Vulnerable Dem senator breaks silence on Biden’s fitness, demands president prove ability
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said President Biden needs to prove his ability to serve a second term in the White House, joining a group of Democratic lawmakers scrutinizing the president after a lackluster debate performance last month and a sit-down interview that failed to calm concerns. “President Biden has got to prove to the American people – including me – that he’s up to the job for another four years,” Tester said in a statement Monday. DEMOCRATS’ SENATE HOPES COULD HANG ON SPLIT-TICKET VOTING COMEBACK “Meanwhile, I’ll continue to do what I’ve always done: Stand up to President Biden when he’s wrong and protect our Montana way of life,” he added. FETTERMAN EMERGES AS FIERCE BIDEN DEFENDER, COMPARING POST-STROKE DEBATE TO BIDEN BLUNDER Tester is up for re-election to the Senate in red state Montana, which was won twice by former President Trump. The statement from the Montana Democrat on Biden and his ability to serve another four years came more than a week after Biden’s poor debate showing and several days following his ABC News interview. AT-RISK DEMS STEER CLEAR OF BIDEN DEBATE DRAMA AHEAD OF CLOSE SENATE ELECTIONS Tester’s campaign previously did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital after the debate. In the past, the Democratic senator has sounded sure of Biden’s fitness as president, saying last year he was “absolutely 100% with it.” UNDERDOG DEM USING DAVE CHAPPELLE SHOW TO GAIN EDGE IN PIVOTAL SWING STATE Tester stands a significant chance of being unseated come November, with Republican entities putting substantial resources into backing Senate candidate Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL. Cook Political Report rates the race as a “Toss Up.” Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Reporter’s Notebook: Backlash in the halls of Congress
It’s a challenge to protect 535 members of Congress. That’s to say nothing of guarding their offices on Capitol Hill, along with their offices back in their home states or districts. And in many cases, even their homes and loved ones. That’s why some on Capitol Hill found the vandalism to an exterior wall of the office belonging to Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., in the Cannon House Office Building so alarming last week. BIDEN TELLS CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS THAT CALLING FOR HIM TO DROP OUT ‘ONLY HELPS TRUMP AND HURTS US’ “My Capitol office was vandalized yesterday in a vile act of hate in which the posters of the more than 100 people still held hostage in Gaza (including 8 Americans) were ripped from the wall, shredded and tossed across the hallway,” said Schneider in a post on X Friday morning, just after the July 4th holiday. Some of the posters were strewn about the floor in front of Schneider’s office door. Other posters were crumpled or peeling from the wall, still half-attached. Several rows of other posters remained affixed to the wall, apparently out of reach of the vandal or vandals. Schneider is one of the most outspoken advocates for Israel in Congress. Contrary to some of his Democratic colleagues, Schneider welcomes a visit to Capitol Hill later this month by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to deliver a speech to a joint meeting of Congress. This incident comes just days after anti-Israel demonstrators rallied outside Schneider’s home in Highland Park, Illinois, in the middle of the night. They banged drums and blew trumpets until police finally dispersed the crowd of about three dozen. Some chanted antisemitic slogans. “We are aware and investigating. To protect the investigation, we cannot provide any more information at this time,” said the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) in a statement. It is against House rules for members to post anything on the outside walls of their offices in the Capitol complex. But it is rarely enforced. This is a long-running dispute between lawmakers and House officials. It came to a head during the war in Iraq – circa 2003 – when members made a point of posting pictures of U.S. servicemen and women killed in the conflict. No one was injured in the vandalism at Schneider’s office near the Cannon House Office Building Rotunda. No one tried to break in. But here is some important context about what happened: someone inside the Capitol complex ripped the posters of the hostages from the wall. Here’s some sleuthing. DEMOCRATS FACE A RECKONING ON BIDEN CAMPAIGN AS LAWMAKERS RETURN TO CAPITOL HILL The Cannon House Office Building is open to the public during normal business hours. But the facility was mostly closed to the public for the July 4th holiday. There’s an exception to that on July 4th. Dozens of lawmakers and aides bring hundreds of guests into the Capitol for the Independence Day concert on the West Front. They serve people drinks and sandwiches and often escort them to the Capitol itself or even the Speaker’s Balcony to watch the show and view a spectacular fireworks display on the Mall. On another holiday besides July 4 – say Thanksgiving or New Year’s Day – the Capitol complex would practically be deserted. It would be devoid of staff, lawmakers and certainly guests. No concert or festivities. That brings us to who else is allowed inside the Capitol complex on a holiday: anyone with a permanent hard pass is authorized to be there, 24/7. That includes lawmakers, congressional aides, journalists, Capitol Police officers, along with maintenance and custodial staff. So, there is a defined universe of people who are permitted to be anywhere in the Capitol buildings. The Cannon House Office Building would have a usual contingent of USCP officers patrolling it on a holiday. Moreover, USCP has a number of cameras trained on a variety of halls and locales throughout the congressional facilities. It’s unclear if there is video of this incident. In addition, there would even be more USCP officers at the Capitol complex on July 4 than on another holiday. That’s because of the tens of thousands who pour onto the grounds for the concert and fireworks. However, most of the focus is on keeping order and securing the concert. This brings us to the disturbing part of the equation: whoever vandalized the posters outside Schneider’s office was either someone who was brought into the building by a lawmaker or people who worked there. This wasn’t done by someone from the public just roaming the building by themselves on a random Thursday afternoon because the facility is open. But this is just another example of the rising trend of violence and threats against lawmakers, family members, staff and congressional property over the past few years. “Have you noticed a noticeable increase in criminal activity perpetrated against members of Congress in the last year or two?” asked Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., at a House hearing earlier this spring. “Over the last couple of years, it’s been a concern,” replied Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger. UFO WHISTLEBLOWER SAYS HE’S BEING THREATENED AS CONGRESSMAN WARNS PROTECTIONS ARE A ‘JOKE’ There were 8,000 threats against lawmakers last year. That’s an exponential spike, up from just 2,000 a few years ago. “We’ve seen carjackings. We’ve seen one of our colleagues attacked in an elevator in her building,” said Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla. Bice is referring to the carjacking of Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, not far from the Capitol. A thug accosted Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., at her D.C. home. Muggers pistol whipped an aide to Rep. Brad Finstad, R-Minn., last year after the congressional baseball game at nearby Nats Park. “The level of threat has escalated,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y. A man savaged two aides to Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., with a baseball bat at his northern Virginia district office in 2023. And then there was the brutal beating of Paul Pelosi, husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. There have been instances of some local
Prominent Democrat: ‘Voters have been voicing’ Biden concerns for months
Former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau is arguing Monday that “voters have been voicing” concerns about President Biden for months as the 81-year-old is resisting calls to end his re-election bid. Favreau, in a post on X, rejected Biden’s claim that calls for his withdrawal are only coming from “elite” sources. He cited a pre-debate poll from the New York Times/Siena College that found 64% of all voters wanted Biden replaced on the Democratic ticket, including 48% of people who planned to vote for Biden, and that 69% of the electorate finds Biden too old to be an effective president. “This is not an elite thing. This is not a media thing. This is not a one-bad-debate-freakout thing,” Favreau wrote. “The voters have been voicing these concerns for months now. Denying them or dismissing them is not the way to overcome them.” Favreau, who is one of the hosts of Pod Save America, also flagged that 55% of Black voters and 66% of Hispanic voters want Biden replaced as the nominee. POLL COMPARES WHETHER TRUMP, HUNTER BIDEN SHOULD GET PRISON SENTENCES, ACCORDING TO US ADULTS The post came after Biden made a surprise appearance Monday morning on MSNBC in which he challenged fellow Democrats to run against him for the nomination and dismissed widespread calls for him to drop out of the presidential race. “I’m getting frustrated by the elites – not you guys – the elites in the party, oh, they know so much more. Any of these guys that don’t think I should run, run against me. Announce for president, challenge me at the convention,” Biden said. BIDEN CALLS INTO ‘MORNING JOE,’ REMAINS DEFIANT ABOUT STAYING IN THE RACE Then in a letter fired off to congressional Democrats today, Biden urged his party to stop questioning whether he should end his re-election bid and “move forward as a unified party” in order to defeat former President Trump in their 2024 election rematch. Biden reiterated in the letter that he’s “firmly committed to staying in this race” and argued that any further questioning of his candidacy “only helps Trump and hurts us.” Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and Patrick Ward contributed to this report.
As Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital is hit, anger towards Russia rages
Kyiv, Ukraine – Earth-shattering blasts shook Oleksandra’s apartment building on Monday morning, sending dagger-like shards of glass flying around. Hours later, she is still shaking, but it is not the damage to her two-bedroom apartment that shocked her. “We can always have the windows replaced,” she told Al Jazeera, clutching a cigarette and sitting next to her elderly father on a bench near the building in central Kyiv. It was the damage done to Okhmatdyt, Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital, a sprawling complex that is just metres away from her apartment. Thousands of children, including those with cancer, undergo treatment at the hospital every year. A Ukrainian firefighter works to extinguish a fire in a residential building after a missile attack in Kyiv on July 8, 2024 [Anatolii Stepanov/AFP] A Russian hypersonic missile struck the complex on Monday morning, hitting a two-storey toxicology department where children undergo dialysis, officials said. The building’s roof collapsed, killing at least two hospital workers. One victim is understood to have been a doctor. At least 16 people were wounded, including seven children, officials said. “I am feeling so down,” Oleksandra said, pointing at the hospital as it was still surrounded by a cloud of dust as bulldozers removed the debris. “They saved my son there two years ago, and now I see this,” she said as dozens of volunteers rushed around, handing out bottled water, food and fruit to the children from pick-up trucks and buses. “They are children, just little ones. We see them every day. Some have cancer,” she said. The hospital attack was part of a Russian barrage. Moscow launched three dozen missiles on several Ukrainian cities. At the time of writing, at least 36 people were reported to have been killed and 125 wounded, but the toll is expected to rise. “There are still some children trapped under the debris,” a rescue worker told Al Jazeera four hours after the strike. But a police officer signalled him to stop talking and told this reporter: “Everyone is alive and well. Please stay away.” Russia denies responsibility Russia habitually denies targeting civilian infrastructure. It claimed the hospital was hit by a Ukrainian air defence missile. “The statements by the regime in Kyiv about Russia’s allegedly deliberate missile strike on civilian sites are absolutely unreal,” the Russian Ministry of Defence said in a statement. “Multiple photos and video footage from Kyiv undoubtedly confirm the fact of destruction due to the fall of a Ukrainian air defence missile launched within the city limits,” it said. But military analysts are adamant that the attack on Okhmatdyt was deliberate. They used the “whole spectre” of missiles backed by Iranian-made Shaheed drones and “struck during daytime to exert moral and psychological pressure”, said Lieutenant General Ihor Romanenko, former deputy head of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. “They struck Okhmatdyt to hit a nerve, so that Ukrainians, Kyivans get emotional and pressure their” leaders to agree with a Kremlin-proposed plan that would force Ukraine to recognise Moscow-occupied parts of Ukraine and Crimea as parts of Russia, he told Al Jazeera. (Al Jazeera) Ukrainians who have lived through years of bombardment agree that the assault was no mistake. “Those were hits, not midair collisions” with air defence missiles, said Serhiy, a construction engineer who witnessed hits on the Artyom military plant, which is about a kilometre away (0.6 miles) from the Okhmatdyt hospital. “The intervals between them were equal – one, two, three, four. I have seen and heard enough of them,” Serhiy told Al Jazeera. He is a native of the eastern city of Donetsk, which was taken over by separatists in 2014. Like many Ukrainians, he is used to the strikes and the war in general. “I have no feelings left,” he said. He was not able to attend his mother’s funeral in Donetsk last year because a trip to the separatist-held city would have become a “one-way ticket”, he said. The Artyom plant once produced missiles and other weaponry for Ukraine’s air forces. It has been hit multiple times since the full-scale Russian invasion began in 2022, even though most of its manufacturing has been relocated and only a handful of staffers worked in the building. “I should have run,” one of them told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity, sitting in the shadow of an Orthodox Christian chapel across the street from the plant. “Everything was flying around – sketches, papers, things,” he said, pointing at the building where firefighters were putting out a fire that was sending up two huge plumes of black smoke that were seen all over Kyiv. He said at least one of his colleagues was killed. Russia’s missiles ‘harder to identify and destroy’ Minutes later, a second air raid alert sent rescue workers, police officers and civilians to an underground passage. Even though advanced Western air defence systems protect Kyiv from most of the Russian missiles and drones, Moscow keeps “improving” its bombardment tactics, Ukraine’s air force spokesman said. Russia’s missiles are “harder to identify and destroy,” Yuri Ihnat wrote on Facebook. People work to clear the debris and find the missing after the hospital attack on July 8, 2024 [Gleb Garanich/Reuters] He said that on Monday, the missiles were flying at “super-low altitudes” of merely 50 metres (165ft) above ground to avoid detection and interception. For many in Ukraine, the hospital bombing epitomises Russia’s ruthlessness. Civilian sites, including schools, hospitals, railway stations and bomb shelters, have been struck throughout the war, now in its third year. “We must hold Russia accountable for its acts of terror and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin for ordering the strikes,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X. “Every time there are attempts to discuss peace with [Putin], Russia responds with attacks on homes and hospitals,” he said, adding that Kyiv is initiating an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the bombing. 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Who could potentially replace President Joe Biden?
Calls are mounting for US President Joe Biden to step aside as the Democratic Party candidate, following his poor performance in a presidential debate against Republican candidate Donald Trump. The 81-year-old president’s faltering presentation during the June 27 debate has sparked questions and doubts about his ability to lead for another four years. During the debate, Biden appeared to lose his train of thought and at times looked exhausted or confused. A damage control campaign has since followed, with the president and his backers scrambling to assure voters that he is fit and won’t be stepping aside. But some within the Democratic camp seem dissatisfied; the list of representatives calling for a Biden drop-out is now growing. Here’s what we know about how the debate has affected Biden and who a replacement candidate might be: Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden attend a debate ahead of the United States presidential election, in Atlanta, Georgia, the US on June 27, 2024 [Brian Snyder/Reuters] Why did the debate affect Biden? The most significant impact of Biden’s debate performance is that it intensified doubts about his capacity – which now threatens his ability to win the presidential elections in November, experts note. That adds to simmering dissatisfaction with how Biden’s government has handled inflation, the Gaza war and immigration on the southern border with Mexico. An Ipsos poll showed that after the presidential debate, voter confidence in Biden’s mental fitness dropped from 28 percent to 20 percent. Presidential debates have been an important part of US elections since first airing in 1960 and have proved crucial in shifting voters towards the better speaker. After the Sunday debate, voter preferences have shifted towards Trump by an average of 3.5 points, according to one analysis by the Brookings Institution, a US think-tank. Prior to the debate, Trump was ahead of Biden by an average of 1.5 points. Another opinion poll by Ipsos showed that post-debate voter support for both candidates was tied at 40 percent. Analysts say even small shifts are crucial in what’s set to be a tight election in a country deeply polarised along political ideologies. Which Democrats have called for Biden to be replaced? Within the Democratic Party, five members of the US House of Representatives have called for Biden to step aside: Representatives Seth Moulton (Massachusetts), Lloyd Doggett (Texas), Raul Grijalva (Arizona), Mike Quigley (Illinois) and Angie Craig (Minnesota). On Sunday, a separate group of Democrats at a virtual meeting convened by the House minority leader, Representative Hakeem Jeffries (New York), discussed how to pressure Biden to step aside, according to The Associated Press. What happens if Biden drops out of the race? It’s nearly unprecedented for a nominee to step down so close to the elections. If that happens, Democrats would have to field another candidate. President Biden could step down and simply nominate Vice President Kamala Harris to carry on, but her approval ratings have not been much higher than Biden’s, casting doubt on her ability to floor Trump. However, Harris would inherit Biden’s campaign funds, whereas any other nominees would be starting their campaigns from scratch, campaign finance lawyer Steve Roberts told The Hill. If Biden steps down before the August 19-22 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, one of the more likely scenarios is that the party will nominate another candidate to run in his place. Democrats last used this method in 1968, after the leading candidate, Senator Robert F Kennedy, was assassinated just weeks before the convention. The Democratic Party could also force Biden out by invoking the 25th Amendment, which provides that if the president dies, is disabled or resigns, the vice president assumes the role. The VP and a majority of Democrats in Congress could invoke the act by declaring to the speaker of the house and the Senate that the president is not fit, and should be removed. The president could contest this declaration. If the VP and a majority of lawmakers disagree, the matter would be put to a two-thirds majority vote in Congress. Could donors force Biden to quit? Donors have considerable power, but it’s unclear how they might affect a potential nomination. Some donors to the Biden campaign have joined the list of people asking Biden to step down, including former PayPal CEO William “Bill” Harris. Harris, who donated $620,000 to the Biden campaign in 2020, told reporters last week that Biden’s departure is “inevitable”. Harris is now leading a group of donors pledging $2m to fund a series of debates among Democratic candidates that would set the stage for another candidate to be selected. Some are threatening to withhold donations to the Democrats until Biden steps down, putting pressure not just on the president, but the entire party. In an opinion piece on the website Deadline, Hollywood producer Damon Lindelof urged fellow donors to impose a “DEMbargo”. Lindelof wrote: “When they text you asking for cash, text back that you’re not giving them a penny and you won’t change your mind until there’s change at the top of the ticket.” For now, there have been no such calls from the Biden campaign’s biggest donors. Political action group Future Forward USA Action and venture capital firms Greylock Partners and Sequoia Capital are the top three donors for the Biden campaign, according to the website OpenSecrets. Who could replace Biden and how would they fare against Trump? Some have put forward Michelle Obama as a likely nominee, but the former first lady has repeatedly said “no”. Yet 50 percent of those polled said they would vote for Obama if she were on the ticket, putting her seven points ahead of Trump. More likely candidates, however, include: Kamala Harris: VP Harris, 59, is a straightforward replacement for Biden and likely a top runner. A former prosecutor and California senator, Harris could appeal to young voters, as well as supporters from Black and other minority communities (she is of Indian and Jamaican descent). A vocal advocate of abortion rights, she
Missile hits Kyiv children’s hospital amid barrage of Russian strikes
NewsFeed Part of a children’s hospital in the Ukrainian capital has partially collapsed after being struck Monday amid a barrage of Russian missiles across the country. Published On 8 Jul 20248 Jul 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
State’s move to bump federal judge from longtime foster care lawsuit caps years of battles
A federal judge has taken the Texas’ foster care system to task for 13 years. Reforms have been made. Now armed with private legal fire power, the state wants the judge off the case.
West Texas pastor who used illegal donations from churches to campaign for office is fined $3,500
Fines issued to Scott Beard of Abilene’s Fountaingate Fellowship and two pastors follow reporting from ProPublica and The Texas Tribune that revealed the churches donated to his campaign for local office despite state and federal prohibitions.
Hurricane Beryl updates: More than 2.7 million customers without power as storm moves inland
Two people died in Harris County after trees fell on residences. Beryl is bringing strong winds and heavy rain as it moves northeast through the state.
Trump focused on campaigning, as Dems are ‘in disarray’ amid Biden chaos
EXCLUSIVE: The Trump campaign doesn’t want to “get in the way” of Democrats “shooting at each other” over President Biden’s re-election chances, with a source telling Fox News Digital that the former president prefers to focus on campaigning and the upcoming Republican National Convention instead of on his rival’s implosion. Other than challenging Biden to a second debate – one that he proposes occur without any moderators – former President Donald Trump has been measured in his attacks on Biden. When asked about the strategy, a Trump campaign source said that Trump is, instead, focused on his campaign and winning. “Democrats are in disarray,” the Trump campaign source told Fox News Digital. “Why get in the way of them shooting at each other?” The Trump campaign has its sights set on the GOP nominating convention in Milwaukee, Wis., which begins July 15 and runs through July 18, the source told Fox News Digital. Trump is expected to be formally nominated during the convention as the 2024 Republican presidential nominee. EX-OBAMA ADVISER SAYS BIDEN CAN’T BEAT ‘FATHER TIME’ AND IS ‘NOT WINNING THIS RACE’ COMER REVEALS WHITE HOUSE PHYSICIAN WAS INVOLVED IN BIDEN FAMILY BUSINESS DEALS, DEMANDS HE TESTIFY “We have the convention coming up, we have two rallies coming up, and we have the VP announcement coming up,” the source said. “We are focused on what we have to do and the big news coming from us.” The Trump campaign source added: “We’ll let the Democrats shoot at each other all day long.” Biden has been reeling amid mounting pressure to step aside and suspend his 2024 campaign, including calls to quit the race from many within the Democratic Party. The concerns began to manifest after Biden’s disastrous performance at the first presidential debate against Trump last month. BIDEN’S ‘DISASTER’ DEBATE PERFORMANCE SPARKS MEDIA MELTDOWN, CALLS FOR HIM TO WITHDRAW FROM 2024 RACE Top Biden campaign aides and White House officials have been engaged in damage control ever since, with the president himself sending a letter to Democrats in Congress on Monday morning. In the letter, Biden stressed his commitment to staying in the race and beating Trump in November. Trump is expected to sit down for his first interview since the debate on Monday night with Sean Hannity on “Hannity” at 9 p.m. ET on Fox News. Trump is set to hold a rally at his golf club in Doral, Fla., near Miami on Tuesday night. On Saturday, Trump is expected to travel to Pennsylvania for another rally at the Butler Farm Show. Meanwhile, Biden, in his Monday letter to Democratic members of Congress, urged them to stop questioning whether he should end his re-election bid and “move forward as a unified party.” Biden wrote that he is “firmly committed to staying in this race” and argued that any further questioning of his candidacy “only helps Trump and hurts us.” TRUMP APPROVAL RATING TOPS 50% AS HE LEADS BIDEN ON VOTERS’ TOP TWO ISSUES: POLL The 81-year-old Biden is the oldest president in the nation’s history. His halting delivery and stumbling answers at the debate in Atlanta sparked widespread panic in the Democratic Party and a rising tide of public and private calls from within his own party for him to step aside. Trump’s approval rating has surpassed 50%, and the presumptive Republican nominee leads Biden on voters’ top two issues on the economy and immigration, according to a new poll. The poll by USA TODAY/Suffolk University was conducted on a sample of 1,000 registered voters between June 28 and 30, after Biden’s debate debacle sent shock waves through the Democratic Party. It shows 51% of respondents said they approve of Trump’s job performance as president from 2017 to 2021, compared to 41% who said they approve of Biden’s current job performance. Regarding two of the top issues of the 2024 campaign, the economy and immigration, more registered voters said they believed Trump would do a better job than Biden. The poll found 53% of registered voters trust Trump to handle immigration compared to 40% who said the same for Biden. Respondents also viewed Trump as more capable than Biden of handling national security, 52% to 42%, and on dealing with China, 51% to 41%. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.