Donald Trump to officially announce running mate tomorrow
Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow among convention speakers
Ruth Bader Ginsburg regrets ‘ill-advised’ remarks about Donald Trump
8.07pm BST
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump told the Washington Examiner that former Alaska governor Sarah Palin will not be speaking at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland next week because Alaska is “a long ways away.”
“She was asked,” Trump told the Washington Examiner in a phone interview. “It’s a little bit difficult because of where she is. We love Sarah. Little bit difficult because of, you know, it’s a long ways away.”
7.41pm BST
Indiana governor Mike Pence is not Donald Trump’s best choice of vice presidential running mate, if favorability ratings are anything to go by. According to a new survey by YouGov and The Economist, just 17% of voters have a favorable opinion of the Indiana governor, while 32% said the same of former House speaker Newt Gingrich and 33% who said the same of New Jersey governor Chris Christie.
7.29pm BST
“Whether I’m the person he announces or we have Mike Pence be announced, I’m going to do a Facebook live.” – Newt Gingrich
7.27pm BST
Gingrich is happily handicapping potential veep picks not-him:
“Chris Christie is a terrific prosecutor. He has this unique ability to reach out and define a case... in the sense that you’d want somebody to take on Hillary Clinton, Christie is significant.”
7.22pm BST
Here’s the Newt Gingrich Facebook Live link.
Newt Gingrich tells @NBCNews that Donald Trump has not called him re: VP. #2016 #Veepstakes
Newt still holding out hope? On Facebook Live, he says: "We'll find out what Donald Trump decides to do."
7.03pm BST
Well that’s not a very nice thing to say about someone!
ay ay ay those Wikipedia editors have fast fingers… pic.twitter.com/38J5H22WkU
6.56pm BST
Five minutes to Gingrich. Will he dispel with this fiction that he might be Trump’s veep pick?
Will host @facebook LIVE on vice presidential picks,VP selection process at 2pET. Submit q's https://t.co/c259s6ITqS pic.twitter.com/r0wyqUCwOY
6.48pm BST
This is rich: the White House praises Pence for expanding Medicaid in Indiana under Obamacare – which counts as a significant strike against Pence’s conservative bona fides... not that many people seem concerned about conservative bona fides in this annus trumpus:
What does Obama think of Pence? @PressSec says he did "important work" w/admin on expanding Medicaid in his state.
6.45pm BST
“We are a nation of immigrants...”
More oldies and goodies from Pence’s Twitter feed:
We are a nation of immigrants, I want to celebrate the Hispanic community and all the contributions you have made to IN
6.37pm BST
Look who came for lunch. Via Bloomberg:
Hillary Clinton arrives at the Senate pic.twitter.com/3uo9l3cPV9
6.36pm BST
Meanwhile, back in Jersey:
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Former head of airport, bridge agency and mentor to Chris Christie pleads guilty to corruption count
Biggest losers in Trump's VP choice:
Sheldon Adelson
Sean Hannity
Trump's children (who wanted Newt)
Newt/Christie (obviously)
Chris Christie clutches Trump's bag of McDonald's against his chest. He weeps as the food grows cold. Is this all life is?
He steals a fry.
6.30pm BST
Journey was supposed to play at a big bash at Cleveland’s State Theatre at the end of the Republican convention, but now that’s not happening, venue sources say:
And in other news, GOP convention organizers and officials at Cleveland theater where JOURNEY was to play confirm they're NOT coming now.
6.25pm BST
It’s not just whether Muslims should be permitted to enter the United States. Here’s another point of divergence between Pence and Trump: free trade.
Trade means jobs, but trade also means security. The time has come for all of us to urge the swift adoption of the Trans Pacific Partnership
Of course, Trump has contradicted his own policy positions probably even more than Pence hashttps://t.co/9Qb58ucUjt
6.18pm BST
The Republican National Committee has offered a deal to conservative grassroots activists to prevent a floor fight over the nomination of Donald Trump, Guardian politics reporter Ben Jacobs writes:
The RNC has offered to ban independents and Democrats from participating in the first four Republican primaries in the future and to allocate delegate bonuses to states that hold “closed primaries” with only registered Republicans participating.
Related: RNC offers deal to anti-Trump activists to avoid floor fight at convention
6.15pm BST
Clinton made an unannounced stop to pay tribute at a law enforcement officers memorial before proceeding to a lunch with Senate Democrats and then an event with Virginia senator Tim Kaine.
Hillary Clinton makes an unannounced stop at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington. pic.twitter.com/UYQm3bHbLj
6.12pm BST
National Review editor Rich Lowry earlier this week identified a potential problem with the Pence pick: will Pence, a practiced communicator but not known for improvisation on his feet, be able to defend the wild things Trump says?
I understand the impulse for Trump to pick Pence — an experienced pol, in good standing with conservatives, and not much of a lightning rod, at least not yet (the Left tends to make any GOP pick a lightning rod). But Trump’s running mate will have to be extremely deft at explaining away and deflecting Trump controversies. There is no reason to believe that Pence will be good at this, and I’m guessing he won’t be. Christie (comfortable at defending anything) and especially Newt (one of the most glib politicians of the last 30 years) would be much better by this metric. They both have downsides. No one will be excited by Christie, certainly not conservatives. Newt is famously ill-disciplined. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the Trump team thinks it’s getting a safe choice in Pence and then when he inevitably has trouble defending Trump (he has never operated on this kind of national stage), it won’t look so safe anymore.
6.06pm BST
The Trump campaign has issued a statement saying Trump “will be announcing his vice presidential candidate” at an event beginning at noon tomorrow at the New York Hilton Midtown.
Were no Trump properties available?
6.04pm BST
Mike Pence’s withdrawal from his gubernatorial re-election bid leaves a vacuum in Indiana state politics – one that will not be filled by popular former Republican governor Mitch Daniels.
Daniels, currently president of Purdue University, tells the Journal and Courier that he is not running.
Ordinarily, it’s neither necessary nor good practice to comment on hypothetical questions. But this year and the current political situation in Indiana is extraordinary to say the least. So I think it is appropriate that I make plain today that, should there be a sudden need to name a new nominee for governor, I will not present myself as a candidate nor would I accept the nomination if offered.
5.59pm BST
Mike Pence endorsed senator Ted Cruz in advance of the Indiana Republican primary, which Trump won handily.
Last December, Mike Pence called Trump’s proposed Muslim ban “offensive and unconstitutional.”
Calls to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. are offensive and unconstitutional.
Related: Mike Pence: potential Trump VP pick could be asset despite clashing views
5.53pm BST
The Times reports the offer was made this morning.
Trump made the VP offer to Pence shortly before Noon, an Indiana Republican tells me.
More via @DRUDGE: Hannity to have the first cable news interview with Pence on Friday night...
5.49pm BST
The Guardian has learned from a Republican source that Donald Trump has picked Mike Pence to be his running mate.
Pence, the governor of Indiana, had represented a safe choice who would solidify the Republican base and is popular with social conservatives.
In order to choose Pence, Trump had to make a decision by noon Friday, which would be the deadline for the Indiana governor to drop his bid for re-election. Hoosier State law prevents a candidate for seeking election to multiple offices. Trump previously announced that he would unveiled his vice presidential choice at 11AM Friday at Trump Tower in New York.
5.42pm BST
The Indianapolis Star says, without naming a source, that it has confirmed that Trump, whose people insist he hasn’t made a running-mate pick, has picked Pence:
I've confirmed that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is Trump's VP pick https://t.co/V9SSuSdWTk via @indystar
5.40pm BST
Trump senior communications adviser Jason Miller says that Trump’s not yet settled on a pick:
1/2 A decision has not been made by Mr. Trump. He will be making a decision in the future…
2/2 …and will be announcing his Vice Presidential pick tomorrow at 11am as planned.
5.35pm BST
Multiple news outlets are following Roll Call in reporting that Trump has selected Indiana governor Mike Pence to be his running mate. The Guardian has not confirmed that Trump has made a selection. Trump’s campaign chairman insists Trump has not made a decision.
CBS News reports it’s Pence. The New York Times says that the Trump camp “signals” it’s Pence.
5.31pm BST
Everybody slow down with the Pence talk, tweets Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort:
Re: @realDonaldTrump VP selection, a decision will be made in the near future and the announcement will be tomorrow at 11am in New York.
Newt you gotta do something, it can't end like this
5.18pm BST
Drudge thinks it’s Pence:
YOU'RE HIRED! pic.twitter.com/uc7KLbQbLl
It’s Newt. pic.twitter.com/5JYJolYKir
5.14pm BST
America loves the veepstakes. Every four years, those who follow politics search desperately for signs of who the presidential nominees will pick to be their running mate, writes Guardian politics reporter Ben Jacobs:
It doesn’t matter that in the words of John Nance Garner, vice-president to Franklin Delano Roosevelt between 1933 and 1941, the vice-presidency “isn’t worth a bucket of warm piss”. Observers still use every means up to and including psychics and tarot cards as they try to work out who has been picked.
Related: US election 'veepstakes': a typical frenzy in lead-up to running mate reveal
5.05pm BST
Hillary Clinton invokes the story of Patrick Zamarripa, one of five Dallas officers killed last week. She quotes his last tweet, sent on July 4th:
Happy Birthday to the greatest country on the face of this planet. My beloved America!
4.59pm BST
Clinton notes that following the 2012 election, Republicans conducted a postmortem and concluded that they had to do more to appeal to Latinos.
“Next week, they will nominate someone who thinks Latino outreach is tweeting a picture of a taco bowl,” she says. “What a difference a few years make.”
4.51pm BST
Clinton is talking about immigration policy, calling for reform with a path to citizenship.
“I just want to say I know how painful it was that the supreme court made the decision it made,” she says, referring to a 4-4 tie that effectively vacated Barack Obama’s order protecting 5m family members of migrants protected from deportation because they arrived as children.
I deeply regret the kind of campaign the presumptive Republican nominee started with and is still running today.
4.47pm BST
Here’s Clinton now, at the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) conference in Washington:
4.43pm BST
Cornel West, the racial justice advocate and academic, who sat as a member of the Democratic party platform committee this year at the request of Bernie Sanders, has declined to back the presidential candidate charged with advancing that platform.
West is with her – her being Green party candidate Jill Stein, he writes in the Guardian:
This November, we need change. Yet we are tied in a choice between Trump, who would be a neo-facist catastrophe, and Clinton, a neo-liberal disaster. That’s why I am supporting Jill Stein. I am with her – the only progressive woman in the race – because we’ve got to get beyond this lock-jaw situation. I have a deep love for my brother Bernie Sanders, but I disagree with him on Hillary Clinton. I don’t think she would be an “outstanding president”. Her militarism makes the world a less safe place.
Related: Obama has failed victims of racism and police brutality | Cornel West
4.33pm BST
Newt Gingrich has made Donald Trump’s short list, at least, of potential running mates.
And Newt Gingrich does not take questions outside his residence:
.@newtgingrich leaves house this morning, takes trash out, says he doesn't take questions outside his house. pic.twitter.com/jsVXzr3J0r
#veepstakes mania watch 2 -- Marc Lotter, deputy campaign manager for @GovPenceIN on my flight from Indy to NYC. I'm sure just coincidence
4.25pm BST
House speaker Paul Ryan is about to begin his weekly press briefing. Click through to watch:
STARTING SOON: My weekly press briefing will begin at 11:30am ET. Watch live at https://t.co/RrNzrxPmYU
4.19pm BST
The contest to be Trump’s running mate has been compared with reality television hits such as The Bachelor, or Trump’s own The Apprentice.
CNN takes the comparison and runs:
Really, CNN? pic.twitter.com/YkxZPh2fh7
4.01pm BST
Donald Trump is in California raising money today, for his campaign and for the Republican party – potentially a lot of money, if there are many takers for this $449,400-a-pop ticket:
Related: Donald Trump hopes to cure cash woes with $449,400-per-ticket fundraiser
3.51pm BST
Former Chicago Bears coach (that’s pro football) (American football) Mike Ditka, whom the Trump team had floated as a possible speaker at the national convention, confirms that he will not in fact be popping up in Cleveland. But he tells Ben Jacobs that he will, assuredly, be voting for Trump.
.@GuardianUS can confirm that although Mike Ditka is voting for Trump, he will not be in Cleveland
3.24pm BST
Supreme court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has released a statement saying she regrets remarks she made in the last week impugning Donald Trump and promising to be “more circumspect” in the future.
In three separate interviews in reply to questions about Trump, Ginsburg called the presumptive Republican presidential nominee a “faker” and said “I can’t imagine what the country would be with Donald Trump as our president.”
.@PressSec: Justice Ginsburg "didn't earn the nickname 'The Notorious RBG' for nothing" https://t.co/bdC2FHVrOS https://t.co/lN6q0N4WHv
If I was RBG, I'd totally frame this and put it up in chambers. pic.twitter.com/a8I9NK10HE
2.07pm BST
Hello and welcome to our live-wire coverage of the 2016 race for the White House. Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson is displaying double-digit support in a new New York Times/CBS News poll of the presidential race, a poll that furthermore finds the top two candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, to be tied.
The poll indicates deepening erosion in the public’s opinion of Clinton, a week after the FBI director described the candidate’s use of a private email server while secretary of state. Clinton is not honest and trustworthy, according to 67% of the respondents.
Pastor Mark Burns
Phil Ruffin
Congressman Ryan Zinke
Pat Smith
Mark Geist
John Tiegen
Congressman Michael McCaul
Sheriff David Clarke
Congressman Sean Duffy
Darryl Glenn
Senator Tom Cotton
Karen Vaughn
Mike Huckabee
Rudy Giuliani
Melania Trump
Senator Joni Ernst
Kathryn Gates-Skipper
Marcus Luttrell
Dana White
Governor Asa Hutchinson
Attorney General Leslie Rutledge
Michael Mukasey
Andy Wist
Senator Jeff Sessions
Retired Lt Gen Michael Flynn
Alex Smith
Speaker Paul Ryan
Congressman Kevin McCarthy
Kerry Woolard
Senator Shelley Moore Capito
Dr Ben Carson
Co-Chair Sharon Day
Natalie Gulbis
Kimberlin Brown
Antonio Sabato, Jr
Peter Thiel
Eileen Collins
Senator Ted Cruz
Newt Gingrich
Michelle Van Etten
Lynne Patton
Eric Trump
Harold Hamm
Congressman Chris Collins
Brock Mealer
Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn
Governor Mary Fallin
Darrell Scott
Lisa Shin
Governor Rick Scott
Chairman Reince Priebus
Tom Barrack
Ivanka Trump
Attorney General Pam Bondi
Jerry Falwell Jr.
Rabbi Haskel Lookstein
Chris Cox
Senator Mitch McConnell
Tiffany Trump
Governor Chris Christie
Donald J Trump Jr
Governor Scott Walker
Among GOP convention speakers: Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, who performed Ivanka's conversion
We're mocking the Trump RNC speaker list, but let's remember that Romney brought us Eastwood and like 30 hours of "you didn't build that"
I will be making the announcement of my Vice Presidential pick on Friday at 11am in Manhattan. Details to follow.
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