Barack and Michelle Obama endorse Kamala Harris for president
In a highly anticipated move, former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama have officially endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential election. The announcement was recorded in a video posted to social media.
“We called to say, Michelle and I couldn’t be prouder to endorse you and do everything we can to get you through this election and get you into the Oval Office,” Barack Obama said in the video.
Harris responded, saying, “Oh my goodness, Michelle, Barack, this means so much to me.”
Earlier this week, Michelle and I called our friend @KamalaHarris. We told her we think she’ll make a fantastic President of the United States, and that she has our full support. At this critical moment for our country, we’re going to do everything we can to make sure she wins in… pic.twitter.com/0UIS0doIbA
This endorsement comes at a pivotal moment for the Democratic Party. President Joe Biden concluded his 2024 campaign earlier this week and immediately endorsed Harris as his successor at the top of the Democratic ticket. Biden’s departure followed weeks of uncertainty and internal division within the party, particularly after his debate with former President Donald Trump.
The Democratic Party now appears to be coalescing around Harris as its nominee. Top Democratic figures, including the Obamas, the Clintons, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have voiced their support for Harris.
The next key development for Harris’ campaign will be the selection of a running mate. The announcement of this choice is expected before Aug. 7.
‘The Paul Revere of Hamas?’: VP Harris, Dems condemn pro-Hamas protesters
“Despicable,” “unpatriotic,” “abhorrent.” That is how Vice President Kamala Harris described the burning of an American flag and spray painted pro-Hamas messages in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, July 24.
The protests took place while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was addressing a joint session of Congress.
“How ironic as the prime minister was talking about them burning American flags, they’re literally proving him right by burning American flags with the Capitol in the background,” Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., said.
“Saying ‘Hamas is coming,’ what are they, the Paul Revere of Hamas?” Moskowitz continued. “Hamas is coming? I mean, this is just totally ridiculous. And you know what, it is why all the protesters are getting painted with one brush.”
Moskowitz urged protesters who do not want to be categorized the same way to call out those who burned the flag and vandalized Union Station.
Harris did not attend Netanyahu’s address. Her office said there was a scheduling conflict with a campaign event, but she strongly condemned the protesters.
“I condemn any individuals associating with the brutal terrorist organization Hamas, which has vowed to annihilate the State of Israel and kill Jews,” Harris said in a statement. “Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric is abhorrent and we must not tolerate it in our nation.”
One protester in the group of thousands carried a Hamas flag. Another protester spray painted “Hamas is coming” just a block away from the Capitol.
“It is unacceptable to deface public property, desecrate the American flag, threaten Jews with violence, or promote terrorist organizations like Hamas. Unacceptable,” Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said.
Democrats are being called on to disavow the protests because more than 100 members of their party boycotted Netanyahu’s address.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., who claims Netanyahu is committing a genocide against the Palestinian people, attended the address and held up a sign saying “war criminal.”
Now, Democrats are trying to distance themselves from that type of rhetoric.
“It’s not clear to me that any of the protesters associate with the left wing of the Democratic Party when these are individuals who have been aggressively protesting members of the House Democratic Caucus, every week, every month, year after year from October 7th in connection with our support for the special relationship between the United States and Israel,” Jeffries said. “So that’s a factual assumption that is inaccurate.”
Police arrested 23 protesters Wednesday. It is not yet clear what charges they will face, if any at all.
Cheatle made false statements about FBI’s assassination investigation: Green
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn., said former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle made false statements to him about the FBI’s investigation into the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. According to Green, Cheatle told him the FBI was prohibiting her from talking to her own people because of the ongoing investigation. When he asked the FBI, it said that was not true.
“She said that the FBI had constrained her from, you know, talking to her own people because it was an active investigation. I talked to the deputy director of the FBI and he said that wasn’t true,” Green said.
Green did not say Cheatle lied, he said she made a false statement according to the FBI.
This type of discrepancy is exactly what House leadership wants to clear up with a new bipartisan task force. Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced the chamber will vote to approve an investigative panel during the week of July 21.
However, Green said his committee should be the one taking the lead because it has jurisdiction over the Secret Service. He added there’s no reason for there to be a task force because it could be duplicative with his committee.
“We’re the authorizers for Secret Service. We know everything about it,” Green said.
Green said his committee will look into other angles of the incident even if the task force is approved.
The task force will be comprised of seven Republicans and six Democrats, and it will have subpoena power. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., said he applied to be a member.
“We need a committee solely focused on what the specific failures were and how we fix them,” Moskowitz said. “After the shooting in my hometown in Parkland, at my high school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, we established the Marjory Stoneman Douglas School Safety Commission to find out what failed that day. There were obvious failures, but behind the scenes, what failed that day. How did that happen? We need to do the same thing here.”
Cheatle resigned Tuesday morning after bipartisan calls for her to do so. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill said they agreed with her decision and wished her the best in her future endeavors.
Support for President Joe Biden within his own party seems to be waning even more as he battles a case of COVID-19. New reports say former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told the president in a recent conversation that polling shows he can’t win over Trump, and he could ruin Democrats’ chances of winning other races if he stays on the ticket.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., have also reportedly both spoken with the president privately to discuss concerns over his refusal to step down.
The president has been insistent he will stay in the race. In an interview that aired Wednesday, July 17, Biden told BET’s Ed Gordon there’s only one way he’d reevaluate running.
“Is there anything that you would look to, you personally, not anybody else, not other pundits, not even perhaps family members, that you would look to, to say, if I see that, I will reevaluate?” Gordon asked.
“If I had some medical condition that emerged,” President Biden said. “If somebody, if the doctors came to me and said, ‘you got this problem, that problem.’”
The White House has confirmed the president tested positive for COVID-19 after an event in Las Vegas on Wednesday. Officials say he has mild symptoms and he cut his campaign visit to Nevada short after the diagnosis, canceling an event aimed at garnering support from Latino voters.
Biden is expected to remain in isolation at his home in Delaware for several days.
Democrats call to expand Supreme Court after Trump immunity decision
Democrats are renewing their calls to expand the Supreme Court in the wake of the justices’ decision on presidential immunity. In a 6-3 decision Monday, July 1, the justices ruled presidents are entitled to absolute immunity from prosecution for actions that fall within their constitutional duties and presumptive immunity for official acts. However, the decision stated there is no immunity for unofficial acts.
Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., posted on social media, “The Supreme Court is broken. The remedy is clear. Expand the court.”
Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., called on the House to pass the Judiciary Act which would expand the court to 13 seats. It does not change the presidential nomination process.
It’s not clear exactly what Democrats will try and ultimately accomplish. However, it is clear they are going to make another effort at court reforms.
“House Democrats will engage in aggressive oversight and legislative activity with respect to the Supreme Court to ensure that the extreme, far-right justices in the majority are brought into compliance with the Constitution,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in a statement.
“Today’s ultra-conservative Supreme Court majority ruled that not just Donald Trump, but future presidents, may be immune from abusing the levers of government to overturn an election or engage in other misconduct,” Durbin said in a statement.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., announced she intends to file articles of impeachment when the House returns, but she did not specify against whom.
“Today’s ruling represents an assault on American democracy,” Ocasio-Cortez stated. “It is up to Congress to defend our nation from this authoritarian capture.”
Everything Democrats are proposing, whether it be legislative or impeachment, would require a bipartisan vote in both the House and Senate, which is highly unlikely to happen. Democrats have tried each of the legislative proposals already and failed to get them across the finish line.
The invitation was extended by the top leaders of the House and Senate.
“The existential challenges we face, including the growing partnership between Iran, Russia, and China, threaten the security, peace and prosperity of our countries and of free people around the world,” Johnson, Chuck Schumer, D-NY., McConnell and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in the letter. “To build on our enduring relationship and to highlight America’s solidarity with Israel, we invite you to share the Israeli government’s vision for defending democracy, combatting terror, and establishing a just and lasting peace in the region.”
Initially, there was confusion over the date, but it was clarified that the address would be on July 24, avoiding the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.
The visit comes as tension grows between Netanyahu and the Biden administration. While the White House continues to support Israel’s right to defend itself, it has been critical of their army’s operations and the number of reported civilian causalities.
Some Democrats, like Sen. Bernie Sanders, Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, N.Y., have expressed opposition and plan to boycott the speech.
“I am very moved to have the privilege of representing Israel before both houses of Congress and to present the truth about our just war against those who seek to destroy us to the representatives of the American people and the entire world,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
Justice Alito’s controversial flags, mixed reaction from lawmakers
A recent New York Times report has ignited controversy surrounding Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s display of an upside-down American flag at his home. The flag, a traditional sign of political dissent, appeared on Alito’s front lawn in January 2021, just days before President Joe Biden’s inauguration, according the Times.
The flag incident
The upside-down flag became a popular symbol among former President Donald Trump’s supporters contesting President Biden’s victory. However, Alito maintains that he had no involvement in flying the flag in that manner. Instead, he attributes it to a dispute between his wife, Martha-Ann Alito, and their neighbors. Mrs. Alito reportedly hung the flag “for a short time” as a response to verbal attacks from neighbors, according to Alito who spoke with Fox News’ Shannon Bream.
According to their interview, the situation escalated when a neighbor put up an offensive sign personally addressing Mrs. Alito and blaming her for the Jan. 6 attacks. Justice Alito and his wife engaged in a heated exchange with the neighbor, during which vulgar language was used. Alito acknowledges that some neighbors on his street are “very political,” and the incident occurred during a tense period in early 2021.
Calls for recusal
Alito’s critics, primarily Democrats, argue that the flag incident could compromise his impartiality in current cases before the Supreme Court. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., called for Alito’s immediate recusal from cases related to the 2020 election and the Jan. 6 insurrection.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., went further, demanding an apology from Alito for “disrespecting the American flag” and “sympathizing with right-wing violent insurrectionists.”
Republican response
Republican leaders largely dismissed the Times’ report, viewing it as part of ongoing media scrutiny of the conservative-leaning bench. While some acknowledge that the optics are unfavorable, they resist calls for recusal.
“There are nonstop attacks on the Supreme Court week after week,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said. “I don’t think he should be recused, but it does create a bad image.”
Additional flag controversy
The New York Times also published a report on Wednesday, May 22, about a newly discovered photo of a white flag with a pine tree and the words “An Appeal to Heaven,” flying outside Alito’s beach house in New Jersey during the summer of 2023.
The flag has ties to Trump supporters as well. Photos show the same flag being carried during the Jan. 6 riots.
More reaction from lawmakers
The controversy surrounding the “Appeal to Heaven” flag at Justice Alito’s home has drawn significant attention and similar reactions from lawmakers on the controversy.
Dozens of Democrats have signed a joint letter urging Justice Alito to recuse himself from cases related to the Jan. 6 events. Meanwhile, Republicans double down on calling it an effort to attack conservative justices.
“Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas are totally out of control,” Jeffries said. “These individuals continue to detonate the credibility of the United States Supreme Court.”
“I think this entire hoopla is greatly overstated and I think there’s a concerted effort that is driven by Democrats in the Senate to try and delegitimize the court, demonize it, and we’re seeing it Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and I think its disgraceful,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said.
“By passing the Democrats’ agenda and handcuffing the Republicans’ ability and influence legislation, our elected Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has aided and abetted the Democrats and the Biden administration in destroying our country,” Greene said on the House floor.
Eleven Republicans voted against tabling Greene’s resolution. Greene expressed no surprise at the outcome but did not indicate whether she would attempt to remove Johnson again.
Johnson, joking with reporters after the vote, referred to the event as “just another Wednesday on Capitol Hill.” He thanked his colleagues for their support and described Greene’s efforts as misguided.
In remarks to the press, Johnson stated, “Hopefully this is the end of the personality politics and the frivolous character assassination that has defined the 118th Congress. It’s regrettable. It’s not who we are as Americans, and we’re better than this. We need to get beyond it.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said that his party helped save Johnson’s job to restore common sense and reduce chaos in Washington.
“Even though we’re in the minority, we effectively have been governing as if we were in the majority, because we continue to provide a majority of the votes necessary to get things done,” Jeffries sai In a recent CBS “60 Minutes” interview. “Those are just the facts.”
Biden says US will not supply weapons to Israel for Rafah operation
President Joe Biden says the U.S. will not supply certain weapons to Israel should the country launch its major offensive on Rafah. And Democrats and Republicans come together to save the speaker of the House from being voted out. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, May 9, 2024.
Bidensays US will not supply weapons to Israel for Rafah operation
President Joe Biden has warned the United States will not supply Israel with certain weapons and artillery shells if the Israeli army proceeds with its major military operation in Rafah. Biden made these comments during an interview with CNN on Wednesday, May 8, following the U.S.’ decision to withhold a shipment of thousands of bombs to Israel due to growing differences over Israel’s tactics in Gaza.
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“Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers,” Biden said. “I’ve made it clear that if they go into Rafah, they haven’t gone on Rafah yet, if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, a deal with the city, deal with that problem.”
Despite the warning, Biden affirmed that the U.S. remains committed to Israel’s security, particularly in terms of supporting the Iron Dome defense system and Israel’s ability to defend itself against future attacks.
Though the Israeli military moved into Rafah starting on Tuesday, May 7, both the White House and Israel have described it as a limited operation. Biden told CNN that Israel’s current actions in Rafah have not crossed his red line, but he has cautioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. will not support the operation if it extends into populated areas.
Biden administration expected to propose change in asylum system
Reports indicate the proposed rule would enable immigration officials to quickly deport migrants who illegally crossed the border and are ineligible for asylum. Those targeted would be individuals deemed a national security risk or a danger to public safety.
The new rule could see migrants barred from asylum and deported within days, or even hours, of their arrival — a process that currently can take years. The rule would still require finalization at a later date.
Lawyer: Airman killed by Florida deputy who burst into wrong apartment
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said Senior Airman Roger Fortson was on a FaceTime call with a woman when deputies, responding to a disturbance at the Okaloosa County apartment complex, forced entry into his unit.
According to Crump, and based on the woman’s account, a deputy shot Fortson six times upon seeing him armed with a gun. Crump said Forston legally owned the weapon. Fortson later died at a hospital.
In a statement, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said the deputy acted in self-defense after encountering an armed man. Authorities have not yet commented on Crump’s claims, but the sheriff posted on Facebook asking the community for patience as they work to understand the facts of the case.
Crump is calling for transparency in the investigation and asking authorities to release the body cam video to the airman’s family.
The deputy involved has been placed on administrative leave.
House Speaker Mike Johnson survives attempt to oust him
Eleven Republicans voted against tabling Greene’s resolution. Greene expressed no surprise at the outcome but did not indicate whether she would attempt to remove Johnson again.
Johnson — joking with reporters after the vote — referred to the event as “just another Wednesday on Capitol Hill.” He thanked his colleagues for their support and described Greene’s efforts as misguided.
In remarks to the press, Johnson stated, “Hopefully this is the end of the personality politics and the frivolous character assassination that has defined the 118th Congress. It’s regrettable. It’s not who we are as Americans, and we’re better than this. We need to get beyond it.”
Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery to offer bundled streaming service
Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery are collaborating once again, this time to offer a new bundle that includes their Disney Plus, Hulu and Max streaming services.
The bundle will be available for purchase on the platforms’ websites and will be offered in versions with and without ads. Set to launch this summer, the pricing details have yet to be announced.
Olympic torch arrives in France ahead of Paris Summer Games
With just over two months until the Paris Summer Games, the Olympic torch has arrived in France, greeted with significant celebration. After being lit in Greece 11 days earlier, the flame reached the French port city of Marseille on Wednesday, May 8.
There, two Olympians assisted in bringing it ashore before popular French rapper Jul lit the Olympic cauldron. Local officials estimate that a crowd of about 225,000 people attended the event, which was secured by approximately 7,000 law enforcement officers.
Divisive college protests bring out bipartisan unity in Congress
The pro-Palestinian protests at college campuses around the country have divided students, administrators and observers. However, the demonstrations have also brought some lawmakers in Congress together.
The House passed the Antisemitism Awareness Act on a bipartisan basis Wednesday, May 1. The bill codifies the definition of antisemitism used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).
The definition was adopted in 2016 and states: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
The organization gives the following examples:
Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.
Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination. For example, claiming that the existence of a state of Israel is a racist endeavor.
Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.
The bill had 62 co-sponsors led by Reps. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., and Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J.
“I believe deeply in speech, in free speech, but I also believe that it’s really important that all students feel safe, and that students aren’t threatened with violence,” Gottheimer said. “And that’s been the problem at a lot of these campuses right now is that students that I’ve met with don’t feel safe.”
“Once it’s passed through the House, it’s really incumbent upon Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in American history to act,” Lawler told reporters.
The bill has 31 bipartisan co-sponsors in the Senate but it was just introduced on April 16, unlike the House version which was brought forward in October. This means the legislation could stall in the chamber.
If the bill is signed into law, it would require the Department of Education to use the IHRA definition when deciding whether there has been a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.
“We have a severe increase in antisemitic activities. It’s affecting the safety of not just students on campus, but in the general community,” Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., told Straight Arrow News. “I think it’s important that we have a strategy that’s implemented.”
Lawmakers have only had their resolve strengthened by the escalation of protests at college campuses. It appeared to climax the night of Tuesday, April 30, when police arrested nearly 100 people who had taken over Hamilton Hall on the campus of Columbia University.
“It’s clear that not enough action was ever taken that even allowed these things to reach to this point,” Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa, said. “Where now you have people taking the buildings over and everything and you have to send in dozens and dozens of officers to just bring order. Protesting is an American value. But that’s not what is happening right now on these campuses.”
Cardin and Fetterman are both Senate co-sponsors.
The bill also has its opponents. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., wrote a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., asking him to bring an alternative bill forward: The Countering Antisemitism Act.
The most senior Jewish member in the House, Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., called the Antisemitism Awareness Act misguided.
“By effectively codifying them into Title VI, this bill threatens to chill constitutionally protected speech,” Nadler said at the Rules Committee hearing on the legislation. “Speech that is critical of Israel alone does not constitute unlawful discrimination.”
In addition to this bill, Johnson announced House committees will investigate antisemitism at college campuses. Ultimately, members could try to cut funding if they discover Title VI violations.