Top Biden ally says president is weighing options for November

One of the national co-chairs of President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign acknowledged Friday that the president is evaluating which potential candidate is best positioned to defeat Donald Trump, as Biden continues to face increasing pressure from fellow Democrats to hand the torch to a new nominee.

Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), one of Biden’s closest allies in the Senate and a co-chair of Biden’s 2020 and 2024 campaigns, said that the president is reflecting on next steps and listening to advisers as he decides on his political future.

“I think our president is weighing what he should weigh, which is who is the best candidate to win in November and to carry forward the Democratic Party’s values and priorities in this campaign,” he told The Washington Post’s Ellen Nakashima, who was moderating a conversation with Coons and other senators on foreign policy.

The Biden campaign pointed POLITICO to comments from campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Friday. O’Malley Dillon said “absolutely the president is in this race, you’ve heard him say that time and time again... He is the best person to take on Donald Trump.”

more: https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/19/top-biden-ally-options-november-00169789

Jack Black axes tour over bandmate's Trump comment

Source: BBC News

Jack Black has said he’s cancelled the rest of the Tenacious D world tour after his bandmate Kyle Gass sparked an outcry with a comment about the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.

The comedy rock group were on stage in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday when Gass was asked to make a wish after being presented with a cake for his 64th birthday.

He appeared to reply: "Don’t miss Trump next time."

In a statement on Instagram, Black said he was "blindsided" by the comment.

Read more: https://www-bbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0dmx4p4m0lo.amp?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQGsAEggAID#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17211395455608&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Fnews%2Farticles%2Fc0dmx4p4m0lo

Add Congressman Eric Sorensen to the list

Justice Sonia Sotomayor's security detail shoots man during attempted carjacking, authorities say

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A member of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s security detail shot an armed man during an attempted carjacking in the early morning hours, according to court documents.

It happened as two deputy U.S. Marshals were on duty in a government car in Washington, D.C., about 1 a.m. on July 5. They were confronted by a man who got out of a silver minivan and pointed a gun at one of them through the driver’s side window, according to a criminal complaint. The car was unmarked but the pair were dressed in U.S. Marshals shirts.

The deputy pulled out his department-issued gun and shot the man about four times, hitting him in the mouth. He then gave the man first aid while the minivan drove away, charges state. The suspect was hospitalized and placed under arrest on suspicion of attempted carjacking and resisting officers.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Marshals confirmed the deputies were part of the detail protecting Supreme Court justices. The deputies were stationed near Sotomayor’s home.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-washington-dc-carjacking-4e97e37bef064a372d59ba74229c0982

Black-Owned Station Parts Ways With Host Who Asked Biden Questions Provided by the Campaign

Source: The Wrap

Philadelphia radio station WURD has decided to “mutually” part ways with “The Source” host Andrea Lawful-Sanders, as a result of her choice to use interview questions provided in advance by the Biden-Harris campaign for her interview with President Joe Biden. The station said in a lengthy statement that Lawful-Sanders had violated the station’s practices by using those questions. The interview was given to the station as part of the campaign’s efforts to reach hosts with large Black audiences; the station is a Black-owned urban talk station and is aimed at Black listeners.

According to WURD, Lawful-Sanders arranged and negotiated the conditions of her interview with the president independently and that using the questions provided by Joe Biden’s campaign “violates our practice of remaining an independent media outlet accountable to our listeners. As a result, Ms. Lawful-Sanders and WURD Radio have mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately.”

“Agreeing to a pre-determined set of questions jeopardizes that trust and is not a practice that WURD Radio engages in or endorses as a matter of practice or official policy,” the station said in its statement.

Both Lawful-Sanders and Wisconsin radio host Earl Ingram told CNN on Saturday that Biden-Harris campaign aides delivered eight questions ahead of their separate emails with the president. Lawful-Sanders said, “The questions were sent to me for approval; I approved them.”

Read more: https://www.thewrap.com/black-radio-station-wurd-andrea-lawful-sanders-biden-interview-questions/

Trump widens lead on Biden after debate in highly anticipated poll

Source: The Hill

Former President Trump has expanded his lead over President Biden in the aftermath of last week’s debate to 6 points, up from 3 just a week prior, according to a much-anticipated New York Times/Siena College poll.

The poll showed Trump leading Biden with 49 percent support to the incumbent’s 43 percent among likely voters, holding the largest lead he has had in a Times/Siena poll since 2015. Among registered voters, Trump’s lead expands to 8 points, 49 percent to 41 percent.

Read more: https://www.google.com/amp/s/thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4754038-trump-biden-debate-lead-poll/amp/

Visiting US Senator Fetterman: No to any deal that leaves Hamas in power

Source: Times of Israel

Backing the position expressed repeatedly by Israel’s leadership, United States Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) said on Thursday that he would oppose any deal with Hamas that ended the Gaza war and left the terror group in power.

“I fully support the prime minister’s idea that he can never allow a permanent ceasefire [if] Hamas is allowed to be functional,” said Fetterman, speaking in Jerusalem during his first trip to Israel.

“That’s my red line on that,” said the freshman senator, clad in his trademark shorts and hoodie sweatshirt. “I could never support Israel being bullied into an artificial kind of permanent ceasefire against an enemy like Hamas.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists he will fight till Hamas is destroyed over its devastating October 7 attack on the country.

Read more: https://www.timesofisrael.com/visiting-us-senator-fetterman-no-to-any-deal-that-leaves-hamas-in-power/

Democrat secures key primary endorsement in race for U.S. Sen. Rick Scott's seat

Source: Daytona Beach News-Journal

Other than former congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Democrats running for U.S. Senate against Rick Scott have been relatively low-key in a race to be determined in less than two months.

One of Mucarsel-Powell's opponents, though, hopes that will change with his announcement of a key endorsement.

Stanley Campbell, a Palm City businessman, has landed the state AFL-CIO's endorsement.

Rich Templin, director of politics and public policy at the AFL-CIO Florida, said the endorsement required a two-thirds vote by members at an endorsement conference over the weekend.

Read more: https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/politics/2024/06/24/afl-cio-endorses-democrat-stanley-campbell-for-florida-senate/74190902007/

Teamsters President To Address Republican Convention At Trump's Invitation

Source: Huffington Post

International Brotherhood of Teamsters President Sean O’Brien plans to address the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next month, in what would be a rare appearance by a high-profile labor leader at the GOP’s quadrennial meeting.

Former President Donald Trump announced the news on his social media platform Truth Social on Friday, saying O’Brien had “accepted my invitation.”

“Sean, I look forward to seeing you represent the Teamsters in Milwaukee,” Trump said. “Together we can Make America Great Again.”

A Teamsters spokesperson confirmed the planned appearance in an email and said O’Brien had asked to speak at both the Democratic and GOP conventions.

Read more: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/teamsters-president-address-republican-convention-192206487.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACgrdn9CSBUFnJ7s47S2zlP7Qw2H97jJfd0ubrooNnRVa6eJfAlRtkL72li0FRVYOaHQj7r-_UQdJWReiE-UB5I7oCe95FtCzFwvOzHn0m_Rb0i2itHv1qlN3gglxG7c09x3Q2qxX7Qj2xMaEz7yXAaNjlgLH8QfNP93hbxYHO7Y