Jailed Khalistani separatist Amritpal Singh granted 4-day parole, likely to take oath as MP on…
Jailed radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, who recently won the Khadoor Sahib parliamentary seat in Punjab, is likely to take oath as Lok Sabha member on Friday (July 5).
Obama cautiously advises Biden after shaky debate performance, looming rematch with Trump: report
President Biden has enlisted top A-listers to help push his campaign for re-election, and that includes perhaps the top Democrat of all, former President Barack Obama. But after Biden’s creaky performance in the first presidential debate against former President Donald Trump last week, it seems that even Obama might have doubts about Biden’s prospect of winning a second term this November. Obama called Biden after the debate to offer more words of encouragement, according to The Washington Post, which also reported that Obama told private supporters that Biden’s road to re-election has become more difficult since Thursday. OBAMA DEFENDS BIDEN, HAMMERS TRUMP AFTER TELEVISED SHOWDOWN: ‘BAD DEBATE NIGHTS HAPPEN’ An Obama spokesperson didn’t comment on the remarks made privately to the Post, but a Biden campaign spokesperson said Obama has given his former vice president “unwavering” support. “President Biden is grateful for President Obama’s unwavering support since the very start of this campaign as both a powerful messenger to voters and a trusted adviser directly to the president,” Lauren Hitt, a spokesperson for the Biden campaign, said. OBAMA HAS ‘ANXIETY’ OVER ELECTION, HOLDING SECRET MEETINGS WITH BIDEN TO STRATEGIZE ON BEATING TRUMP: REPORT Obama hasn’t publicly called for any Biden withdrawal, but has suggested his former vice president keep pushing forward. “Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself,” Obama stated on social media after the debate. OBAMA AGAIN STEPPING INTO ROLE AS JOE’S CLOSER AHEAD OF TRUMP V BIDEN REMATCH “Between someone who tells the truth; who knows right from wrong and will give it to the American people straight — and someone who lies through his teeth for his own benefit. Last night didn’t change that, and it’s why so much is at stake in November.” This comes on the heels of Obama reportedly acknowledging the possibility of Trump’s political strengths and potential chops to win another term. Obama, who remains one of the biggest names in the Democratic Party, has attended two major fundraisers for Biden in the past few months, including a ritzy fundraiser in March with former President Bill Clinton in New York City at Radio City Music Hall. Last month, Obama attended a fundraiser with Biden in Los Angeles that was hosted by actors George Clooney and Julia Roberts, an event that raised more than $30 million.
Democratic donors unsure if Biden campaign can continue: reports
Democratic donors are torn about the future viability of President Biden’s presidential campaign, according to reports. The president held a campaign call with top fundraising chairs and donors on Monday evening, during which his staff addressed the disastrous debate performance that sparked widespread anxiety about his mental capacity. “It was good, honest assessment – no surprising questions nor surprising answers but it was good for them to do,” one participant in the call reportedly told ABC. BIDEN’S CANDIDACY REMAINS UNDER THREAT AS TOP DEMOCRATIC DONORS GET COLD FEET “They can bring him to do 20 more speeches. He can’t recover from this,” another donor told ABC on condition of anonymity. Others were slightly more optimistic. “Every time Joe Biden is counted out, he proves his doubters wrong. I have faith he’ll do it this time too,” longtime Biden donor Andrew Weinstein told CNN about the Monday night call. Another donor reportedly told CNN that it was “troubling” to see Biden use a teleprompter while addressing a Hamptons fundraiser audience. BIDEN MEETING WITH DEMOCRAT GOVERNORS WEDNESDAY AFTER DISASTROUS DEBATE PERFORMANCE “Unless he shakes up the campaign and shows leadership, it’s going to be a really, really tough time with money,” said one Democrat, identified by The Washington Post as a top fundraiser. A Democratic representative in Texas became the first elected official in the party to explicitly call for Biden to end his reelection campaign. “I represent the heart of a congressional district once represented by Lyndon Johnson. Under very different circumstances, he made the painful decision to withdraw. President Biden should do the same,” Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett said on Tuesday. “I represent the heart of a congressional district once represented by Lyndon Johnson. Under very different circumstances, he made the painful decision to withdraw. President Biden should do the same,” Doggett said. Plans are in the works for Biden to meet on Wednesday with the nation’s Democrat governors in the wake of his rough performance during last Thursday’s first debate with former President Donald Trump. Multiple Democratic sources confirmed that the meeting, which is likely to be virtual, was in the process of being scheduled. Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Biden blames European trips for debate flop, despite long huddle at Camp David: ‘Almost fell asleep onstage’
President Biden is now blaming a recent series of trips to Europe for his rocky performance at the presidential debate, telling an audience at a campaign fundraiser in Virginia last night that he “wasn’t very smart” for “traveling around the world a couple times” beforehand. Biden spoke as pressure remains high Wednesday morning for the president to withdraw his re-election bid and let another Democrat pursue the nomination. “I decided to travel around the world a couple of times… shortly before the debate…I didn’t listen to my staff… and then I almost fell asleep on stage,” Biden said during the event Tuesday night in McLean, according to print pool report. Biden added that he was sorry for his performance at the debate, but said it was “critical” to win November’s presidential election. DEMOCRAT LAWMAKER DECLARES TRUMP ‘IS GOING TO WIN THE ELECTION’ AND US DEMOCRACY WILL SURVIVE “It’s not an excuse but an explanation,” Biden was quoted as saying. The president also highlighted that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has raised millions since the debate and “I feel good about it.” In early June, Biden traveled to France for D-Day commemorations. He then came back to the U.S. before flying out to Italy in mid-June for the G-7 Summit. TEXAS CONGRESSMAN BECOMES FIRST ELECTED DEMOCRAT TO CALL ON BIDEN TO WITHDRAW FROM ELECTION Then in the days leading up to last Thursday’s debate against former President Trump in Atlanta, Biden huddled with at least 16 current and former aides at Camp David in rural Maryland, according to The New York Times. Biden’s mock debates included his personal attorney, Bob Bauer, playing the role of Trump, the report said, while the team that helped prepare him was led by former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, and included National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, current White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, White House counselor Steve Richetti, as well as other campaign officials. Then after Biden’s debate performance, his family members blamed his staff, complaining that they did not adequately prepare the president to go on the attack more, to focus more on laying out his vision for the next four years rather than getting bogged down in defending his record, and that they allowed him to become overworked without enough rest beforehand, Politico reported. Fox News’ Nicolas Rojas, Brandon Gillespie and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
Zika virus in Maharashtra: Centre issues advisory to states, asks to focus on…
States have been urged to focus on screening pregnant women for Zika virus and monitor the growth of foetus of expecting mothers who tested positive for the infection.
Hathras stampede: CM Yogi Adityanath announces judicial probe in incident that claimed 121 lives
He said retired administration and police officials will also be part of the judicial inquiry to probe the stampede.
At half a mile a week, Gov. Greg Abbott’s border wall will take around 30 years and $20 billion to build
The state has built about 34 miles of wall spread out across at least six counties on Texas’ 1,254-mile border with Mexico.
History of Jack Smith’s courtroom smackdowns after landmark loss in Trump immunity case
Special prosecutor Jack Smith suffered two major legal setbacks this week after the Supreme Court ruled against his efforts in two pending cases. On Monday, the high court ruled that presidents enjoy limited immunity for official presidential actions. On Friday, the high court ruled in favor of a Jan. 6 defendant charged with obstruction for his involvement in the 2021 Capitol riot. Both decisions significantly set back Smith’s case against former President Trump and add to an already checkered legal track record. Smith was appointed in 2022 by Attorney General Merrick Garland to oversee an investigation into whether Trump was involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and any alleged interference in the 2020 election result. LEGAL EXPERTS SAY TRUMP IMMUNITY RULING LIKELY PUSHES ELECTION INTERFERENCE TRIAL BEYOND ELECTION DAY Smith charged Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights. He had pushed to try Trump before the 2024 election, but the Supreme Court’s decisions provided a setback to the trial schedule and a blow to the legal merits of the case. “I think a big problem is that prosecutors in general often overcharge, partially because it puts a lot of pressure on defendants to accept a plea deal,” John Shu, a constitutional attorney who served in both Bush administrations, told Fox News Digital. “Jack Smith long has had a reputation, both at (the Eastern District of New York) and main Justice, of being a hyper-aggressive prosecutor. What makes him unusual is that he seems willing to overstretch the meaning and intent of the law in order to meet his conviction and high sentencing goals.” CLARENCE THOMAS SWIPES AT SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH’S APPOINTMENT IN SCOTUS IMMUNITY CASE From 2010 to 2015, Smith served under Obama’s Attorney General, Eric Holder, leading the DOJ’s Public Integrity Section. Prior to the Supreme Court’s rulings in the Trump-related cases this term, Smith has incurred more than one high-profile loss. Most notably, in 2016, he scored a conviction against former Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell on corruption charges. But that conviction was unanimously overturned in an 8-0 ruling by the Supreme Court. “There is no doubt that this case is distasteful; it may be worse than that. But our concern is not with tawdry tales of Ferraris, Rolexes, and ball gowns. It is instead with the broader legal implications of the Government’s boundless interpretation of the federal bribery statute,” the court wrote. The court in that decision warned that the “uncontrolled power of criminal prosecutors is a threat to our separation of power.” SPECIAL COUNSEL IN TRUMP CASE UNCONSTITUTIONAL, FORMER REAGAN AG SAYS In 2012, Smith charged and prosecuted John Edwards, a former senator and Democratic vice presidential candidate, a prosecution Smith decisively lost. Jurors voted to acquit Edwards of several felony violations of federal campaign finance laws. In 2017, Smith prosecuted Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., on public corruption charges, which resulted in a mistrial. “Politically, Smith had to charge Trump with [obstruction] because all of those other Jan. 6 defendants also were charged, which underscores the toxic and damaging effects of injecting politics into criminal law prosecutions.” A representative for Smith did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Presidential debate: Incumbent usually struggles with first faceoff, even Reagan and Obama, expert says
President Biden’s weak first debate may not prove to be his ultimate undoing if history is a barometer. Incumbents often struggle to find their footing but, in the end, win re-election. “Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know,” Barack Obama wrote on social media platform X Friday. “But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself.” Biden faced scathing criticism from the media and prompted reports of panic within his party after what many described as a disastrous faceoff with Trump. The pair stood even in the polls before the debate, but Trump gained a few points over the weekend after the debate. Biden appeared to struggle with his answers and stumbled with his words, prompting Trump at one point to say, “I have no idea what he just said.” Democratic governors have scheduled a meeting with Biden for later this week, and Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, on Tuesday became the first elected Democrat to urge Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race and allow a new candidate to face Trump. TEXAS CONGRESSMAN BECOMES FIRST ELECTED DEM TO CALL ON BIDEN TO WITHDRAW FROM ELECTION: ‘TOO MUCH IS AT STAKE’ Biden Campaign Chairwoman Jen O’Malley Dillon pointed to history to defend the president’s performance, telling NBC in an interview that “every incumbent president that I can remember in my lifetime has had a s—– first debate.” “Obviously, the stakes are higher for us because we are up against Donald Trump,” she continued. “Obviously, we have more work to do because the president is 81, but it was also a terrible debate in 2012. I was there. I remember it clearly.” Dillon argued that June was early enough in the campaign cycle for Biden to correct course as several of his predecessors have managed to do. Obama faced a baptism of fire following his first debate with Republican nominee Mitt Romney in 2012, waking up to see such headlines as “Why was President Obama so bad?” from the likes of the liberal-leaning Washington Post. Politico’s headline said, simply, “Obama stumbles” after the Oct. 3, 2012 debate in Denver, the first of three that saw Obama win his second term despite weaknesses the press had seized on from that first night. The Washington Post claimed the Obama seen on the debate stage in Denver “was virtually unrecognizable to the person who swept to victory in 2008.” Al Gore tried to defend the president by arguing he was possibly caught off guard by Denver’s unusually high altitude. BIDEN MEETING WITH DEMOCRAT GOVERNORS WEDNESDAY AFTER DISASTROUS DEBATE PERFORMANCE No one will forget how Ronald Reagan gave a limp performance in the Oct. 7, 1984, debate against Walter Mondale in Louisville. Reagan held a commanding lead in the polls despite concerns about his age. At the time, he was 73, the oldest person to ever hold the office of president. But the polls narrowed by seven points, reflecting the view that Mondale had trounced his opponent, according to Slate. Polling conducted after George W. Bush’s first debate against opponent John Kerry in 2004 found voters considered Kerry the winner by a two-to-one margin, and Pew Research found that while Bush overall maintained his lead, his margin “slipped” over the following weekend. In fact, Pew noted that, for the first time in its 16 years analyzing polls, a Democratic candidate made a better showing among likely voters than on the basis of all registered voters. The organization labeled the “high level of Democratic motivation to vote” as “surprising” as only half of Democratic voters seemed convinced Kerry would win the election. Many described Bush as “defensive” and “nervous” in his responses even though they also described Kerry as “arrogant” and, at times, “indecisive.” Those polled also found Bush to be “honest” compared to the more “confident” Kerry. In the case of Bush versus Kerry, Pew made clear the motivation of voters often can override perceived performance in a one-off debate. Bush’s supporters “overwhelmingly” wanted to vote for him rather than against Kerry while Kerry’s supporters were more interested in voting against Bush than for Kerry. Brett O’Donnell, a Republican communications strategist and president of O’Donnell & Associates, told Fox News Digital that sitting presidents can effectively get lost in the weeds on policy and major issues facing the country and “don’t take debate prep seriously.” HARRIS OUTPERFORMS BIDEN IN 2024 SHOWDOWN WITH TRUMP: POLL “They deal with these issues in a very deep way, more so than they did as candidates, as president,” O’Donnell said. “So, I think they confuse knowing the issues with being able to perform in a presidential debate. “I call it the incumbent trap, and it actually goes back further than that because Carter’s first debate with Reagan was a disaster. So, these guys — the incumbents — seem to … they forget the importance of performance as they need to know issues.” O’Donnell argued that while he doesn’t like to ascribe an advantage to one side or the other, he believes Republicans have a “better message,” and that makes it easier to connect with Americans. “It’s the message of the American Dream, where if you work hard, play by the rules, that there are opportunities in this country that you can take advantage of,” O’Donnell explained. “The Democrats’ answer to that has always been government, and I don’t think that’s a particularly effective message for the public at large. “It might be for some segments of the audience, but it’s not generally for the American public. They want to believe in the American Dream, and Republicans have defended that for decades.” As O’Donnell noted, a few incumbents have failed to perform in their first debates and ultimately could not overcome their opponents, failing to win re-election, starting with President Carter. Fox News Digital reached out to several Democratic strategists, but none replied before publication.
As questions about Biden mount, Kamala Harris sports better polls, more appearances, puff pieces
President Biden’s lackluster debate performance has turned the spotlight to Vice President Kamala Harris, who has started to show off a more visible campaign role as November approaches. Harris suddenly figures to play a defining role in the campaign down the stretch, a turnaround for a vice president that many critics have panned as a potential liability for Democrats in November. The negativity surrounding Harris even garnered calls for the vice president to step away from the campaign as recently as March, and one Washington Post column called on Harris to “step aside” for “the country’s sake.” Now, some have speculated Harris could take over at the top of the ticket after Biden’s debate performance. The vice president’s visibility already started to increase before last week. BIDEN’S INNER CIRCLE SILENT AS PARTY REELS FOLLOWING ‘EMBARRASSING’ DEBATE PERFORMANCE Media outlets have taken notice, leading to an avalanche of positive press for the vice president in recent months. Harris was called “Biden’s secret weapon in North Carolina” in a report in The Hill, which noted the vice president made her fifth trip to the battleground state last month and has led the outreach to Black communities, a largely Democratic demographic Biden has struggled to court in his rematch with former President Trump. “She’s one of the administration’s best spokespeople to the Black community,” Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons told The Hill. “The president has been making the case to the Black community as well, but obviously the VP has a different kind of appeal.” A February report in the Los Angeles Times declared that Harris had finally “found her groove,” citing the vice president’s appeal to younger voters and her voice on issues such as abortion. “She’s become a top fundraiser for Democrats, an emissary to groups that are lukewarm toward President Biden — in particular Black and younger voters — and emerged as the administration’s most forceful voice on abortion, women’s health and, as Harris frames it, the threat Trump poses to freedom and individual choice,” the story said. BIDEN DEBATE DEBACLE: 10 EYE-OPENING MEDIA RESPONSES, FROM MSNBC PANIC TO ‘THE VIEW’ CALLING FOR REPLACEMENT A few months later, a New York Times report declared the “Harris moment has arrived,” calling her the “perfect messenger” for the campaign for issues such as “reproductive rights.” Some polls have seemingly caught on to the vice president’s strengthening position, with a Politico/Morning Consult poll conducted last month finding the vice president gaining strength with key demographics, including a 67% favorable rating among Black voters. The poll represented a turnaround for Harris, who had trailed Biden with Black voters going back to the 2020 primary. But she now leads the president in the crucial Democratic voting bloc by four points. “She’s been good at energizing active bases that Democrats have really needed — young Black voters, Black women. These are constituencies that Democrats can never take for granted,” Democratic strategist Trip Yang told Politico. BIDEN VOWS TO KEEP WHITE HOUSE, UNDETERRED BY DEMOCRATIC PANIC AFTER DEBATE DISASTER Harris’ visibility has only increased since the debate performance, with the vice president serving as a defender of the president across multiple networks in the minutes after the debate. She has also been active on the campaign trail, making stops in Las Vegas, Utah, and Southern California in the days following the debate. While many prominent Democrats have publicly backed Biden remaining the party’s nominee, there have been growing cries for Harris to take over at the top of the ticket. A New York Times opinion column the day after the debate declared that Harris “could win this election,” while a Vox Media column asked “what about Kamala?” Former U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio became one of the first nationally prominent Democrats to publicly advocate for Harris to take over for Biden. “We have to rip the band aid off! Too much is at stake,” Ryan said in a post on X Tuesday, adding that Harris has “significantly grown into her job.” “She will destroy Trump in debate, highlight choice issue, energize our base, bring back young voters and give us generational change,” said Ryan, who lost his 2022 Senate bid to Republican JD Vance. “It’s time!” Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett Tuesday became the first actively-serving Democrat on Capitol Hill to call on Biden to step aside from the presidential race. “Our overriding consideration must be who has the best hope of saving our democracy from an authoritarian takeover by a criminal and his gang,” he said in a statement. “Too much is at stake to risk a Trump victory – too great a risk to assume that what could not be turned around in a year, what was not turned around in the debate, can be turned around now.” Unlike Ryan, Doggett did not say whether he preferred Harris or another Democrat to replace Biden. The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.