Donald Trump had to do something. His poll numbers were plummeting. His latest controversies wouldn’t go away. So he gave what was billed as a major speech on economic policy– read straight from a teleprompter. The reviews weren’t kind. Pundits called it the last gasp of Trump the populist and a return to familiar GOP ground of trickle-down economics. Paul Ryan might have given this speech if you don’t count the part about free trade, which the business-friendly audience definitely did not cheer. Via The New Yorker.
http://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/donald-trump-sells-out-to-trickle-down-economics
Donald Trump is now running Mitt Romney’s campaign. Plus racism. Via The New Republic.
https://newrepublic.com/minutes/135902/donald-trump-now-running-mitt-romneys-campaign-plus-racism
Trump and Clinton each accuse the other of being old – or of their ideas being old, anyway. Via The Weekly Standard.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/clinton-trump-accuse-each-other-of-being-old/article/2003735
Fact-checking Trump’s speech. It could have been worse. Via The New York Times.
Trump still has some problems in his own party. Maine’s Susan Collins is the latest Republican to break with Trump. The moderate senator writes an op-ed in The Washington Post explaining why she won’t vote for Trump. And 50 former GOP national security officials write an open letter saying that Trump, if elected, would be “the most reckless President in American history.” Via The Washington Post.
Why George P. Bush is the one Bush who is supporting Trump. (Hint: the answer has something to do with politics.) Via Vox.
http://www.vox.com/2016/8/8/12404818/why-george-p-bush-supports-trump
The polls may be bad for Trump, but, if you look closely, his floor is probably higher than you think. Via The Washington Post.
Roger Cohen: The world loves refugees, if they’re in the Olympics. Otherwise, not so much. Via The New York Times.
The National Review’s take on the Rio Opening Ceremonies: Cultural Marxism.
