memeorandum: Gail Sheehy, Journalist, Author and Social Observer, Dies at 83 (Katharine Q. Seelye/New York Times)

12:00 PM 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

David Frum / The Atlantic:

The Platform the GOP Is Too Scared to Publish — Republicans have decided not to publish a party platform for 2020. — This omission has led some to conclude that the GOP lacks ideas, that it stands for nothing, that it has shriveled to little more than a Trump cult. — This conclusion is wrong.

Discussion: National Review 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

Matthew Continetti / Washington Free Beacon:
The Mirror-Image Convention — The first night of the 2020 Republican National Convention …

Discussion: Real Clear Politics

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

Discussion: Washington Post, Politico and Raw Story

Associated Press:
Republican Convention takeaways: All Trump, all the time

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

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

Ryan Lizza / Politico: It's Nikki Haley vs. Don Jr. for the soul of the GOP

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

Discussion: Breitbart and New York Times

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

Discussion: The 19th, Fox News and The Hill

Adam Harris / The Atlantic:
The Battle for the Future of the GOP Is No Contest

Discussion: Vox, American Prospect, The Hill and Redstate

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

Associated Press:
Republican convention showcases rising stars, dark warnings

Discussion: AFP, Townhall, Fox News, The Moderate Voice, Associated Press, The American Spectator, The Week, NPR, The American Independent and The Guardian

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

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

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, Althouse, Politico, Breitbart and New York Times

Washington Post:
Fact-checking the first night of the 2020 Republican National Convention

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

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: Associated Press, POLITICUSUSA and Raw Story

The Daily Beast:

Trump Administration Insider: President Wanted to ‘Maim’ Migrants — Miles Taylor, former DHS chief of staff, recalls the moment he said to himself “what the f*ck is happening” during a Trump meeting. Plus, the gang shits on night one of the RNC. — You thought what happened on-screen during …

Daniel Lippman / Politico:
Former Trump DHS officials launch anti-Trump group

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

Clare Proctor / Chicago Sun-Times:

Jacob Blake's father says son's 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: National Review, Associated Press, Fox News, Washington Post, The Hill, The Root, Gothamist, Forbes, NBC Chicago, The Daily Caller, The Week, The US Sun, New York Post, KRON4, Breitbart, jsonline, The Daily Beast, New York Times, ABC13 and Axios

Associated Press:
Jacob Blake's dad says son left paralyzed by police shooting

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, jsonline, Chicago Sun-Times, NPR, NBC Chicago, FOX 5 San Diego, NBC Los Angeles, The Atlantic and Slate

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

Discussion: Twitchy, The Root, The Post Millennial, CNN, The Daily Caller, CBS New York and Althouse

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: Washington Post, Politico, The Week, Virginia Business, Talking Points Memo, New York Post, Raw Story, Daily Kos, National Review, The Daily Caller, Political Flare, The Hill and Reuters

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, Wall Street Journal, Talking Points Memo, Fox News, The Week, UPI, Virginia Business, Associated Press and New York Post

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: Gothamist, Raw Story, The Week, Washington Post, Gizmodo and CNBC

Deb Riechmann / Associated Press:

FDA commissioner says he overstated effects of virus therapy — WASHINGTON (AP) — Responding to an outcry from medical experts, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn on Tuesday apologized for overstating the life-saving benefits of treating COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Politico, CNBC, Fox News and Bloomberg

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.

Katharine Q. Seelye / New York Times:

Gail Sheehy, Journalist, Author and Social Observer, Dies at 83 — In a raft of books, notably “Passages,” she examined cultural transformations as well as the interior lives of public figures. — Gail Sheehy, a journalist who plumbed the interior lives of public figures for clues …

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.

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 …

Martha Mendoza / Associated Press:

Redwoods survive wildfire at California's oldest state park — BOULDER CREEK, Calif. (AP) — When a massive wildfire swept through California's oldest state park last week it was feared many trees in a grove of old-growth redwoods, some of them 2,000 years old and among the tallest living things on Earth, may finally have succumbed.

Discussion: CBS San Francisco, CBS Sacramento and The Hill

Carter Sherman / VICE:

An RNC Speaker Said Cops Would Be ‘Smart’ to Racially Profile Her Own Son — “Statistically, my brown son is more likely to commit a violent offense over my white sons,” anti-abortion activist Abby Johnson said in a YouTube video earlier this year. — CS

Elise Young / Bloomberg:

New Jersey Budget Eyes $1 Billion in New Taxes, Most From Millionaires — Borrowing for revenue drops by more than half, to $4 billion — Shortened nine-month fiscal year looking brighter after all — New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on Tuesday proposed more than $1 billion in new taxes …

Discussion: CBS Philly

Antonia Ayres-Brown / The Public's Radio:

Pro-Trump boat rally draws thousands in Bristol … The rally was an unusual show of Republican support in a region of the state that leans strongly blue. — Bristol resident Tony Avila is a loyal Trump supporter, but he was still surprised to see such a long line of boats pass Colt State Park …

Discussion: Raw Story

Keith Ridler / Associated Press:

Crowd shatters glass to get to Idaho House session on virus — BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Angry, maskless spectators forced themselves into the Idaho House special session on the coronavirus pandemic Monday, shattering a glass door, rushing into the gallery that had limited seating because of the virus …

Discussion: NPR