Saved It

Discussion: Politico, Raw Story and National Review

Politico:
A GOP convention surprise: Trump goes all-in on race

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Hill, Bloomberg, The Colorado Sun, BuzzFeed News and TheBlaze

The Daily Beast:
Biden Campaign Hopping Mad at CBS and ABC for Gifting Trump Bonus Airtime

Discussion: Newsbusters, New York Times, Fox News and Political Wire

Jonathan Allen / NBC News:
Major GOP donor gives emotional speech

Discussion: American Prospect, The 19th, Fox News and The Hill

Michael Finnegan / Los Angeles Times:
RNC speakers paint California as a dangerous dystopia

Discussion: New York Times and Breitbart

Eric Lach / New Yorker:
Kimberly Guilfoyle's High-Volume Trumpism at the Republican National Convention

Discussion: The Nation, Vanity Fair, New York Times, Daily Kos and Rolling Stone

NBC News:
Diplomats aghast as Pompeo set to address GOP convention from Jerusalem

Discussion: WTOP, Daily Kos, POLITICUSUSA, The Week, Associated Press, Project On Government … and Politico

Peter Baker / New York Times:
Radical Break From Tradition: Trump Stages Part of His Convention From the White House

Discussion: Reuters

Matthew Dowd / ABC News:
Where do we stand now that the DNC is over and the RNC begins?: ANALYSIS

Discussion: Fox News, Redstate, Washington Post, Axios, Morning Consult, The Nation, The Hill, Associated Press, Breitbart, Washington Times, IJR, Bloomberg, Raw Story, Politico, Reuters, Al Jazeera, Spectator USA and BillMoyers.com

Joanne Kenen / Politico:
RNC tries to rewrite pandemic history, casting Trump as decisive leader

Discussion: Breitbart, UPI and The Hill

Amanda Terkel / HuffPost:
GOP Convention Embraces Anger And Fear, Despite Being Billed As ‘Optimistic’

Discussion: The Week

Rob Eshman / The Forward:

The rabbi who is neighbor to Mark and Patricia McCloskey speaks out: ‘They are bullies’ — When Rabbi Susan Talve heard that Patricia and Mark McCloskey would be among the speakers addressing the Republican National Convention, she decided she could no longer stay quiet.

Discussion: BuzzFeed News, Slate, Spectator USA, Vox and The 19th

Matt Lewis / The Daily Beast:

I Thought I'd Be Mocking the McCloskeys. Boy, Was I Wrong. — You may not believe me if you're a liberal Democratic who lives in a cosmopolitan area, but they came across as people many viewers could identify with. — BEAST INSIDE — If you fear Donald Trump, you should be afraid …

Discussion: Raw Story, Politico, Associated Press, Breitbart and Althouse

CNN:

Fact check: First night of the Republican National Convention features more dishonesty than four nights of DNC — Washington (CNN)The Republican National Convention started off with a parade of dishonesty, in stark contrast with last week's Democratic convention.

Discussion: New York Times, Associated Press, Real Clear Politics, The Guardian, NPR, Vanity Fair, Fox News, Al Jazeera, The Hill, Forbes and Breitbart, more at Mediagazer »

Washington Post:

Fact-checking the first night of the 2020 Republican National Convention — The first night of the 2020 Republican National Convention was a fire hose of false or misleading claim, mostly drawn from President Trump's arsenal of falsehoods. Here are 19 claims that caught our attention.

Discussion: Sean Hannity, LewRockwell, Townhall, Just The News, New York Post, Washington Times, Breitbart and The Week

New York Times:
Republicans Nominate Trump at RNC, Who Flings Baseless Attacks at Biden

Discussion: Fox News, ABC7, Townhall, Washington Times, Washington Post, The Week, New York Post and Mediaite

Megan Henney / Fox News:
McCloskeys, St. Louis gun-wielding couple, warn: ‘Your family will not be safe in the radical Democrats’ America'

Discussion: Sputnik News, Forbes, VICE, ABC7, Axios, Politico, New York Post, Breitbart and Reuters

Religion News Service:

Jerry Falwell Jr. resigns from Liberty University. Again. — (RNS) — Jerry Falwell Jr., the embattled president of Liberty University and one of President Donald Trump's most vocal supporters, formally resigned from the evangelical Christian university founded by his father Monday evening …

Discussion: New York Post, Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, The Week, Daily Kos, National Review, Reuters, The Daily Caller, Political Flare and Washington Examiner

ABC News:

Jerry Falwell Jr. officially resigns from Liberty University — The embattled religious leader says he informed the school Monday night. — LIVE NOW — After a daylong back and forth, Jerry Falwell Jr. officially resigned from Liberty University Monday night, he told ABC News.

Discussion: Liberty News, Talking Points Memo, Associated Press, The Week, Virginia Business, New York Post and Reuters

Washington Post:
Jerry Falwell Jr. agrees to resign from Liberty University

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, CBS Baltimore, Virginia Business, ABC7, CNN, Washington Times, The Week, Mediaite, Raw Story, Reuters, Sputnik News, New York Times, Axios and The Hill

Politico:
Falwell agreed to resign, then backtracked, Liberty University says

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Reuters, WRIC-TV, Raw Story, Talking Points Memo, Virginia Business, Mediaite and NPR

Clare Proctor / Chicago Sun-Times:

Jacob Blake's father says son paralyzed from waist down after police shooting in Kenosha — The police shooting of Jacob Blake, 29, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, is drawing national attention, including this protest Monday in Minneapolis, where George Floyd was killed by police earlier this year.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Forbes, Snopes.com, The Hill, The US Sun, New York Post, FOX 5 San Diego, Breitbart and Associated Press

Stephen Maturen / Reuters:
Wisconsin city center burns amid protests over police shooting of Black man

Discussion: NBC Los Angeles, Al Jazeera, en and Associated Press

Julie Bosman / New York Times:
Fires in Kenosha Reflect Anger After Police Shooting of Jacob Blake

Discussion: The Daily Caller and Althouse

New York Times:

F.D.A. ‘Grossly Misrepresented’ Blood Plasma Data, Scientists Say — Many experts — including a scientist who worked on the Mayo Clinic study — were bewildered about where a key statistic came from. — At a news conference on Sunday announcing the emergency approval of blood plasma …

Discussion: The Week, Washington Post, Gizmodo, Wired, CNBC and BuzzFeed News

Arizona Republic:

California is a failed state. How do we know? They're moving to Arizona in droves — Driving across Arizona, it's hard not to notice a surge in California license plates. The reason for this is becoming more apparent every day. California is a failed state.

Teo Armus / Washington Post:
Kimberly Guilfoyle trashed California. She goes way back with two of the state's most important Democrats.

Discussion: New York Times

Washington Post:

Melania Trump is about to give her biggest speech in four years. The Trump campaign hopes she can be its secret weapon. — On the eve of her big speech headlining the second night of the Republican National Convention, first lady Melania Trump appeared in front of the White House to talk up her husband's record on women.

Michael Kruse / Politico:

Trump's Scare Tactics Aren't Working on Women in the Suburbs — CORNELIUS, N.C. — A few years back, in the middle of the day in the middle of a week in the spring, in the parking garage of an upscale mall in Charlotte half an hour south from her house here in the suburbs, Susan Sandler was attacked.

Discussion: Raw Story and New Republic

Brandon Morse / Redstate:

2020 Has Seen the Largest Surge of Gun Ownership In History — It's the year of the gun. — There's no denying that it's a tumultuous time in America and such times require a measure of protection that authorities are demonstrating they can't provide. As such, Americans of all stripes …

Discussion: Breitbart, National Review and NSSF

Ryan J. Reilly / HuffPost:

A Black Vice Mayor In Virginia Urged A Police Chief's Firing. Now She Faces Charges. — A white Portsmouth resident filed the charges against Lisa Lucas-Burke, who called for the ouster of city Police Chief Angela Greene. — A mounting political and racial controversy stemming …

Debra Kamin / New York Times:

Black Homeowners Face Discrimination in Appraisals — Companies that value homes for sale or refinancing are bound by law not to discriminate. Black homeowners say it happens anyway. — Abena and Alex Horton wanted to take advantage of low home-refinance rates brought on by the coronavirus crisis.

Molly Jong-Fast / The Daily Beast:

The Eyes Have It: Junior Just Wants Daddy's Love — Donald Trump Jr. may be a disgusting racist, but he's a disgusting racist trying desperately to get a narcissist to love him. — BEAST INSIDE — It's never a good sign when someone gives a speech and people's reaction is to talk about something other than the words.

Discussion: Raw Story and Axios