President Joe Biden is still dealing with the political fallout of his weak performance at the 2024 presidential debate, while former President Donald Trump is celebrating a “big win” after the Supreme Court’s ruling in his immunity case.
The two presumptive presidential nominees met face-to-face for the first time in the 2024 election cycle at a debate hosted by CNN last Thursday. Biden’s unsteady performance there has dominated the headlines since, leading some Democrats to privately question if he should step aside as the Democratic nominee.
On Monday, the Supreme Court handed Trump a victory when it released its opinion on Trump v. U.S., which declares that Trump has complete legal immunity for actions during his presidency that were “official” in nature, although not for those that were “unofficial.”
The ruling makes it highly unlikely that Trump’s trial on charges related to inciting the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, will take place before the November election. It also complicates his other ongoing legal proceedings, including his recent hush money conviction.
Follow along below for live updates on the presidential race:
Democratic Congresswoman Says Biden’s Staff ‘Bubble-Wraps Him’
Speaking to CNN Wednesday afternoon, Michigan Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell had plenty of supportive things to say about Biden as a person and as a leader, saying he has “delivered more than most presidents have for working men and women.” But she also acknowledged, repeatedly, that Biden did not perform well at Thursday’s debate and spoke critically of the president’s staff.
“I think some of the campaign staff didn’t take it seriously enough,” Dingell said of the response to Biden’s debate. “I’m sure they’ll get mad at me for saying that. [But] it got a lot of people upset.”
Dingell said Biden “should have been out there sooner and faster” to address widespread fears about his continued ability to do the job.
“I think sometimes his staff bubble-wraps him,” Dingell said. A flurry of reports in recent days have questioned how well Biden's staff is serving him; Politico reported Tuesday that White House staffers supposedly shield him from upsetting information.
Biden, Dingell said, “has to talk directly to the American people and show them he is strong enough for the next four years.” She noted that she has not seen signs of mental decline in the president herself.
“I think some of the campaign staff didn’t take it seriously enough,” Dingell said of the response to Biden’s debate. “I’m sure they’ll get mad at me for saying that. [But] it got a lot of people upset.”
Dingell said Biden “should have been out there sooner and faster” to address widespread fears about his continued ability to do the job.
“I think sometimes his staff bubble-wraps him,” Dingell said. A flurry of reports in recent days have questioned how well Biden's staff is serving him; Politico reported Tuesday that White House staffers supposedly shield him from upsetting information.
Biden, Dingell said, “has to talk directly to the American people and show them he is strong enough for the next four years.” She noted that she has not seen signs of mental decline in the president herself.
Second Democratic Congressman Calls On Biden To Drop From Race
Another elected Democrat has joined Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) in calling on President Joe Biden to step aside.
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), a former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told the New York Times that Biden's bad debate is an opportunity for Democrats to move on.
“If he’s the candidate, I’m going to support him, but I think that this is an opportunity to look elsewhere,” Grijalva said.
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), a former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told the New York Times that Biden's bad debate is an opportunity for Democrats to move on.
“If he’s the candidate, I’m going to support him, but I think that this is an opportunity to look elsewhere,” Grijalva said.
Trump Campaign Wants Biden To Stay In Race: Report
Trump and people in his campaign want Biden to stay in the presidential race, according to a report from The Washington Post which cited four people familiar with the matter.
Despite Trump’s numerous legal troubles, his team is still confident that they can beat Biden following his debate blunder.
Since then, Trump has reportedly gone under the radar, purposefully allowing Biden’s poor performance to remain in the spotlight. Meanwhile, Trump’s team has also increased attacks on VP Harris and begun gearing up for other outcomes in which Biden does not stay in the race.
Despite Trump’s numerous legal troubles, his team is still confident that they can beat Biden following his debate blunder.
Since then, Trump has reportedly gone under the radar, purposefully allowing Biden’s poor performance to remain in the spotlight. Meanwhile, Trump’s team has also increased attacks on VP Harris and begun gearing up for other outcomes in which Biden does not stay in the race.
Another Damning Poll For Biden
A Wall Street Journal poll published Wednesday found that Trump now has a 6-point lead over Biden, post-debate. The 48-42 split is the widest since the paper began surveying voters in late 2021. In February, Trump had just a 2-point lead over Biden.
The poll also found that 80% of voters think Biden, 81, is too old to run for a second term. Trump is 78.
Neither men have high favorability among voters, according to this poll, which found that 47% would replace both men on the ballot if they could, and 53% say they aren’t enthusiastic about any of the candidates.
The poll also found that 80% of voters think Biden, 81, is too old to run for a second term. Trump is 78.
Neither men have high favorability among voters, according to this poll, which found that 47% would replace both men on the ballot if they could, and 53% say they aren’t enthusiastic about any of the candidates.
(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
White House Says Joe Biden Is ‘As Sharp As Ever’
Nearly every question at the White House press briefing was focused on the state of Biden’s campaign post-debate. Jean-Pierre repeatedly affirmed there are no talks for him to step aside and emphasized that a cold and busy travel schedule were major factors contributing to his poor debate performance.
“He is as sharp as ever, as I have known him to be in my engagement, in my experience with him,” she said when a reporter asked if she’d noticed any decline in him. “And I know when I walk into the Oval Office or see him on Air Force One, I have to be on top of my game.”
“He is as sharp as ever, as I have known him to be in my engagement, in my experience with him,” she said when a reporter asked if she’d noticed any decline in him. “And I know when I walk into the Oval Office or see him on Air Force One, I have to be on top of my game.”
Biden Is ‘Absolutely Not’ Stepping Aside
When a reporter asked White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre if Biden was considering stepping aside, she responded with a decisive “Absolutely not.”
“He’s talked about how he understands it was not his best night,” she said of Biden and the debate. “He understands that it is fair for people to ask that question, but we cannot forget his record and what he's been able to do.
”When asked if there’s anything that would make Biden reconsider, Jean-Pierre said she “cannot lay out something that would change the President's mind.”
“He’s talked about how he understands it was not his best night,” she said of Biden and the debate. “He understands that it is fair for people to ask that question, but we cannot forget his record and what he's been able to do.
”When asked if there’s anything that would make Biden reconsider, Jean-Pierre said she “cannot lay out something that would change the President's mind.”
Joe Biden And Kamala Harris Try To Rally Staff On Call
Biden and Harris attempted to reassure White House staff about the campaign, reporters with information about the pep talk said.
"Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can as simply and straightforward as I can: I am running… no one’s pushing me out. I’m not leaving. I’m in this race to the end and we’re going to win," Biden said, according to Politico's Elena Schneider.
"Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can as simply and straightforward as I can: I am running… no one’s pushing me out. I’m not leaving. I’m in this race to the end and we’re going to win," Biden said, according to Politico's Elena Schneider.
Democratic Senator Says Biden 'Wrestling' With His Political Future
It's an open question whether Biden is fit to serve, Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said Wednesday, adding his voice to the chorus of Democrats expressing alarms about the president after his shaky debate against Donald Trump.
“That’s the question,” Welch told CNN when asked about Biden's fitness. “He’s wrestling with that. He’s reading the polls… I’m confident that at the end of the day the president will make his decision based on what’s best for the country.”
The Vermont senator, who has been critical of the Biden campaign for criticizing those raising questions about Biden's health, said that a weak presidential nominee could harm Democratic Senate candidates, pointing to Sen. Jon Tester's (D-Mont.) race in Montana, a state Republicans are targeting in hopes of winning control of the Senate.
“Somebody like Tester can overcome a gap but he can’t overcome a castle," Welch said. "If we do really poorly at the presidential level that creates a fierce undertow.”
“That’s the question,” Welch told CNN when asked about Biden's fitness. “He’s wrestling with that. He’s reading the polls… I’m confident that at the end of the day the president will make his decision based on what’s best for the country.”
The Vermont senator, who has been critical of the Biden campaign for criticizing those raising questions about Biden's health, said that a weak presidential nominee could harm Democratic Senate candidates, pointing to Sen. Jon Tester's (D-Mont.) race in Montana, a state Republicans are targeting in hopes of winning control of the Senate.
“Somebody like Tester can overcome a gap but he can’t overcome a castle," Welch said. "If we do really poorly at the presidential level that creates a fierce undertow.”
NYT/Siena Poll Shows Trump Up By 6 Points After Debate
A New York Times/Siena poll released Wednesday afternoon found Trump leading Biden by 6 points nationally among likely voters. That's a 3 point shift in Trump's favor from the last Times/Siena poll conducted in June ahead of the debate.
The poll also found 74 percent of likely voters believe Biden is too old to do the job of president, an increase of 5 points since the debate. Among Democratic voters, 59 percent have concerns about Biden's age, up 8 points from the last poll.
The post-debate poll was conducted June 28 to July 2.
The poll also found 74 percent of likely voters believe Biden is too old to do the job of president, an increase of 5 points since the debate. Among Democratic voters, 59 percent have concerns about Biden's age, up 8 points from the last poll.
The post-debate poll was conducted June 28 to July 2.
Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
White House Chief Of Staff Asks Employees To Tune Out The ‘Noise’
White House chief of staff Jeff Zients urged during an all-staff meeting on Wednesday for people to tune out the “noise” in the wake of Biden’s politically disastrous debate performance, according to several media reports.
Zients spent the meeting trying to rally staff about the campaign, reminding them that Biden has a long track record of overcoming challenges, The Associated Press reported after speaking with someone in the meeting.
"The president and his team have been through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, and you know what? That will continue, and the only way to get through it is as a team," Zients said, according to the Washington Post's Tyler Pager.
“This is a period of intense noise out there. People are looking for chatter. Tune. It. Out,” Zients said, Axios reporter Alex Thompson posted on social media.
Zients spent the meeting trying to rally staff about the campaign, reminding them that Biden has a long track record of overcoming challenges, The Associated Press reported after speaking with someone in the meeting.
"The president and his team have been through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, and you know what? That will continue, and the only way to get through it is as a team," Zients said, according to the Washington Post's Tyler Pager.
“This is a period of intense noise out there. People are looking for chatter. Tune. It. Out,” Zients said, Axios reporter Alex Thompson posted on social media.
House GOP Campaign Arm Takes Aim At Kamala Harris In New Ad
The National Republican Campaign Committee, the political arm of House Republicans fighting to take back control of the House, released an ad Wednesday aimed at Vice President Kamala Harris in a preemptive strike against any possible attempt to put her atop the Democratic presidential ticket.
“Whether extreme House Democrats call on Joe Biden to step aside or not, Kamala Harris deserves the blame for many of the crises making life unsafe and difficult for American families -- and we plan to make her a prominent feature of the 2024 campaign," said NRCC spokesperson Will Reinert, who said the ad is "online/digital only."
Figures on how much money would be spent placing the ad or in what markets it would run were not immediately available.
The ad shows footage of Harris praising Biden as “a fighter, a leader with skill, vision, determination and compassion,” intercut with footage of Biden falling on the Air Force One steps and on a bicycle.
It also calls Harris Biden’s “enabler in chief” and includes footage of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), as well as Democratic Reps. Jim Clyburn (S.C.) and Steve Horsford (Nevada), praising Harris before the ad asks, “Is this who we want to be president?”
“Whether extreme House Democrats call on Joe Biden to step aside or not, Kamala Harris deserves the blame for many of the crises making life unsafe and difficult for American families -- and we plan to make her a prominent feature of the 2024 campaign," said NRCC spokesperson Will Reinert, who said the ad is "online/digital only."
Figures on how much money would be spent placing the ad or in what markets it would run were not immediately available.
The ad shows footage of Harris praising Biden as “a fighter, a leader with skill, vision, determination and compassion,” intercut with footage of Biden falling on the Air Force One steps and on a bicycle.
It also calls Harris Biden’s “enabler in chief” and includes footage of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), as well as Democratic Reps. Jim Clyburn (S.C.) and Steve Horsford (Nevada), praising Harris before the ad asks, “Is this who we want to be president?”
Business Executives Group Calls For Biden To Step Aside
Leadership Now, a left-of-center group of business executives and philanthropists, issued a statement saying that the threat of another Trump term is so great that Biden should "pass the torch of this year's presidential nomination to the next generation of highly capable Democrats."
They pointed out some of Biden's accomplishments, but then wrote, "What we witnessed Thursday night in the presidential debate was deeply concerning."
"We have heard from many individuals who share our deep concerns about the present course but fear speaking out. But speaking out is our duty in a democracy and the time to do it is now."
The group, which was founded by Harvard Business School alumni, didn't have member names on the statement.
They pointed out some of Biden's accomplishments, but then wrote, "What we witnessed Thursday night in the presidential debate was deeply concerning."
"We have heard from many individuals who share our deep concerns about the present course but fear speaking out. But speaking out is our duty in a democracy and the time to do it is now."
The group, which was founded by Harvard Business School alumni, didn't have member names on the statement.
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