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Fetterman cites own ‘difficult’ debate in arguing Biden can still win, slams Democrats ‘defecting’ to Trump

Fetterman cites own ‘difficult’ debate in arguing Biden can still win, slams Democrats ‘defecting’ to Trump

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., cited his own “difficult” debate performance in 2022 against Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz while arguing Sunday that President Biden can still win in November and “deserves” a second term.  In an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” Fetterman dismissed the New York Times, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and a number of left-leaning pundits calling on Biden to drop out of the race.  “There’s no value in, in any of those things. I mean, there was that same kind of a freak out after my debate. And in fact, I might even say that I had a more difficult evening than the president did,” Fetterman told host Shannon Bream. “And here I am right now, having this conversation. And I really like to remind to everybody watching that right now, Biden is one and Trump is still zero, and he’s the only person that’s ever beaten Trump. And I really believe that Joe Biden will do that again, despite all of the Democrats wetting the bed over that kind of thing.”  Bream noted that Fetterman was recovering from a stroke at the time of his debate, and has improved over time, while voters are more concerned about 81-year-old Biden because of his advanced age. FETTERMAN URGES DEMS TO ‘CHILL THE F— OUT’ ABOUT BIDEN, SAYS HE’S PROOF ‘ROUGH DEBATE’ ISN’T DEAL-BREAKER “We had a difficult debate, and yet we still managed to go on to win,” Fetterman said. “Now everybody was calling that… the end of my career. That was the end of this race. And everyone was predicting that I was going to lose actually by two points or more. And I smoked Oz by five points. And that’s why I’m saying it’s like one debate. It’s not a career any more than Donald Trump’s… convictions for felonies aren’t really going to define, you know, his reputation and his presidency. And that’s why they’re both here again.” Trump was convicted of 34 counts in the Manhattan hush money trial and is awaiting sentencing just days before the Republican National Convention.  In a post on X following the CNN Presidential Debate on Thursday, Fetterman urged panicked Democrats to “chill the f— out” about Biden’s widely panned performance because he is living proof “a rough debate” doesn’t disqualify a political candidate.  BIDEN’S ‘DISASTER’ DEBATE PERFORMANCE SPARKS MEDIA MELTDOWN, CALLS FOR HIM TO WITHDRAW FROM 2024 RACE Fetterman suffered a stroke in May 2022, causing clear auditory processing issues that impacted his speaking abilities in the months leading up to Election Day that November. Despite a jarring debate performance that left many Americans questioning his fitness for office, Fetterman still defeated the former daytime TV host known as Dr. Oz, the Republican in the Pennsylvania Senate race. On Sunday, Fetterman further argued that Biden “deserves” a second term, citing his economic record and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.  “I’ve watched him for the last four years and he’s done incredibly good things. I mean, he got us through that pandemic, that pandemic, that over a million Americans lost their lives through that. And look at our economy. Ours is the world’s envy,” he said. “And look at the stock market. Look at all these other kinds of metrics. People were calling that it was going to be a recession. And here we are now, booming and all of those kinds of things. So the president has done a really good job and he deserves a second term. But I really do want to be clear, it’s going to be very close.” According to a Fox News poll conducted April 11-16, registered voters in Pennsylvania gave Trump wide margins over Biden regarding who they trusted to best handle the economy, foreign policy and the border.    “The only poll that’s really going to matter is Election Day,” Fetterman said. “And the polls changed and they inverted in my race as well. And here I am as a United States senator. And I just got back from Israel just a couple days ago. And that’s why I want to remind everybody that one debate does not define a person’s record or the kind of person or the situation.”  Fox News’ Brian Flood contributed to this report.

Biden’s teleprompter ability not enough, Scaramucci says

Biden’s teleprompter ability not enough, Scaramucci says

Former Trump administration communications director Anthony Scaramucci argued President Biden will have to do more to prove he’s up to being president for another four years. “I went to President Biden‘s fundraiser in East Hampton and I thought he did quite well reading the teleprompter today and meeting with people,” Scaramucci said. “However, that is not going to be enough to prove to the American people that he’s up for another four years.”  The comments come after the first presidential debate last week between Biden and former President Trump, with many observers and commentators criticizing the president’s performance and calling into question his ability to continue the campaign. THE DEMOCRATS’ SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT ATTEMPTS TO SPIN BIDEN’S DEBATE DEBACLE: ‘DID WE WATCH THE SAME DEBATE?’ The performance even led to some Democrats calling on the president to drop out of the race, arguing that Biden demonstrated he is unfit to go toe-to-toe with Trump in November. The Biden campaign has so far pushed back against the critics, acknowledging the weak debate performance but vowing the president would stay in the race. But Scaramucci, who briefly served in Trump’s administration before stepping down and becoming a frequent critic of the former president, suggested that Biden would have to do more to demonstrate his fitness to continue. BIDEN DEBATE DEBACLE: 10 EYE-OPENING MEDIA RESPONSES, FROM MSNBC PANIC TO ‘THE VIEW’ CALLING FOR REPLACEMENT “President Biden needs to appear in unscripted settings and handle fair but tough questioning (further demonstrations of his ability to read from a teleprompter will not assuage my concerns). Four ideas come to mind,” Scaramucci said, citing ideas from his friend Whitney Tilson. Among the ideas were for Biden to hold an hour-long press conference at the White House every week before the election, do an interview with “60 Minutes,” meet with the editorial board of the New York Times to demonstrate why the paper was wrong to call for his resignation, and appear on a late-night T.V. show. “This can all be done in the next week – there is no time to waste,” Scaramucci said. The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

Trump puts Biden on defense for Medicare Advantage cuts

Trump puts Biden on defense for Medicare Advantage cuts

Medicare benefits have emerged as an election hot topic, putting President Biden in a likely precarious situation with senior voters after slashing the popular Medicare Advantage program’s benefits ahead of the election.  “I will not cut one penny from Social Security or Medicare, which Joe Biden is destroying by letting millions of people come into our country. He’s destroying Medicare and Social Security,” Trump said during his rally on Temple University’s campus in Philadelphia last weekend, setting the stage for ongoing attacks against his 2024 competitor.  “Joe Biden has cut Medicare Advantage for the last two years. Did you know that? He’s cut your Medicare Advantage, which is a total betrayal of seniors. And just check, you’ll see it. He has cut you down for two years straight.” Medicare was cited again during the first presidential debate of the election cycle on Thursday, where Biden’s disastrous performance included him saying, “We finally beat Medicare” as he stumbled over his words.  “He’s right, he did beat Medicare, beat it to death,” Trump fired back. “And he’s destroying Medicare because of all these people are coming in, they’re putting them on Medicare, they’re putting them on Social Security.” BIDEN ADMIN THREATENING YOUR MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN. HERE’S WHAT THEY’RE NOT TELLING YOU Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, specifically, are private health insurance plans that contract with Medicare, and are used by more than 33 million Americans. The program mostly enrolls adults over the age of 65, but also offers benefits to people of all ages with disabilities. Traditional Medicare, conversely, is a federal health insurance program for adults over the age of 65, as well as younger individuals with disabilities.  BIDEN HOPES SENIORS WON’T NOTICE THIS CUT IN THEIR BENEFITS BEFORE THE ELECTION The Biden administration in April finalized plans to cut MA benefits, which experts said could lead to an additional $33 a month for out-of-pocket costs, or $396 a year, for enrollees. Critics of the cuts said they would be especially devastating to seniors living on fixed incomes who are already coping with ongoing inflation issues.  Fox News Digital spoke to a former nurse, Republican New York congresswoman, and Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairwoman Ann Marie Buerkle, who said the cuts could prove devastating for the Biden administration, as the 46th president hits this election cycle’s fever pitch.  HEALTH CARE COSTS UP TO 300% HIGHER FOR PRIVATELY INSURED PATIENTS THAN THOSE WITH MEDICARE, REPORT REVEALS “By letting far-left socialists control his policy agenda, Biden made a huge blunder that will jeopardize his support from the 33 million Americans enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans who will see their premiums go up, co-pays increase, and benefits decline before November,” said Buerkle. The cuts come as the left-wing faction of Congress continues promoting “Medicare-for-all” legislation, which would establish a universal single-payer national health insurance system. Buerkle said the Biden administration’s cuts this year “actively sabotage MA,” likely in a backdoor attempt to promote a government-focused system, such as “Medicare-for-all.”  “Far left ideologues like Elizabeth Warren hate Medicare Advantage’s success as a public-private partnership because it undermines their argument for government-run health care, aka ‘Medicare-for-all.’ Biden has let these far left ideologues in his administration actively sabotage MA so they can prop up a government-run model and achieve their socialist agenda,” she said.  The sentiment was echoed in an op-ed published by Fox News Digital in May, by Heritage Action executive vice president Ryan Walker.   REPUBLICANS WARM TO SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE REFORM AS 2024 ELECTION NEARS “Biden and his allies want to cut MA in favor of more government-run, fee-for-service  ‘Medicare-for-all’ – which would mean fewer options for physicians and coverage, like vision and hearing. Recently, progressive ringleader Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., and a coalition of 59 far-left House Democrats sent a letter to Biden arguing for ‘strengthening Traditional Medicare’ and redirecting funds ‘incorrectly going to MA,’” Walker wrote.  The Biden administration pushed back that “any claim that this Administration is cutting Medicare is categorically false” and “disinformation,” adding that “protecting Medicare is a key priority for President Biden and one of our highest priorities at HHS.” “This is cherry picking numbers. Under the rate announcement, payments to Medicare Advantage plans are expected to increase by 3.7% next year, equivalent to over $16 billion. A $16 billion increase is not a cut,” the White House told Fox News Digital.  “Leave it to deep-pocketed insurance companies and industry front groups to characterize this year’s increase in Medicare Advantage payments as a cut. Disinformation being pushed out by high-paid industry hacks and their allies hurt Medicare beneficiaries and the Medicare Trust Fund.” The administration added that it proposed a 1% increase in payments to insurance companies that provide Medicare Advantage order to “ensure they are accurately and appropriately compensated for covering the services their enrollees receive.”  “Like the 1% percent increase in payments that we are proposing for 2024, recovering overpayments from insurance companies is not a cut in payments – any such claim is categorically false.” Buerkle previously wrote in an op-ed this year that Medicare benefits could be a “winning issue for Republicans,” citing that the states that voted for Trump in 2016, but switched to Biden in 2020 – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – are home to a majority of seniors who get their health care through MA.  “51% of Medicare-eligible Americans choose MA, and that number grows each year. Nearly all of them self-report satisfaction with the program. So, for 51% of seniors, Medicare Advantage is Medicare, so cuts to the program equate to cuts to Medicare. Trump understands that increasing health care costs for society’s most vulnerable population before an election is a stupendously dumb idea. Other Republicans should follow his lead,” Buerkle told Fox News Digital.  The MA plans are overwhelmingly supported by those enrolled, with a 2021 analysis finding 90% of enrollees reporting they are satisfied with the plan. Biden had also vowed during his State of the Union address in March that he would protect Social Security and Medicare from

Arizona election worker seen stealing from Senate security desk day before election center theft: officials

Arizona election worker seen stealing from Senate security desk day before election center theft: officials

A temporary election worker in Maricopa County, Arizona, charged with stealing a digital magnetic key from a tabulation center has been linked to another theft from the state Senate building.  The Arizona Department of Public Safety announced on Thursday that 27-year-old Walter Ringfield, of Phoenix, had been connected to a theft reported to a trooper assigned to the Capitol District on June 19 at the Arizona Senate Building in Phoenix. The development comes after authorities earlier in the week had identified Ringfield as the suspect in a June 20 theft from the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center.  Troopers reviewed Senate security footage, which showed a suspect had entered a restricted area of the building and “removed numerous items from a security staff member’s desk,” DPS said. The stolen items included “challenge coins and other desk accessories,” according to the agency.  Investigators later identified the suspect as Ringfield. A search warrant was ultimately served on his Phoenix residence, and detectives recovered the stolen items.  ARIZONA ELECTION WORKER ACCUSED OF STEALING SECURITY DEVICE WAS HIRED DESPITE FELONY THEFT ARREST MONTHS PRIOR Ringfield faces new charges, including trespassing, theft and burglary, DPS said.  The incident occurred just a day before Ringfield was seen on security footage allegedly taking the items shortly after 5 p.m. at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center.  The video showed him approaching a desk and multiple tabulators, then taking a red wrist lanyard containing the security fob and keys, a probable cause statement obtained by Fox News Digital says.  Detectives with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office arrested Ringfield on June 21 outside his home in Phoenix on suspicion of theft and criminal damage.  At the time, the probable cause statement says, they observed a red plastic item inside Ringfield’s car matching the description of the missing lanyard. ARIZONA ELECTION WORKER ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING SECURITY DEVICE FROM BALLOT TABULATION CENTER Officials said the tabulation center theft required that the election equipment be reprogrammed, costing taxpayers approximately $20,000.  Ringfield also was arrested in September 2023 after allegedly stealing $1,800 from a register during the course of his shift as a grocery store cashier in Phoenix, according to another probable cause statement obtained by Fox News Digital. That document also lists a prior arrest for disorderly conduct and fighting.  The September 2023 arrest resulted in Ringfield entering a felony diversion program.  At a press conference on Tuesday, Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates admitted that Ringfield had been in a felony diversion program, but said that information did not come up during a criminal background check conducted before he was hired as a temporary election worker. He vowed that the incident would not “have any impact whatsoever on the primary,” which is scheduled for July 30.  At Tuesday’s press conference, Maricopa County Sheriff Russ Skinner was asked if authorities had a reason to believe the theft from the ballot tabulation center was “politically motivated.” He said he could not speculate at this time, explaining that investigators “are still combing through a lot of digital evidence that were taken at the scene and going through items that were taken in the search warrant.”  “We don’t have any indication at this point, but we’re not ruling it out. And we’re going to leave no stone unturned,” he said. 

Biden claims his debate performance won over ‘more undecided voters than Trump’ at NJ fundraiser

Biden claims his debate performance won over ‘more undecided voters than Trump’ at NJ fundraiser

President Biden argued that his disastrous debate performance actually converted more voters to his side than former President Trump. Biden made the claim while surrounded by donors during a Saturday fundraiser at the home of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. The president reportedly acknowledged that his performance at the debate left much to be desired, but he argued that polling was on his side. “I didn’t have a great night, but I’m going to be fighting harder,” Biden told the several dozen people at the party, according to NJ.com. “Research during the debate shows us converting more undecided voters than Trump did, in large part because of his conduct on Jan. 6,” he added. “People remember the bad things during his presidency.” THE DEMOCRATS’ SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT ATTEMPTS TO SPIN BIDEN’S DEBATE DEBACLE: ‘DID WE WATCH THE SAME DEBATE?’ Biden’s attempt to spin his embarrassing Thursday night performance comes after multiple major newspapers called on him to drop out of the race. The New York Times editorial board argued that him staying in the race would be a “reckless gamble.” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution editorial board made a similar argument, calling on Biden to drop out “for the good of the nation.” BIDEN DEBATE DEBACLE: 10 EYE-OPENING MEDIA RESPONSES, FROM MSNBC PANIC TO ‘THE VIEW’ CALLING FOR REPLACEMENT So far, the formal pressure on Biden to drop out has all been external, however. Top Democrats in Congress and across the country remain publicly supportive of his presidential bid, despite rumblings of internal panic. Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Jaime Harrison attempted to put rumors of Biden’s replacement to bed on Saturday. BIDEN’S INNER CIRCLE SILENT AS PARTY REELS FOLLOWING ‘EMBARRASSING’ DEBATE PERFORMANCE Harrison told MSNBC host Al Sharpton that the people are still strongly supporting President Biden, saying that the “hand-wringing” is coming from the media. “You hear the hand-wringing coming from pundits, Rev, and from op-eds like the New York Times, but you don’t hear from the people,” he said. “What I have seen is that galvanization, particularly in the Black community,” he said. “I’m a Black man. I’ve seen the galvanization of support for Joe Biden because, you know, in the Black community, in your family, you can say all that you want to say about a member of your family, but don’t let somebody else.” The DNC chairman said that people have Biden’s back because he has “always had our back.” “That’s what I’ve seen in terms of support of Joe Biden, because for us, Joe Biden has always had our back, and we’re going to have his,” he said. Fox News’ Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.