Democratic senator ‘horrified’ by Biden’s debate performance, says campaign needs to be ‘candid’
U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, said he was “horrified” and remains concerned about President Biden‘s performance during last week’s presidential debate, which has put Democrats on the defensive about their presumptive nominee’s health and mental capacity. Whitehouse was interviewed by 12 News about his reaction to the Thursday debate, which pitted Biden against former President Donald Trump in Atlanta. “I think like a lot of people I was pretty horrified by the debate,” Whitehouse told the news outlet. “The blips of President Biden and the barrage of lying from President Trump were not what one would hope for in a presidential debate.” PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE SHOWS DEMOCRATS ‘LIED’ ABOUT BIDEN: ‘I BLAME BARACK OBAMA’ He said Democrats remain united in the need to defeat Trump. Following the debate, reports began surfacing almost immediately that Democrats were in a state of “panic” over Biden’s performance. “People want to make sure that…the president and his team are being candid about his condition that this was a real anomaly and not just the way he is these days,” said Whitehouse. Fox News Digital has reached out to the senator’s office. AFTER BIDEN’S DISASTROUS DEBATE, CAMPAIGN EMAILS SUPPORTERS ON HOW TO DEFEND HIM: ‘BEDWETTING BRIGADE’ The optics prompted journalists at various outlets to report on dozens of Democratic Party officials who said the 81-year-old Biden should consider refusing his party’s nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August. “I don’t debate as well as I used to,” he told a crowd at a North Carolina rally on Friday. “I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done.” Other Democrats have raised issues following the subpar debate performance. “I’ve been very clear that it was an underwhelming performance on Thursday during the debate, as President Biden and his campaign have acknowledged,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told MSNBC on Sunday. Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., told CNN he “thought it was a tough night” for the president. Fox News Digital’s Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.
Trump moves to overturn Manhattan case after SCOTUS immunity decision: report
Former President Trump on Monday moved to overturn his criminal conviction in the Manhattan case after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a former president has substantial immunity for official acts committed while in office, according to reports. In a 6-3 decision, the court narrowed the case against him and returned it to the trial court to determine what is left of special counsel Jack Smith’s indictment. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged the former president in May with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. JUSTICES CLAIM IMMUNITY RULING ALLOWS PRESIDENTS TO POISON STAFF, HAVE NAVY SEALS KILL POLITICAL RIVALS The New York Times reported Monday that lawyers for Trump had filed a motion to dismiss the verdict just hours after the Supreme Court’s ruling. The motion came on the same day that the district attorney’s office had sent sentencing recommendations to Judge Juan M. Merchan though it remains unclear whether that will be seen by the public. Trump pleaded not guilty to all counts in the Manhattan case. Fox News Digital has reached out to the DA’s office and representatives for Trump for comment. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
Majority of voters favor Biden dropping out while Trump’s base ‘appears more solid’: poll
A recent poll has found that President Biden’s core supporters are now doubting whether he should stay in the 2024 presidential race. The poll was conducted by USA TODAY/Suffolk University between Friday and Monday. Pollsters utilizing a probability-proportionate-to-size method telephoned 1,000 respondents living in all U.S. states. The survey found that more four in ten Democrats said that the Democratic Party should intervene and replace Biden as the nominee. Overall, 54% of the voters polled were in favor of Biden dropping out. The poll also noted that Trump’s base “appeared more solid immediately after the debate,” according to a press release published by Suffolk University. Only 14% of Republicans said that the Republican Party should replace Trump as nominee, even after his recent conviction. MAJORITY OF VOTERS THINKS BIDEN IS COGNITIVELY UNFIT TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT: POLL Pollsters also noted that Trump won the debate, by a margin of nearly five to one, or 50% to 11%. Among Biden supporters, only 28% said that the sitting president won. “Most voters cited mental sharpness as a factor in their opinion on the debate performance of both candidates,” the release noted. “Those criticizing the 81-year-old Biden’s performance used words like ‘confused’ and ‘incoherent.’” “Supporters of Trump, who is 78, praised their candidate with words like ‘coherent/articulate’ and ‘cognizant/present.” Biden’s weak debate performance continues to rattle the Democratic Party. On Monday, one of Biden’s longtime Senate colleagues called for a new nominee. JILL BIDEN’S EX-HUSBAND CALLS HER OUT FOR DEFENDING ‘STRUGGLING’ JOE BIDEN, ‘KEEPING HIM IN THE RACE’ Speaking to Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck, Former Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin called Thursday’s debate “a disaster from which Biden cannot recover.” “Of course, Trump’s answers were meandering, gobbledygook, and full of lies, BUT they were said with force and directness,” he said. “I also think all incumbent Democratic Senators should write to Biden asking him to release his delegates and step aside so the convention can choose a new candidate.” “A couple of governors may need to do the same.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Biden and Trump campaigns, but did not immediately hear back. Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
Texas to double $5 billion state fund aimed at expanding the power grid
The announcement came soon after a new prediction by the state’s main grid operator that power demands will nearly double by 2030
Biden speaks on Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling
President Biden addressed the nation Monday evening following the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity in Trump v. United States. The Supreme Court ruled that a former president has substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts committed while in office, but not for unofficial acts. In a 6-3 decision, the Court sent the matter back down to a lower court, as the justices did not apply the ruling to whether or not former President Trump is immune from prosecution regarding actions related to efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Biden has not taken questions from the press and has used teleprompters at his events, including a fundraiser in the Hamptons, following his disastrous debate performance against Trump last week. TRUMP IMMUNITY CASE: SUPREME COURT RULES EX-PRESIDENTS HAVE SUBSTANTIAL PROTECTION FROM PROSECUTION “Today’s Historic Decision by the Supreme Court should end all of Crooked Joe Biden’s Witch Hunts against me, including the New York Hoaxes – The Manhattan SCAM cooked up by Soros backed D.A., Alvin Bragg, Racist New York Attorney General Tish James’ shameless ATTACK on the amazing business that I have built, and the FAKE Bergdorf’s “case.” PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media site Truth Social. TRUMP TOUTS SUPREME COURT’S PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY RULING AS ‘BIG WIN FOR OUR CONSTITUTION AND FOR DEMOCRACY’ The former president was charged in August 2023 by Special Counsel Jack Smith with conspiring to overturn the results of his election loss to President Biden in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Trump has denied doing anything wrong and has said this prosecution and three others are politically motivated to try to keep him from returning to the White House. BIDEN CAMP DISMISSES TRUMP IMMUNITY RULING: ‘DOESN’T CHANGE THE FACTS’ Trump shared his reaction to the Supreme Court’s ruling on his presidential immunity case, saying it’s a “big win for our constitution and democracy,” according to his Truth Social page. “THE SUPREME COURT DECISION IS A MUCH MORE POWERFUL ONE THAN SOME HAD EXPECTED IT TO BE. IT IS BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN AND WISE, AND CLEARS THE STENCH FROM THE BIDEN TRIALS AND HOAXES, ALL OF THEM, THAT HAVE BEEN USED AS AN UNFAIR ATTACK ON CROOKED JOE BIDEN’S POLITICAL OPPONENT, ME. MANY OF THESE FAKE CASES WILL NOW DISAPPEAR, OR WITHER INTO OBSCURITY. GOD BLESS AMERICA!” Trump posted. Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman and Brianna Herlihy contributed to this report.
Biden slams SCOTUS presidential immunity ruling, ignores questions about dropping out
President Biden slammed the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity in Trump v. United States, saying it means there are virtually no limits on what a president can do, in a speedy address Monday evening. The president spoke for less than five minutes – four minutes and 40 seconds to be exact – before turning his back to the press and walking away. “This is a fundamentally new principle, and it’s a dangerous precedent, because the power of the office will no longer be constrained by the law, even including the Supreme Court of the United States,” Biden said. The Supreme Court ruled that a former president has substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts committed while in office, but not for unofficial acts. TRUMP IMMUNITY CASE: SUPREME COURT RULES EX-PRESIDENTS HAVE SUBSTANTIAL PROTECTION FROM PROSECUTION In a 6-3 decision, the Court sent the matter back down to a lower court, as the justices did not apply the ruling to whether or not former President Trump is immune from prosecution regarding actions related to efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Biden continued his address, saying that the American people must decide whether Donald Trump’s assault on democracy on January 6th makes him “unfit” for public office and the highest office in the land. “The American people must decide if Trump’s embrace of violence to preserve his power is acceptable. Perhaps most importantly, the American people must decide if they want to entrust the presidency to Donald Trump once again. Now knowing, he’ll be even more emboldened to do whatever he pleases, whenever he wants to do it,” Biden said. Biden also spoke about the character of the nation’s first president, George Washington, and how he believed power was limited, not absolute. Biden wrapped his speech and dodged questions from reporters as he left abruptly. Reporters shouted questions at Biden, asking him if he plans to drop out of the presidential race following his debate with Trump. TRUMP TOUTS SUPREME COURT’S PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY RULING AS ‘BIG WIN FOR OUR CONSTITUTION AND FOR DEMOCRACY’ Biden has not taken questions from the press and has used teleprompters at his events, including a fundraiser in the Hamptons, following his disastrous debate performance against Trump last week. “Today’s Historic Decision by the Supreme Court should end all of Crooked Joe Biden’s Witch Hunts against me, including the New York Hoaxes – The Manhattan SCAM cooked up by Soros backed D.A., Alvin Bragg, Racist New York Attorney General Tish James’ shameless ATTACK on the amazing business that I have built, and the FAKE Bergdorf’s “case.” PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media site Truth Social. BIDEN CAMP DISMISSES TRUMP IMMUNITY RULING: ‘DOESN’T CHANGE THE FACTS’ The former president was charged in August 2023 by Special Counsel Jack Smith with conspiring to overturn the results of his election loss to President Biden in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Trump has denied doing anything wrong and has said this prosecution and three others are politically motivated to try to keep him from returning to the White House. Trump shared his reaction to the Supreme Court’s ruling on his presidential immunity case, saying it’s a “big win for our constitution and democracy,” according to his Truth Social page. “THE SUPREME COURT DECISION IS A MUCH MORE POWERFUL ONE THAN SOME HAD EXPECTED IT TO BE. IT IS BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN AND WISE, AND CLEARS THE STENCH FROM THE BIDEN TRIALS AND HOAXES, ALL OF THEM, THAT HAVE BEEN USED AS AN UNFAIR ATTACK ON CROOKED JOE BIDEN’S POLITICAL OPPONENT, ME. MANY OF THESE FAKE CASES WILL NOW DISAPPEAR, OR WITHER INTO OBSCURITY. GOD BLESS AMERICA!” Trump posted. Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman and Brianna Herlihy contributed to this report.
How does Israel treat thousands of Palestinians in its prisons?
Accusations of widespread abuses and torture. Palestinian detainees released from Israeli prisons say abuse and torture are widespread and systematic. Thousands, including minors, have been held since the war on Gaza began in October. So, how does Israel treat its Palestinian prisoners? Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom Guests: Fadia Barghouti – Detained by the Israeli military for 90 days under its so-called administrative detention programme Basil Farraj – Assistant professor at Birzeit University, specialising in the study of political prisoners and violence in prisons in Palestine and elsewhere Mustafa Barghouti – Secretary-general and founder of the Palestinian National Initiative Adblock test (Why?)
US Supreme Court rules partial immunity for Donald Trump
NewsFeed In a historic 6-3 decision the US Supreme Court has ruled that Donald Trump cannot be prosecuted for certain official actions taken as president but can for private acts. The decision is being sent back to a lower court and likely will delay any trial Trump may face on charges of trying to subvert the 2020 election until after the 2024 election in November. Published On 1 Jul 20241 Jul 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
France detains top film directors over sex abuse allegations
French authorities have detained two leading arthouse film directors, Benoit Jacquot and Jacques Doillon, over accusations of sexual abuse, as a renewed #MeToo reckoning rocks France’s film industry. Jacquot, 77, and Doillon, 80, arrived at a Paris police station on Monday morning, accompanied by their lawyers, according to the AFP news agency. The directors’ detention over alleged abuses, some dating back to the 1980s and all of which they deny, came as activists say French cinema has too long provided cover for abuse. Earlier this year, Judith Godreche, a 52-year-old actor and director, formally accused Jacquot of rape and Doillon of sexual assault when she was a minor, accusations the two men deny. Godreche has described Jacquot as having had an unhealthy “hold” over her during a relationship of “perversion” with him that started when she was 14, from 1986 to 1992. She has also accused Doillon of “putting his fingers down” her “panties” during a screen test for one of his films when she was 15 and still with Jacquot. Several other actors have also filed complaints against both the men. French film director Jacques Doillon, left, arrives at the Directorate of Criminal Investigation for questioning over accusations of sexual abuse, in Paris [Guillaume Daudin/AFP] Isild Le Besco, 41, has alleged Jacquot raped her between 1998 and 2007 during a relationship that started when she was 16 and he was 52. Julia Roy, a 34-year-old actor who has appeared in several of his films, has accused him of sexual assault in “a context of violence and moral constraint which lasted several years”, a source close to the case said. Le Besco has also claimed that Doillon made advances during work sessions, while actor Anna Mouglalis alleged the filmmaker forcefully kissed her in 2011. ‘I am crying’ Judicial sources say the two filmmakers could be held until Tuesday evening and potentially be questioned in the presence of their accusers. The directors’ lawyers have said that there was no need to detain them to interrogate them, and that they should be considered innocent until proven guilty. Jacquot’s lawyer, Julia Minkowski, said her client would “finally be able to express himself before the law”, denouncing what she called the “unacceptable excesses” of media coverage on the issue. Doillon’s lawyer, Marie Dose, has said no legal criteria could justify his being detained for questioning “36 years” after the incident alleged by Godreche, and he could have answered queries without being held in custody. The prosecutor’s office confirmed the two men’s detention, but added that both were presumed innocent for the time being. Godreche on Instagram said she was deeply moved. “I am crying,” she wrote. “I don’t know if I have the strength, but I will have it. I will have it… For her,” she wrote, posting a picture of her teenage self next to Jacquot, 25 years her senior. Since breaking her silence, Godreche has become a leading voice in France’s #MeToo movement. After she appealed for a cinema oversight body, French lawmakers in May voted to create a commission to investigate sexual and gender-based violence in the film industry and other cultural sectors. Last week, the head of France’s top cinema institution, Dominique Boutonnat, stepped down from his position after he was convicted of sexually assaulting his godson in 2020. Boutonnat has been given a three-year prison sentence, two of them suspended. He will, however, be able to serve his one-year jail term at home wearing an electronic bracelet. Cinema legend Gerard Depardieu, 75, is also set to stand trial in October for sexually assaulting two women. He risks a second trial after he was charged in 2020 with the rape of an actor in 2018 when she was 22. [embedded content] Adblock test (Why?)
Kentucky Gov Beshear responds to rumors that he’ll run for president: ‘It’s flattering’
Kentucky Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear told reporters Monday that even though President Biden’s recent debate performance was “rough,” he has no intention of sliding into presidential contention unless Biden bows out of the race. Reporters asked Beshear what he thought about Biden’s performance in last week’s debate and whether he should remain in the race. “Well, the debate performance was rough. It was a very bad night for the president,” the Kentucky governor said. “But he is still the candidate. Only he can make decisions about his future candidacy, so as long as he continues to be in the race, that’s important.” The question came just days after the first presidential debate between Biden and former President Trump, which left many Democrats shocked and concerned about the current president’s performance. Biden’s rambling answers and raspy voice raised concerns about his age, mental state and whether he is fit to serve another four years. TOP HOUSE DEM ADMITS BIDEN DEBATE WAS A ‘SETBACK,’ CALLS FOR COMEBACK AFTER ‘UNDERWHELMING PERFORMANCE’ Following the debate, multiple Democrat figures and media outlets called for the current president to step out of the race and allow another Democrat to take the party’s spot at the top of the ticket. When asked if he would slide into the slot if Biden were to bow out of the race, Beshear reiterated that only the president can determine his future as a candidate. “He is the candidate, and as long as he is, I’m supporting him,” Beshear said. BIDEN DEBATE DEBACLE: 10 EYE-OPENING MEDIA RESPONSES, FROM MSNBC PANIC TO ‘THE VIEW’ CALLING FOR REPLACEMENT But he also told reporters that he was flattered when people mention his name as someone being considered to lead the party as a presidential candidate. “I think it’s a reflection of all the good things going on in Kentucky. As compared to the rest of the country, the temperature’s been turned down here,” Beshear said. He explained that state Democrats and Republicans are excited about the jobs the state has created as well as the record-low unemployment and decreases in overdose deaths, among other things. BIDEN REPORTEDLY HUMILIATED BY DEBATE PERFORMANCE, LACKS CONFIDENCE: ‘IT’S A MESS’ Beshear said he thinks the rest of the country is turning to the things being done in Kentucky, and he talked about how a Democrat governor and a Republican general assembly can get good results. “I think the answer to that is everything is not partisan, and people are tired of the clashes, day in and day out,” he said. “So, when they look at what we have done in Kentucky, they see a better future that’s beyond some of the back-and-forth that we see on the federal level.” Biden has not bowed out of the race, though he was reportedly humiliated by his debate performance and “devoid of confidence,” according to an NBC News report that cited a person familiar with the president’s mood. “It’s a mess,” the source reportedly told NBC News. The outlet reported that several prominent Democrats expressed concern in private over Biden’s chances of beating Trump in November after his debate performance. However, they remain steadfast in their support for Biden in public. During a speech at a New Jersey fundraiser on Saturday, the president acknowledged he didn’t have a “great night.” “Research during the debate shows us converting more undecided voters than Trump did, in large part because of his conduct on Jan. 6,” he said. “People remember the bad things during his presidency.” Biden’s campaign said it has raised $27 million since his debate performance. Fox News Digital’s Hanna Panreck contributed to this report.