For almost an hour President Joe Biden takes questions from the media about his policies, his candidacy and his health. And Prince Harry addresses the controversy surrounding his selection as an award recipient at the ESPYs. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, July 12, 2024.
Biden fields questions on ability, foreign affairs while misspeaking at times
The eyes of the world were on President Joe Biden on Thursday night, July 11, as he delivered an hour-long press conference to close out the NATO summit in Washington, D.C. It was his first press conference since his poor performance at the June 27 debate, which has led to growing concern in the Democratic Party about his candidacy.
The president fielded questions from reporters, but it was a gaffe he made earlier in the day at the summit that was already on people’s minds. He misspoke while introducing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“Now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine who has as much courage as he has determination, ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” Biden said, before quickly catching himself. “President Putin? He’s going to beat President Putin. President Zelenskyy. I’m so focused on beating Putin, we’ve got to worry about it. Anyway, Mr. President.”
Then came the evening press conference — President Biden’s first in eight months. He made it clear he plans on staying in the race to face former President Donald Trump in November, despite the calls from some Democratic lawmakers to step aside.
“I think I’m the most qualified person to run for president,” President Biden vowed. “I beat him once and I’ll beat him again.”
However, just minutes into the Q&A portion, Biden slipped when asked about Vice President Kamala Harris’ ability to beat Trump if she were at the top of the ticket.
“Look, I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president, did I think she was not qualified to be president, so let’s start there,” he said.
And when answering a question about the U.S.’ military assistance for Ukraine, Biden made another error before correcting himself.
“I’m following the advice of my Commander in Chief — my, the Chief of Staff of the military, as well as the Secretary of Defense and our intelligence people,” he said.
Still, Biden spent most of his time in front of the press corps displaying his understanding of foreign affairs, giving detailed responses to questions on Russia, China and the Middle East.
“We have to make clear China has to understand that if they are supplying Russia with information and capacity along with working with North Korea and others to help Russia and armament, that they’re not going to benefit economically as a consequence of that by getting the kind of investment they’re looking for,” Biden said.
He also touched on the ongoing war in Gaza.
“I know Israel well and I support Israel,” he said. “But this war cabinet is one of the most conservative war cabinets in the history of Israel and there’s no ultimate answer other than a two-state solution here.”
Ultimately, the questions came back to Biden’s well-being. The president was asked if he’d be willing to take another neurological exam.
“Every single day I’m surrounded by good docs, if they think there’s a problem, I promise you or even if they don’t think it’s a problem, they think I should have a neurological exam again I’ll do it but no one’s suggesting that to me now,” he responded.
When asked by a reporter if he’d step aside if data showed Vice President Harris would be in a better position to win the election in November, Biden remained defiant.
“No, unless they came back and said there’s no way you can win,” he said. “Me. No one’s saying that. No poll says that.”
Former President Donald Trump seized the moment during Thursday’s press conference, commenting on Biden’s missteps on his Truth Social app, highlighting any mistakes the president made. When asked about that, Biden replied, “Listen to him.”
Crooked Joe begins his “Big Boy” Press Conference with, "I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president, though I think she was not qualified to be president." Great job, Joe!
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) July 12, 2024
More Democratic lawmakers call on Biden to drop out of race
While President Biden may have hoped his press conference Thursday night would calm fears of his abilities among his party, three more Democratic lawmakers are now calling for him to drop out of the race. They join 13 other House members and one Senate Democrat.
Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut said in a statement that he believes Biden is “a remarkable leader” but needs to “step away from his presidential campaign.”
Rep. Scott Peters of California said he’s asking the president to withdraw, adding the stakes are high and the Democrats are on a losing course.
And Rep. Eric Sorensen of Illinois said he hopes the president will step aside for a candidate “who will communicate a positive vision for every person in this country.”
Meanwhile, CBS News reports dozens of Democratic lawmakers are expected to issue statements calling for Biden to leave the race within the next 48 hours.
Trump asks judge to toss criminal conviction over SCOTUS immunity ruling
Former President Trump is seeking to have his recent criminal conviction in New York thrown out based on the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on presidential immunity. Trump’s lawyers argue some of the evidence and testimony used in the criminal trial should not have been allowed because they were related to official acts Trump made while president, which the Supreme Court ruled are protected from prosecution.
Already the Supreme Court’s decision has delayed sentencing in that case. Originally set for Thursday, July 11, it’s now been pushed back to Sept. 18 to give the judge time to consider how the ruling impacts the outcome of the trial.
We were all taught in grade school that there are no kings here in America, but what the MAGA Justices have done is placed a crown on Donald Trump's head.
I am working in the Senate on legislation to clarify that Trump's election-subversion acts do not count as official acts.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Democrats are considering a bill that would classify some of Trump’s actions that have landed him in legal troubles as “unofficial acts” so he could still be prosecuted.
Record-setting heat wave scorches western U.S., dozens dead
A week-long heat wave has left nearly 30 people dead and incinerated multiple temperature records in the west. Forecasters say it will continue to bring dangerously high temperatures through Saturday, July 13, before moving to the central and eastern U.S. by Sunday, July 14.
Millions of people across multiple states are under heat advisories. The situation is especially bad in Texas, where thousands of people are still without power after Hurricane Beryl tore through Monday, July 8, killing at least ten people.
More than 1 million power customers in southeast Texas — mainly between Galveston and north of Houston — are still without power. Officials say half a million Houston-area homes and businesses may not have their power restored until July 22.
NRG Arena is being converted into a 250-bed post-hospital recovery site so discharged patients don’t go to homes without power. This is intended to alleviate the backup of patients at Houston’s hospitals. #KHOU11pic.twitter.com/zmPQowa9nO
The outages have crippled infrastructure across the region, including hospitals and water treatment plants, leaving many without clean drinking water.
Dollar General to pay $12M safety violations settlement
Dollar General has agreed to pay a $12 million fine and improve working conditions at thousands of its stores across the country. The company reached a settlement with OSHA to resolve alleged violations, including unsafe storage, blocked emergency exits and fire extinguishers, and inaccessible electrical panels.
Under the agreement, if inspectors find similar problems in the future, Dollar General could be fined up to $100,000 a day if they’re not resolved within 48 hours.
The terms of the deal also require Dollar General to significantly reduce inventory and improve stocking to prevent hazards and hire more safety managers, as well as create a health and safety committee with employee participation.
Prince Harry accepts Pat Tillman Award for Service at 2024 ESPYs
The best in the world of sports were honored Thursday night at ESPN’s annual award show — the ESPYs. But going into the event, there was some controversy over ESPN’s choice to receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
Prince Harry is the recipient of the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
The Duke of Sussex founded The Invictus Games, an international platform that supports wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women who are navigating both physical and invisible injuries. pic.twitter.com/M3F3Rmft4j
Prince Harry was selected for his role in starting the Invictus Games for wounded military personnel and veterans.
In the days leading up to the ceremony. the mother of Pat Tillman — the former NFL player turned U.S. soldier who was killed in Afghanistan in 2004 — criticized ESPN’s selection, saying there were recipients far more fitting. Harry took a moment to respond to the controversy while delivering his acceptance speech.
“I’d like to begin by expressing my deepest gratitude to everyone at the Pat Tillman Foundation, led by Marie Tillman Shenton, who I’m so honored is here tonight,” he said. “I’d also like to acknowledge the Tillman family, especially Mrs. Mary Tillman, Pat’s mother. Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect. The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.”
During his speech, Prince Harry said he is just a voice for the Invictus Games Foundation and the thousands of veterans and service members who have taken part in the games over the past 10 years, adding the award belongs to them.
For almost an hour President Joe Biden takes questions from the media about his policies, his candidacy and his health. And Prince Harry addresses the controversy surrounding his selection as an award recipient at the ESPYs. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, July 12, 2024.
Biden fields questions on ability, foreign affairs while misspeaking at times
The eyes of the world were on President Joe Biden on Thursday night, July 11, as he delivered an hour-long press conference to close out the NATO summit in Washington, D.C. It was his first press conference since his poor performance at the June 27 debate, which has led to growing concern in the Democratic Party about his candidacy.
The president fielded questions from reporters, but it was a gaffe he made earlier in the day at the summit that was already on people’s minds. He misspoke while introducing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“Now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine who has as much courage as he has determination, ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” Biden said, before quickly catching himself. “President Putin? He’s going to beat President Putin. President Zelenskyy. I’m so focused on beating Putin, we’ve got to worry about it. Anyway, Mr. President.”
Then came the evening press conference — President Biden’s first in eight months. He made it clear he plans on staying in the race to face former President Donald Trump in November, despite the calls from some Democratic lawmakers to step aside.
“I think I’m the most qualified person to run for president,” President Biden vowed. “I beat him once and I’ll beat him again.”
However, just minutes into the Q&A portion, Biden slipped when asked about Vice President Kamala Harris’ ability to beat Trump if she were at the top of the ticket.
“Look, I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president, did I think she was not qualified to be president, so let’s start there,” he said.
And when answering a question about the U.S.’ military assistance for Ukraine, Biden made another error before correcting himself.
“I’m following the advice of my Commander in Chief — my, the Chief of Staff of the military, as well as the Secretary of Defense and our intelligence people,” he said.
Still, Biden spent most of his time in front of the press corps displaying his understanding of foreign affairs, giving detailed responses to questions on Russia, China and the Middle East.
“We have to make clear China has to understand that if they are supplying Russia with information and capacity along with working with North Korea and others to help Russia and armament, that they’re not going to benefit economically as a consequence of that by getting the kind of investment they’re looking for,” Biden said.
He also touched on the ongoing war in Gaza.
“I know Israel well and I support Israel,” he said. “But this war cabinet is one of the most conservative war cabinets in the history of Israel and there’s no ultimate answer other than a two-state solution here.”
Ultimately, the questions came back to Biden’s well-being. The president was asked if he’d be willing to take another neurological exam.
“Every single day I’m surrounded by good docs, if they think there’s a problem, I promise you or even if they don’t think it’s a problem, they think I should have a neurological exam again I’ll do it but no one’s suggesting that to me now,” he responded.
When asked by a reporter if he’d step aside if data showed Vice President Harris would be in a better position to win the election in November, Biden remained defiant.
“No, unless they came back and said there’s no way you can win,” he said. “Me. No one’s saying that. No poll says that.”
Former President Donald Trump seized the moment during Thursday’s press conference, commenting on Biden’s missteps on his Truth Social app, highlighting any mistakes the president made. When asked about that, Biden replied, “Listen to him.”
Crooked Joe begins his “Big Boy” Press Conference with, "I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president, though I think she was not qualified to be president." Great job, Joe!
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) July 12, 2024
More Democratic lawmakers call on Biden to drop out of race
While President Biden may have hoped his press conference Thursday night would calm fears of his abilities among his party, three more Democratic lawmakers are now calling for him to drop out of the race. They join 13 other House members and one Senate Democrat.
Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut said in a statement that he believes Biden is “a remarkable leader” but needs to “step away from his presidential campaign.”
Rep. Scott Peters of California said he’s asking the president to withdraw, adding the stakes are high and the Democrats are on a losing course.
And Rep. Eric Sorensen of Illinois said he hopes the president will step aside for a candidate “who will communicate a positive vision for every person in this country.”
Meanwhile, CBS News reports dozens of Democratic lawmakers are expected to issue statements calling for Biden to leave the race within the next 48 hours.
Trump asks judge to toss criminal conviction over SCOTUS immunity ruling
Former President Trump is seeking to have his recent criminal conviction in New York thrown out based on the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on presidential immunity. Trump’s lawyers argue some of the evidence and testimony used in the criminal trial should not have been allowed because they were related to official acts Trump made while president, which the Supreme Court ruled are protected from prosecution.
Already the Supreme Court’s decision has delayed sentencing in that case. Originally set for Thursday, July 11, it’s now been pushed back to Sept. 18 to give the judge time to consider how the ruling impacts the outcome of the trial.
We were all taught in grade school that there are no kings here in America, but what the MAGA Justices have done is placed a crown on Donald Trump's head.
I am working in the Senate on legislation to clarify that Trump's election-subversion acts do not count as official acts.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Democrats are considering a bill that would classify some of Trump’s actions that have landed him in legal troubles as “unofficial acts” so he could still be prosecuted.
Record-setting heat wave scorches western U.S., dozens dead
A week-long heat wave has left nearly 30 people dead and incinerated multiple temperature records in the west. Forecasters say it will continue to bring dangerously high temperatures through Saturday, July 13, before moving to the central and eastern U.S. by Sunday, July 14.
Millions of people across multiple states are under heat advisories. The situation is especially bad in Texas, where thousands of people are still without power after Hurricane Beryl tore through Monday, July 8, killing at least ten people.
More than 1 million power customers in southeast Texas — mainly between Galveston and north of Houston — are still without power. Officials say half a million Houston-area homes and businesses may not have their power restored until July 22.
NRG Arena is being converted into a 250-bed post-hospital recovery site so discharged patients don’t go to homes without power. This is intended to alleviate the backup of patients at Houston’s hospitals. #KHOU11pic.twitter.com/zmPQowa9nO
The outages have crippled infrastructure across the region, including hospitals and water treatment plants, leaving many without clean drinking water.
Dollar General to pay $12M safety violations settlement
Dollar General has agreed to pay a $12 million fine and improve working conditions at thousands of its stores across the country. The company reached a settlement with OSHA to resolve alleged violations, including unsafe storage, blocked emergency exits and fire extinguishers, and inaccessible electrical panels.
Under the agreement, if inspectors find similar problems in the future, Dollar General could be fined up to $100,000 a day if they’re not resolved within 48 hours.
The terms of the deal also require Dollar General to significantly reduce inventory and improve stocking to prevent hazards and hire more safety managers, as well as create a health and safety committee with employee participation.
Prince Harry accepts Pat Tillman Award for Service at 2024 ESPYs
The best in the world of sports were honored Thursday night at ESPN’s annual award show — the ESPYs. But going into the event, there was some controversy over ESPN’s choice to receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
Prince Harry is the recipient of the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
The Duke of Sussex founded The Invictus Games, an international platform that supports wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women who are navigating both physical and invisible injuries. pic.twitter.com/M3F3Rmft4j
Prince Harry was selected for his role in starting the Invictus Games for wounded military personnel and veterans.
In the days leading up to the ceremony. the mother of Pat Tillman — the former NFL player turned U.S. soldier who was killed in Afghanistan in 2004 — criticized ESPN’s selection, saying there were recipients far more fitting. Harry took a moment to respond to the controversy while delivering his acceptance speech.
“I’d like to begin by expressing my deepest gratitude to everyone at the Pat Tillman Foundation, led by Marie Tillman Shenton, who I’m so honored is here tonight,” he said. “I’d also like to acknowledge the Tillman family, especially Mrs. Mary Tillman, Pat’s mother. Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect. The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.”
During his speech, Prince Harry said he is just a voice for the Invictus Games Foundation and the thousands of veterans and service members who have taken part in the games over the past 10 years, adding the award belongs to them.