The speeches speak for themselves:

Melania told Matt Lauer she wrote the speech herself, with as little help as possible.

Republicans say it was no big deal. Really? It was when Joe Biden did it: [More...]

The Republican convention is here. It's like watching an alternate universe. Who are these people and where did they come from? Who do they think they represent? Certainly not Americans or American values.

Melania Trump makes her debut tonight. The whole thing should be called the Trump family hour. It feels like an episode of the Apprentice except for the annoying pundits and news anchors with nothing to say. Tomorrow night, Trump's daughter with 2nd wife Marla Maples gets to speak. Who could possibly care what she has to say? And of course, we'll hear from Ivanka, Eric and Donald Jr. Why not let the nannies who raised them speak too? How about George from the Appentice? Maybe Ivana Trump has something to say. [More...]

It's hot -- 95 degrees today.

The Late Late Show with James Corden has been nominated for three Emmys -- None for Stephen Colbert or the Daily Show. Corden is so much more entertaining to watch. But I've been saying that for months. I just wish he'd come back to the show -- far too many repeat episodes lately.

The rest of the Emmy list is pretty uninspiring. I'd rather watch Senor de los Cielos or re-runs of La Reina del Sur than suffer through yet another show about O.J. Simpson or drug cops. I'm glad Lily Tomlin got nominated for Grace and Frankie -- Jane Fonda should have been as well.

There seems to be more hand-wringing than buzz about the Republican convention. It will only get worse.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Turkey's president Erdogan is demanding the U.S. extradite his long time enemy, Fetullah Gulen, alternatively described as a Muslim cleric and scholar or an Islamic ideologue, whom he says is responsible for the failed coup in Turkey. Gulen has resided in Pennsylvania for years.

An extradition request was submitted in Turkey the day before the coup.

Thousands of people have been detained in the coup's wake. More than 2,700 judges and prosecutors have been dismissed and 132 judges have been arrested.

The detainees are accused of being members of FETO, the terrorist organization led by U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen. Friday night saw military elements make a “vile” attempt to overthrow Turkey’s elected government, according to Prime Minister Binali Yildirim. Around 160 people were martyred in the ensuing violence.

Some 2,839 military personnel involved in the coup attempt have been arrested, and 20 pro-coup soldiers, including some senior officers, were killed in the attempt to overthrow the government.

[More...]

The Republican ticket will be Donald Trump and Indiana Governor Michael Pence.

Although I know next to nothing about Pence, I feel like we dodged a bullet by Trump's bypassing Newt Gingrich and Chris Christie. [More....]

More than 80 are dead in last night's terror attack in Nice, France where crowds of people were watching fireworks and celebrating Bastille Day.

The driver of the truck, a French-Tunisian binational, was killed by police. ISIS supporters on Telegram are celebrating and promoting lone wolf attacks. Other cities are mentioned as potential targets, including Berlin and Toronto. I refuse to get a Telegram account because it insists on providing a phone number, but Journalist Tam Hussein's twitter feed has a roundup with graphics. As of now, there is no official ISIS statement.

The Pentagon said it killed the red-bearded ISIS military commander Omar al-Shishani in an airstrike in March. (Background here.) ISIS chatter refuted this. Some said he had been wounded, others said he was just fine. Al-Shishani, who headed up the Army of Immigrants and split from Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Answar in 2013 when he pledged allegiance to ISIS leader al Baghdadi, has been declared dead at least five times.

Wednesday, Amaq News Agency, which is affiliated with ISIS but not an official ISIS media group, announced al Shishani died a few days ago in preparation of the upcoming battle to take back Mosul.

And the Pentagon has now admitted it was wrong in March, and al-Shishani was killed this week. [More...]

Donald Trump has postponed the announcement of his Vice Presidential running mate. He attributed the postponement to the attacks in Nice. I don't buy it.

The clock is ticking for Mr. Thump. The Republican convention begins Monday in Cleveland. Is anyone else a little unsettled about reports that the finalists are being chosen by Trump's children? What do they know about running a country? I'd feel better if he picked George -- the older guy who advises him on the apprentice. He seems smart and even tempered.

Newt did a have a funny line though: In an interview yesterday, he said he told Thump the choice was between having "two pirates on the ticket or a pirate and a relatively stable, more normal person." Which did Newt think he was?

Trump also told Fox News he would ask Congress for a Declaration of War against ISIS.

Pence or Newt?

Open Thread.

Photo from Site Intel Group

A new ISIS video was released today featuring British cameraman and hostage John Cantlie. He criticizes the bombing of Mosul University by the U.S. which he says happened about 3 months ago. The video was released by Amaq News Agency which while not an official ISIS news agency like al Hayat, is ISIS affiliated. [More...]

The Washington Post lists four reasons Bernie Sanders waited so long to endorse Hillary.

I don't know how others feel, but for me, his refusal to endorse Hillary and get out of the race when she became the presumptive nominee will always leave me with a negative feeling about him.

I think he let his ego get the best of him and he wanted to secure his seat in the front row of history. In other words, it was all about Bernie.

As we get closer to November, I hope he becomes more of a footnote than a lead player.

I'm offline today. Here's a new open thread, all topics welcome.