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Monday, July 22, 2024

President Biden Declines Nomination of Democrat Party, Endorses VP Kamala Harris

Albert Mohler: President Joe Biden’s sudden announcement that he is leaving the 2024 presidential race seemed inevitable, but the reality of Biden’s statement, coming just after the Sunday news programs were broadcast, hit like a political bomb. Biden’s withdrawal represents a stunning reset of American political history. In his statement, Biden addressed “my fellow Americans” and then boasted of political achievements before, at the end of the third paragraph, declaring: “I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.” The sense of inevitability had been building for weeks, and the concern can be traced to Biden’s disastrous performance in the June 27 debate with former President Donald Trump. Ironically, the Biden campaign had pushed for the early debate with Trump, thinking it would boost Biden’s campaign. Instead, Biden’s collapse was catastrophic (WNG). Read President Biden’s letter here on X. Outkick: Biden endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, but that doesn’t anoint her as the candidate automatically. Open convention (Outkick)? Joe Biden: My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this (X).

Speaker Mike Johnson Calls for President Biden to Relinquish Job: "If Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as president"

Newsmax: House Speaker Mike Johnson, shortly after President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race, accused the Democratic Party of forcing him from the ballot, invalidating the votes of millions of Americans. He also called on Biden to resign “immediately.” “If Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as president,” said Johnson. “He must resign the office immediately. Nov. 5 cannot arrive soon enough…” Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to run in his stead, but Johnson said the party’s prospects are no better with her, as she “co-owns the disastrous policy failures of the Biden administration” (Newsmax). Speaker Johnson: At this unprecedented juncture in American history, we must be clear about what just happened. The Democrat Party forced the Democrat nominee off the ballot, just over 100 days before the election (X).

All 50 Democrat State Chairs Support VP Kamala Harris

U.S. News: All 50 Democratic party state chairs have thrown their weight behind Vice President Kamala Harris to be the party’s new presidential nominee, according to sources familiar with the matter. The chairs held a conference call on Sunday after President Joe Biden announced he was stepping aside as the party’s candidate. There was “full support” in backing Harris to be at the top of the ticket, one source said (U.S. News). Axios: The endorsement after a unanimous voice vote will be influential in helping Harris secure the delegates she needs to replace President Biden at the top of the ticket (Axios).

Donald Trump Polls Better Than VP Harris

Forbes: Vice President Kamala Harris is the most likely replacement for President Joe Biden, who dropped his 2024 presidential bid and endorsed Harris Sunday—and she is performing about the same as Biden in head-to-head polls with Trump. Harris has also polled better than other Democrats commonly floated as replacement candidates to Biden, but the polls didn’t factor in how months of campaigning could change voters’ perceptions of many of the lesser-known candidates that don’t have the benefit of national name recognition like Harris does (Forbes). Bill Melugin: Kamala Harris’ record will now be under more scrutiny than ever – including her assignment on solving the “root causes” of migration to the U.S. Harris visited the border one single time in June 2021, and illegal crossings surged to the highest levels ever recorded in 21/22/23 (X). Brandon Tatum: Trump having an ad ready to go for Kamala is epic (X).

President Biden’s Aides Found Out About His Resignation By His Post on X

Politico: President Joe Biden’s announcement stunned White House and campaign aides, who up until this afternoon were insisting that he would stay in the race. Many of them, including some senior aides, first found out that was no longer the case by reading the letter that Biden posted on X. “We’re all finding out by tweet,” said one Democrat familiar with the immediate reaction. “None of us understand what’s happening.” In a sign of the abruptness of Biden’s decision, the campaign blasted out a fundraising email for “Joe and Kamala” at 1:54 p.m. — eight minutes after Biden announced he was stepping aside (Politico). Townhall: The Democratic Party has come undone since June 27, when everyone who thought Joe could skate despite his apparent mental decline got a rude awakening when Donald Trump demolished the president in a debate (Townhall).

First Democrat Congressman Calls for Secret Service Director to

Just the News: Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., is the first Democratic member of Congress to call for the Secret Service director’s resignation. Boyle joined a chorus of calls from across the aisle for Director Kimberly Cheatle to step down after an attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life on July 13. Although Trump escaped with minor injuries, the would-be assassin killed one rallygoer and seriously injured two others. “I am calling on Director Cheatle to resign immediately following last weekend’s shooting of a Presidential candidate in Western Pennsylvania,” said Boyle on Saturday. Boyle accused Cheatle of allowing “unacceptable operational failures” and stated he had “no confidence in the leadership of the United States Secret Service if Director Cheatle chooses to remain in her position” (Just the News). Fox News: The Secret Service has faced intense criticism in the aftermath of the shooting over concerns about how Crooks was able to gain access to the rooftop that had a line of sight to Trump as he was speaking at the rally. Several Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, have called for new leadership at the Secret Service following the shooting. But Cheatle said she has no plans of stepping down from her position (Fox News).

Secret Service Acknowledges Pulling Secret Service Detail From Donald Trump in Recent Months

Just the News: The Secret Service admitted on Saturday to denying former President Donald Trump’s team protective resources in the past and instead “utilizing state or local partners” to supplement insufficient Secret Service resources. Trump’s protective detail previously complained about receiving insufficient resources and personnel from the Secret Service. Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi admitted the agency denied some requests from Trump’s protective detail in years past. “In some instances where specific Secret Service specialized units or resources were not provided, the agency made modifications to ensure the security of the protected,” Guglielmi told CNN (Just the News). National Review: The agency reportedly rejected a request from Trump’s team for specially trained dogs to search the area where his outdoor rally occurred last month on the Jersey Shore. In the case of the Butler, Pa., rally where Trump was shot in the ear by a 20-year-old gunman, U.S. officials have said the agency enhanced security for the event because it had received information from U.S. intelligence agencies about a potential Iranian assassination plot against Trump. But the agency is facing a number of questions from lawmakers about the security failure that allowed a gunman to climb up on a rooftop with a direct line to Trump. Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle is set to testify before the House Oversight Committee on July 22 (National Review).

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to Testify Before House Oversight Committee

BBC: Republican lawmakers are planning to return to Congress on Monday with the director of the Secret Service in their sights, as their frustration and anger grow over the agency’s response to an assassination attempt against Donald Trump. First on the agenda will be a House committee hearing on Monday with Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, which Speaker Mike Johnson said would make for “must-see TV” for Americans concerned about security lapses at the Pennsylvania rally. “She’s got a lot to answer for. And these concerns are bipartisan,” Mr. Johnson told CNN on Sunday. Republicans, who control the House, have been unified in pushing Ms Cheatle to step down – or be fired (BBC). New York Sun: Secret Service head Kimberly Cheatle confirms she will testify before the House Oversight Committee tomorrow as calls mount for her to resign from her post (X).

Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) Dies at 74

National Review: Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D., Texas) died on Friday at the age of 74, one month after having publicly revealed that she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. “Today, with deep grief for our loss yet deep gratitude for the life she shared with us, we announce the passing of United States Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of the 18th Congressional District of Texas,” her office said in a statement. Jackson Lee began her political career in 1989, when she was elected to an at-large Houston City Council seat. Prior to her time on the city council, she worked as a lawyer and judge. She had represented Texas’ 18th Congressional district since 1995 (National Review).

10.

Democrats Cite Donald Trump’s Age as Reason He is Unfit for Office

Townhall: After desperately downplaying Joe Biden’s demented state for years, Democrats are suddenly switching it up and playing the age card against Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, now that Biden is officially out of the race. Beforehand, Biden’s backers were never concerned about the age of any of the presidential candidates, as it would have been an inopportune time to gripe about geriatrics. However, immediately in the wake of Biden calling it quits, liberals are labeling Trump “too old” to serve as commander-in-chief (Townhall). State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC) of the Texas Democrats Micah Erfan: It’s time to talk about age. Donald Trump is TOO old to be President (X). Executive director of a progressive super PAC, Brianne Wu: When Democrats copy paste the Republican attacks on Biden’s age and use them on Trump (X).