memeorandum: The continuing political decline of Hillary Clinton (Aaron Blake/Washington Post)

1:15 PM ET, July 19, 2016

Top Items:

Gregory Krieg / CNN:

Melania Trump's speech plagiarizes parts of Michelle Obama's — (CNN)At least one passage in Melania Trump's speech Monday night at the Republican National Convention plagiarized Michelle Obama's speech to the Democratic National Convention in 2008. — Side-by-side comparisons …

Julian Routh / Wall Street Journal:

Paul Manafort Blames Hillary Clinton for Melania Trump Speech Plagiarism Allegation — Melania Trump used “common words and values” in her prime-time Republican National Convention speech Monday night, said Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort on Tuesday, blaming Hillary Clinton for alleging …

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money, Heat Street, Patterico's Pontifications, BNR, The Federalist, Shakesville and Mediaite

Dylan Matthews / Vox:

Did Melania Trump include a Rickroll in the middle of her convention speech? — At first glance, Melania Trump's Republican convention speech on Monday was a pretty ordinary candidate's spouse address, but subsequent readings suggest a whole lot went awry here.

Discussion: The Atlantic, Mediaite, The Verge, Scripting News and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Louis Nelson / Politico:

Trump campaign does damage control after Melania plagiarism charges — Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort said Melania Trump “hit it out of the park” Monday night with her address to the Republican National Convention, remarks that Manafort said were not plagiarized in any way.

Discussion: Vox, Little Green Footballs, Mother Jones, Media Matters for America, Talking Points Memo, Washington Times, The Atlantic, ABC News, The Week, The American Spectator, Towleroad, Joe.My.God. and Politicus USA

Brian Beutler / New Republic:

This mashup of Melania Trump reading text plagiarized from Michelle Obama is incredibly damaging. — The cable outlets caught up belatedly to the unexpected, and unexpectedly huge, news out of the first night of the Republican National Convention, that several lines of Melania Trump's speech …

Discussion: Heat Street, Mother Jones, Washington Post, Eschaton, The Hayride, Daily Wire, The Week and Vocativ

Scott Bixby / Guardian:

Republican convention live: Trump campaign insists speech not plagiarised — Paul Ryan and Ben Carson among speakers at RNC day two on the economy, as campaign claims Melania Trump's speech was not lifted from Michelle Obama — Trump backers play to fears of America on opening night of convention

John McCormick / Bloomberg.com:

RNC Chairman Says He'd Consider Firing Melania Trump's Speechwriter — Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus defended Melania Trump on Tuesday after her convention speech drew charges of plagiarism, saying he'd “probably” fire the speechwriter if it were his decision.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Fox News, Allen B. West and The Daily Caller

Philip Bump / Washington Post:
Melania Trump's speech appears to have cribbed from Michelle Obama's in 2008

Esme Cribb / Talking Points Memo:
Melania Trump's RNC Speech Follows Michelle Obama's Nearly Verbatim

Discussion: CBS News, The Atlantic, The Jawa Report, Washington Free Beacon and No More Mister Nice Blog

Rebecca Savransky / The Hill:
Trump aide: Michelle Obama didn't invent the English language

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Breitbart

Katie Glueck / Politico:
Carson: Melania's alleged plagiarism a sign ‘we share the same values’

Discussion: Washingtonian, Washington Post, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Hot Air, ABC News and Guardian

Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
On the floor: Giuliani brings the house down

Discussion: Althouse

New York Times:
Melania Trump's Speech Bears Striking Similarities to Michelle Obama's in 2008

MSNBC:
Exclusive: The Trumps speak with Matt Lauer

Discussion: New York Magazine, Politico, Joe.My.God. and LGBTQ Nation

CNN:
Melania's moment — Cleveland (CNN)Melania Trump stepped onto …

Discussion: Hit & Run, Mashable, New York Daily News, CNBC, Political Insider blog, The Week, Associated Press, Politicus USA, The Right Scoop, SOOPERMEXICAN, Independent Journal Review, Slate, RedState and Raw Story

Michelle Broder Van Dyke / BuzzFeed:
Melania Trump Copied Part of Her Speech From Michelle Obama

Discussion: Washington Post, Townhall.com, Gawker, Independent Journal Review, Plagiarism Today, The Week, Talking Points Memo, New York Magazine, Hot Air, CNBC, Daily Kos, Guardian, The Daily Caller, ThinkProgress and Mother Jones

Associated Press:
Trump Powers Toward GOP Prize After Outbreak of Dissent

Discussion: Politico, ABC News and WHTM-TV

Nick Gass / Politico:
Trump dials into Fox to bash Kasich during convention action

Discussion: NPR, The Hill, ABC News, Bloomberg and Daily Kos

Jenna Johnson / Washington Post:
Donald Trump just can't yield the spotlight

Discussion: ABC News, The Hill, The Gateway Pundit, Vox and Politico

William Kristol / Weekly Standard:

The Trump Captivity of the GOP — Plus TWS on exhibit in Cleveland. — Cleveland — It was always perhaps the stupider party, the clumsier party, and the stodgier party. But it was also the sounder party, the more constitutional party, and the more responsible party.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Tegna / WKYC-TV:
Utah delegate threatened in RNC bathroom

Discussion: RedState, Jezebel, The PolitiStick and The Right Scoop

The Salt Lake / Salt Lake Tribune:
‘You should die’: Trump supporters threaten Utah delegate, she says, at Republican National Convention

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Cortney O'Brien / Townhall.com:
Newt: It's a ‘Betrayal’ If Cruz Doesn't Endorse Trump During Convention Speech

Discussion: RedState

Gabriel Sherman / New York Magazine:

Sources: Megyn Kelly Told Murdoch Investigators That Roger Ailes Sexually Harassed Her — As a chorus of prominent Fox News women have gone public defending Roger Ailes against the wave of sexual-harassment allegations sparked by former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson's lawsuit …

PolitiFact:

Checking Patricia Smith's claims about Clinton and Benghazi — The opening night theme of the Republican National Convention was “Make America Safe Again,” with a parade of speakers who criticized Hillary Clinton and the Obama administration for leaving the nation weak and vulnerable.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Washington Post and Politicus USA

Joe Concha / The Hill:
Chris Matthews: GOP ‘ruined’ evening by having ‘that woman’ speak on Benghazi

Discussion: Politico and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Shane Goldmacher / Politico:

Inside the GOP's Shadow Convention — CLEVELAND—It was mid-April when as many as 1,000 alumni of the most recent Republican administration descended on Dallas for a staff reunion to reminisce about sunnier times. Former President George W. Bush autographed cowboy hats …

Discussion: Mother Jones, Talking Points Memo, The Week, CNBC, Business Insider, National Review and The Atlantic

STAT:

Norovirus outbreak reported among GOP convention staffers — An event worker sweeps the stage at the the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. — A handful of Republican staff members in Cleveland for the GOP convention were reported to be suffering Tuesday from a possible norovirus infection.

Discussion: Political Wire and Balloon Juice

Tanya Somanader / Blog Daily Listings RSS:

Read President Obama's Open Letter to America's Law Enforcement Community — In the wake of the tragedies in Dallas and Baton Rouge, President Obama penned a letter to the men and women of America's law enforcement community. The President's letter was shared with officers around the country.

Discussion: Washington Post, Talking Points Memo, New York Magazine, CBS Miami and The White House

Tom Morgan / Telegraph:

Man ‘knifes French woman and her three daughters’ in Alps resort — A French woman and her three young daughters were severely injured when they were stabbed at a holiday resort on Tuesday by a Moroccan-born man who reportedly shouted that they were too scantily dressed.

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Oliver Darcy / Business Insider:

The man who could have stopped Donald Trump — CNN couldn't stop Donald Trump. Neither could Fox News. — Some of the nation's most influential conservatives, from Glenn Beck to Bill Kristol, were powerless. Karl Rove and the Bush family had no effect. Scandal after scandal failed to put a chink in his armor.

Discussion: JustOneMinute and The American Spectator