Trump: Pleased That McIver Admitted 'Mistake'
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Latest on the Republican National Convention (all times EDT):
7:12 a.m.
Donald Trump says he's pleased that the staffer who wrote Michelle Obama's words into Melania Trump's speech has removed "that cloud" shadowing his wife's otherwise well-received address.
The GOP presidential nominee told ABC's "Good Morning America" Thursday that he appreciated Meredith McIver's apology. He said it's "terrific" that McIver, who is an employee of the Trump Organization, admitted inadvertently lifting the first lady's phrasing from her 2008 convention speech word-for-word. He added that "now that cloud is lifted off" Mrs. Trump.
Trump Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort had led a chorus the candidate's surrogates denying Mrs. Trump's speech contained any plagiarism, despite clear evidence to the contrary. McIver released a statement Wednesday saying that she had inadvertently included some phrases from Mrs. Obama's speech into Mrs. Trump's address and offered her resignation. Trump refused to accept it. He told ABC that "people make mistakes."
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6:50 a.m.
Donald Trump Jr. says that Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who has boycotted the Republican National Convention, was briefly a prospect to be his father's vice presidential running mate.
The younger Trump tells MSNBC "we talked about it as a potential," but said nothing came of it and that Kasich never directly discussed it with Donald Trump.
Donald Trump Jr. says the talk of Kasich possibly joining the ticket took place last spring, well before his father started building momentum for the nomination the convention bestowed on him Tuesday night.
Kasich has refused to endorse Trump and the governor has refused to go to the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland where the convention was taking place, although he has made public appearances in the area.
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3:37 a.m.
It's Donald Trump's moment to make his case to the country — and to the many rattled doubters in his own party.
The most important speech of his presidential campaign will bring down the balloons Thursday night on a convention marked by divided loyalties and unwanted distractions.
Competing passions were sharply on display Wednesday night when Trump's fiercest primary rival, Ted Cruz, stopped far short of endorsing the nominee and drew loud boos.
Mike Pence's acceptance speech as Trump's running mate was overshadowed as a result, one more missed opportunity at a convention with a daily drip of them.
Trump tweeted about Cruz's speech: "No big deal!"
He said he saw the text of Cruz's speech two hours before it was delivered but thought, "let him speak anyway."
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