President Joe Biden gave a fiery speech to a campaign rally in North Carolina on Friday, a day after he struggled badly in the first television debate of the 2024 presidential election cycle against Donald Trump, as Democrats looked on in horror.
Referring to Trump as a “one-man crime wave” the president acknowledged his age and limitations but said the stakes were too high and promised he could do the job. He also received the backing of former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama in social media posts.
Biden and first lady Jill Biden later flew to New York to speak at the opening of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center alongside Elton John.
During the CNN showdown in Atlanta, Biden appeared frail and raspy, with the White House later saying he had a cold. Amid gaffes and misstatements, the president later rallied to rebuke Trump over his sordid personal history and record in office.
Trump repeated lies and falsehoods throughout, often failing to answer questions. He was pressed three times on whether he would accept November’s results.
Pundits discussed the possibility of Biden stepping down as the Democratic candidate. Lobbying for Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, or Gretchen Whitmer to take over has reportedly begun.
Op-Ed: Biden can’t advocate for abortion rights. That’s the real problem with his debate performance
Danielle Campoamor writes:
Last night, I sat next to my postpartum best friend to watch the first debate between an 78-year-old convicted felon and an 81-year-old incumbent president.
I rubbed my 15-week pregnant stomach and prepared for a disaster of a so-called “debate” between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
By now everyone knows that it was a disaster — for Biden in particular. But it was the current president’s responses and rebuttals to the two — and only two — abortion-related questions that proved once and for all that, despite his many promises to protect reproductive freedom and restore Roe v Wade, Biden is the worst advocate for abortion rights the Democrats could ever have asked for.
Oliver O’Connell28 June 2024 23:00
Biden calls Trump a ‘lying, dog-faced pony soldier’ after debate — a slur he has used before
Oliver O’Connell28 June 2024 22:50
Watch: Trump takes credit for Obama and Biden accomplishments
Oliver O’Connell28 June 2024 22:45
Trump tells Biden to ‘get the hell out of here’ as he takes victory lap at lie-filled rally
The former president said the upcoming election isn’t about whether the clearly struggling Biden can “survive a 90-minute debate” but whether America can survive another four years under his presidency, suggesting that the country might not “survive another five months.”
Oliver O’Connell28 June 2024 22:40
Biden presidential odds fall, Harris rises
While Biden is still the favored candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris remains far behind, her odds jumped after the debate, according to Oddschecker, a site that provides odds and analysis by aggregating information from sportsbooks.
Oliver O’Connell28 June 2024 22:30
More than 300 Capitol riot convictions in peril after SCOTUS rules on obstruction charge
In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled that an “obstruction of an official proceeding” charge brought against Joseph Fischer, a former police officer and rioter, was too broadly used and the government will need to prove that a defendant “impaired the availability or integrity for use in an official proceeding of records, documents, objects, or other things used in an official proceeding, or attempted to do so.”
Ariana Baio has the details.
Oliver O’Connell28 June 2024 22:20
Bill Clinton says ‘facts and history matter’ in response to Biden debate performance
Former President Bill Clinton has reiterated his support for Joe Biden, saying that “facts and history matter” over debate rating.
I’ll leave the debate rating to the pundits, but here’s what I know: facts and history matter. Joe Biden has given us 3 years of solid leadership, steadying us after the pandemic, creating a record number of new jobs, making real progress solving the climate crisis, and launching a successful effort in reducing inflation, all while pulling us out of the quagmire Donald Trump left us in. That’s what’s really at stake in November.
Oliver O’Connell28 June 2024 22:15
‘The View’ hosts urge Joe Biden to step down
Inga Parkel has the story.
Oliver O’Connell28 June 2024 22:00