Biden continues campaign push while Democrats hold ‘crisis talks’ to discuss future of 2024 race: Live

President Joe Biden spent time over the weekend on the campaign trail in Pennslyvania, trying to rally support while the fallout from his disastrous first presidential debate continues to grow.

On Sunday morning, Biden spoke at Mount Airy Church of God in Christ in Philadelphia where he told congregates about the importance of faith and remaining positive about the future of America. He then briefly met with campaign staff before heading to the state capital to meet with union members and local Democrats, including Senator John Fetterman.

His agenda coincided with crisis talks among top Democrats in the House to discuss the future of Biden’s bid for the White House as he faces growing pressure to drop out of the race from members of his own party.

In those closed-door crisis talks, convened by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, several influential Democrats said it was time for Biden to step aside.

Now, at least five House Democrats have publicly called for the president to step aside and allow another candidate – likely Kamala Harris – to take his place as the Democratic nominee.

Despite the calls, Biden has remained adamant that he will run for president and defeat Trump.

Key Points

• Crisis talks break down: Several top House Democrats call for Biden to step aside

• House Republicans demand Biden’s doctor sits for interview

• Biden continues campaign push in Pennsylvania

• Adam Schiff hits out at ‘concerning’ Biden interview answer

Rubio tries to put distance between Project 2025 and Trump

06:00 , Ariana Baio

Florida Senator Marco Rubio, a possible contender for Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick, went to bat for the former president on Sunday by trying to distance the presumptive Republican nominee from Project 2025.

“Think tanks do think tank stuff they come up with ideas, they say things,” Rubio told CNN’s State of the Union when he was asked if he was “comfortable” with the policies outlined in the project headed by the conservative Heritage Foundation.

Ariana Baio reports:

Rubio puts distance between Project 2025 and Trump as VP audition ramps up

Watch: Democratic Rep Adam Schiff Urges Biden To 'Make The Right Decision' When Deciding To Stay In Or Leave 2024 Race

04:00 , Ariana Baio

Fetterman backs Biden: ‘I know what it’s like to have a rough debate’

02:00 , Ariana Baio

Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman has thrown his full support behind President Joe Biden, telling Biden campaign staffers that the president is the best option to defeat Donald Trump.

“I know what it’s like to have a rough debate and I’m standing here as your senator,” Fetterman said.

Biden’s woes worsen as Hunter plays adviser: ‘The s** is going to hit the fan’

01:00 , Rachel Sharp

Joe Biden’s problems got even worse on Sunday as he completed a short campaign swing through battleground state Pennsylvania.

Congress remains out of session until Monday, when many lawmakers will face their first real pressure to answer questions about the president’s future. But already the first hints of a landslide were visible as Democrats issued statements calling on the president to step aside — or at least have a serious conversation about doing so.

That list got longer on Sunday. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the head of the House Democratic caucus, convened a call with his members as the weekend drew to a close.

Read on...

Biden’s woes worsen as Hunter plays adviser: ‘The sh** is going to hit the fan’

Democratic rep says it’s Biden choice to remain or leave 2024 race

Monday 8 July 2024 00:00 , Ariana Baio

Democratic Representative Adam Schiff expressed some hesitations about President Joe Biden remaining in the 2024 presidential race, hinting that other options like the vice president could “overwhelmingly” win but said that decision was ultimately up to Biden himself.

“I think the vice president would be a phenomenal president, I think she has the experience, the judgment, the leadership ability to be an extraordinary president,” Schiff told Meet the Press on Sunday

“But before we get into a decision about who else should be, the president needs to make a decision whether it’s him,” he added.

The California rep acknowledged the public’s apprehensions about Biden remaining in the race, saying he too has some concerns after the president’s disappointing debate performance and underwhelming ABC News interview.

Biden’s appearance during the debate escalated fears that he is not physically or mentally well enough to defeat Donald Trump in November. His hoarse voice and stumbling responses gave the impression of a confused elderly man rather than a strong confident leader.

Schiff said Biden’s debate performance “rightfully” raised questions about his mental acuity.

Several top House Democrats call for Biden to step aside in weekend ‘crisis talks’

Sunday 7 July 2024 23:20 , Rachel Sharp

Several influential House Democrats joined a growing list of party members calling on Joe Biden to step aside and let someone else run in 2024 in a weekend crisis call, according to reports.

The House Democratic caucus convened for crisis talks with Hakeem Jeffries, the chamber’s minority leader, late Sunday afternoon as lawmakers prepare to face the media on Capitol Hill when Congress returns to business the next day.

Already, growing fractures are visible as party members take opposing positions on whether the president should remain the party’s nominee after a disastrous debate showing against Donald Trump last week.

During that call with Jeffries, Reps Jerry Nadler, Susan Wild, Adam Smith and Mark Takano all came out in opposition to Biden running again, according to multiple news agencies.

Read the full story:

Several top Democrats call for Biden to step aside in weekend ‘crisis talks’

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff tests positive for Covid

Sunday 7 July 2024 23:00 , Ariana Baio

Doug Emhoff, the Second Gentleman, has tested positive for Covid-19, according to his communications director.

Emhoff is currently asymptomatic though he previously experienced “mild symptoms” according to a statement from his office.

Out of caution, Vice President Kamala Harris was also tested but is currently negative.

Hakeem Jeffries holds meeting about Biden’s future

Sunday 7 July 2024 22:36 , Ariana Baio

House Democratic minority leader Hakeem Jeffries held a virtual call Sunday afternoon where ranking Democratic lawmakers expressed their concerns about President Joe Biden’s path to victory in the 2024 election, with some top leaders calling for Biden to step aside.

According to reports, a handful of ranking members, including New York Rep Jerrold Nadler, Washington Rep Adam Smith, California Rep Mark Takano and New York Rep Joseph Morelle all said Biden should withdraw from the race.

The meeting was convened at a time of heightened tension for the Democratic Party after Biden’s disappointing and concerning debate performance at the end of June.

While five House Democratic members have publicly called for Biden to drop out, no ranking Democratic leaders have done so.

Bernie Sanders urges Biden to focus on working class

Sunday 7 July 2024 22:00 , Ariana Baio

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is backing President Joe Biden as the Democratic candidate for president but said in order to win he needs policies that benefit the working class.

“Biden and Democrats can win this election if they address the needs of the working class,” Sanders said in a press release on Sunday.

“They have to take on the greed of corporate America and massive income and wealth inequality; raise the minimum wage to a living wage; expand Medicare to cover dental, vision, and hearing; lower childhood poverty by making the child tax credit permanent; make the very rich pay their fair share into Social Security so we can expand benefits and extend its solvency; cancel medical debt; and build the low income and affordable housing we desperately need.”

House Oversight Committee asks Biden’s doctor for interview

Sunday 7 July 2024 21:00 , Ariana Baio

The House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer is asking President Joe Biden’s doctor to sit for an interview to discuss his examination of Biden after his debate performance.

In a letter sent to Dr. Kevin O’Connor on Sunday, Comer expressed concerns that “medical assessments have been influenced by your private business endeavors with the Biden family.”

The House Oversight Committee believes Dr. O’Connor provided Biden’s brother, James Biden, with counsel regarding Americore Health – a now-bankrupt healthcare company.

“To understand the extent of your involvement in the Biden family’s financial activity, we request that you produce all documents and communications in your possession regarding Americore and James Biden. Additionally, the Committee requests you make yourself available for a transcribed interview with Committee counsel,” the letter states.

Biden arrives in Harrisburg

Sunday 7 July 2024 20:45 , Ariana Baio

President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden and Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman are in Harrisburg to speak with union members, according to a White House pool report.

Connecticut Senator says Biden needs to ‘do more'

Sunday 7 July 2024 20:30 , Ariana Baio

Trump VP hopeful claims ex-president is ‘clearly a good husband’

Sunday 7 July 2024 20:00 , John Bowden

One of Donald Trump’s leading running mate contenders declared on Sunday that the former president, who was found liable by a jury for sexually abusing a woman and also paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover up affairs with a porn star and a Playboy model, is “clearly a good husband”.

Republican Senator JD Vance appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press for a wide-ranging interview with moderator Kristen Welker where he seemingly conducted his latest audition for the role of Trump’s vice president.

“I grew up in a broken family, Kristen,” said Vance. “And I just wanted to be a good husband and dad and certainly Barack Obama, despite my many political disagreements with him, he’s clearly a good husband and a father.”

He added: “By the way, I’d say the same thing about Donald Trump, whose children love him.”

Watch: Rep. Angie Craig calls for Biden to drop out of race

Sunday 7 July 2024 19:30 , Ariana Baio

Schiff hits out at ‘concerning’ Biden interview answer

Sunday 7 July 2024 19:00 , Ariana Baio

The California rep acknowledged the public’s apprehensions about Biden remaining in the race, saying he too has some concerns after his disappointing debate performance and underwhelming ABC News interview.

Read more here:

Schiff says Kamala would be ‘phenomenal’ president as he slams Biden interview answer

Trump expected to announce VP pick at convention

Sunday 7 July 2024 18:30 , Ariana Baio

Donald Trump is expected to announce his vice presidential pick on the first day of the Republican National Committee convention on July 15th, with Florida Senator Marco Rubio, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Ohio Senator JD Vance topping the list.

According to a recent Washington Post report, Trump has largely narrowed his decision down to Vance and Rubio – though that could change and the former president is known to throw other names around.

His running mate decision is one of the more closely-watched aspects of the 2024 presidential election.

Bernie Sanders tells people to ‘focus on policy'

Sunday 7 July 2024 18:00 , Ariana Baio

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders encouraged people to focus more on policy than on age when thinking about voting this November.

“What we are talking about now is not a Grammy award contest for best singer. Biden is old. He is not as articulate as he once was. I wish he could jump up the steps on Air Force One. He can’t,” Sanders told Face the Nation on Sunday.

“What we have got to focus on is policy. Who’s policy have and will benefit the mass majority of people in this country,” he added.

Biden says he is ‘optimistic’ about America’s future

Sunday 7 July 2024 17:45 , Ariana Baio

While giving remarks at a church in Philadelphia on Sunday, President Joe Biden said he had confidence in America’s future so long as the nation sticks together.

“I’ve been doing this a long time, and I honestly to God have never been more optimistic about America’s future — if we stick together,” Biden told the congregation at Mount Airy Church of God in Christ.

“We have to bring back dignity and hope in America,” Biden added.

“We must unite America again — that’s my goal.”

Kamala Harris avoids all mention of Biden campaign crisis as she tries to win over Black voters

Sunday 7 July 2024 17:30 , John Bowden

Vice President Kamala Harris barely mentioned her own running mate on Saturday as she spoke to Black voters and talked about the 2024 race at the annual Essence Festival in New Orleans.

The nation’s first Black vice president has been seen by many Democrats as the obvious choice to pick up the mantle of the party’s 2024 nomination should Joe Biden step aside in the coming days — a proposition the president has firmly denied will take place.

But, on Saturday, she clearly appeared ready to take on that role regardless as she hammered former president Donald Trump and sought to lay out the stakes of the election.

John Bowden reports:

Kamala Harris avoids all mention of Biden’s flubs at Essence Festival

Harris re-directs attention to Supreme Court immunity ruling

Sunday 7 July 2024 17:00 , Ariana Baio

In an attempt to re-direct media attention away from criticisms about President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris reminded a crowd of people on Saturday evening that the Supreme Court handed Donald Trump a potentially dangerous win in his immunity appeal.

“Sadly the press has not been covering it as much as they should in proportion to the seriousness of what just happened,” Harris said at the 30th annual Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans.

“When the United States Supreme Court essentially told this individual who has been convicted of 34 felonies that he will be immune from essentially the activity he has told us he is prepared to engage in if he gets back into the White House,” Harris added.

She reminded attendees that they get to decide the fate of the country in the November election.

Watch: Philly Priest Defends Biden Over Age As Pressure Grows For Him To Exit 2024 Race

Sunday 7 July 2024 16:45 , Ariana Baio

In photos: Biden arrives at Philadelphia church

Sunday 7 July 2024 16:15 , Ariana Baio

Biden met with campaign co-chairs for feedback, report

Sunday 7 July 2024 16:00 , Ariana Baio

President Joe Biden met with campaign co-chairs on Saturday for feedback on his recent ABC News interview and performance during the debate, according to a New York Times report.

In a 75-minute call, allies of the president, including Delaware Senator Chris Coons, discussed Biden’s recent appearances and how to generate more support after his disastrous debate performance.

Coons told the newspaper that, “nobody among the co-chairs” is recommending “anything other than we keep going.”

The Delaware Senator said that Biden expressed understanding for concerns about his age and mental acuity and wants to do more interviews in the future to settle any nerves.

PA Senators meet Biden in Pennsylvania

Sunday 7 July 2024 15:45 , Ariana Baio

Biden campaign slams Trump for trying to distance himself from Project 2025

Sunday 7 July 2024 15:30 , Ariana Baio

The Biden campaign is pushing back against Donald Trump’s claim that he knows “nothing” of Project 2025 – the presidential transition project headed by The Heritage Foundation and several allies of the former president.

”We can always rely on Donald Trump for one thing: to lie to the American people in the pursuit of power,” a statement from the Biden campaign said.

Over the weekend, Trump claimed he did not know about Project 2025 nor the people who authored it. He disagreed with some of its policies in an attempt to distance himself from the project which has gained negative attention on social media

The campaign claimed Project 2025 was “written for” Trump “by those closest to him.”

“Project 2025 should scare every single American. It would give Trump limitless power over our daily lives and let him use the presidency to enact ‘revenge’ on his enemies, ban abortion nationwide and punish women who have an abortion, and gut the checks and balances that make America the greatest democracy in the world.”

Biden to make Philly campaign stop today

Sunday 7 July 2024 15:00 , Ariana Baio

President Joe Biden will stop at a church in northwest Philadelphia today as part of his campaign in Pennsylvania, it arrives after he canceled a speech at the annual National Education Association conference.

After stopping at the church, Biden will head to Harrisburg – the capital – where he will speak with union leaders and local Democrats.

Donald Trump has the largest lead over Biden in Pennsylvania out of all the swing states.

Top Democrats to ‘hold crisis meeting’ later today

Sunday 7 July 2024 14:00 , Rachel Sharp

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is set to meet virtually with committee ranking members at 2pm on Sunday afternoon, three sources told NBC News.

The meeting, which was abruptly scheduled on Friday night, is not part of any regular scheduled gatherings and comes just one day before Congress returns to session after the July 4 holiday.

One of the insiders told the outlet that the meeting will focus on Biden’s future as the Democratic party’s candidate to take on Donald Trump in November’s 2024 election, in the wake of his disastrous debate performance last week.

Read more here

CNN’s top doc calls for Biden to undergo ‘detailed cognitive testing’

Sunday 7 July 2024 13:00 , Mike Bedigan

CNN’s chief medical correspondent has called for Joe Biden to undergo “detailed cognitive and movement disorder testing” after observing the president’s “concerning” behavior in recent weeks.

Dr Sanjay Gupta said that following Biden’s disastrous performance in last week’s debate against Donald Trump, he had received “dozens” of calls and messages from fellow medical professionals.

“From a neurological standpoint, we were concerned with his confused rambling; sudden loss of concentration in the middle of a sentence; halting speech and absence of facial animation, resulting at times in a flat, open-mouthed expression,” Gupta wrote in an article for CNN.

Mike Bedigan reports:

CNN doc calls for Biden to undergo ‘detailed cognitive and movement disorder testing’

Democratic senators split on Biden’s future

Sunday 7 July 2024 12:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Virginia Senator Mark Warner is looking to lead a group of Democratic senators that want President Joe Biden to step aside before November’s election, The Washington Post reported.

Warner is reportedly saying to colleagues that Biden can’t stay in the race following his dismal debate performance and that he’s worried that Biden cannot run a campaign that will defeat former president Donald Trump.

In a statement to The Post, a spokesperson for the senator said: “Like many other people in Washington and across the country, Senator Warner believes these are critical days for the president’s campaign, and he has made that clear to the White House.”

Senators are now discussing the best way to share their thoughts with the president. One idea is a meeting with Biden at the White House. Some senators wish Biden to remain on the ticket, but those who argue for the meetings say it could be a venue to share their concerns.

No sitting senator, including Warner, has publicly called for Biden to step aside but in private they have spoken about their rising unease.

Trump trolls Biden urging ‘Sleepy Joe’ to ‘ignore his many critics’

Sunday 7 July 2024 11:00 , Graig Graziosi

Donald Trump offered Joe Biden some sarcastic encouragement on Truth Social on Saturday in light of recent calls by some — including a few Democrats — for the president to bow out of the 2024 race following his highly criticised debate performance.

Trump’s post — filled with numerous misrepresentations about the president’s policies — “encouraged” Biden to ignore his critics and to continue his 2024 candidacy.

“Crooked Joe Biden should ignore his many critics and move forward, with alacrity and strength, with his powerful and far reaching campaign,” Trump said, before dropping the guise of genuine encouragement.

He said Biden should be “sharp, precise, and energetic, just like he was in The Debate.”

Trump then went on to falsely accuse Biden of having an open border policy, of ending Social Security and encouraging what he described as a “woke military”.

Michael Cohen warns Trump will run US ‘like the Führer’ if reelected

Sunday 7 July 2024 10:00 , Ariana Baio

Donald Trump’s former lawyer and one-time fixer Michael Cohen has warned that his ex-boss will run the country “like the Führer” if he is re-elected in November, thanks to the recent Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity.

Citing the Trump vs US ruling, Cohen told The Daily Beast that the former president could now wield his power in whatever way he wants if he takes back the White House this November.

“He’ll run the country like a king, like a supreme leader, like a monarch, like a dictator, like the Führer,” Cohen said, invoking the German word strongly associated with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

Read more:

Michael Cohen warns Trump will run US ‘like the Führer’ if reelected

Biden campaign mocks Trump’s claim he knows ‘nothing’ of Project 2025

Sunday 7 July 2024 08:00 , Ariana Baio

The Biden campaign mocked Donald Trump for claiming he does not know about Project 2025 or who created it by referencing Star Wars.

“A desperate and lying Trump claims he knows ‘nothing’ about his Project 2025 agenda, even though his top aides are the ones behind the plan,” Biden-Harris HQ wrote on X.

In a follow-up tweet, they posted a photo of a fake Truth Social post from Emperor Palpatine, a villainous character in Star Wars, who issued a deadly military order known as “Order 66”.

Trump throws a Clarence Thomas-sized wrench into Mar-a-Lago case

Sunday 7 July 2024 06:00 , Alex Woodward

Donald Trump wants to pause his classified documents case in Florida for several months so he can argue that his charges should be thrown out under the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on presidential “immunity.”

The former president’s attorneys also pointed to an opinion from Justice Clarence Thomas, who appeared to agree with Trump’s argument that special counsel Jack Smith was unconstitutionally appointed and funded — a claim at the center of Trump’s attempts to have the case dismissed.

Friday’s filings in the Mar-a-Lago case arrived just days after the Supreme Court declared that no president can be criminally prosecuted for any “official” act in the executive office, likely granting the former president some protection in his federal election interference case.

Trump now wants the judge in his classified documents case to hear arguments that he should be immune from those charges at some point between now and September, which would effectively grind the rest of Florida proceedings to a halt while they debate whether the Supreme Court’s ruling applies.

Trump’s attorneys separately argued that Thomas’s argument “adds force” to Trump’s claim that Smith’s appointment and funding is unconstitutional and raises “grave separation-of-powers concerns.”

Thomas wrote his own separate concurring opinion in the immunity decision to specifically take aim at the special counsel’s office, days after Trump’s attorneys made the same arguments to Judge Aileen Cannon in Florida.

Watch: Manhattan DA agrees to delay Trump’s hush money sentencing

Sunday 7 July 2024 04:00 , Ariana Baio

Joe Biden refuses to step down and insists he’ll win against Trump in ‘2020 election’

Sunday 7 July 2024 02:00 , Ariana Baio

Classified documents judge hands Trump a win, agrees to consider immunity argument

Sunday 7 July 2024 00:00 , Alex Woodward

The judge presiding over Donald Trump’s classified documents case has handed him yet another win as she has agreed to consider hearing arguments that the criminal charges should be dropped based on the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential “immunity.”

In an order filed on Saturday, Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon said she was temporarily granting Trump’s motion to stay proceedings, pushing back several filing deadlines in a case that has already been plagued by delays and is yet to have a trial date.

Read more here

Top Democrats to ‘hold crisis meeting’ this weekend

Saturday 6 July 2024 23:00 , Rachel Sharp

Democratic leaders are said to be planning to hold a crisis meeting this weekend to discuss Joe Biden’s future on the presidential ticket after his make-or-break ABC News interview did little to dampen concerns within his party.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is set to meet virtually with committee ranking members at 2 p.m. on Sunday, three sources told NBC News.

The meeting, which was abruptly scheduled on Friday night, is not part of any regular scheduled gatherings and comes just one day before Congress returns to session after the July 4 holiday.

One of the insiders told the outlet that the meeting will focus on Biden’s future as the Democratic party’s candidate to take on Donald Trump in the November 2024 election, in the wake of his disastrous debate performance last week.

Democrat insiders give verdict on Biden’s make-or-break ABC News interview: ‘A huge opportunity missed’

Saturday 6 July 2024 22:00 , Ariana Baio

President Joe Biden’s make-or-break interview with ABC News appears to have done little to win over skeptics in his party, with Democratic insiders believing he has failed to undo the damage caused by his dismal debate performance.

In evaluating Biden’s sit-down conversation with George Stephanopoulos on Friday evening, one longtime Democratic donor bundler told The Daily Beast it was a “huge opportunity missed.”

“This was his Alamo, and he’s going down like Davey Crocket,” the unnamed individual said.

Read more here

Cohen warns Trump will run US ‘like a dictator'

Saturday 6 July 2024 21:00 , Ariana Baio

Donald Trump’s former lawyer and one-time fixer Michael Cohen has warned that his ex-boss will run the country “like the Führer” if he is re-elected in November, thanks to the recent Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity.

Citing the Trump vs US ruling, Cohen told The Daily Beast that the former president could now wield his power in whatever way he wants if he takes back the White House this November.

“He’ll run the country like a king, like a supreme leader, like a monarch, like a dictator, like the Führer,” Cohen said, invoking the German word strongly associated with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

“If re-elected in November, in light of the Supreme Court ruling, his worst impulses will be magnified a hundredfold.”

On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that Trump, and other presidents, have absolute immunity from prosecution for actions that fall under a president’s “core” powers – or those directly given by the US Constitution.

Trump’s lead in swing states narrows

Saturday 6 July 2024 20:00 , Ariana Baio

The lead Donald Trump took over Joe Biden in key swing states after the president’s disastrous debate performance appears to be narrowing, a new poll shows.

Trump only holds a 3-point lead over Biden in Arizona, Nevada and North Carolina as well as a one-point lead over Biden in Georgia, according to a Morning Consult and Bloomberg poll.

The survey shows that Biden has a lead over Trump in Michigan and Wisconsin.

However, he is the furthest behind Trump in Pennsylvania.

RFK Jr’s back story is even wilder than you thought

Saturday 6 July 2024 19:30 , Gustaf Kilander

America’s most famous political family dynasty has rejected the presidential campaign of one of their own – and it’s not just because of a BBQ-ed dog (or goat)

Read more here

BBQ-ed ‘dog’ and brain worms: RFK Jr’s back story is wilder than you knew

Trump claims to know ‘nothing’ about Project 2025

Saturday 6 July 2024 19:00 , Ariana Baio

Donald Trump claimed to know “nothing about Project 2025”, the playbook created by the Heritage Foundation to limit power only to the executive branch and fill roles with Trump allies.

On Truth Social on Friday, the former president said, “I have no idea who is behind it. 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.”

Project 2025 has been trending on social media as people share concerns about the presidential transition project, authored by individuals who are former senior officials in the Trump administration.

That includes Paul Dans, the project’s director, who served as chief of staff in the Office of Personnel Management under Trump and John McEntee, a senior adviser, who is also the former director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office.

Trump is seemingly trying to distance himself from the 922-page plan amid negative attention on it.

Democratic lawmakers holding virtual meeting to discuss Biden’s campaign: report

Saturday 6 July 2024 18:30 , Ariana Baio

Democratic leaders within the House are set to hold a virtual meeting on Sunday to discuss President Joe Biden’s path to victory following his poor debate performance against Donald Trump and calls for Biden to step down.

House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries is set to virtually meet with other senior Democratic House members, including congressional committees, according to reports.

It arrives as some Democratic House members have begun to splinter off and publicly call for Biden to remove himself from the 2024 presidential election.

Those close to Biden are taking note of his physical aging, report says

Saturday 6 July 2024 18:00 , Ariana Baio

Aides, foreign officials, Congressional members, donors and others who interact with President Joe Biden, have noted his physical aging is more noticeable recently than it was even a year ago, a report from The Washington Post says.

Biden, 81, is the oldest president to old office.

Some close to the president have noted that he moves slower, speaks more softly and loses his train of thought occasionally. All of these are typical signs of aging.

Despite this, several senior White House aides said the president engages in meaningful conversation, asks detailed questions and can recall facts from previous meetings.

Watch: Joe Biden refuses to commit to taking cognitive test or releasing results

Saturday 6 July 2024 17:30 , Ariana Baio

More delays in Trump’s classified documents case

Saturday 6 July 2024 17:07 , Ariana Baio

The federal judge overseeing Donald Trump’s classified documents case has paused the deadlines for some filings in the case and granted the former president’s request for briefings to dismiss the indictment based on presidential immunity.

Judge Aileen Cannon said in an order on Saturday that Trump’s lawyers, and special counsel Jack Smith, will have until July 21st to submit briefings on how aspects of presidential immunity may affect the case.

In this case, the former president is accused of willfully retaining classified documents that included sensitive national security information at his Mar-a-Lago home after he left office.

But after the Supreme Court ruled Trump and other presidents have immunity from prosecution for “official acts” – Trump is arguing that immunity may extend into some of the charges brought against him in this case.

Intense debate prep left a cold-stricken Biden ‘worn out’ from cram sessions

Saturday 6 July 2024 16:30 , Gustaf Kilander

President Joe Biden’s cold was worse than previously reported as the president underwent cram sessions during prep ahead of his disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump, according to a new report.

Aides and Biden, 81, have blamed the cold and rejected concerns regarding his age and stamina. Two days before the debate, it was so bad Biden could barely speak, the five sources told Politico.

After a short mock debate, the president chose to rest instead of participating in additional sessions that day. Two days before the June 27 debate, Biden took two COVID tests that both came back negative.

The following day was packed with prep, including policy huddles and a smaller mock debate, as aides tried to make up for lost time. Another session was held on Thursday before Biden headed to Atlanta for the debate.

A number of advisors regretted that final session but still couldn’t foresee Biden’s dismal performance.

“All it did was wear him out and muddle things,” one source told the outlet.

Biden says his doctors told him he was ‘exhausted'

Saturday 6 July 2024 16:00 , Ariana Baio

President Joe Biden said he consulted his doctors after his poor debate performance who told him he was “exhausted.”

“[The doctor]-- just looked at me and said, ‘You’re exhausted.’ That’s it. I have medical doctors travel with me everywhere. Every President does, as you know. Medical doctors, some of the best in the world travel with me everywhere I go. I have an ongoing assessment of what I’m doin’, and they don’t hesitate to tell me if they think there’s something wrong,” Biden told ABC News on Friday evening.

Joe Biden’s ABC interview went better than the debate. That’s what’s so scary

Saturday 6 July 2024 15:30 , Holly Baxter

“There’s not a lot to feel good about here.

Joe Biden — the man who put on a good show in 2019 on a packed-out stage of Democratic hopefuls to become the official presidential nominee — now struggles to answer questions coherently, even in a softball interview like the one tonight on ABC News with George Stephanopoulos.

As Stephanopoulos repeatedly asked the president what happened on the debate stage when he floundered in front of Donald Trump, Biden replied, “I had a bad night,” or, “I just had a bad night,” and eventually, “I had a bad night. I don’t know why.””

Holly Baxter writes:

Joe Biden’s ABC interview went better than the debate. That’s what’s so scary

Democratic rep calls for Biden to ‘step aside'

Saturday 6 July 2024 15:02 , Ariana Baio

Minnesota Representative Angie Craig has called for President Joe Biden to “step aside” from the 2024 presidential race because of his poor debate performance.

“I have great respect for President Biden’s decades of service to our nation and his steadfast commitment to making our country a better place,” Craig wrote.

“However, given what I saw and heard from the President during last week’s debate in Atlanta, coupled with the lack of a forceful response from the President himself following the debate, I do not believe that the President can effectively campaign and win against Donald Trump,” she continued.

Craig said she did not come to her decision lightly but believes there is “too much at stake” to risk losing the election to Trump.

She asked the president to make room for a new generation of leaders within the party.

Debate was ‘a bad night’, Biden says

Saturday 6 July 2024 14:41 , Ariana Baio

President Joe Biden said the first presidential debate was a “bad night” for him but assured Americans that he is still well enough to run a successful presidential campaign and defeat Donald Trump in November.

When speaking with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on Friday evening, Biden raised various reasons why he did not do well in the debate including that Donald Trump distracted him, he was tired, had recently been traveling, had a cold and did not prepare well.

“ It was a bad episode. No indication of any serious condition. I was exhausted. I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparing and-- and a bad night,” Biden said.

How the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling opened the door for a shocking question: Can presidents kill their rivals?

Saturday 6 July 2024 13:00 , Alex Woodward

It was an absurd hypothetical raised by an appeals court judge to point out the literally unbelievable and dangerous consequences of the legal argument from Donald Trump’s attorneys.

But it landed as a shocking warning from a Supreme Court justice in an earthquaking decision this week that shields Trump from accountability for crimes committed in office.

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A shocking question at the Supreme Court: Can presidents kill their rivals?

Watch: Biden admits he was ‘exhausted’ in debate but denies having ‘any serious condition’

Saturday 6 July 2024 12:30 , Mike Bedigan

ICYMI: Biden attacks ‘one-man crime wave’: ‘Let’s exile Trump politically’

Saturday 6 July 2024 12:00 , Alex Woodward

In his energetic rally speech in Wisconsin on Friday, Biden laid out the stakes of the 2024 election, once again warning that the fate of American democracy hangs in the balance if Trump wins.

He referenced Trump’s criminal convictions for falsifying business records to pay off a porn star, and how a jury determined that he sexually assaulted E Jean Carroll and then awarded her $90m for defaming her.

The “so-called great businessman” was fined $400m for fraud in his civil trial in New York, Biden said.

“He’s not just a convicted criminal, he’s a one-man crime wave,” Biden said.

Biden also referenced Trump’s threats to abortion rights and his opposition to gun control measures in the middle of a gun violence crisis.

“Let’s exile Trump politically,” Biden said before leaving the stage.

Trump wants to distance himself from far-right Project 2025 plan while his PAC pushes ads promoting it

Saturday 6 July 2024 11:00 , Alex Woodward

Project 2025’s 900-page manifesto for nearly every detail of a second Trump presidency was drawn up by more than a dozen former Trump administration officials and advisers, who have planned to “integrate” the document into the campaign’s platform in the coming months.

But on Friday, as his Democratic rivals use Project 2025 as shorthand for his agenda, Trump claimed that he the proposal is news to him.

Trump distances himself from Project 2025 while his PAC pushes ads promoting it

How Democrats in Congress are trying to rein in the Supreme Court

Saturday 6 July 2024 09:00 , Alex Woodward

AOC is filing impeachment articles. Other Democrats are backing a constitutional amendment to reverse the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling. Ethics investigations are underway. And Biden is once again facing calls to back an expansion of the bench.

Here’s how Democrats in Congress are pushing to overhaul the Supreme Court:

How Democrats in Congress are trying to reign in the conservative Supreme Court

Biden vows that debate disaster will not ‘wipe out three and a half years of work'

Saturday 6 July 2024 03:15 , Mike Bedigan

At an energetic rally earlier on Friday in Madison, Wisconsin, Joe Biden said he would not permit “one 90-minute debate” to “wipe out three and a half years of work.”

In front of chanting crowds he touted his accomplishments as president, including creating “15 million new jobs” and reducing student debt for “nearly five million Americans” while putting the first Black woman on the US Supreme Court.