Biden delegates reveal convention plans amid push to replace president on ticket


FIRST ON FOX: President Biden continues to have support from Democratic delegates, despite a growing number of elected Democrats calling on him to step aside ahead of the 2024 election amid concern over his age and mental acuity.

Two weeks after the president’s disastrous debate against former President Donald Trump, as well as his Thursday press conference at NATO, Fox News Digital spoke to a handful of Democratic delegates who remain largely supportive of Biden and intend to cast their votes in support of him at the party’s convention next month.

Some delegates also dismissed talk of Vice President Kamala Harris as a replacement in the upcoming election, insisting that she and the president are an unbreakable team.

“I think he did an awesome job last night. I really do,” said Joanne Chesley, a pledged Biden delegate from North Carolina. “His clarity and his spontaneity … just well-informed responses. I was super impressed.”

IS IT TOO LATE FOR DNC DELEGATES TO ABANDON BIDEN? A LOOK AT THE DEMOCRATS’ NOMINATION PROCESS

President Biden during a news conference during the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., on July 11, 2024.

President Biden during a news conference during the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., on July 11, 2024. (Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

On a larger scale, Chesley said the situation surrounding Biden and the ongoing questions of whether he is fit to serve has had her feeling “concerned” and “emotional.”

“This thing has had me really, really, concerned and emotional, actually, over the whole time that it’s been going on,” she said.It’s a bit of a somersault and I think a lot of us have been there. I think that’s the beauty of being in this country and being a Democrat, where we encourage people to think and rethink and share perspectives and ask questions and get mad at each other and do just like families and organizations until you get to something that is the workable solution.”

Pointing to his “track record,” Chesley, who will support Biden at the Democratic National Convention in August and previously said she wished that Biden had realized that his age was going to be a potential issue in this election much earlier, said she “always come[s] back to my senses.”

“I have gone from that kind of feeling, wishing that he had, you know, made that decision to say ‘no’ [to] we’ve got a person who really, really cares about this country,” she said. “Despite those occasional flirtations with him stepping aside, I, like I said, come back to looking at what’s best for our country right now. We’re in a very difficult time in our history.”

As for talk about Harris replacing Biden as the party’s nominee, Chesley said she believes “they are a team.”

“I mean, we are all-in with the president until he indicates, or if he indicates, that he makes a different decision.”

— Samantha Hope Herring, Democratic delegate from Florida

“We get the best of both of them,” she said. “We get that warm, fuzzy grandpa who tells the stories over and over about his dad, and we get this brilliant person who has served as attorney general for the largest state in this country, who’s done four years in the Senate and four years’ experience in the White House. We want vibrancy and younger, so we get that in our vice president.”

Maribel Balbin, a pledged Biden delegate from Miami, Florida, said she understands “the concern that has been expressed” and insisted that it’s “nothing new.”

“Normally he makes mistakes about people and places, just the same as we have seen the former president do in his rallies,” she said. “On a personal level, I am not concerned, and I have not changed my views of the president or what the president stands for.”

The upcoming election, Balbin said, is “a binary choice, and it’s certainly between democracy or dictatorship.”

“As someone that grew up in a dictatorship, I am certainly not willing to support something that looks to me like the place that I left,” she said.So as a woman, as a Hispanic, and now a Democrat, a former Republican, I support the Democratic Party. I understand that the choice for this election is up to the president. If the president decides that he is not the candidate, that he steps out, then we will support that position. Until that happens. I am a pledged delegate to Joe Biden.”

BIDEN PRESSING ON WITH ‘FULL BORE’ SCHEDULE, DESPITE ADMISSION HE NEEDS TO SLOW ‘PACE’

left: President Joe Biden; right: DNC 2024

A total of 1,976 delegates are needed to clinch the Democratic nomination for president. Biden has won roughly 3,900 this year. Those delegates have “pledged” to support his candidacy, according to DNC rules. (Getty Images)

Echoing Balbin, Karl Gentles, a pledged Biden delegate from Arizona, said his “position hasn’t changed” about Biden and that it would be a “disaster” for Democrats to replace him at this point.

“I believe that you’ve got a candidate that’s been fully vetted,” he said. “He’s brought you all this way, three and a half years of significant success in the administration. I think it would be, in all honesty, disastrous to change out your candidate in this late date.”

Gentles said he supportsthe Biden-Harris ticket,” insisting that talk of a Biden replacement and the “hypothetical game” isn’t doing Democrats any good.

“It’s my opinion that, you know, Democrats should really focus on how they’re going to win in these next four months [instead of] trying to figure out multiple scenarios. The scenario that I believe is the best for the Democrats is the Biden-Harris ticket.”

Like many of her other fellow delegates, Samantha Hope Herring, a pledged Biden delegate and elected member of the DNC from Florida, said she is “Ridin’ with Biden.”

“I mean, we are all-in with the president until he indicates, or if he indicates, that he makes a different decision,” Herring said. “I have to be honest, I think a lot of us have always known that when you have anybody over the age of 50, I mean, you’ve got have a good backup plan for whatever you’re doing. That’s a fair statement on both sides of the aisle.”

“What I saw was a President with deep knowledge of foreign policy and affairs.”

— Irene Bonham, Democratic delegate from Colorado, referring to Biden’s NATO press conference

“One of the great things about having somebody with wisdom and having experience, especially if they’re an older candidate, is having somebody who’s prepared in the event and ready to walk on the job [on] day one. So we definitely have that,” she added.

Herring, who insisted there’s currently a strong “voice of support for President Biden,” said Harris would be a “natural” fit should Biden not be able to fulfill his duties as president in office.

Like Chesley, Herring said she believes that many Democrats see Biden and Harris “as a team.”

“We really feel strongly about the record that they’ve got and stand on that together,” she said.

5 TAKEAWAYS FROM BIDEN’S COMEBACK PRESS CONFERENCE

President Biden with large Biden/Harris sign behind him

President Biden reacts as supporters greet him at his debate watch party at Hyatt Regency Atlanta on June 27, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Derek White/Getty Images for DNC)

Another Democratic delegate from Colorado, Irene Bonham, said she is “still listening” and is “interested in what [Biden] would be able to do to help change the narrative in terms of the concerns around his ability.”

“I think Biden is a good president,” she said. “My concerns are really more around whether or not he is up to the task as a candidate. I think that’s a fair question and one that, you know, morally, as Democrats, we have to be asking right now.”

Bonham said she believes that Biden’s press conference last night “was a good step forward.”

“What I saw was a president with deep knowledge of foreign policy and affairs. When I contrast that with Trump – a convicted felon who seems to have an affection for autocrats – the choice is pretty clear,” she said.

Asked prior to the press conference whether she would be open to supporting another candidate, Bonham said “there are definitely names that have been put forward out into the media that I would be interested in learning more about.”

“I think that we also have to remember that it’s not just the Biden ticket, it is the Biden-Harris ticket. And so, should Biden step aside, my assumption would be that Kamala Harris would have a stake in this race,” she added.

Biden has stated several times since his damaging debate performance last month that he will not drop out of the race. But matters would be less complicated for Democrats if the president willfully chose to step aside before the party’s convention in Chicago from August 19 through 22.

Democrats will officially choose their nominee at the convention, though they reportedly plan to nominate Biden and Harris ahead of the convention next month.

At the convention, a candidate must win support from the majority of the party’s nearly 4,000 delegates, the party officials who formally select the nominee. Delegates are distributed to candidates based on the results of primary elections in each state.

Joe Biden, Kamala Harris arms raised on Truman Balcony

As for talk about Vice President Kamala Harris (right) replacing President Biden as the party’s nominee, several Democratic delegates who spoke to Fox News Digital considered them to be a “team.” (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

For the Democratic Party, there are “pledged” and “unpledged” delegates. Pledged delegates have to vote for whichever candidate in their party wins the primary or caucus in their respective state, while unpledged delegates may choose to vote for any candidate. In the Democratic Party, unpledged delegates are known as “superdelegates,” current elected officials and party leaders who can support any candidate.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

A total of 1,976 delegates are needed to clinch the Democratic nomination for president. Biden has won roughly 3,900 this year. Those delegates have “pledged” to support Biden’s candidacy, according to DNC rules.

Although Biden has not indicated that he plans to withdraw from the race, if he were to do so, his delegates would no longer be pledged to him. His withdrawal would lead to an open convention, resulting in Democrats being able to make suggestions for potential nominees and cast votes until one candidate receives a majority of delegate votes.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.





Source link

Fox News Politics: Payday! | Fox News


Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. 

What’s happening…

-Jen Psaki rips White House strategy on Biden’s health

-Pelosi reportedly working to undermine Biden 

-Biden manager tries to rally staffers after a ‘bad f—–g’ week

Huge War Chest

Make America Great Again Inc., a top super PAC supporting former President Trump’s 2024 White House campaign, says it raked in $104 million during the April-June second quarter of 2024 fundraising.

And in figures shared first with Fox News on Friday, MAGA Inc. highlighted that it has nearly $114 million cash-on-hand in its coffers.

The announcement from MAGA Inc. comes a week and a half after Trump’s campaign showcased that it and the Republican National Committee hauled in a staggering $331 million in the past three months, topping the massive $264 million raked in by President Biden’s re-election campaign and the Democratic National Committee during the second quarter.

Trump’s haul was fueled in part by a fundraising surge following the former president’s history-making guilty verdicts this spring in his criminal trial…Read more

Former President Donald Trump arrives at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Georgia

Former President Donald Trump arrives at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Georgia on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. Trump is visiting the state to host a campaign fundraising event. (Robin Rayne for Fox News Digital)

White House

‘NOT GOING WELL’: Jen Psaki says White House strategy on Biden health concerns is failing …Read more

‘ALTERNATE UNIVERSE’: Ex-White House official rips Biden team’s communications strategy after NATO press conference …Read more

‘ONE AND THE SAME’: Biden, Harris defy critics by launching full offensive aimed at tying Trump to Project 2025 …Read more

Capitol Hill

THE DEBATED PRESIDENT: Biden ally in Congress says replacing president must be ‘on the table’ …Read more

‘NAMELESS, FACELESS BUREAUCRATS’: GOP senators plan major crackdown on ‘nameless, faceless bureaucrats’ after blockbuster Supreme Court ruling …Read more

DEMS IN CRISIS: Pelosi works to undermine Biden behind the scenes: report …Read more

MENTALLY FIT?: Rep. Clyburn defends Biden as ‘one of the best minds’ he’s worked with …Read more

‘STAY OUT OF IT’: Giddy House Republicans spend week lying low as Dems implode over Biden …Read more

Pelosi, Biden and Clyburn

Pelosi, Biden and Clyburn (Getty Images)

Tales from the Campaign Trail

‘RUN IT LIVE’: CNN’s Smerconish slams local radio station for editing Biden gaffes from interview …Read more

‘NO DOUBT ABOUT IT’: Biden campaign manager tries to rally staffers after ‘bad f—ing weeks’ …Read more

BIDEN SURROUNDED?: David Axelrod says Biden needs ‘royal flush’ to win the campaign against Trump: ‘What are the odds?’ …Read more

‘FACING BAD OPTIONS’: Ashley Judd joins other liberal celebrities in calling for Biden to withdraw …Read more

‘RIDIN’ WITH BIDEN’: Biden delegates reveal convention plans amid push to replace president on ticket …Read more

‘KICKING HIS A–‘: Tester denies tight race, says internal polling has him beating Republican Sheehy …Read more

CASH DASH: Exclusive: Leading pro-Trump super PAC hauls in over $100 million past three months …Read more

Across America

‘SLIPS OF THE TONGUE’: Euro leaders downplay Orban’s visit to Trump as they defend Biden …Read more

LET LOOSE: Zelenskyy says Ukraine can’t win war unless US lifts limits on striking military targets in Russia …Read more

CEASEFIRE: Border fire between Israel, Hezbollah continues as delegates prepare to mediate ceasefire with Hamas …Read more

Subscribe now to get Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.



Source link

Dem, GOP insiders both see major opportunity after Biden’s first solo presser in months


Democrats and the GOP had wildly different perspectives on President Joe Biden’s highly anticipated NATO Summit news conference, with Republicans dubbing the event another campaign win in Trump’s back pocket and Democrats having mixed reactions.

Even so, there was a tone shift among some Democrats who thought Biden’s performance was “strong.” One Democratic activist went so far as to say he believes there are “people who owe President Biden an apology” after the president’s press conference. The comments come after Democrat lawmakers and pundits alike have either called on Biden to drop out of the race or expressed concerns about his aging.

Meanwhile, a Trump campaign official told Fox News Digital after Thursday night’s press conference, “It appears Biden did enough to convince his apologists that he should remain on the ballot, but he also reinforced what the American people know.” 

SOURCES SAY BIDEN FUNDRAISING TAKES A HIT AMID RISING CALLS FROM DEMOCRATS FOR PRESIDENT TO END 2024 CAMPAIGN

Joe Biden speaking, with big screen image of him off in background

U.S. President Joe Biden pauses while speaking during a NATO 75th anniversary celebratory event at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium on July 9, 2024, in Washington, D.C.  (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“Their lives are being hurt by his weakness and failure on a daily basis,” the source said.

Donald Trump Jr., who is a top surrogate for this father, said on his Rumble livestream that Biden did “fine enough to be able to stay in it” but later shared a social media post that blended the faces of Trump and Harris together and said “Vice President Trump.”

Veteran Republican consultant Dave Carney told Fox News the news conference “couldn’t have been better” for Biden.

Biden started out earlier in the day stumbling when he introduced Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” at the NATO summit in Washington, D.C. He immediately caught his gaffe and corrected himself. However, later during the evening press conference, he also referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump” and did not correct himself.

During and after the press conference, Biden’s immediate team and many of his allies were quick to tout the event as an overwhelming success. A source familiar with the workings of the Biden campaign also said that Biden had exceeded expectations with a thorough discussion of foreign policy.

FLASHBACK: THE LAST TIME BIDEN HAD A SOLO ‘BIG BOY PRESS CONFERENCE’ WAS EIGHT MONTHS AGO

Biden/Trump photo split

President Biden and former President Trump. ( Win McNamee/Getty Images/Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

The source added, however, that the press conference alone won’t ultimately convince voters but that continued campaigning and travel by Biden should.

Some Democrats claimed that the president’s answers regarding foreign policy issues showed him to have expertise in international affairs.

“To answer the question on everyone’s minds: No, Joe Biden does not have a doctorate in foreign affairs. He’s just that f—ing good,” White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates wrote in a post to X.

Joel Rubin, a former State Department official during the Obama administration, considered Biden’s performance to be “very strong.”

TRUMP, GOP TAKE AIM AT KAMALA HARRIS AS HER POPULARITY RISES: ‘BIDEN’S ENABLER IN CHIEF’

Biden at lectern at NATO press conference

President Joe Biden at a news conference during the NATO Summit in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, July 11, 2024. President Joe Biden and NATO’s 31 other leaders had hoped their summit would celebrate fresh unity against Russia’s Vladimir Putin, send a warning to China and prove that the alliance is as strong as ever in its 75th year, but the three days of pageantry will be overshadowed by domestic turmoil across the alliance.  (Photographer: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“This is a very strong performance. Quite frankly. ⁦@POTUS⁩ is putting on a master class in how foreign policy and domestic policy intersect, explaining how crucial American global leadership is to our people here at home. Well done, Mr. President,” Rubin wrote in a post on X.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Democrats remain largely divided on whether Biden should suspend his re-election campaign and allow another candidate to go head-to-head with Trump in November. On Friday, Fox News confirmed that another House Democrat, California Rep. Mike Levin, has joined the chorus of lawmakers calling on Biden to step aside.

At least 10 House Democrats and one in the Senate have publicly called on Biden to end his re-election bid, and a growing number of both House and Senate Democrats have publicly and privately warned that the president will lose to Trump in November.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Fox News Digital’s Timothy H.J. Nerozzi and Paul Steisenhauer contributed to this report.



Source link

Susan Collins to write in Nikki Haley for president, bucking Trump


Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, reiterated to reporters that she still supports former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley for president despite Haley no longer being in the race for the Republican nomination. 

The Maine Republican will write in Haley’s name on her ballot in November rather than former President Trump or President Biden, according to local CBS reporter Dan Lampariello. 

Collins’ office confirmed to Fox News Digital her plan to vote for Haley. 

TESTER DENIES TIGHT RACE, SAYS INTERNAL POLLING HAS HIM BEATING SHEEHY: ’KICKING HIS A–’

Nikki Haley, Susan Collins, Donald Trump

Susan Collins, center, said she still plans to vote for Nikki Haley in November over Trump.  (Getty Images)

A spokesperson for the Maine senator noted she has previously said she’d be supporting Haley and not Trump. 

BIDEN DRAGS DOWN MICHIGAN SENATE RACE AS COOK POLITICAL REPORT DECLARES ‘TOSS UP’

“I will not be voting for either candidate. I am going to write in Nikki Haley’s name,” Collins said, according to another local outlet. 

The Republican senator previously endorsed Haley late in the Republican primary, calling the candidate “extremely well-qualified.”

Haley South Carolina speech

Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina and a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, during an election night watch party in Charleston, S.C., Feb. 24, 2024. (Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“She has the energy, intellect and temperament that we need to lead our country in these very tumultuous times,” Collins said of Haley. 

However, Haley exited the primary race soon after the endorsement. 

The former South Carolina governor’s departure from the race didn’t change Collins’ position though. 

“I cannot support former President Trump. I voted to convict him on the second impeachment charges, so I don’t think it should come as a surprise that I cannot support him,” she said in March, weeks after Haley had already suspended her campaign. 

DEM SENATOR HELPS BLOCK BIDEN JUDICIAL NOMINEE AMID CONTROVERSY OVER TRANSGENDER INMATE

Donald Trump arrives to Trump Tower after being found guilty

Donald Trump arrives at Trump Tower May 30, 2024, after being found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. (Felipe Ramales for Fox News Digital)

As Collins pointed out in the spring, she was one of seven Republican senators in 2021 who voted to convict Trump for allegedly inciting insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, when some of his supporters rioted at the U.S. Capitol. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

And while Trump has become the clear Republican nominee and is slated as of now to take on Biden in November, it’s apparent Collins’ mind has not changed on the situation. 

Trump’s campaign did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.





Source link

Lawmakers warn EPA its ‘Clean Power Plan 2.0’ could have ‘catastrophic’ effect on electric grid


FIRST ON FOX: Twenty-six House lawmakers penned a letter to Environmental Protection Agency chief Michael Regan warning him and the agency against implementing their “Clean Power Plan 2.0.”

Rep. Lloyd Smucker, R-Pa., led the letter to the administrator, predicting rules outlined in the plan will endanger electrical grid reliability for 65 million Americans from New Jersey to North Carolina.

Smucker, whose Lancaster district is home to hydroelectric stations on the Susquehanna River, said new EPA rules target coal and gas plants and requested Regan provide evidence the restrictions won’t endanger the electric grid.

The rules set limits on carbon output and differ from an Obama-era rule that instead relied on state-based targets, according to Politico. All coal plants in the U.S. are subject to the regulation, and any plants still around by 2040 would have to curb emissions nearly 90% or enable carbon-capture technology, according to the analysis.

BIDEN ADMIN REBUFFS LAWMAKERS, HOMEBUILDERS’ CLAIMS NEW ENERGY STANDARDS HURT HOMEBUILDING, COSTS

lloyd smucker

Rep. Lloyd Smucker (Office of Rep. Lloyd Smucker )

The letter said most of the affected area falls under the PJM, which coordinates the grid among many Atlantic coast states via 88,000 miles of transmission lines.

The lawmakers cited increases in electricity usage due to artificial intelligence, electric vehicles and manufacturing projects, predicting the growth demand for power will soon double.

“The forced closure of existing electric generation, coupled with a rushed transition to renewable energy sources without having the solutions in place to guarantee a reliable stream of uninterrupted power onto a grid already suffering from an interconnection backlog, will lead to both the rationing of electric power and an increase in electric costs for consumers,” the lawmakers warned.

STATE DEM LEADERS RALLY BEHIND BIDEN AFTER DEBATE

“We strongly urge you to reconsider these rules given their catastrophic impact on the PJM Interconnection service area.”

One Democratic lawmaker also criticized the new EPA plans in prior comments.

Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., suggested EPA regulators’ goal is to “stop the use of fossil fuels to produce reliable energy in the U.S. by forcing the premature closure of coal plants and blocking new natural gas plants.”

Manchin’s fellow Mountaineer, Rep. Alex X. Mooney, R-W.Va., signed Smucker’s letter Thursday and attributed the new rules to the president’s “dangerous agenda.”

A group of powerlines during sunset

Electricity pylons at sunset  (iStock)

“The liberal extremist Biden administration has made it their mission to put hardworking West Virginia coal miners out of work, which will result in higher energy prices and grid unreliability,” Mooney said Friday.

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., also joined Smucker’s demand for answers, saying the EPA is implementing a radical list of costly regulations, citing the fact that more than two-thirds of the nation’s electricity is a derivative of coal.

Comer said the rules put the U.S. at risk of rolling blackouts and instability at a time when people are already facing elevated energy costs.

“I am proud to join my colleagues in demanding answers from EPA Administrator Michael Regan to ensure Kentuckians and Americans across the country have access to reliable and affordable energy,” said Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee.

The letter calls for Regan to respond by August whether the White House or EPA consulted with PJM, energy groups or other grid operators before enacting the plan.

Among the list of demands, the signatories asked the agency to note whether it also sought other stakeholder feedback from agricultural, manufacturing or technology interests that rely on a safe and substantive electric grid.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Emissions spew from a large stack at the coal fired Brandon Shores Power Plant, on March 9, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. Last year the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced that it would repeal President Obama's policy on curbing greenhouse gas emissions from coal fired power plants. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Emissions spew from a large stack at the coal-fired Brandon Shores Power Plant March 9, 2018, in Baltimore.  (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

They also asked whether the Biden administration thought rule changes that push the U.S. away from reliable coal and gas might affect its plans for “national electrification of the transportation and home heating sectors.”

In exclusive comments later Friday, Smucker elaborated on the purpose of his letter, remarking “energy security is national security.”

“We know that the Biden administration’s plan has already been criticized by PJM, who clearly said that ‘demand cannot be met simply through renewables.’ Yet, the administration is moving ahead with these overreaching regulations,” he said.

Reached for comment, a spokeswoman for PJM provided Fox News Digital with a previous press release that commented on the importance of EPA rulemaking taking into account reliability needs of relevant electric grids.

The EPA acknowledged but ultimately did not respond to a request for comment by press time.



Source link

Lawmakers rip Army brass over training slides suggesting pro-life groups could be tied to terrorism


EXCLUSIVE: More than two dozen members of the House Armed Services Committee demanded answers from the U.S. Army after it acknowledged the veracity of slides in a domestic counterterrorism training module that referenced pro-life groups.

Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel, led the letter to Army Secretary Christine Wormuth expressing outrage and calling for a more thorough explanation for the use of the teaching tools at Fort Liberty, formerly Fort Bragg, in North Carolina.

The letter said the slides indicated members of pro-life organizations could be threats to the safety of military installations and that regalia of such groups, like a pro-life license plate, could potentially indicate terrorism.

“This is truly shocking for an organization that insists on treating everyone with ‘dignity and respect’,” Banks wrote of the slide deck, which was used as part of a larger training for military police tasked with manning base access points.

LAWMAKERS DEMAND ANSWERS OVER SCANT PROGRESS ADDRESSING SQUALID BARRACKS CONDITIONS

army navy game

The Army Black Knights’ endzone logo prior to the 122nd game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen Dec. 11, 2021, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.   (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Banks told Fox News Digital Friday the slides date back to the summer of 2023, suggesting they’re not a case of sudden mistaken entry.

“For over a year, someone at Fort Liberty has been teaching our troops that pro-life Americans are terrorists, and the Biden Pentagon didn’t stop it until House Republicans and the public raised the alarm,” Banks said.

“I’m an Afghanistan war veteran, and it sickens me to see far-left radicals poisoning our military with this extremist hate. We must get woke activists out of our Armed Forces so that we have a military that’s focused on countering foreign terrorists overseas and not on targeting conservative Americans.”

When reached by Fox on Friday afternoon, a public affairs officer at the Fayetteville, N.C., garrison said the person using the slides is “no longer employed.”

The situation was subject to a formal commander’s inquiry, he said, adding the slides were “not vetted by the proper authorities.”

“The slides do not reflect the views of the 18th Airborne Corps, Fort Liberty, the U.S. Army or Department of Defense,” the officer added.

In their letter, the lawmakers said the slide usage “confirmed our fears” about a recent protest and extremism-related directive from Army brass.

CHINESE MILITARY AI IN FOCUS AS LAWMAKER SOUNDS ALARM OVER THREAT FROM RIFLE-WIELDING ROBOT DOGS

The Pro-Life Flag

The Pro-Life Flag, which was designed to be a unifying symbol for those who oppose abortion.  (The Pro-Life Flag Project)

“That is, the Army is utilizing an overly broad policy to police the speech of conservative servicemembers, quiet dissent, and require servicemembers who believe in conservative ideals to hide their identities for fear of retaliation from their commands,” the letter states.

“But because the Army has yet to provide the training materials to Congress in contravention of their obligation, we can only assume that the training interpreted the Army’s definition of extremist activities to include pro-life organizations as ‘advocating or engaging in unlawful force or violence to achieve goals that are political, religious, or discriminatory or ideological in nature.'”

The letter went on to claim the use of such slides belies past testimony from defense officials that all viewpoints, including those on the political right, are welcome in the military.

Banks and the signatories demanded Wormuth’s branch immediately issue corrections to service members who received the slide-deck briefing.

In light of the response by Fort Liberty that the vetting process was conducted incorrectly, Banks’ letter asked Wormuth to explain what the proper procedures actually are.

The lawmakers also asked whether the Army believes pro-life activism or “abortion-related counseling” is considered terrorist activity.

“It is crucial that our military maintains political neutrality and respect for diverse viewpoints within the bounds of the law,” they wrote.

Also on Friday, an official from National Right to Life, which is mentioned on one of the slides, said in a statement that only under the current federal leadership could law-abiding activism be considered terrorism.

“One must wonder how a license plate that raises funds for pregnancy resource centers could be construed as a symbol of terrorism,” President Carol Tobias said.

“When in doubt, blame an underling,” a blog post on National Right to Life’s site said after U.S. military officials acknowledged the slides’ veracity and said they were incorrectly added to the program.

After the garrison previously acknowledged the authenticity of the slide decks, Banks said that even if the module wasn’t approved, it still exposed the Pentagon for creating a “politicized environment where far-left whack jobs feel they can get away with teaching our troops that conservative Americans are their adversary.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fort Liberty

Fort Liberty, formerly Fort Bragg (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

In June, the U.S. Army revised some of its policies, with Wormuth announcing that “active participation in extremist activities can be prohibited even in some circumstances in which such activities would be constitutionally protected in a civilian setting.”

Service members are now prohibited from liking, sharing or engaging with content supporting extremism, according to the American Legion.

Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., signed the letter with representatives Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla.; Clay Higgins, R-La.; Rob Wittman, R-Va.; Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.; Cory Mills, R-Fla.; and Richard Hudson, R-N.C. among others.

Hudson represents the base.



Source link

White House doctor pressured to convince Biden to take cognitive exam, publicize results


FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is urging the White House doctor to convince President Biden to take cognitive and neurological exams and make the results public after his poor debate performance and intensifying scrutiny. 

“Urging the White House Physician to recommend President Biden undergo a cognitive exam is in the best interest of the American people,” Graham said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

Lindsey Graham, Joe Biden

Lindsey Graham is asking the White House doctor to tell Biden he should take another neurological exam.  (Getty Images)

“Prominent physicians have recommended the same, and the overwhelming majority of American people have concerns about President Biden’s cognitive fitness. I am hoping President Biden’s physician will see the need and wisdom for this and act accordingly. President Trump has indicated he will take a cognitive exam. President Biden should too.” 

BIDEN DRAGS DOWN MICHIGAN SENATE RACE AS COOK POLITICAL REPORT DECLARES ‘TOSS UP’

The South Carolina Republican made the request in a letter Friday to Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor. 

“The deep public concern with President Biden’s mental acuity is well known,” Graham wrote. 

BLUMENTHAL SAYS SOME CONCERNS ‘DEEPENED’ AFTER MEETING WITH BIDEN CAMP ADVISERS

biden

Biden has reiterated he will stay in the race.   (Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

He referred to Biden’s comment from Thursday night suggesting he would take another exam if his doctors said he should. 

“You have an obligation to request that he take such an exam and share the results. Our national security, the welfare of the American people, and our country’s standing in the world demands it,” Graham told O’Connor. 

DEM SENATOR HELPS BLOCK BIDEN JUDICIAL NOMINEE AMID CONTROVERSY OVER TRANSGENDER INMATE

Biden and O'Connor walk along the side of the White House

O’Connor is Biden’s doctor.  (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)

A White House spokesperson referred Fox News Digital to a February report from O’Connor that said, “an extremely detailed neurological exam was again reassuring in that there were no findings which would be consistent with any cerebellar or other central neurological disorder, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s or ascending lateral sclerosis, nor are there any signs of cervical myelopathy.”

Graham’s letter comes as Democrats continue to turn against the leader of their party, asking him to step aside so someone else can face former President Trump in the November election. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Despite calls for him to step down, Biden has claimed repeatedly that he intends to remain in the race, to the chagrin of some in his party. 

Additionally, the increased skepticism of Biden has been followed by a downward trend in the polls for the president as well as down-ballot races being rated more competitive and within reach for Republicans. On Thursday, the nonpartisan political handicapper, the Cook Political Report, shifted a Senate race in Michigan from “Lean Democratic” to “Toss Up,” specifically citing the potential for Biden to be a drag on other Democrats.





Source link

Congressional Bypass: Many Democrats elusive on Biden issue


Republican House and Senate members eluded questions from the Congressional press corps for years when former President Trump said or did something outrageous – or at least just made news.

“I don’t read the tweets,” was a famous reply from former House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., when a reporter posed a tough question about comments the former President posted to Twitter.

Others would provide boilerplate answers. Or some might just avoid answering altogether.

WHAT THEY’RE THINKING: FOR MANY DEMOCRATS, SILENCE SPEAKS VOLUMES ON THE BIDEN ISSUE

“Call my office,” is a refrain you’ll hear from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex., to this day.

Others made themselves scarce to reporters. But if you spoke frankly to those GOP members – circa 2016-2022, many would say they candidly they didn’t like former President Trump or didn’t support him. But they had to finesse the politics in public.

Suddenly congressional Democrats face a similar dilemma. Most Democrats LOVE President Biden. But privately, many just believe he’s no longer up to the task. It’s significant that two Democrats with major foreign policy portfolios – Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee and Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee – both called on Mr. Biden to hang it up. But many others are left in a state of political purgatory. Even if their own political future might depend on it.

So they give opaque statements about President Biden. Or, they don’t directly endorse Mr. Biden’s bid but declare “I’m with Joe.”

U.S. President Joe Biden Capitol

U.S. President Joe Biden pictured in front of the Capitol. (Getty Images)

Such was the case in recent days when Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., deployed that phrase three times in less than a minute. Even when asked different questions which didn’t pertain to “who” Schumer may “be with.”

Art of the deflection is one tool.

Another option is to not respond to questions at all.

Such was the case when Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., strolled from the Capitol to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) Thursday. That’s where aides and officials close to President Biden huddled with panicked Democratic senators about the state of the race and the campaign.

I asked Whitehouse what he needed “to hear” in the session.

“I’m not going to discuss the meeting,” replied Whitehouse.

“Are you concerned about the president?” I followed up.

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: BACKLASH IN THE HALLS OF CONGRESS

“I’m not going to discuss the issue until I’ve had the meeting,” responded Whitehouse.

“What’s the level of tension you’re hearing from Democrats right now? I queried.

“I can’t respond to that either,” said Whitehouse.

I continued peppering Whitehouse with questions as we walked in the punishing, sun of a 95-degree day in Washington with nary a cloud.

“Why are members being so elusive on this? Are they worried? If they were foursquare behind him, would people be more willing to talk?” I asked.

“Oh yeah. That’s what you say,” said Whitehouse as he crossed the street near the Supreme Court.

Biden NATO

U.S. President Joe Biden at a news conference during the NATO Summit in Washington, DC on Thursday, July 11, 2024. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

It wasn’t just what I said. Political actions speak louder than words.

What was noticeable is how few Democrats ambled the 200 yards or so from the Capitol, across First St., NE, and into the meeting at the DSCC. It wasn’t that senators didn’t attend (more on that in a moment). It’s about a 200 yard jaunt from the Senate wing of the Capitol to the DSCC. You must first cross the congressional lawn then the street. The DSCC is in a nondescript building which looks like an old apartment building. Former Vice President Al Gore once lived in the building. Same with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., and former Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisc. The building itself is wedged into a triangular block between the Dirksen Senate Office Building and the Supreme Court.

Some of the Democrats just slid out of a side entrance of the Dirksen Building, dodged traffic and popped into the DSCC across the street. After all, there’s a reason the DSCC is just steps from Dirksen. But many senators had drivers chauffeur them from the Capitol over to the DSCC. Some of that was the intense heat and unforgiving Washington sun. But much of that was evasion. Some Democrats, like Whitehouse, just didn’t want to say anything, considering the sensitivity of the matter. Or, they didn’t want express their true feelings in public – considering the political weight.

DEMOCRATS FACE A RECKONING ON BIDEN CAMPAIGN AS LAWMAKERS RETURN TO CAPITOL HILL

Along with Whitehouse, Sens. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Mark Warner, D-Va., Chris Coons, D-Del., and Joe Manchin, D-W.V., were the only senators Fox saw or spoke with as they walked to the meeting. But the Democrats’ two most vulnerable members, weren’t at the huddle. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., told Fox he would not attend. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, was also absent.

Tester and Brown potentially have the most to lose in their races this fall. The same with Sens. Bob Casey, D-Penn., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc.

That’s why you didn’t see anyone with a close race making the outdoor trek from the Capitol to the DSCC. They either took a car or skipped across the street from the Dirksen Building.

The Democratic senators stayed out of public view – much the same as some GOP lawmakers hid from the press corps when they knew tough questions were coming regarding former President Trump.  None of this is new. Especially when grappling with such a delicate subject as the health of a President. It’s augmented when the issue centers around whether a President that Democrats generally like is the one they may ask to go.

MIKE-LEVIN-1

Rep. Mike Levin, D-Calif., speaks to Roll Call in his office in the Rayburn House Office Building on Thursday, December 7, 2023.  (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The House and Senate are now out of session for more than a week, so Republicans can attend their convention in Milwaukee. On this occasion, the schedule works in the favor of Democrats. It’s better for Democrats to make critical statements or call on the president to bow out when they are back in their districts or home states with constituents. Releasing a paper statement or posting something to social media builds a firewall between them and pesky scribes.

Lawmakers view this as so serious that they don’t want to air their grievances with President Biden via the press corps. But at least one took a more direct approach. That’s why Rep. Mike Levin, D-Calif., told the president what he believed he should do on a conference call with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Levin told President Biden to withdraw. Levin then published a statement saying it was time to “pass the torch.”

It’s unclear if President Biden will pass the torch.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

But lawmakers can certainly bypass the press corps on this nettlesome question now that Congress is out of session.



Source link

Yearslong tensions boil over as ex-Obama staffers gang up on Biden: ‘Clooney was exactly right’


The criticism from ex-Obama staffers aimed at President Biden, including calls for him to exit the 2024 presidential race, serve as a stark reminder of the well-known tensions between the former White House duo that go back nearly two decades.

The often testy relationship between Biden and Obama reportedly began shortly after the latter’s election to the Senate in 2004, when both men served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Obama, according to The New York Times, wasn’t fond of Biden’s often-long-winded speeches to the point where, on one occasion, he passed a note to a colleague reading, “Shoot. Me. Now.”

The two eventually found themselves facing off for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, where Biden, while announcing his campaign, controversially referred to Obama as “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.”

BIDEN, HARRIS DEFY CRITICS BY LAUNCHING FULL OFFENSIVE AIMED AT TYING TRUMP TO PROJECT 2025

Presidents Obama and Biden split

Former President Obama and President Biden. (Getty Images)

The intense blowback from the comment led to an apology from Biden, and Obama telling reporters, “I have no problem with Joe Biden.” 

Biden eventually dropped out of the race after a dismal showing in the Iowa caucuses, but was subsequently picked by Obama to be his running mate. The two ultimately defeated Republican nominees John McCain and Sarah Palin.

The first few months of their administration reportedly saw frequent disagreements between the two, including a clash over Obama publicly diminishing Biden while speaking to reporters — which he later agreed with an upset Biden to avoid doing — and eye rolls from the former while the latter spoke during meetings.

Biden was reportedly frustrated with Obama’s cautious decision-making process, and disagreed with him on a number of issues, including sending more troops to Afghanistan at the request of military leadership.

Despite the disagreements, the two eventually developed a close partnership, and even friendship, before Obama reportedly dismissed a suggestion by close advisers to replace Biden in the 2012 re-election campaign with then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

GROWING LIST OF OBAMA ALLIES, FORMER ADVISERS LOOK TO SINK BIDEN RE-ELECTION BID

Obama and Biden

President Obama smiles alongside Vice President Biden before signing healthcare insurance reform legislation during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 23, 2010. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Obama was close to Biden and provided strength and support for his family in the lead up to, and following, the death of his son, Beau Biden, from a form of brain cancer, but later worked to convince his vice president not to seek the 2016 Democratic nomination in favor of Clinton.

“The president was not encouraging,” Biden later acknowledged, according to The New York Times. He never publicly expressed disappointment in Obama favoring Clinton, but did reportedly feel he would have been a stronger opponent to then-Republican nominee Donald Trump.

When Biden did eventually launch another presidential campaign in 2019, Obama decided not to endorse him, and instead opted to let the primary process play out. He did eventually offer his endorsement in August 2020 after Biden had secured the nomination.

The tension between the two, despite being friends, appeared to have gone nowhere throughout the campaign when Obama reportedly expressed doubts about Biden’s fitness for office.

“Don’t underestimate Joe’s ability to f— things up,” a Democratic source recalled Obama saying on one occasion, according to Politico.

‘OBAMA BROS’ GANG UP ON BIDEN AS LONGSTANDING RUMORS OF TENSION LINGER: ‘HARD TO WATCH’

Joe Biden, Barack Obama

This White House handout photo shows President Obama and Vice President Biden in the Oval Office of the White House during the President’s Daily Economic Briefing on July 30, 2009. (Pete Souza/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden has often compared himself to Obama throughout his presidency, even to the point of frequently using the phrase, “Obama would be jealous,” when talking about an accomplishment, according to a report from Axios earlier this year.

Biden’s disappointing showing in the first presidential debate last month drove many former Obama advisers and allies to call for his exit from the race, despite the former president initially defending him. Those calls included former adviser Jon Favreau, widely known as one of the “Obama bros” during his time at the White House.

Favreau, who attended the same Los Angeles fundraiser that actor George Clooney referenced in his damaging New York Times guest essay calling on Biden to drop out of the presidential race, said during an appearance on CNN earlier this week that “Clooney was exactly right.”

Clooney wrote in his guest essay that the Biden who showed up at the fundraiser was “not the Joe ‘big F-ing deal’ Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.”

Ex-Obama adviser David Axelrod has also repeatedly criticized Biden, saying Friday while appearing on CNN that Biden “really needs a royal flush to win this race” against former President Trump.

“There are certain immutable facts of life,” Axelrod said in a separate CNN interview while discussing Biden’s age and leadership. “Those were painfully obvious on that debate stage. The president just … hasn’t come to grips with it. He’s not winning this race.”

President Biden and political strategist David Axelrod split image

Ex-Obama adviser David Axelrod, right, criticized President Biden’s debate performance and ABC News interview. (AP Photo / Getty Images)

Jon Favreau, Joe Biden, George Clooney split

From left: former Obama adviser Jon Favreau, President Biden and actor George Clooney. (Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Reports have also surfaced that Obama has been working “behind the scenes” to force Biden out of the race. Multiple media outlets reported Thursday morning on Obama’s alleged efforts, including Politico, which stated that the former president had been given a “heads-up” by Clooney about his guest essay.

A source close to Obama declined to comment on the reports but pointed Fox News Digital to the former president’s statements in support of Biden, both at the Los Angeles fundraiser that became the subject of Clooney’s op-ed and following the debate.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Friday responded to a recent claim by Trump that Obama “never respected” Biden throughout their time in office. She said Biden and Obama have “a close relationship,” but couldn’t speak to the details of any recent call or conversation between the two.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.



Source link

Biden campaign hypes president’s foreign policy chops after high-stakes NATO press conference


The Biden campaign is taking a victory lap after President Biden’s highly anticipated NATO press conference on Thursday, claiming he not only met expectations but surpassed them.

A Biden campaign official told Fox News Digital that Biden’s performance was what the American people were looking for and praised the president’s insightful responses to questions that went into great detail on foreign policy, including the Russia-Ukraine War, China and other topics dealing with foreign affairs.

The campaign also believes that the performance proved Biden can handle Trump and believes that substance over style matters, and it matters to voters who will ultimately be swayed by the actual merits of what the two candidates are saying.

Biden, according to the campaign, articulately laid out the economic progress under his watch and discussed complex foreign policy issues in a way that Trump is unable to do.

HUNGARY’S ORBAN DITCHES NATO SUMMIT TO MEET WITH DONALD TRUMP

Biden NATO

President Biden speaks at a news conference during the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Biden, during the press conference, was also peppered with questions from reporters who pressed him on whether he would step aside amid mounting pressure from members within his own party following his disastrous debate performance last month.

Despite the glowing review, the campaign source acknowledged that one night, be it a debate or a press conference, will not significantly move the needle in terms of votes and voters will instead be moved by robust campaigning, knocking on doors, phone calls, advertisements and campaign travel, which Biden plans to do more of in the coming weeks as part of a “full bore” schedule.

Biden said he is “determined” to stay in the race and maintained that he is fit to serve as president now and for the next four years. 

While some Democrats rushed to defend Biden’s NATO press conference, Republicans pointed to gaffes from the day, including a response from Biden where he referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump.” Biden also introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” shortly before the press conference before correcting himself seconds later.

“President Putin? He’s going to beat President Putin. President Zelenskyy. I’m so focused on beating Putin,” Biden said. “We got to worry about it. Anyway, Mr. President.”

BIDEN SAYS ‘ANYWAY’ AT LEAST 9 TIMES WHILE TRAILING OFF IN PRESS CONFERENCE

President Joe Biden

President Biden walks on the South Lawn to board Marine One before departing the White House in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 8, 2023. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The Trump campaign told Fox News Digital that it views the highly anticipated and much-scrutinized news conference as a win-win for the former president.

“It appears Biden did enough to convince his apologists that he should remain on the ballot, but he also reinforced what the American people know. Their lives are being hurt by his weakness and failure on a daily basis,” a Trump campaign official, who asked for anonymity to speak more freely, told Fox News Digital.

A large majority of Americans want Biden to drop out of the race, including a majority of his own supporters, according to a Thursday poll from ABC News and The Washington Post that was released ahead of his press conference.

Donald Trump arrives to Trump Tower after being found guilty

Donald Trump arrives at Trump Tower in New York after being found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree on May 30. (Felipe Ramales for Fox News Digital)

 A full 67% of respondents said Biden should drop out of the race, and 85% say he is too old to serve out a second term. Meanwhile, 60% of respondents also said former President Trump is too old for a second term, up from 44% in the spring of 2023.

Biden has remained defiant in the face of calls for him to step down, and a campaign spokesperson aboard Air Force One on Friday said that donations on the night of the NATO press conference were significant.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“Since last night we’ve seen a strong support across our coalition,” the campaign said. “Most importantly, we see it with our grassroots base. We had close to 40,000 donations last night alone. Donations exploded during the president’s press conference. In fact, we’ve hit 7 times our average during the press conference.”

The campaign also pushed back against critics who highlight Biden’s long track record of gaffes by releasing a two-minute video highlighting Trump’s mishaps on the campaign trail in an attempt to paint him as “feeble.”

Fox News Digital’s Kyle Morris, Brooke Singman and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.



Source link

Hunter Biden, Rosie O’Donnell seen leaving Nobu prior to NATO summit


Join Fox News for access to this content

You have reached your maximum number of articles. Log in or create an account FREE of charge to continue reading.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

Hunter Biden was spotted leaving a swanky Malibu, California restaurant shortly before comedian Rosie O’Donnell, who recently joined a growing number of Democrats saying that President Biden should end his reelection bid, The Sun first reported.

The 54-year-old first son and convicted felon was seen leaving Nobu, a trendy celebrity hotspot, on Thursday evening just minutes before President Joe Biden was scheduled to deliver his remarks at the NATO summit.

Biden was seen sporting a dress shirt and khakis while O’Donnel was seen wearing casual shorts. It’s unclear if the two met inside the restaurant.

BIDEN STUMBLES OVER ZELENSKYY INTRODUCTION, CALL UKRAINIAN LEADER ‘PRESIDENT PUTIN’

Hunter Biden is seen out for lunch at Nobu

Hunter Biden is seen out for lunch at Nobu on Thursday, July 11, 2024. (MEGA)

The pictures were snapped just before the president participated in his highly-anticipated NATO summit in Washington D.C.

The president’s participation in the summit and a subsequent press conference came as the 81-year-old attempted to repair his public perception after his disastrous debate performance that left Democratic donors, like O’Donnell, looking to ditch Biden.

“Joe Biden- thank u for all u have give our country – time to pass the torch – now- and for God’s sake Democrats, GET IT TOGETHER b4 it’s too late,” O’Donnell wrote in an Instagram post, with an image of California Governor Gavin Newsom, following the presidential debate.

While responding to a comment about whether Biden was fit to run, O’Donnell replied, “I believe we will have a better chance to defeat Trump with another candidate.”

Another user said the debate was not a call to replace him, but she responded, “It’s time.”

Rosie O'Donnell enjoys lunch with friends at Nobu Restaurant in Malibu

Rosie O’Donnell enjoys lunch with friends at Nobu Restaurant in Malibu, despite sporting a bandaged ankle. (Backgrid)

O’Donnell’s public commentary that President Biden should step down and refuse the Democratic nomination comes as a growing number of celebrities look to urge the elderly president to pass the torch.

Long-time supporters, like author Stephen King and actor George Clooney, have called on Biden to step down.

“Joe Biden has been a fine president, but it’s time for him – in the interests of the America he so clearly loves – to announce he will not run for re-election,” King wrote on X.

5 TAKEAWAYS FROM BIDEN’S COMEBACK PRESS CONFERENCE

Clooney’s response came later in a New York Times opinion piece titled I Love Joe Biden. But We Need a New Nominee.

“I love Joe Biden. As a senator. As a vice president and as president. I consider him a friend, and I believe in him. Believe in his character. Believe in his morals. In the last four years, he’s won many of the battles he’s faced,” Clooney wrote.

“But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can. It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe ‘big F-ing deal’ Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.”

Joe Biden solo press conference

US President Joe Biden at a news conference during the NATO Summit in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, July 11, 2024. (Getty Images)

Biden has bucked calls to drop out, vowing to remain in the race as his campaign and the White House ramp up his number of public events in an apparent effort to quell concerns the president isn’t up for another four-year term in the Oval Office.

BIDEN PRESSING ON WITH ‘FULL BORE’ SCHEDULE, DESPITE ADMISSION HE NEEDS TO SLOW ‘PACE’

Biden’s NATO introduction of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy included an embarrassing gaffe that mistakenly called the Eastern European president “President Putin.”

“And now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination,” Biden said, before starting to leave the podium. “Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin.”

President Joe Biden and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

NATO leaders convene in Washington this week for the annual summit to discuss future strategies and commitments and mark the 75th anniversary of the alliance’s founding.  (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Biden seemed to realize his embarrassing verbal stumble mentioning Russian President Vladimir Putin, and attempted to quickly correct himself.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“He’s going to beat President Putin. President Zelenskyy. I’m so focused on beating Putin,” he said. “We got to worry about it. Anyway, Mr. President.”

Following his botched introduction, Biden conducted what the White House called a “big boy” press conference – his first solo press conference this year.





Source link

Johnson touts GOP unity over record-breaking fundraising numbers ahead of RNC


Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is touting unity within his party as the House GOP’s campaign arm celebrates breaking a record in election year fundraising.

“This week, House Democrats voted to let illegal aliens vote in American elections, voted against protecting girls sports and fell further into disarray following their role in the greatest political cover-up in history when it comes to President Biden’s fitness for office,” Johnson told Fox News Digital. “At the same time, House Republicans passed commonsense legislation and put up record-setting fundraising numbers to grow our majority.

“As Republicans head to Milwaukee to nominate President Trump, our party has never been more united, energized and equipped with the resources needed to win up and down the ballot.”

It comes as the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the House GOP’s campaign arm, announced it raised $37 million in the second quarter of 2024, its highest-ever election year total for that time period.

SOURCES SAY BIDEN FUNDRAISING TAKES A HIT AMID RISING CALLS FROM DEMOCRATS FOR PRESIDENT TO END 2024 CAMPAIGN

Speaker Mike Johnson

Speaker Mike Johnson is touting House Republicans’ massive fundraising haul this quarter. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

The NRCC also said it had the best June on record, with $14.3 million of that total number coming in one month alone.

It’s served to further push back questions over whether Johnson can match the fundraising prowess of his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. Johnson himself brought in $23.5 million in the second quarter of 2024.

His numbers, along with the NRCC’s total and the House GOP leadership-aligned Congressional Leadership Fund’s announced $46.4 million raised, mean House Republicans have added over $100 million to their war chest in this time period.

The haul also comes before the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Wisconsin, where former President Trump will be formally declared the party’s nominee for November.

TRUMP’S STAGGERING SECOND-QUARTER HAUL TOPS BIDEN’S MASSIVE FUNDRAISING IN 2024 REMATCH CASH DASH

Trump at Virginia rally

The fundraising haul comes right before the Republican National Convention, where former President Trump will be named the nominee. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Republicans’ confidence in keeping and possibly expanding their razor-thin House majority appears to have shot through the roof over the last two weeks as Democrats deal with the fallout of President Biden’s disastrous late June debate performance.

The 81-year-old leader’s poor showing against Trump has raised concerns among members of his own party over whether he can win again in November and serve another four years.

It prompted 17 House Democrats and one Democratic senator to call on Biden to withdraw from the race.

But the quarter ended June 30, and the debate took place June 27, so a fuller picture of its impact on GOP fundraising will likely be seen in the beginning of the second half of the year.

THE VEEPSTAKES GOES ‘APPRENTICE’: WILL TRUMP REALLY PICK RUBIO, VANCE OR BURGUM?

Biden CNN debate

Democrats have been in crisis since President Biden’s performance in the CNN Presidential Debate. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

When asked about his advice for Republican candidates as they watch Democrats in turmoil, Johnson told Fox News Digital Thursday, “We need to be talking about the answers we have to all the great challenges that have been created by the policies of the Biden administration.

“Our candidates have (done) very well in going out and presenting those answers in a very credible way. We feel very good about what we’re doing,” Johnson said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the House Democrats’ campaign arm for comment.



Source link

Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie shares update after wife’s passing: ‘Still devastated’


Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., posted a heartfelt tribute to his late wife Rhonda on Thursday, breaking his silence on social media for the first time in two weeks since her passing.

Massie wrote on X that he is “still devastated” by the loss of his wife, although “the four wonderful children she brought into this world and nurtured so perfectly have surrounded me with love and comfort.” 

“Over 1,000 friends and family attended her services and/or sent flowers and other tributes to her memory. I want to thank them and those of you who have prayed for us and who have honored Rhonda in other ways,” he continued. 

“Our family has cried hard and we have laughed at happy memories of her. With the help of others who have experienced similar losses, I have accepted I can get through this but I will never get over this. I don’t ever want to lose her memory.”

REP. THOMAS MASSIE ANNOUNCES PASSING OF HIS WIFE RHONDA

Thomas Massie and wife Rhonda

Then House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, left, conducts a ceremonial swearing-in ceremony with Rep.-elect Thomas Massie, R-Ky., as his wife Rhonda, looks on, in the Capitol in November 2012. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images)

On June 28, Massie announced that his wife of 35 years had died, though he did not disclose her cause of death. In a statement, he called her “the smartest kindest woman I ever knew, my beautiful and wise queen forever.” 

In the days since, various conspiracy theories have circulated online related to Rhonda Massie’s passing. The lawmaker shared that he at first reacted with “indignation” towards the gossip, but now is amused because “Rhonda would have laughed.” 

“Without violating her privacy, I can dismiss some of those theories by disclosing: she did not take the COVID shots (we were both seropositive by the time they became available), our house is very secure, family was in the house the night she passed, and an autopsy has been conducted (we do not yet have results),” Massie wrote.

REP. MASSIE PRESSES GARLAND ON CONSTITUTIONALITY OF SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH’S APPOINTMENT

Rep. Thomas Massie smiles in a committee hearing room

Massie has long been known as a Republican lawmaker who isn’t shy to defy House leadership.  (Getty Images)

“I have joked that after poring through hundreds of photographs of us since high school, the only credible conspiracy I can offer is a gorgeous girl who was a literal genius conspired to make a congressman, who would be steerable by no one but her, out of an awkward nerd by taking him as her boyfriend at age 16 and committing to decades of continuously molding him into something better.

“I am returning to work for the people of Kentucky’s Fourth Congressional District, and I beg your forgiveness for the votes I missed during this difficult period. With Rhonda no longer with me, I will strive to summon the grace and patience and wisdom she quietly and selflessly dedicated to the effort of serving you.” 

Massie represents Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, which encompasses more than a dozen counties near the cities of Louisville and Lexington.

THOMAS MASSIE, GOP REBEL WHO DEFIED TRUMP AND TRIED TO OUST JOHNSON, SURVIVES PRIMARY THREATS

Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie

Massie shared a loving tribute to his late wife, Rhonda, on social media two weeks after her passing.  (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Several colleagues and supporters replied with condolences to his loving tribute. 

“I teared up reading this. Really something. We’re here for you upon your return. Prayers for your beautiful family,” wrote Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

“We love you Thomas,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.

“Praying for you and your family, Rep. Massie,” wrote Oklahoma state Rep. Dusty Deevers. “‘The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace’ (Numbers 6:24-26).” 

Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report.



Source link

5 takeaways from President Biden’s press conference


President Biden held a highly anticipated solo press conference Thursday evening to speak with the White House press corps amid concerns about his mental fortitude.

For reporters, it was a definitive trial to determine if Biden’s confused and inarticulate demeanor at his first presidential debate against former President Trump was a fluke or a sign of a growing problem for the administration. 

Biden struggled with names — even for his own vice president

Before the press conference even began, Biden started out stumbling when he introduced Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” at the NATO conference in Washington, D.C.

“And now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination,” Biden said, before starting to leave the podium. “Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin.”

DEMS RUSH TO DEFEND BIDEN AMID HIGH-STAKES PRESS CONFERENCE: ‘VERY STRONG PERFORMANCE’

Biden press conference

President Biden speaks to reporters at a news conference during the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Biden seemed to realize his embarrassing verbal stumble mentioning Russian President Vladimir Putin and attempted to quickly correct himself.

“He’s going to beat President Putin. President Zelenskyy. I’m so focused on beating Putin,” he said. “We got to worry about it. Anyway, Mr. President.”

A similar gaffe happened once Biden began to speak, with the president confusing Vice President Kamala Harris with Trump.

“I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump if I didn’t think she was qualified to be president,” Biden told the press.

Biden had a list of reporters to call on

When President Biden finished his opening remarks, he opened the floor to questions but announced he had been “given a list of people to call on.”

The statement surprised many journalists, as the Biden administration’s reliance on screening questions and pre-approving reporters has been a consistent point of criticism.

Biden’s camp is touting him as a policy expert

During and after the press conference, Biden’s immediate team and wider ecosystem of allies were quick to tout the event as an overwhelming success.

Many claimed the president’s answers regarding foreign policy issues showed him to have expertise in international affairs.

BIDEN’S HIGH-STAKES SOLO PRESS CONFERENCE SLAMMED FROM THE RIGHT AS ‘ANOTHER DISASTER’

Joe Biden, Donald Trump

President Biden, right, and former President Trump argue on stage at the first presidential debate of the 2024 election. Biden’s performance at the event was so concerning, lawmakers in the Democratic Party have since questioned if he should stand for re-election. (Getty Images)

“To answer the question on everyone’s minds: No, Joe Biden does not have a doctorate in foreign affairs. He’s just that f—ing good,” White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates wrote in a post to X.

Joel Rubin, a former State Department official during the Obama administration, considered Biden’s performance to be “very strong.”

“This is a very strong performance. Quite frankly. ⁦@POTUS⁩ is putting on a master class in how foreign policy and domestic policy intersect, explaining how crucial American global leadership is to our people here at home. Well done, Mr. President,” Rubin wrote in a post on X.

One Democratic activist went so far as to say he believes there are “people who owe President Biden an apology” after the president’s press conference.

Republicans are calling it another disaster

The press conference was panned as a “disaster” on social media by conservatives, who criticized the president for a performance they said featured Biden stumbling through answers to reporters’ questions about foreign policy and the 2024 presidential race.

Many cracked jokes about the president’s multiple mix-ups on names, including Trump himself.

JEN PSAKI SAYS WHITE HOUSE RESPONSE TO BIDEN HEALTH CONCERNS IS FAILING: ‘STRATEGY IS NOT GOING WELL’

Biden press conference NATO

Some within President Biden’s camp have touted his performance at the press conference as proof of his expertise in foreign policy and fortitude. Others say his repeated gaffes and weak cadence further harmed his image. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Crooked Joe begins his ‘Big Boy’ Press Conference with, ‘I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president, though I think she was not qualified to be president.’ Great job, Joe!” Trump joked on his proprietary social media platform, Truth Social. 

Democrats are still divided on whether Biden needs to step down

Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that Democrats in Congress and supporters of the president want to see leadership in the effort to defeat Trump in November but cannot decide how to proceed.

“Nobody knows the path forward,” Psaki said. “And members of Congress and people who are rooting for him want to know, how do you win this race? How do you defeat Donald Trump? People just want a little something to go with, and they don’t have it.”

At least 10 House Democrats and one in the Senate have publicly called on Biden to end his re-election bid, and a growing number of both House and Senate Democrats have publicly and privately warned that the president will lose to Trump in November.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

jen psaki

Former White House press secretary, MSNBC host Jen Psaki said that President Biden’s team was not doing enough to show his “empathy” as concerns about Biden’s cognitive ability threaten his campaign. (NBC)

Former House Speaker House Nancy Pelosi said earlier this week the Democrats are keeping their thoughts on Biden quiet “until we see how we go this week.”

“Let’s just hold off,” she said on MSNBC. “Whatever you’re thinking, either tell somebody privately, but you don’t have to put that out on the table until we see how we go this week.”

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser, Jeffrey Clark, Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Emma Colton and Kyle Morris contributed to this report.



Source link

Trump leads Biden by double digits on 3 key issues: Pew Research


Join Fox News for access to this content

You have reached your maximum number of articles. Log in or create an account FREE of charge to continue reading.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

Former President Donald Trump maintains a lead over President Biden following the latter’s disastrous debate performance last month, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

According to the poll, Trump currently holds an approval rate of 44%, while Biden trails with 40% — with Trump leading Biden by double digits on three key issues.

Approximately 68% of respondents told Pew Research that they are generally unsatisfied with their available choices for the presidential election.

TRUMP APPROVAL RATING TOPS 50% AS HE LEADS BIDEN ON VOTERS’ TOP TWO ISSUES: POLL

Trump talking to a crowd.

Trump gives a speech at a campaign rally in Racine, Wisconsin. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

The report published Thursday is Pew’s first to come out since Biden’s confused and sometimes unintelligible performance at the first 2024 presidential debate.

Only about 24% of voters describe Biden as “mentally sharp” — a 6 point drop since January and a whopping 22% decline since Oct. 2020, according to Pew. Approximately 58% of respondents described Trump as such.

Trump’s advantage over Biden comes from his dominant position on three issues important to voters: immigration, the economy and foreign policy. 

POLL COMPARES WHETHER TRUMP, HUNTER BIDEN SHOULD GET PRISON SENTENCES, ACCORDING TO US ADULTS

presidents trump and biden during the debate

Trump and Biden participate in the first presidential debate of the 2024 elections at CNN’s studios in Atlanta, Georgia. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Trump holds a 17 point lead over Biden on immigration policy (52-35%), a 14 point lead over Biden on economic policy (54-40%), and a 10 point lead on foreign policy (49-39).

Biden netted an 8 point advantage over Trump on bipartisanship (40-32%) and a 4 point advantage on abortion issues (48-44%).

Third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. received one of his largest cuts of the electorate in a major poll yet, netting 15% of respondents.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Biden walks near White House

Biden walks across the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., after returning from a trip to Pennsylvania. (AP/Susan Walsh)

The Pew survey was conducted by live interviewers online or by telephone between July 1 and July 7. Pew Research Center contacted 9,424 adults, 7,729 of which were registered voters.

The pool of respondents was weighted to represent “gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other factors” in the U.S. adult population. The poll has a margin of error of approximately 1.3 percentage points.



Source link

Rep. Clyburn defends Biden as ‘one of the best minds’ he’s ever worked with


Another Democratic lawmaker has weighed in on President Biden’s mental fortitude and whether he is capable of holding office for a second term.

Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., admitted to NBC in a Friday interview that Biden is not the same person as he was four years ago, but asserted that he is still “mentally” fit with one of the “best minds” he’s ever worked with.

“You’re traveling with him next week, you’ve spent more time with the president than just about anybody else in the House, is this the same Joe Biden that we saw two years ago?” interviewer Craig Melvin asked Clyburn, who had endorsed Biden in the 2020 presidential race. 

DEFIANT BIDEN SAYS HE’S ‘DETERMINED ON RUNNING,’ AS NEW POLL AFTER PRESSER SHOWS SLIGHT LEAD OVER TRUMP

Biden press conference

Biden held a news conference with members of the White House press corps during the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., on July 11, 2024.  (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Well, look, I grew up in…” Clyburn started to say before he was asked again, “Is it the same Joe Biden?” 

“No,” Clyburn said emphatically, adding that, “I’m not the same Jim Clyburn that I was four years ago.” 

Clyburn later said he doesn’t think Biden, physically, is the same as he was during the last presidential election cycle. 

TOP DEMOCRAT ON THE HOUSE INTEL COMMITTEE RESPONDS TO BIDEN’S PRESS CONFERENCE

Rep. James Clyburn

Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., talks with reporters in the U.S. Capitol following the presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“Mentally, I do think so,” Clyburn declared. “He is still grasping what this country is all about.” 

“He has one of the best minds that I have ever been around. The people who’ve been around him will tell you that, and so I would hope that we will focus on the substance of this man, rather than these sometimes, misspoken words and phrases, and how he has run this country.”

Biden faced a wave of mockery online Thursday after he introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” ahead of his press conference.

PELOSI IS WORKING TO UNDERMINE BIDEN’S ATTEMPT TO END DISCUSSION OF HIS CANDIDACY: REPORT

President Joe Biden and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy participate in the launching of the Ukraine Compact at the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, DC. Biden accidentally introduced Zelenskyy as “Putin” — the president of Russia responsible for the invasion of his home country. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

During the conference, Biden also referred to his Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, as his vice-president.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Biden was peppered with questions from reporters who pressed him on whether he would step aside amid mounting pressure from members within his own party following his disastrous debate performance last month.

The president dismissed the notion he’s “slowing down” and insisted he was “determined on running” in this year’s election.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman and Brooke Singman contributed to this report. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.



Source link

Biden says he’d drop out if polls showed ‘no way’ to win after declaring only ‘Lord Almighty’ can make him


President Biden is now declaring he would leave the 2024 race for the White House if polls showed there was “no way” he could win, after only a week ago saying it would take the “Lord Almighty” for him to drop out.

The 81-year-old president is facing mounting calls to step aside from members of his own party amid concerns he does not have the physical or mental strength to beat former President Trump nor carry out another four-year term.

Biden took questions from reporters in an hourlong press conference Thursday night as he sought to allay those concerns. The event came on the heels of Washington, D.C.’s NATO summit, though the media’s questions largely focused on Biden’s re-election.

One reporter asked the president whether he would reconsider staying in the race if his own team presented data showing Vice President Kamala Harris doing better against Trump than himself.

DEMS RUSH TO DEFEND BIDEN AMID HIGH STAKES PRESS CONFERENCE: ‘VERY STRONG PERFORMANCE’

Joe Biden in press conference

President Biden held a press conference during the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, July 11, 2024. (Getty Images)

“No,” Biden said. “Unless they came back and said, there’s no way you can win. Me.”

The president added in his trademark whisper, “There’s no one saying that. No poll says that.”

Nearly a week ago last Friday, however, he told ABC News host George Stephanopoulos that his political fate was up to deities rather than data.

Per the network’s unedited transcript of the interview, Biden said, when asked whether he would drop out if he was convinced by allies that he could not beat Trump, “It depends on- on if the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me that, I might do that.”

TOP DEMOCRAT ON HOUSE INTEL COMMITTEE CALLS ON BIDEN TO SUSPEND CAMPAIGN AFTER NATO PRESS CONFERENCE

Biden ABC interview

President Biden’s press conference comes after his interview last Friday with ABC News. (Screenshot/ABC)

When pressed again, he insisted, “Look. I mean, if the Lord Almighty came down and said, ‘Joe, get outta the race,’ I’d get outta the race. The Lord Almighty’s not comin’ down.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Biden campaign for comment.

A new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll released Friday morning shows Biden two points ahead of Trump in a head-to-head rematch, though Trump is one percentage point above Biden when factoring in third-party options. Both results fell within the survey’s 3.1% margin of error.

BIDEN’S HIGH-STAKES SOLO PRESS CONFERENCE SLAMMED FROM THE RIGHT AS ‘ANOTHER DISASTER’

Donald Trump, Joe Biden debate in Atlanta

President Biden, right, is facing calls to drop his re-election bid in the wake of his performance at the CNN Presidential Debate. ( Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Several of Biden’s supporters lauded his press conference performance Thursday night, arguing he showed a commanding and clear sense of foreign policy experience. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., told CNN’s Anderson Cooper, “I think he convinced a lot of people he should stay in the race.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

For others, however, it was too late. Three more House Democrats called on Biden to step aside after the press conference, including Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the House permanent select committee on Intelligence.

As of Friday morning, there are 20 Congressional Democrats who have publicly called on Biden to drop out.



Source link

Biden, Harris defy critics by launching full offensive aimed at tying Trump to Project 2025


Join Fox News for access to this content

Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account – free of charge.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are defying critics calling for the president to step away from the 2024 presidential race by launching a full offensive aimed at tying former President Trump to the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 platform.

The effort comes amid Trump’s attempt to distance himself from Project 2025, a highly scrutinized initiative that’s been portrayed as a blueprint for a future Republican administration to restructure many parts of the U.S. government. Trump has described elements of the plan as “ridiculous” and “abysmal.”

It also comes as Biden faces increased calls from many in his own party to bow out of the race following a disappointing showing in the first presidential debate last month. 

BIDEN CAMPAIGN SCHEDULE REVEALS PRESIDENT’S PLANS AMID CALLS TO EXIT 2024 RACE

Joe Biden, Donald Trump. Kamala Harris split

President Biden, former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. (Getty Images)

“Donald Trump’s Project 2025 team is stacked with the same extremists who helped him rip away women’s freedoms, round up and deport Latinos, and undermine our democracy in his first term,” Biden campaign spokeswoman Sarafina Chitika told Fox News Digital.

“If Trump wins this election, his Project 2025 allies will work around the clock to make sure he can go even further to ban abortion nationwide, gut Social Security and Medicare, and rule as a ‘dictator on day one.’ Donald Trump and Project 2025 are one and the same — and voters are going to make sure they both lose this November.”

Although it’s not officially associated with Trump’s campaign, Chitika’s use of the term “Trump’s Project 2025 team” is a reference to the individuals who created the initiative in 2023 largely having previously held roles within the former president’s administration, including Paul Dans, who directed the project and served as Trump’s White House Liaison to the Office of Personnel Management. 

OBAMA SILENT OVER REPORTS HE’S WORKING ‘BEHIND THE SCENES’ TO FORCE BIDEN OUT OF THE 2024 RACE

Donald Trump with MAGA hat

Former President Trump appears at a campaign event at Trump National Doral Golf Club in Miami on Tuesday. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Dans’ associates constructing the initiative, Spencer Chretien and Troup Hemenway, served respectively as a special assistant to Trump and in the Presidential Personnel Office. In fact, 81% of individuals who worked on the initiative held formal roles within the Trump administration, and some current aides have also assisted with the project.

Biden and Harris’ rhetoric on the campaign trail in recent weeks has sought to shift focus to the project, not just as a likely distraction from the pressure facing Biden, but also because they see it as a winning message to moderate swing state voters who could very well decide the election.

“Trump’s advisers have created a 900-page blueprint — called ‘Project 2025’ — detailing everything else they plan to do in a second term, including a plan to cut Social Security, repeal our $35 cap on insulin, eliminate the Department of Education and end programs like Head Start,” Harris said at a campaign stop in Nevada on Tuesday.

GROWING LIST OF OBAMA ALLIES, FORMER ADVISERS LOOK TO SINK BIDEN RE-ELECTION BID

Vice President Kamala Harris at podium

Vice President Kamala Harris addresses supporters at a campaign event at Resorts World Las Vegas in Las Vegas on Tuesday. (Rachel Aston/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

“Donald Trump wants to turn our democracy into a dictatorship, and the Supreme Court basically just declared he can get away with it,” she later added, referencing the Supreme Court’s ruling last week that a president has substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts committed while in office.

Trump disavowed Project 2025 in a post on Truth Social last week, saying he didn’t know who was behind the initiative that offers recommendations on how a future Republican president can begin to enact conservative changes upon entering office, including overhauling the Justice Department and the FBI, as well as tackling issues like abortion and immigration.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it,” Trump wrote. “I disagree with some of the things they’re saying and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.”

Trump’s campaign took aim at the attempts to tie him to Project 2025 on Thursday, telling Fox News Digital, “Agenda 47 and President Trump’s RNC Platform are the only policies endorsed by President Trump for a second term.

“Team Biden and the DNC are LYING and fear-mongering because they have NOTHING else to offer the American people. Remember this is the same group that lied to Americans and hid Joe Biden’s cognitive decline all these years.”

Fox News’ Kyle Morris, Andrew Mark Miller and Cameron Cawthorne contributed to this report.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.



Source link

Pelosi is working to undermine Biden’s attempt to end discussion of his candidacy: report


Former House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., publicly supports President Biden as he faces calls to withdraw from the 2024 presidential election. But in private, she is reportedly encouraging lawmakers to continue to put pressure on Biden to reconsider his decision to run for re-election, according to reports. 

A number of House Democrats told The Hill that Pelosi is advising members in their conference against rallying to Biden before there is a broader discussion over whether he is the best candidate to defeat former President Trump. While she has not called on Biden to step aside, Pelosi is reportedly telling vulnerable lawmakers in swing districts to do so if they think that will help them win re-election.

“I did have a conversation with her, she is very concerned,” one House Democratic lawmaker told The Hill. “It’s not like she’s like, ‘We’re sticking with this guy.'”

Lawmakers quoted in the report were granted anonymity to speak frankly about sensitive discussions in their conference. 

PELOSI SNAPS AT REPORTER ASKING IF SHE WANTS BIDEN TO DROP OUT OF THE RACE: ‘AM I SPEAKING ENGLISH TO YOU?’

Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden

Pelosi greets Biden in the Rotunda as he arrives to pay his respects to the late Rep. Don Young (R-Ark.) while lying in state in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol March 29, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

“I’ve had my own conversations with her,” a second Democrat reportedly said. 

“It’s just an obvious concern. The stakes are so high. We can’t afford to do anything but have our best possible opportunity to win,” the lawmaker said, relaying Pelosi’s message to the conference, according to The Hill.

Pelosi is a longtime Biden ally. She led House Democrats for the entirety of Biden’s two terms as vice president and served as House speaker for the first two years of his presidency, ushering major pieces of Biden’s agenda through Congress, including the American Rescue Plan and bipartisan infrastructure law.

Even so, she likes to win. And Pelosi has repeatedly said that Trump represents an existential threat to democracy who must be defeated in November, a feat Democrats are not certain Biden can accomplish. 

MEDIA FIGURES SHOCKED AT BIDEN’S ‘BAD’ DEBATE PERFORMANCE: ‘TOTAL AND COMPLETE DISASTER’

President Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi

Biden and Pelosi arrive for a signing ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 9, 2022.  (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The report said that Pelosi’s work behind-the-scenes is a response to how the Biden campaign and White House reacted to criticisms of the president’s disastrous debate performance on June 27—denying that there’s a problem with Biden’s age or mental acuity and stubbornly insisting that Democrats have no alternative to the status quo. 

Biden maintained that position during a roughly hour-long news conference on Thursday, where he took multiple questions from reporters to allay concerns that he is too old and too mentally deficient to carry Democrats through the election and keep the White House. 

“I’m determined on running,” Biden declared. 

“Am I getting the job done? Can you name me somebody who’s got more major pieces of legislation passed in 3½ years? I created 2,000 jobs just last week,” the president said. “So, if I slow down, I can’t get the job done, that’s a sign that I shouldn’t be doing it. But there’s no indication of that yet. None.”

PROMINENT DEMS CAST DOUBT ON BIDEN’S CLAIM HE’S STAYING IN RACE

President Biden news conference

Biden at a news conference during the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, July 11, 2024. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The president on Monday sent a letter to congressional Democrats asserting that criticisms of his candidacy “only helps Trump and hurts us.” But his attempts to strong-arm Democratic lawmakers have not stifled dissent. On the contrary, they appear to have emboldened those who believe Biden is not taking his critics seriously. 

“Pelosi speaks for the sense that, if you’re going to circle the wagons, you need a lot more wagons in the circle,” a third Democratic lawmaker told The Hill. “You have to have a real conversation with people to decide it all together. And you can’t present people with a judgment.”

Pelosi’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The White House and the Biden campaign also did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital inquiries. 

Pelosi spokesman Ian Krager told The Hill: “Speaker Pelosi fully supports whatever President Biden decides to do. We must turn our attention to why this race is so important: Donald Trump would be a disaster for our country and our democracy.” 

DEMS RUSH TO DEFEND BIDEN AMID HIGH-STAKES PRESS CONFERENCE: ‘VERY STRONG PERFORMANCE’

On Wednesday, Pelosi insinuated that there is still a decision to be made on whether Biden will seek re-election, despite the president already stating on several occasions that he is staying in the race.

“It’s up to the president to decide if he is going to run. We are all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short,” Pelosi told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Wednesday. “He’s beloved, he’s respected, and people want him to make that decision.”

Asked about Biden already making it clear he intends to run, Pelosi again suggested that there is a still a decision to be made.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“I want him to do whatever he decides to do, and that’s the way it is. Whatever he decides, we go with,” Pelosi said.

Regardless of whatever private discussions that may be happening, Pelosi publicly contradicted the president and opened the door for other Democrats to do the same. At least 17 Democratic lawmakers have now openly called on Biden to step aside from the nomination. The discussion is far from over, and Biden’s future is uncertain. 

Fox News Digital’s Aubry Spady and Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.



Source link

Biden’s staunchest supporters featured prominently among potential successors


Join Fox News for access to this content

Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account – free of charge.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

Prominent Democrats being floated as replacements for President Biden as their party’s nominee are defending his candidacy despite other members of the party calling on him to step down.

Biden is facing calls from nearly a dozen Democratic lawmakers to step down as the 2024 nominee following his damaging performance at the first presidential debate.

While many Democrats are voicing concerns over his ability to serve, several lawmakers being named as potential Biden replacements should he step down are amplifying their support for the president.

Democrats Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg have all shown support for Biden’s re-election efforts since being named as potential candidates to replace Biden.

FETTERMAN DOUBLES DOWN ON SUPPORT FOR BIDEN AMID CALLS FOR HIM TO WITHDRAW: ‘HE’S BEEN A GREAT PRESIDENT’

“@JoeBiden is in it to win it, and I’m damn proud to support him,” Whitmer wrote in a post on X Wednesday.

Biden et al

(L-R) President of the United Auto Workers Ray Curry, President Biden, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow arrive to tour the 2022 North American International Auto Show in Detroit Sept, 14, 2022. (Mandel Ngan)

Whitmer defended the president several times after the debate and most recently suggested on CNN that it wouldn’t hurt for Biden to take a cognitive test to address concerns about his mental competency.

HUGE MAJORITY OF DEMOCRATS SAY BIDEN MUST STEP ASIDE EVEN AS BIDEN-TRUMP HORSE RACE IS TIED: POLL

Newsom hit the campaign trial for Biden after the debate, telling voters the president has the energy to serve another term as president.

“I was asked and tasked by President Biden, proudly, to fly from California to Georgia to represent the campaign right after that debate,” Newsom recently told supporters at a Van Buren Dems BBQ for Biden-Harris in Michigan. 

Newsom joined 20 Democratic governors in a private meeting with Biden at the White House just days after the debate, which he claims eased concerns over the president’s fitness.

Newsom campaigns on lawn with Biden flags

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks with supporters during a stop July 4, 2024, at the Van Buren County Democratic Party Fourth of July reception in South Haven, Mich.  (Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium)

“It could have gone two or three hours,” Newsom said of the meeting. “And I mean this with absolute conviction. That was the Joe Biden I remember from two weeks ago. That was the Joe Biden that I remember from two years ago. That’s the Joe Biden that I’m looking forward to re-electing as president of the United States.”

Pritzker also voiced support for Biden this week amid growing backlash over the debate.

“I’m not engaging in hypotheticals. You can see that I’m all in for Joe Biden,” he said. “Joe Biden is going to be the nominee of the Democratic Party. I’m gonna go out there and wholeheartedly campaign for him.”

Pritzker added that Biden is “of course” physically and mentally fit to serve. 

Tina Smith and J.B. pritzker

Sen Tina Smith, D-Minn., and J.B. Pritzker, governor of Illinois, during a news conference hosted by Biden-Harris 2024 National Advisory Board members in Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 15, 2024. (Rachel Mummey)

Beshear told reporters that while the president did not perform well at the debate, he is still supporting his re-election bid.

“The debate performance was rough. It was a very bad night for the president, but he is still the candidate. Only he can make decisions about his future candidacy. So, as long as he continues to be in the race, I support him,” Beshear said.

Buttigieg told Spectrum News in an interview after the debate that, despite any concerns, Biden remains a “focused and disciplined leader.”

Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro at the Celebration of Freedom Ceremony during Wawa Welcome America July 4, 2023, in Philadelphia. (Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images)

Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, another candidate mentioned as a potential replacement for Biden, played a slightly different tune and suggested Biden needs to make his case to the American people that he can win in November.

“The president has a responsibility to reassure the good people of Pennsylvania and the people of this country that he can defeat Donald Trump,” Shapiro told Axios in a statement.

Vice President Kamala Harris is considered the top candidate to step in and replace Biden should he be replaced as the nominee.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Despite growing calls to drop out of the race, Biden has made several public declarations that he will not step aside.



Source link