The Lid: Will Cruz (And Allies) Show Control in RNC Speech?

Welcome to The Lid, your afternoon dose of the 2016 ethos… The New York Times Magazine reports that Trump’s campaign made overtures about the vice presidency to John Kasich, offering him the chance to oversee both domestic and foreign policy in the role. Trump, however, refused to cede any control on executive branch interior design or mandatory “Fajita Fridays.”

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‘16 from 30,000

It’s Night Three of the RNC! The big event of the evening will be vice presidential pick Mike Pence’s speech, but there’s another one we’re watching that may end up being the most interesting of the night. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, once a bitter foe to Donald Trump, WILL speak at the convention, but sources have indicated to NBC News that - at least at this point - he doesn’t plan to endorse Trump in his remarks. There’s little love lost between fans of the two men; as NBC’s Vaughn Hillyard reports, Cruz supporters booed and jeered today as Trump’s plane sailed above a rally being held in Cleveland to thank the Texas senator. Cruz, who endured Trump mocking his wife’s appearance and accusing his father of being involved in the JFK assassination, will have a lot to navigate in this speech: his own personal political ambitions, the scars from his personal scuffles with Trump, and the party’s overarching pleas for GOP unity.

POPPING ON NBC POLITICS

• Follow our up to the minute Cleveland coverage here.
• A speechwriter for Trump’s business operation took the blame for Melania Trump’s convention speech debacle, NBC’s Benjy Sarlin writes.
• Ted Cruz supporters jeered Donald Trump at an event in Cleveland hours before the Texas senator delivers his convention speech, NBC’s Vaughn Hillyard reports.
• A Trump adviser said Hillary Clinton should face a firing squad.
• An effort to eliminate superdelegates from the Democratic Party's presidential nominating process is gaining some steam, NBC’s Alex Seitz-Wald reports.
• Monica Alba has a roundup of Hillary Clinton’s VP shortlist.
• And from First Read: Mike Pence’s big moment.

FOR THE RECORD…

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

“Donald Jr. explained that his father’s vice president would be in charge of domestic and foreign policy.”

• A New York Times Magazine piece reported that Trump’s son reached out to see if Ohio Gov. John Kasich would be interested in the VP slot. The selling point was making Kasich one of the most powerful VPs in history.

TOMORROW’S SKED

Donald Trump delivers the keynote address on the RNC’s final day.