Washington is breathlessly awaiting the first press conference given by Joe Biden, not just since his disastrous presidential debate against Donald Trump amplified questions about his age and capability, but in eight months.
While the president routinely responds to a handful of shouted questions while on the move, Biden has not handled such a formal event since November 2023 when he spoke with reporters after meeting with President Xi Jinping of China.
At that appearance, the president called on reporters from four news organizations, one of whom asked two questions. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tried to end the press conference after questions from a fourth reporter, the president continued to answer nine more questions.
How Biden performs tonight is seen as a make-or-break moment for many Democratic lawmakers, with 14 members of Congress and one sitting senator having already publicly called for him to step aside in favor of a younger candidate for the 2024 election.
Politico reports that another half-a-dozen lawmakers could go public if Biden underperforms this evening, while Axios says he could face a “deluge” of calls urging him to drop out regardless of his performance. Many Americans appear to agree.
Key Points
- What time is Joe Biden’s press conference?
- Biden to hold major solo press conference at Nato summit as doubts over his fitness persist
- Trump lashes out at ‘fake actor’ George Clooney after he calls on Biden to drop out of race
- Pelosi evasive on Biden’s future: ‘Whatever he decides, we go with’
- Two-thirds of Americans believe Biden should step aside, new poll finds
- Congressional leaders privately suggest they’re open to new Democratic ticket
Melania Trump to reportedly attend GOP convention
23:08
Oliver O'Connell
Former first lady Melania Trump will reportedly attend next week’s Republican National Convention in Wisconsin, according to CNN, citing two sources familiar with her plans.
Josh Marcus reports.
Trump files immunity motion to vacate New York hush money conviction
23:02
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump and his legal team have filed a motion to vacate the conviction in his New York hush money trial following the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity for official acts.
“Because of the implications for the institution of the Presidency, the use of official-acts evidence was a structural error under the federal Constitution that tainted the [Manhattan District Attorney’s] grand jury proceedings as well as the trial.”
Trump argues that his communications with his White House aides violated the SCOTUS ruling.
Trump argues that his communications with his White House aides violated the newly-minted SCOTUS presidential immunity doctrine. pic.twitter.com/GukjUELYRD
— Frank G. Runyeon (@frankrunyeon) July 11, 2024
A summary of Trump's legal arguments in the table of contents & his kicker is *both* grand jury indictment & trial verdict must be dismissed.
— Frank G. Runyeon (@frankrunyeon) July 11, 2024
Justice Merchan cannot say it was "harmless error," Trump argues. pic.twitter.com/zQbPkVPlil
Democrats go all in against Project 2025 and Trump’s link to plan
23:00
Oliver O'Connell
Democrats are pressing ahead in an uncertain political moment and seizing what they see as an opportunity: Donald Trump’s attempt to distance himself from a blueprint for a narrowing of the federal government that would eliminate major agencies like the Department of Education.
With president Joe Biden vowing to stay in the race amid calls from his own party to quit and the Republican nominating convention on the calendar next week, Democrats are sharpening a line of attack against a policy agenda laid out by conservative groups and personalities including many with direct ties to Trump’s first term in the White House.
John Bowden explains.
Watch: Biden accidentally introduces Zelensky as Putin
22:52
Oliver O'Connell
President Joe Biden introduces Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky as President Putin.
Biden quickly caught himself and said they were going to beat Putin.
Biden just introduced President Zelenskyy as "President Putin," but immediately caught himself
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 11, 2024
"I'm better," Zelenskyy joked in response pic.twitter.com/8MgZHj2cf1
Why AOC is behind Biden — while Nancy Pelosi is not
22:45
Oliver O'Connell
Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are perhaps the two most well-known Democratic members of Congress. Along with Vice President Kamala Harris, they are arguably the most well-known Democratic women in Washington.
Since Democrats have split on whether President Joe Biden should step aside after his debacle of a debate performance, the two have taken divergent approaches. Ocasio-Cortez has firmly stood behind Biden despite his performance. Pelosi is the one who’s been more equivocal.
Eric Garcia reports.
Rep Marie Gluesenkamp Perez suggests Biden should resign
22:36
Oliver O'Connell
Democratic Rep Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington has raised her concerns about President Joe Biden's age and capabilities implying that he should resign from office and drop out of the 2024 presidential race — though she stopped short of directly saying so.
“I’ve spent the past two weeks listening to my constituents express their concerns about the President’s age and health. Like most people I represent in Southwest Washington, I doubt the President’s judgment about his health, his fitness to do the job, and whether he is the one making important decisions about our country, rather than unelected advisors,” she wrote in an email to NBC affiliate KGW.
“Americans deserve to feel their president is fit enough to do the job. The crisis of confidence in the President’s leadership needs to come to an end. The President should do what he knows is right for the country and put the national interest first.”
Top Democrat: ‘This is going to get worse'
22:30
Oliver O'Connell
Per CNN:
“There’s this general sense of just, unbelievable holding your breath every time he does an event, every time he’s with people,” one top Democrat in close touch with Biden’s inner circle of advisers told CNN. This person added that some of those advisers have privately acknowledged: “This is going to get worse.”
That Democrat was blunt about how the president’s closest advisers have responded to any criticism or concerns expressed about the president – including his age and fitness: “Everyone who expresses any level of suspicion or contrary views? They call everyone and they beat the s*** out of them and say: ‘Stay on message.’”
Inside the fallout at ABC News over George Stephanopoulos’ comments on Biden
22:20
Oliver O'Connell
Strolling down a New York City street sporting a T-shirt and shorts, George Stephanopoulos uttered nine words which he appeared to quickly regret.
“Do you think Biden should step down? You’ve talked to him more than anyone else has lately... you can be honest,” a pedestrian asked the off-duty ABC News anchor.
James Liddell has the story of what was said next and the fallout...
‘Head-to-head matchups’ of Harris against Trump, being tested by Biden campaign
22:05
Oliver O'Connell
The Biden campaign is reportedly test-polling head-to-head matchups between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump as the president struggles to shore up support for his re-election bid.
The survey comes as President Joe Biden is under increasing pressure to step aside as the party’s nominee following his dismal debate performance on June 27 in Atlanta, where he repeatedly lost his train of thought and stumbled over words. Biden is set to hold a highly anticipated press conference at the end of the NATO summit in Washington on Thursday night, a critical appearance as he hopes to quell concerns about his health and show that the debate was nothing more than one bad night.
The poll is being quietly conducted this week and was commissioned by the campaign’s analytics team, according toThe New York Times. The Independent has contacted the Biden campaign for comment.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Trump campaign debuts how they’ll run against a Biden replacement
21:40
Oliver O'Connell
In today’s Trump campaign Palm Beach Playbook, the Trump campaign offered a glimpse of how they might run against any replacement candidate of President Joe Biden, should he step aside.
Here’s what they wrote:
So the scale of panic on Team Biden has reached the stage where Biden’s own campaign aides say “he needs to drop out.” What’s astonishing is that it took 3 and half years for Democrats and the mainstream media to admit publicly what we’ve all known – Joe Biden is unfit for office.
The ultimate problem for Democrats, though, is that they have no real alternative. President Trump will win in a landslide no matter who they put up. Each of the Democrats being discussed has the same failed Biden-agenda and is complicit in the cover-up of Biden’s decline, which has severely threatened our national security.
For those reasons and more, they should all be considered unfit for office, whether it be Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, or someone else.
One of Biden’s earliest 2020 supporters say time for him to step aside
21:28
Oliver O'Connell
Democrat Congressman Greg Stanton, who represents Arizona’s 4th district and was formerly the mayor of Phoenix, adds his name to the roster of lawmakers calling on Joe Biden to step aside for a younger generation of candidate.
He wrote on X: “I was one of President Biden's earliest supporters in 2020, and I'm proud of the progress we've made for Arizona.
“However the stakes in this election could not be higher. For our country's sake, it is time for the President to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders.”
Read his full statement here:
I was one of President Biden's earliest supporters in 2020, and I'm proud of the progress we've made for Arizona.
— Greg Stanton (@gregstantonaz) July 11, 2024
However the stakes in this election could not be higher. For our country's sake, it is time for the President to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders. pic.twitter.com/KSX1jd0O6m
California rep says he’s ‘all-in’ for Kamala ‘if/when’ Biden passes torch
21:25
Oliver O'Connell
California Rep Jared Huffman tweets: “VP Harris is on fire. She's vetted, tested, and has been Democrats' strongest messenger throughout this campaign. She's next up if we need her, and we might.”
He adds: “Let me be very clear: if/when President Biden passes the torch, I'm all-in for Kamala Harris!”
VP Harris is on fire. She's vetted, tested, and has been Democrats' strongest messenger throughout this campaign. She's next up if we need her, and we might. Let me be very clear: if/when President Biden passes the torch, I'm all-in for Kamala Harris! https://t.co/cXAQdYdUzY
— Rep. Jared Huffman (@JaredHuffman) July 11, 2024
Another House Democrat joins calls for Biden to drop out
21:13
Oliver O'Connell
Hawaii Democrat Rep Ed Case of Hawaii is the twelfth House Democrat to call on President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race as the party’s candidate, John Parkinson of ABC News reports.
“My guidepost is what is the best way forward for our country. I do not believe President Biden should continue his candidacy for re-election as President,” Case says.
Hawaii Democrat @EdCaseHawaii is 12th House Democrat to call on President Biden to withdraw from the race: "My guidepost is what is the best way forward for our country. I do not believe President Biden should continue his candidacy for re-election as President."
— John R Parkinson (@jparkABC) July 11, 2024
Watch: Harris says Trump makes America weak by bowing to dictators
20:45
Oliver O'Connell
VP: Understand as Trump bows down to dictators, he makes America weak and that is disqualifying for someone who wants to be commander-in-chief of the United States of America pic.twitter.com/n55nBCgLfn
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 11, 2024
New York Times editorial board declares Donald Trump ‘unfit to lead’
20:40
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump is “dangerous” and “unfit to lead” the country, the New York Times editorial board argued in a scathing, multi-part article ahead of next week’s GOP convention.
“He has demonstrated an utter lack of respect for the Constitution, the rule of law and the American people,” the article on Thursday argued. “Instead of a cogent vision for the country’s future, Mr. Trump is animated by a thirst for political power: to use the levers of government to advance his interests, satisfy his impulses and exact retribution against those who he thinks have wronged him.”
Josh Marcus reports as we all await the response from Mar-a-Lago...
Don Jr to speak before Trump VP pick at RNC, report says
20:34
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump Jr is set to speak before his father’s choice for vice president as his running mate at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Wednesday next week, according to reporting by Axios.
The significance of this is that it may indicate that Donald Trump is about to choose Senator JD Vance of Ohio as his choice given that his eldest son has been a booster of Vance over other favorite contenders North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Senator Marco Rubio of Florida.
Here’s Don Jr posting about Vance just yesterday:
Stop what you're doing and watch this right now if you want to know what America First is all about
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 11, 2024
“America is not just an idea. America is a nation. America is a group of people with a common history and a common future.” - @JDVance1 pic.twitter.com/1zQEv9u1Mm
Watch: Minority leader Jeffries say Democrats will win back control of House
20:25
Oliver O'Connell
Q: Are you worried that Biden is a liability for your most vulnerable members?@RepJeffries: No.
— CSPAN (@cspan) July 11, 2024
Q: Do you think that Democrats still have a path to winning back the House if Biden stays at the top the ticket?
Jeffries: House Democrats will win back control of the House... pic.twitter.com/NurkyYCVeu
After saying Clooney has ‘valid point’, Michael Douglas admits it’s ‘hard to imagine’ Biden in a second term
20:20
Oliver O'Connell
Michael Douglas said that it’s “hard” for him to imagine Joe Biden serving another term in office after he praised George Clooney for making a “valid point” in his scathing op-ed in The New York Times, calling for the president to stand down.
The 79-year-old Hollywood actor voiced his concerns over Biden’s re-election bid while on the red carpet at the premiere of his upcoming documentary America’s Burning in New York City. It marks a complete U-turn from his formerly staunch support of the president — including hosting a fundraiser for Biden in April.
James Liddell and Joe Sommerlad report.
What happened inside the meeting between Senate Democrats and the Biden campaign?
20:11
Oliver O'Connell
Andrew Desiderio of Punchbowl News tweeted out what Senate Democrats told him of their closed-door meeting with Biden campaign officials.
“A significant majority of the Democratic senators feel that the president’s not going to be able to win.”
INSIDE THE ROOM — Senate Democrats got “heated” with Biden advisers, according to two Dem senators who were present. A number of Dems told the Biden team that they’re “being put in an untenable position defending something that so many of their constituents felt was obvious.”
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) July 11, 2024
Biden advisers presented what they see is Biden’s path to victory. Nobody in the room openly called for Biden to withdraw from the race.
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) July 11, 2024
Dem sen: “A significant majority of the Democratic senators feel that the president’s not going to be able to win.”
w/ @bresreports
Watch: As NATO summit draws to an end Biden campaign slams Trump in new ad
20:03
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump is Putin’s lap dog.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 11, 2024
I will never bow down to dictators. Watch our new ad. pic.twitter.com/4QUVH6j7Ad
Jon Stewart accuses Biden of being ‘Trumpian’
20:00
Oliver O'Connell
Daily Show host Jon Stewart has accused President Joe Biden of being “Trumpian” by refusing to even discuss the possibility of giving up the Democratic presidential nomination after his dismal debate performance last month in Atlanta.
On his podcast The Weekly Show, Stewart slammed Biden during a conversation with former Obama aides and Pod Save America hosts Jon Favreau and Tommy Vietor as well as CNN commentator and former member of the South Carolina statehouse Bakari Sellers.
While Stewart hasn’t explicitly called for Biden to step aside, he criticized the president for not being open for discussion on the matter.
Gustaf Kilander has the story.
Illinois congressman joins calls for Biden to step aside
19:56
Oliver O'Connell
Representative Brad Schneider of Illinois, a leading New Democrats member, says Joe Biden should “heroically pass the torch to a new generation of leadership”.
In a statement, before listing Biden’s accomplishments, he writes: “If the history books were to be closed today, he would unquestionably be recorded as one of our great presidents.”
“I fear if he fails to make the right choice, our democracy will hang in the balance.”
NEW: Rep. Brad Schneider, a leading New Dems member, says Biden should "heroically pass the torch to a new generation of leadership."
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) July 11, 2024
"I fear if he fails to make the right choice, our democracy will hang in the balance." https://t.co/63igMoVG23 pic.twitter.com/wKGE084ueM
Who could replace Biden?
19:40
Oliver O'Connell
Joe Biden’s presidential debate performance has Democrats in crisis talks and some are openly fretting about whether to replace a sitting incumbent president who breezed through the primaries all but unchallenged.
John Bowden reports for The Independent from Washington, DC.
New poll: Trump holds leads over Biden as both candidates described as ‘embarrassing’
19:30
Oliver O'Connell
The latest poll by Pew Research has Donald Trump holding a four per cent lead over Joe Biden among registered voters 44 per cent to 40 per cent, with Robert F Kennedy Jr taking 15 per cent. Head-to-head, Trump leads Biden 50-47 per cent.
The poll of 9,424 adults – including 7,729 registered voters – was conducted from July 1-7, 2024.
Voters’ doubts about Biden’s mental sharpness, while not new, have become the subject of intense focus following the debate.
Only about a quarter of voters (24 per cent) say the phrase “mentally sharp” describes Biden very or fairly well; more than twice as many (58 per cent) describe Trump as mentally sharp. The share of voters describing Biden as mentally sharp has declined 6 points since January and is considerably lower than it was in 2020.
And nearly seven-in-ten voters (68 per cent) say they are not satisfied with their choices for president.
Other findings:
- Most voters describe Trump as “mean-spirited.” Trump trails Biden on honesty and, by a narrower margin, on empathy. And about twice as many voters describe Trump as mean-spirited (64 per cent) as say that about Biden (31 per cent).
- Majorities of voters describe both Biden and Trump as “embarrassing,” with identical shares (63 per cent each) saying this about each candidate. A third or more of each candidate’s supporters – 37 per cent of Biden supporters and 33 per cent of Trump supporters – say their own candidate is embarrassing.
Currently, 53 per cent favor replacing Biden and Trump with different candidates, up from 49 per cent in April.
In April, a smaller majority of Biden supporters (62 per cent) favored replacing both Biden and Trump.
- Currently, 71 per cent of Biden supporters say that if they had the ability to decide the major party candidates for the 2024 election, they would replace both Biden and Trump. Roughly a quarter (23 per cent) say they would keep Biden and replace Trump, while smaller shares would keep Trump and replace Biden (2 per cent) or keep both candidates (3 per cent).
Among Trump supporters, by contrast, the share who would replace both candidates has declined, from 35 per cent to 26 per cent. The share who want to keep both candidates on the ballot has risen from 27 per cent to 39 per cent.
Congressional leaders privately suggest they’re open to new Democratic ticket
19:20
Oliver O'Connell
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are both making moves behind the scenes as President Joe Biden remains in damage control mode following his disastrous debate on June 27.
While Schumer has signaled to donors that he’s open to a ticket not topped by Biden, Pelosi is privately urging swing seat Democrats to do whatever they have to do to save their jobs, even if that means publicly calling for Biden to step aside.
Gustaf Kilander reports from Washington, DC.
VP hopeful Doug Burgum’s near-total abortion ban is ‘an issue’, Trump admits
19:00
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump raised concerns about one of his vice presidential contenders’ rigid abortion record – something the Republican Party has softened its stance on as reproductive rights become a concern for voters.
Wednesday evening, Fox News Radio host Brian Kilmeade asked the presumptive Republican nominee if North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum’s decision to pass a strict abortion ban in his state posed an issue for him.
Ariana Baio has the story.
Biden not senile insists Keir Starmer as calls grow for US president to quit race
18:40
Oliver O'Connell
Sir Keir Starmer has insisted that Joe Biden is not senile as he jumped to the defense of the beleaguered US president amid growing calls for him to step aside as the Democrats’ candidate in November.
The new British prime minister had his first bilateral with the president in the White House on Wednesday in what proved to be a friendly meeting of political allies which both sides hope will mend the damage done to the special relationship by Brexit.
The Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports.
Breaking: Biden aides discussing how to pitch him on standing aside
18:30
Oliver O'Connell
Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, DC:
A small group of President Joe Biden’s closest aides and confidantes have begun to huddle for closely-held discussions on how best to convince him to be the first American president to stand down from seeking a second term since Lyndon Johnson bowed out of the 1968 presidential race amid the tumult of the Vietnam War.
The select cadre of Biden advisers — some from the president’s campaign and some from within his White House staff — have been brainstorming what the strongest possible arguments and pitches would be for the purpose of selling the famously-stubborn 81-year-old chief executive on passing the torch to another candidate who would take up the Democratic Party’s fight against Donald Trump in the November general election.
Continue reading...
Biden and Zelensky meet on sidelines of NATO summit
18:25
Oliver O'Connell
When was Trump’s hush money sentencing rescheduled to?
18:20
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump was supposed to be sitting in a criminal courtroom in Manhattan on July 11, at the table where he spent more than 20 days hearing evidence and witness testimony against him during his hush money trial.
But instead, the former president is back on the campaign trail, after his attorneys convinced the judge presiding over the case to delay his sentencing...
Alex Woodward explains how that happened and when it will now take place.
How to watch Biden’s news conference as he tries to quiet doubts after his poor debate
18:09
AP
When is the news conference?
Preisdent Joe Biden is scheduled to take questions from the White House press corps at 6.30pm ET. It had initially been slated for 5.30pm, but the White House moved the time to an hour later.
Where is Biden speaking?
Biden will be speaking from the Walter E Washington Convention Center, a short distance from the White House, where many events of the ongoing NATO summit are being held.
What channel is carrying it?
The White House streams much of its live content. Given the attention on this event, television networks could also break away from programming to carry Biden’s remarks live once he starts speaking.
Who will be watching?
Probably a lot of people.
CNN reported that 51 million people watched the Atlanta debate, which was in primetime, while more than 8 million people tuned in to watch Biden’s ABC interview live. If networks break into their daily coverage or cable channels carry it live, that will guarantee a significant number of eyes on Biden.
Will Biden know the questions ahead of time?
Aside from some apparent exceptions — like incidents in which two Black radio hosts said Biden’s campaign sent them planned questions ahead of time — it’s not standard practice for the president to know precisely what will come up during interviews or news conferences.
His aides prepare him for a host of possibilities based off the headlines of the day, so they’re prepping him for the likelihood that journalists will want to ask about his fitness for office, the NATO summit or other topics.
How many questions will he take?
That’s not set in stone, and there’s not a ton of precedent.
Biden hasn’t held very many news conferences that aren’t tied to a foreign leader’s visit or trips abroad. Typically, those are what’s known in the business as a “2+2,” meaning two reporters from the U.S. and two foreign reporters ask questions.
What’s up next?
Biden returns to the campaign trail with a trip to Michigan Friday. He will also do an interview with NBC on Monday.
The Independent will live-stream the press conference this evening on this blog and our YouTube channel.
Stay tuned for the latest updates.
Boebert laughed at on the House floor as she’s fact-checked by EPA head
18:00
Oliver O'Connell
Firebrand Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert Lauren Boebert was laughed at by the head of the EPA during a Congressional hearing on Wednesday after seemingly misunderstanding a recent Supreme Court’s decision that aims to limit federal agencies’ authority.
Michael Regan, the Environmental Protection Agency administrator, gave Boebert a befuddled look when she asked him if the federal agency would continue enabling “rouge bureaucrats to enact unconstitutional regulations” even after the court’s decision that ended the 40-year run of the so-called Chevron standard.
“Do you understand the ruling?” Regan asked the Colorado rep, calling her question “ill-formed.”
Ariana Baio reports on the embarrassing moment.
Clooney gave Obama heads up on damning Biden op-ed
17:40
Oliver O'Connell
...and he “didn’t object to it”.
In the damning op-ed, Clooney wrote on Wednesday that “the one battle” Biden “cannot win is the fight against time,” as he pushed Democratic leaders to face the music and stop telling the public everything is fine.
Gustaf Kilander has the details.
New poll: Most Americans believe both candidates too old for second term
17:25
Oliver O'Connell
The latest ABC News/ Washington Post/ Ipsos poll shows that the vast majority of Americans believe both Joe Biden and Donald Trump are too old to serve a second term as president.
Back in May, 68 per cent felt that way about Biden, 81, and that has risen steadily since to 85 per cent today.
For Trump, Americans seem to be catching on to the fact that he is only three years younger than the president at 78.
In May, fewer than half (44 per cent) thought Trump was too old, and that has now risen to 60 per cent.
The same poll showed two-thirds of Americans believe Biden should step aside as his party’s presumptive nominee, but in a match-up against Trump the two candidates are still neck-and-neck at 46-47 in favor of Trump but well within the margin of error.
Watch: Biden and Starmer meet at White House
17:20
Oliver O'Connell
