GOP Convention Ends With Trump Roiling The Crowd And Ivanka Making Her Debut

Reporting from Cleveland: Bim Adewunmi, Rosie Gray, Tarini Parti, Evan McMorris-Santoro, Darren Sands, Adrian Carrasquillo, McKay Coppins, Matt Stopera, Paul McLeod, Jim Dalrymple, John Stanton, and Mike Hayes.

The GOP Convention is a wrap:

  • Donald Trump accepted the Republican nomination by laying out a dark, near-apocalyptic vision of the current state of America, and saying his rival, Hillary Clinton, has a legacy of "death, destruction, terrorism and weakness."
  • Trump's speech indicated that the nation's prospects are bleak unless he's elected. "Nearly 180,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records, ordered deported from our country, are tonight roaming free to threaten peaceful citizens," he said to chants of "Build a wall! Build a wall!" from a revved up crowd.
  • On that note, here's where Trump's claims about violent undocumented immigrants come from.
  • "Americanism, not globalism, will be our credo!" he said, adding later, "we must immediately suspend immigration from any nation that has been compromised by terrorism until such time as proven vetting mechanisms have been put in place."
  • "There can be no prosperity without law and order!" he said to a crowd that alternately chanted "We want Trump!" and "U-S-A! U-S-A!" Adding later that he is the "law and order candidate."
  • Trump was introduced by his daughter, Ivanka, who sought to tamp down criticism that her father's words are sexist and racially biased. "He is color blind and gender neutral," she said. At Trump's company, she added, "Women are paid equally for the work that we do."
  • And Silicon Valley tech mogul Peter Thiel, one of the first openly gay speakers at a Republican convention, rebuked the party's goals of banning transgender people from restrooms that match their gender identity.
  • Outside the convention hall, police and media came geared up for massive, violent protests. But there were none.

Updates

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Trump's Convention Speech Was The Longest In Decades

Donald Trump spoke for an hour and 16 minutes Thursday during his Republican nomination acceptance speech.

It was the longest party acceptance speech in recent history. Only Bill Clinton and George W. Bush broke an hour in their convention remarks in the last four decades, according to the Washington Post.

At 1 hour & 16 minutes, Donald Trump's acceptance speech is the longest in recent history. #RNCinCLE #gopconvention

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Some Republicans Are Not Here For Trump's Vision Of America

This is a very dark and frightening speech.

I've seen GOP nominee speeches in person in 1988 92 2000 2004 2008 2012. This is the very darkest, ever.

Trump condemns "petty politics." This from a guy who's called opponents losers, morons, idiots, zeroes, p******, etc. #NeverTrump

Plus Mark Cuban, an independent businessman who once supported Trump.

Dear world. Please ignore what the loud guy in the suit is saying. Americans are nothing like him. We love our country and are proud of it

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Donald Trump Accepts The GOP Nomination With A Dark Vision Of America

CLEVELAND — Donald Trump's takeover of the Republican Party became official on Thursday night as Trump accepted his party's nomination in a speech that codified his break with Republican orthodoxy.

In his prepared remarks, Trump emphasized all the main themes of his campaign: an aggressive, restrictive approach to immigration and trade; less foreign intervention, particularly in the Middle East; and an embrace of authority and return to "law and order."

Those remarks — and Trump's campaign — cut against many of the policies Republicans have run on in recent decades, like free trade and an active U.S. military presence abroad. Trump won the primary by running on these issues while other candidates hewed to "establishment" or "conservative" paradigms, and identifying a coalition of Republican primary voters whose hard-line views on immigration combined with economic populism had not found an outlet with the other candidates. Trump's speech on Thursday didn't contain new ideas for him. But the setting in which it was given marked the Republican party's full co-option of his agenda.

On Thursday, Trump gave a dark, foreboding assessment of the state of the country.

—Rosie Gray

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Here's where Donald Trump's claims about violent undocumented immigrants come from:

Maria Espinoza, founder and director of the Remembrance Project, is a rising star in a constellation of activists belonging to the once marginalized anti-immigration right. Nativist sentiments have long existed on both the right and the left, based on the perception that undocumented immigrants harm American workers.

But the rise of Donald Trump turned a spotlight on ideas that were once confined to the hardline fringe, particularly the conviction that immigrants are violent criminals. And Espinoza, whose group has worked directly with the Trump campaign, is a pioneer in a particularly effective form of advocacy based on that very premise: using the gut-wrenching stories of those whose family members have been killed by undocumented immigrants to push for more restrictions on immigration. —David Noriega

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Here We Go: Donald Trump Accepts Presidential Nomination

Donald Trump accepted the Republican nomination for president on Thursday, saying, "Together, we will lead our party back to the White House, and we will lead our country back to safety, prosperity, and peace. We will be a country of generosity and warmth. But we will also be a country of law and order."

Here are some key quotes.

On crime:

The number of police officers killed in the line of duty has risen by almost 50% compared to this point last year. Nearly 180,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records, ordered deported from our country, are tonight roaming free to threaten peaceful citizens. The number of new illegal immigrant families who have crossed the border so far this year already exceeds the entire total from 2015. They are being released by the tens of thousands into our communities with no regard for the impact on public safety or resources.

On immigration:

We are going to build a great border wall to stop illegal immigration, to stop the gangs and the violence, and to stop the drugs from pouring into our communities. I have been honored to receive the endorsement of America's Border Patrol Agents, and will work directly with them to protect the integrity of our lawful immigration system.

and

We must immediately suspend immigration from any nation that has been compromised by terrorism until such time as proven vetting mechanisms have been put in place.

On Hillary Clinton:

Iran is on the path to nuclear weapons. Syria is engulfed in a civil war and a refugee crisis that now threatens the West. After fifteen years of wars in the Middle East, after trillions of dollars spent and thousands of lives lost, the situation is worse than it has ever been before.

This is the legacy of Hillary Clinton: death, destruction and weakness.

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Ivanka Trump Introduces Donald Trump

"One year ago I introduced my father when he declared his candidacy," Ivanka Trump said.

"For more than year, he has been the people's champion. And tonight he is the people's nominee."

She talked about gender equality policies implemented by her father in his company, saying that there were more female than male executives.

"As president, my father will change the labor laws that were put in place during a time in which women were not a significant part of the workforce and will focus on making quality childcare affordable and accessible for all."

"When my father says he will make America great again he will deliver," Ivanka Trump said.

"To people all over America, when you have my father in your corner, you never have to worry about being let down. He will fight for you all the time.

"He will be your greatest, truest and your most loyal champion. This is the fighter, the doer you have chosen as your nominee.

"I've loved and respected him my entire life. I could not be more proud to present to you tonight, my father and our next president, Donald J. Trump."

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Peter Thiel Calls Transgender Bathroom Bills A "Distraction From Our Real Problems"

"I'm not a politician, but neither is Donald Trump," Peter Thiel said on Thursday. "He is a builder and it is time to rebuild America."

The Pay-Pal co-founder said every American has a unique identity.

"I am proud to be gay," he said. "I am proud to be a Republican. But most of all I am proud to be an American."

"When I was a kid, the great debate was about how to defeat the Soviet Union," he said. "And we won. Now we are told that the great debate is about who gets to use which bathroom. This is a distraction from our real problems. Who cares?"

The billionaire venture capitalist used his speech to call for better technology within the government.

"Our nuclear bases still use floppy disks," he said. "Our newest fighter jets can't even fly in the rain...the government software works poorly because much of the time it does not even work at all."

He went on to say that Donald Trump is the only person being honest about the real problems the country faces, including the economy.

He slammed Hillary Clinton for her past policies.

"Instead of going to Mars, we have invaded the Middle East," he said. "We don't need to see her deleted e-mails, her incompetence is in plain sight."

—Mary Ann Georgantopoulos

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Everyone Braced For Violent Convention Protests And Then There Were None

CLEVELAND — The thousands of gas masks, helmets, and sets of body armor that were shipped to Cleveland last week in anticipation of massive, violent protests went unused during the Republican National Convention. And that was just what the media had brought to town.

Instead of the rolling battles among activists from Black Lives Matters, white supremacist bikers, police, and anarchists, the protest scene this week was decidedly low key.

—John Stanton, Jim Dalrymple II, Mike Hayes

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Campaign Chairman: Women Will Vote For Trump Because Thier Husbands Can’t Pay Their Bills

Here's a longer clip of Manafort on winning over women whose "husbands" can't afford to pay the bills.

Donald Trump will appeal to women because "their husbands" can't afford the bills anymore, Trump's campaign manager Paul Manafort said in an interview with MSNBC's Chris Matthews Thursday.

Manafort was responding to Matthews' question about how the Trump campaign could appeal to women alienated by his perceived sexist criticism of Hillary Clinton.

"It depends on which women you're talking about," Manafort said. "Many women in this country feel they can't afford their lives. Their husbands can't afford paying for the family bills."

"Is that the 21st century talking?" Matthews said. "Wives are concerned about how their husband's doing at work?"

Read the full story here.

Tasneem Nashrulla

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Huckabee: Cruz “Dropped His Pants” With Convention Speech

Mike Huckabee said on Thursday that instead of dropping the mic in his Wednesday night convention speech, Ted Cruz "dropped his pants."

"I think Ted Cruz thought he was gonna go in there last night and drop the mic. Instead, he went in there last night and dropped his pants," Huckabee said on Imus in the Morning.

—Christopher Massie

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Ben Carson: Ted Cruz Damaged His Career, Will Be “Very Difficult” For Him To Recover

Dr. Ben Carson said on Thursday that Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's political career has been damaged after he refused to endorse Donald Trump during his primetime speech at the Republican convention on Wednesday.

"Well, I was quite disappointed," Carson said on Fox News radio. "I thought it was a splendid opportunity for him to bring significant unity to the party and also to enhance his own political career in the future. He was unable to bring himself to do that unfortunately."

—Andrew Kaczynski

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GOP Delegates React To News Of Ailes Departure

Delegates and attendees responded to the news of Roger Ailes tenure at Fox News coming to an end, with some lauding the decision and others defending the longtime chairman and chief executive, critical that the decision was made before the legal process concluded.

But they all agreed — they would gladly take the $40 million settlement Ailes is reported to have received on his way out.

"I would sexually harass for $40 million," said John Andrica, a Fox News viewer and special delegate from Ohio, as he spooned macaroni and cheese into his mouth. "Not bad."

—Adrian Carrasquillo

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These Are The Most Interesting Signs Outside The Republican Convention

"DEPORT TAYLOR SWIFT"

See more signs here.

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Politico Posts Draft Transcript Of Trump's Convention Speech

According to the text obtained by Politico, Trump's speech is focused heavily on law and order in the country. "My plan will begin with safety at home – which means safe neighborhoods, secure borders, and protection from terrorism," the draft says. "In this race for the White House, I am the Law And Order candidate."

He also touches on the recent shootings of police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, saying, "An attack on law enforcement is an attack on all Americans. I have a message to every last person threatening the peace on our streets and the safety of our police: when I take the oath of office next year, I will restore law and order our country."

Much of the speech attacks Hillary Clinton, describing her legacy as one of "death, destruction and weakness."

Closing remarks include: "My opponent asks her supporters to recite a three-word loyalty pledge. It reads: "I'm With Her". I choose to recite a different pledge. My pledge reads: "I'M WITH YOU – THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. I am your voice."

Read the full transcript here.

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Two Officers Treated For Skin Irritation, Syringes Banned

UPDATE: GA State Trooper treated and released. One @CLEpolice officer being treated for unknown skin irritation. Only two officers involved

Cleveland police said Thursday afternoon that two officers working outside the Republican National Convention were treated after reporting skin irritation.

One was quickly treated and released, and the other continued to receive medical attention Thursday evening.

One of the officers had come into contact with a sticker he received from a stranger, and officials are looking into whether the sticker may have been connected with skin irritation, Cleveland Police Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said during a news conference.

"We are advising that if anyone in the public who received a sticker from someone you don't know, and you stuck it on your skin at any point, that you remove it and wash with soap and water," she said.

The second officer did not come into contact with a sticker, she added.

Their treatment occurred after rumors that protesters were carrying syringes to stab officers. However, no one was stabbed with a needle, police said.

UPDATE: Officer w skin irritation earlier is believed to have come into contact with a sticker received from a person on public square. 1/3

Currently, NO confirmed injuries to officers from syringes. However, out of an abundance of caution, syringes now on prohibited items list.

Police added that as a precaution, syringes were now included on the list of prohibited items at the convention.

— Claudia Koerner

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Photographer Dina Litovsky Captures Candid Images From Behind The Scenes At The RNC

See more images here.

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23 People Have Been Arrested During The Convention So Far

Cleveland Mayor Frank Johnson and Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams on Thursday morning gave Republican National Convention-related security updates, noting that 18 people had been arrested during a protest.

In total, 23 people have been detained since the convention began.

Of those arrested, 14 were charged with failure to disperse. Other charges included criminal trespassing or mischief; resisting arrest; assaulting a police officer; and petty theft. Several people were charged with more than one crime.

The mayor and police chief added that open carry had not been an issue, but required additional resources.

Read the full arrest list below.

Tamerra Griffin

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These Police Officers Were Filmed Using Their Bikes To Push Back Protesters

My footage from the protests at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland today #ResistRNC #organizeCLE

A freelance journalist from Australia captured this incident on video Tuesday outside the Republican National Convention showing Cleveland Police officers pushing back protesters with their bicycles.

Zane Lovitt, a Melbourne resident, was then arrested on Wednesday while shooting a flag burning protest.

In the video, officers can be seen in a tense standoff with protesters before they begin shouting "move," and then two officers can be seen using their bicycles to push back the protesters. Read the full story here.

–Talal Ansari and Jim Dalrymple II

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Trump Jr. Says Ted Cruz Actually Helped Unite Republicans Behind His Father

Donald Trump Jr. said on Thursday that people see through Ted Cruz, adding that the Texas senator's speech on Wednesday had inadvertently helped unite Republicans behind his father.

"Listen, I think there was a lot of malignment. I think even from his as well. He plays the angel but that's never been the case. He's pretty good at that. Listen, honestly, I think people have seen through him and if there's one thing this cycle has done it's exposed a lot of that," Trump Jr. told radio host Laura Ingraham.

"If there's one thing Ted did was he united everyone, because they all said 'Oh my god, enough is enough,'" Trump's son added. Listen to the full interview here.

–Christopher Massie

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Cruz Campaign Manager: A Trump Endorsement Could Still Happen, "We're Just Not There Yet"

Ted Cruz is still open to endorsing Donald Trump despite his dramatic refusal to do so and doubling down on that refusal on Thursday, his campaign manager said on Thursday.

Cruz, in a contentious appearance before the Texas delegation on Thursday, said that the pledge he and other candidates had taken to support the nominee was "abrogated" when Trump started attacking his family.

"That pledge, we said on the campaign trail when it happened, the day it happened, and mostly since but everybody stopped caring as much, is that when he took this race and what Donald Trump said about his family, that was the end of the pledge," Roe told reporters on Thursday. "In fact, they let each other out of the pledge. Donald Trump said he wasn't going to support the nominee if it wasn't him And he said on Anderson Cooper, on CNN, 'Ted Cruz, I don't want his support.'"

But "he's the nominee," Roe said of Trump. "Everybody here wants to get to a position where we're all lock step and going, we're not just there yet."

Roe gave more details on the events leading up to Cruz's speech yesterday in which he refused to endorse Trump onstage at the Republican National Convention, including his interactions with the Trump campaign leading up to the speech.

Roe said that when the two sides met two weeks ago, "there was no mention of an endorsement."

"We've talked every few days, we talked during the unbind the delegates fight,we talked through, they wanted to make sure we weren't trying to put our name in nomination which we didn't do," Roe said, adding that he had been in touch with Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort, who he described as having been a "gentleman" throughout the process. "Then we submit the speech at 6:30, they would like us to have gone further."

Roe said Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who backed Cruz in the primary but now supports Trump, had acted as an intermediary between Cruz and the Trump campaign before Cruz took the stage on Wednesday. Roe also said Trump spokesman Jason Miller, who used to be a top aide on the Cruz campaign, had called and said that Trump "would remember it if we endorsed."

The Trump campaign was "less than pleased we weren't going to go through with a full endorsement," Roe said.

Roe said that after the speech the Cruz team had gone to a donor meeting, and then Cruz left and went to bed, staying up late at night to look at Twitter.

Roe said an apology for Trump's attacks on Cruz's wife and father would not be enough to earn Cruz's endorsement. "This isn't playground stuff, no."

–Rosie Gray in Cleveland

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Trump Campaign Spent $180,000 On Trump-Owned Businesses In June

Donald Trump's presidential campaign has spent $180,072.45 on Trump's own companies in the month of June, according to his latest Federal Election Commission filings.

This amount is on top of the nearly $6 million the campaign had already spent on Trump owned enterprises. The $6 million figure earned Trump criticism when it was reported last month, though, based on June's numbers, the campaign doesn't appear to have changed course.

The bulk of June's spending—over $120,000—went to Trump Tower for rental payments, though the campaign also spent $21,330 to use Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster, New Jersey, and $428.53 on Trump Ice, a bottled water company he owns. Check out the full report here.

–Nathan McDermott

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Steve King Says The “Greatest Danger To A Black Man In America Is Another Black Man”

Iowa Rep. Steve King said Thursday that "statistically the greatest danger to a black man in America is another black man" during an interview about Black Lives Matter.

On the final day of the Republican National Convention, BuzzFeed News caught up with King outside of the arena and asked if he thought speakers using "All Lives Matter" and "Blues Lives Matter" was a repudiation of "Black Lives Matter."

King laughed and said yes, adding that he agrees with the repudiation. Check out the full story here.

–Meg Cramer and Ema O'Connor

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The Mourning Convention: Inside All The Latino Events At The Republican Convention

Away from the convention floor, at events around Cleveland, Latino conservatives still did the normal convention panels and talks about Latino vote, but the frustration over Trump was everywhere. Read more here.

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Ted Cruz Faces Angry Texan Delegates After Snubbing Trump

After Ted Cruz refused to endorse Trump, saying his pledge to support Trump was "abrogated" after Trump started attacking his family, Texan delegates were not pleased.

"[Cruz] will never be president. I will campaign against him," one Texan delegate said, "Because all he was doing is helping Hillary Clinton. And he's a liar."

Read more here.

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Protests Planned For Trump's Appearance At University Of Akron

CLEVELAND — Students at the University of Akron are planning to protest Donald Trump's appearance at the school Friday.

Early Thursday, the Akron Beacon-Journal reported that the school's spokesperson said the Trump campaign was renting the school's E.J. Thomas Hall for an event late Friday afternoon. In response, a group called Students Against the Trumping of America posted a Facebook event inviting people to protest.

"I am inviting students, friends, and community members to join me on campus on Friday, in an effort to join our voices and make it known that Trump does not speak for us," host Charity Smith wrote. "If you would like to add your voice and presence, you are more than welcome."

Trump will formally accept the Republican nomination tonight here in Cleveland, but faces an uphill battle in Ohio where Gov. John Kasich, who won this state's primary and is immensely popular, has refused to endorse Trump.

The event, which is private on Facebook, is inviting protesters, but says it's unclear where protesters will be allowed. The event page uploaded a photo by Hillary Clinton's campaign which says, "Love trumps hate."

Darren Sands

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Peter King On Ted Cruz: "He's Always Been A Liar And A Fraud"

Republican Rep. Peter King from New York relished the opportunity to criticize Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for not endorsing Donald Trump during his primetime speech to the Republican convention on Wednesday.

"I thought as bad a person as he is, Ted Cruz would have had the decency if he was given primetime opportunity to speak at the convention – Donald Trump controlled that and he gave him the opportunity to speak – that Ted Cruz would have had the decency to honor the pledge he made and that was to nominate the candidate of the party, the nominee," King said on Long Island radio's L.I. in the A.M. on Thursday. Listen to the full interview here.

–Andrew Kaczynski

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Trump Campaign Turns Toxic For Kasich Allies In Crucial Ohio

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Trump campaign's sharp attacks against Gov. John Kasich this week may have imperiled a crucial behind-the-scenes effort to build out the Republican nominee's meager operation in the battleground state.

Despite months of public tension between the Trump and Kasich camps, the governor's loyalists in Ohio had been making plans for the state party to unify and coordinate with the Trump campaign, according to two sources with knowledge of the effort. One of the governor's key strategists had been tapped to coordinate get-out-the-vote efforts with Trump, and other Kasich allies were expected to follow suit.

But on Monday, Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort took the unexpected, and unprecedented, step of blasting Kasich to reporters in his own home state, calling him "petulant" and "embarrassing" for his refusal to endorse Trump.

Since then, "all the top political talent in the state has been called to the sidelines," said one Republican close to Kasich.

Read the full story here.

–McKay Coppins

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Ed Rendell: "No Question" That FBI's Findings Have Damaged Clinton

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said on Tuesday that there was "no question" the FBI's findings in its investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email system had damaged her in the presidential race.

Asked on The Rich Zeoli Show on 1210 WPHT Philadelphia radio whether he was angry with how FBI director James Comey presented the findings, Rendell said that though the comments have hurt her in the polls, he isn't angry about it.

"They have, but I'm not angry at him," Rendell said. "I mean, I think he called it fairly. I mean, he made it clear when he appeared before the House committee that she didn't lie, that the material that he said was classified, he said was classified after the fact. The 122 e-mails that he said initially were classified, 119 were classified after they were sent or received by the secretary. And the 3 that were marked classified at the time, all 3 were marked improperly. So he cleared that up."

Read the full story here.

–Christopher Massie

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Cruz Campaign Manager: Christie “Turned Over His Political Testicles Long Ago”

Ted Cruz's campaign manager responded on Thursday to Chris Christie's criticism of Cruz's convention speech, saying that the New Jersey governor had "turned over his political testicles long ago."

After Cruz declined to endorse Republican nominee Donald Trump in his speech on Wednesday, which was met with boos, Christie called Cruz's speech "selfish."

"That guy turned over his political testicles long ago," Jeff Roe said on the Chris Stigall Show on Philadelphia radio. "So I don't take what he has to say with any meaning. You know, he embarrassed himself pretty quickly in this." Read the full story here.

–Christopher Massie

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Mike Pence In 2002: “Condoms Are A Very, Very Poor Protection” Against STDs

In 2002, Donald Trump's running mate Mike Pence said condoms are a poor defense against sexually transmitted infections and diseases.

Pence's comments came in response to then Secretary of State Colin Powell saying in an MTV forum that young people should protect themselves through safe sex with condoms.

"I think it's important for young people, especially, to protect themselves from the possibility of acquiring any sexually transmitted disease, but especially to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS, which is a plague that is upon the face of the earth," Powell said. Read the full story here.

–Andrew Kaczynski

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Ted Cruz Is Not Promising to Endorse Trump But Says He Won't Vote For Hillary

The morning after being booed offstage for refusing to endorse the Republican nominee for president, Sen. Ted Cruz says he's not going to just "sit down, shut up, support the team."

Cruz spoke Thursday morning to the Texas delegation to the Republican National Convention and said he won't "throw rocks" or "criticize" Trump but said that he's not ready to endorse him, according to the AP.

"I am not in the habit of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my father," Cruz said, according to the AP.

But he made sure to clarify that just because he's not throwing his support behind the party's candidate, he is not giving his vote to Hillary Clinton.

–Jessica Simeone

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Podcast: Where Are All The Protesters?

Cleveland is full of law enforcement officers for the Republican National Convention this week. But protesters? Not so much. In this episode of No One Knows Anything, Evan McMorris-Santoro talks with BuzzFeed News reporter Darren Sands about why there are so few people protesting the convention, and about what it is like for those who did show up.

Listen to the podcast here.

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Trump To Discuss Trade, Borders, And Law And Order During Acceptance Speech

In an exclusive interview on ABC's Good Morning America, Donald Trump reflected on his nomination and the scandal around his wife Melania's speech on Monday, and hinted at what his acceptance speech tonight would cover.

When asked whether he believed that he would clinch the Republican nomination a year ago when he announced he would run for president, Trump said "This is beyond what I would have even assumed," but maintained "the answer has to be yes, or I don't think I would have done it."

"I don't play to lose, so I assume somewhere deep down that I thought I was going to do well," he added.

He also spoke about in-house staff writer Meredith McIver, who wrote a speech for Melania Trump that contained several of the same lines spoken by Michelle Obama in 2008.

McIver submitted her resignation on Wednesday, but Trump rejected it.

"She came to see me because she hated to see the conflict," Trump said. "People make mistakes, and I thought it was terrific the way she came forward."

He also mentioned a few of the topics his acceptance speech tonight will cover.

"I'll be talking about trade, borders, law and order," he said. "Our country has a lot of problems. We're weak in so many different ways."

Tamerra Griffin

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NATO Chief Hits Back After Trump Says He Wouldn’t Automatically Defend Member Countries

The head of NATO has called for solidarity and warned that European security is tied to the safety of the United States, following remarks by Donald Trump that he would intervene to help only NATO allies who "fulfilled" their obligations to the US.

"Solidarity among allies is a key value for NATO. This is good for European security and good for US security. We defend one another," Secretary General‎ Jens Stoltenberg told BuzzFeed News.

The Republican presidential candidate's comments to the New York Times at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland are also expected to send a chill through Baltic members of NATO, which have witnessed growing Russian aggression on their borders in the past two years.

Asked explicitly whether the US would come to the aid of Baltic nations that are threatened by Russia, Trump responded, "If they fulfill their obligations to us, the answer is yes."

Article 5 of the NATO treaty states that the 28 members – the US was a founding member in 1949 – agree to come to the aid of any member should they be attacked.

Read more here. –Alberto Nardelli and Rose Troup Buchanan

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How The Internet Reacted To The Batshit Crazy Night Three Of The RNC

They speakers at the RNC are getting crazier and crazier

So much went down, check out more reactions here.

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