Little Note on Public Apologies: A public apology, like last night’s from Trump, is meaningful even if it’s completely insincere. A proud man has been forced to at least slightly (not much!) humble himself, which is a penalty paid even if paid in bad faith (which I’m not saying it necessarily was). True, this isn’t like “little notes” of congratulation which, Mike Kinsley once argued, are more valuable the more insincere they are, and most valuable when sent through gritted teeth. But it shares some of the same qualities: even if inauthentic it’s a sign of respect for voters’ values. …

New Trump— Charlotte Speech: 1) So all the analysis about Trump now not being able to reach out beyond Breitbart was BS; 2) Speech should terrify Hillaryland. It’s already alarmed Bill Kristol, who conjured a tweetstorm to assure us not to worry, Trump’s still finished (“the equivalent of a losing army shuffling generals around”); 3) Trump’s language remains a bit … um, egomaniacal: “I speak the truth for all of you, and for everyone in this country who doesn’t have a voice.” Do people feel they don’t have voices? Does Trump do the talking for them? Slightly condescending, no? How about “I’m speaking the truths we all know and have avoided or not been allowed to say for too long.” 4) Where’s the Wall? Where’s raising wages by controlling immigration? Emphasizing ISIS/terror at the expense of immigration economics is the trademark move of … Roger Ailes, allegedly now a Trump adviser. Troubling! With Bannon and Steve Miller on board, however, I’m not worried those missing immigration pieces will be ignored forever. The same goes for “globalism” — another Trump concept that was MIA in Charlotte. It’s as if the “insiders” and “powerful” Trump attacked are motivated by dull kleptocratic greed, as opposed to the coherent, powerful delusion of a borderless world. … 5) This is the long-awaited test of whether the press’ alleged desire for a plot twist outweighs its desperate underlying Stop Trumpism. Rich Lowry thinks it will. I bet it doesn’t. (In other words, the MSM will downplay the speech. It’s not like there was a gafffe!). …