1. Trump’s id conducts news conference
Was it an audacious play to steal attention from the increasingly glam Democratic convention? In any case, the GOP nominee blitzed news cameras Wednesday morning with a passel of ... bold ... opinions.
2. Trump plays Putin card
A visibly peeved Trump said a theory linking Russia, a damaging DNC emails hack and his campaign was “far-fetched”. Then he asked Moscow to please dig up emails deleted from Hillary Clinton’s private server.
Trump to female reporter: ‘be quiet’
Summary
Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press ... They probably have her 33,000 e-mails that she lost and deleted ... I hope they do ... because you’d see some beauties there.
– Donald Trump
2. ‘A national security issue’
This has to be the first time that a major presidential candidate has actively encouraged a foreign power to conduct espionage against his political opponent ... This has gone from being a matter of curiosity, and a matter of politics, to being a national security issue.
– Clinton policy adviser Jake Sullivan
3. Trump veep contradicts Trump
In a statement issued by Mike Pence after the news conference, the Trump campaign in effect conducted rapid response against its own candidate.
Summary
If it is Russia and they are interfering in our elections, I can assure you both parties and the United States government will ensure there are serious consequences. That said, the Democrats [have] been exposed as a party who not only rigs the government, but rigs elections.
– Trump running mate Mike Pence
4. 'Joke'
The media seems more upset by Trump's joke about Russian hacking than by the fact that Hillary's personal server was vulnerable to Russia
— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) July 27, 2016
5. Funny not funny
Russia is a global menace led by a devious thug. Putin should stay out of this election.
– Brendan Buck, spokesman for House speaker Paul Ryan
6. Also by this author
In Trump’s fiery presser, he called Obama “our most ignorant president in our history” whose “views of the world, in his words, don’t jive”. He said torture “works”. And he said Clinton veep Tim Kaine, a Virginian, was from New Jersey.
7. Make Crimea Russia again?
Asked whether he would recognize Crimea as part of Russia and lift sanctions, Trump said he “would be looking into that”. Then he said he didn’t know Vladimir Putin, despite previously having said he knew him “very well”.
Summary
8. Obama set to take stage
The president was slated to speak on behalf of Clinton on the convention stage on Wednesday. Also on the list: VP Joe Biden, Clinton veep Tim Kaine, Sigourney Weaver and Lenny Kravitz.
... and another thing:
Overlooked in the unbelievable Trump press conference: Trump said Clinton campaign mgr Robby Mook reminded him of Jon Lovitz on SNL
— Jessica Taylor (@JessicaTaylor) July 27, 2016
... and another thing:
Tomorrow: Supporters of Bernie Sanders plan to hold a 'fart-in' at the Democratic National Convention to protest the party's primary process
— AP Planner (@AP_Planner) July 27, 2016
