Biden vows to fight on and beat Trump after shaky debate - BBC

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Bernd Debusmann Jr

BBC News, Washington

28 June 2024, 23:10 BST

Updated 58 minutes ago

US President Joe Biden has hit back at criticism over his age, telling supporters in a fiery speech that he will win re-election in November after a poor debate performance fuelled fresh concern about his candidacy.

"I know I'm not a young man, to state the obvious," he told a rally in the battleground state of North Carolina on Friday, one day after he struggled in the televised showdown with his Republican rival Donald Trump.

"I don’t walk as easy as I used to... I don’t debate as well as I used to," he acknowledged. "But I know what I do know, I know how to tell the truth [and] I know how to do this job."

“I would not be running again if I didn't believe with all my heart and soul that I could do this job," Mr Biden, 81, added, as the cheering crowd in Raleigh chanted “four more years”.

Trump, meanwhile, held a rally of his own in Virginia just hours later, where he hailed a "big victory" in the debate, which CNN said was viewed by 48 million people on television and millions more online. "Joe Biden's problem is not his age," the 78-year-old Trump said. "It's his competence. He's grossly incompetent."

The former president dismissed speculation that Mr Biden would bow out of the race, saying he "does better in polls" than other Democrats, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and Vice-President Kamala Harris.

While questions over Mr Biden's age are not new, his shaky performance on the debate stage - which was marked by verbal blanks, a hoarse voice and some difficult-to-follow answers - triggered panic among some Democrats who raised fresh questions about his candidacy.

Democratic officials, political operatives, and people close to the president who spoke to the BBC's Katty Kay painted a picture of an anxious party that is concerned about the strength of their candidate.

Nancy Pelosi, the former Democratic House speaker, said that “from a performance standpoint it wasn’t great”. Other Democrats, such as Kate Bedingfield, Biden’s former communications director, called it “a really disappointing debate performance”.

Democratic donors who spoke anonymously to various media outlets were more forthright, with one calling the performance "disqualifying". "The only way it could have been more disastrous was if he had fallen off the stage. Big donors are saying... he has to go,” one Democratic operative told the Financial Times.

And on Friday, the New York Times editorial board called on Democrats to "acknowledge that Mr Biden can’t continue his race, and create a process to select someone more capable to stand in his place".

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But publicly, many senior Democrats and Biden allies defended his performance as they sought to calm liberal jitters on Friday. Among those to rally behind Mr Biden were former President Barack Obama, who tweeted that "bad debate nights happen".

"This election is still a choice between someone who fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself," Mr Obama wrote, adding that Mr Trump is "someone who lies through his teeth for his own benefit".

Mr Biden and his campaign were quick to dismiss calls for him to step down as the candidate.

"President Biden is the only person who has ever beaten Donald Trump. He will do it again," a campaign adviser said. “This election was never going to be won or lost in one rally, one conversation, or one debate. "

The Biden campaign also said the president had raised $14m from fundraisers in recent days, in an apparent effort to show it was maintaining momentum.

Mr Biden is expected to meet donors on Friday and Saturday, including at events in Manhattan and the wealthy Hamptons.

Related Topics

• US election 2024
• Donald Trump
• United States
• Joe Biden

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2024-06-28 22:10:16Z
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Trump tells Biden to ‘get the hell out of here’ in first post-debate speech - The Times of India

In a campaign rally held in Virginia, Donald Trump celebrated his performance in the first 2024 presidential debate against Joe Biden. Trump claimed that the upcoming is not about Biden's ability to "survive a 90-minute debate" but rather about America's survival under another four years of his presidency.
Throughout his speech, Trump repeated false statements about various issues, including abortion, immigration, climate change, and the 2020 election.He told Biden that the country “doesn’t want” him and to “get the hell out of here."
He suggested that Biden is not leaving the presidential race. “Many people are saying after last night’s performance that Joe Biden is leaving the race, but the fact is I don’t believe that,” said Trump.
Trump also claimed that Biden got the debate rules, date, network, and moderators he wanted, implying that Biden was attempting to rig the debate.
Trump continued to paint a grim picture of America, repeating lies about doctors killing babies after birth and making unfounded allegations about immigrants taking jobs from Black and Hispanic Americans. He dismissed rising sea levels as an opportunity for "waterfront property" and claimed that global warming is "fine." Trump also boasted about his knowledge of weapons and warned of an impending third World War.
In response to Biden's reminder that Trump's former chief of staff, John Kelly, said Trump called dead military veterans "suckers" and "losers," Trump denied the accusation and insulted Kelly, calling him "the dumbest of them all" and "a lost soul."
Meanwhile, at a competing rally in North Carolina, Biden attempted to reframe his debate performance, admitting that he is not as young or as skilled in debating as he once was. However, he emphasized his commitment to telling the truth, distinguishing right from wrong, and executing the duties of the presidency.

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2024-06-28 22:06:00Z
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Far-right leads in latest poll ahead of France's legislative elections - Euronews

At least 289 seats are needed for a parliamentary majority, and National Rally is predicted to get between 260 and 295 seats.

The latest poll suggests that the far right has around 36 percent of the vote as France prepares for the parliamentary elections, the first round of which is on Sunday.

The second round will be held on the following Sunday, 7 July.

If National Rally wins, France will have the first far-right government since it was occupied by the Nazis in the Second World War.

However, President Emmanuel Macron says he won't step down before his term ends in 2027.

An Ifop Fiducial poll suggests that the National Rally will get about 36%, the Popular Front coalition of centrists, leftists and Greens about 28%, and President Macron's centre-right party about 20%.

The winning number of seats is 289 out of the 577 seats that make up the parliament.

National Rally are expected to get somewhere between 260 and 295 seats.

The far right's growing popularity appears to stem from people's feelings of insecurity, and because France's politics are now deeply polarised it will be hard for a coalition to form in parliament if no party wins outright.

National Rally's 28-year-old Jordan Bardella delivered a simple message for voters in a recent TV debate. "Our compatriots have the feeling that the state no longer enforces its laws, that the state is weak with the strong and strong with the weak,” he said.

Turnout is expected to be higher this time around as voters know this could be a historic election. Many are determined to get the far right into power, with others desperate to keep them out.

Possible cohabitation?

President Macron will most likely be forced into appointing a prime minister from a rival party as his party shows no signs of being victorious. And if National Rally does win, that means Bardella will most likely be France's next prime minister.

When the president and the prime minister are from different parties, France's government is described as being in “cohabitation”.

The last cohabitation was under conservative President Jacques Chirac with Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin from 1997 to 2002.

The prime minister is accountable to the parliament, leads the government and introduces bills.

“In case of cohabitation, policies implemented are essentially those of the prime minister,” political historian Jean Garrigues said.

The president is weakened at home during a cohabitation, but still holds some powers over foreign policy, European affairs and defence because he is in charge of negotiating and ratifying international treaties. The president is commander-in-chief of the country’s armed forces, and is the one holding the nuclear codes.

“It’s possible for the president to prevent or temporarily suspend the implementation of a certain number of the prime minister’s projects, since he has the power to sign or not sign the government’s ordinances or decrees," Garrigues added.

"Yet the prime minister has the power to submit these ordinances and decrees to a vote of the National Assembly, thus overriding the president’s reluctance,” he said.

During previous cohabitations, defence and foreign policies were considered the informal “reserved field” of the president, who was usually able to find compromises with the prime minister to allow France to speak with one voice abroad.

Yet today, both the far right and the leftist coalition's views in these areas differ radically from Macron’s approach and would likely be a subject of tension during a potential cohabitation.

Garrigues said that according to the Constitution, while "the president is the head of the military, it's the prime minister who has the armed forces at his disposal."

“In the diplomatic field also, the president’s perimeter is considerably restricted,” Garrigues said.

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Panicked Democrats call for Biden to step aside after 'horrible' debate against Trump - The Independent

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Ahead of the first presidential debate in Atlanta, Democrats had one piece of advice for President Joe Biden: Be yourself.

Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi said it. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester, who is running for Senate in Biden’s home state of Delaware said it. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told The Independent that people should ask what former president Donald Trump needed to do to have “half a chance” at sounding “barely cogent.”

But Democrats began to sound the alarm after Biden’s performance in Atlanta on Thursday evening.

Throughout the night, Biden interrupted himself, his voice hoarse and strained. It served as a bleak reminder to everyone that Democrats had nominated not only the oldest presidential nominee in history, but someone whom the public has regularly seen stumble over his words and whose fading memory came under greater scrutiny in a special counsel report.

Biden has consistently trailed Trump in the polls, with many voters citing his advanced age as a reason he should not run again. Challenging Trump to a debate and throwing out the normal debate schedule in the garbage was meant to come from a position of strength, showing Biden could handle the job and he could take the fight directly to Trump.

Instead, voters saw a Biden seemed to confirm their worst fears as soon as he began his opening remarks.

“Any Democrat who is not in panic mode is the stupidest person in America right now,” Patrick Murray, the director of Monmouth University’s polling, posted on X.

At one point, after Biden meandered throughout an answer about immigration, Trump said “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence – and I don’t think he knows what he said either.”

Even Vice President Kamala Harris, ostensibly his biggest apologist, told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that Biden faltered at the beginning.

“Yes, it was a slow start,” she said. “That's obvious to everyone. I'm not going to debate that point. I'm talking about the choice in November.”

Harris also made the rounds defending Biden, going on MSNBC to defend the president.

Meanwhile, one Democratic strategist did not mince words.

“Horrible,” they told The Independent. “Need to have Harris take over. Cleanest option.”

Conversely, Republicans seemed to celebrate. Scott Jennings, a former adviser to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, noted on X/Twitter that a flash poll from CNN showed voters thought Trump had beaten Biden two to one.

Michael Whatley, the chairman of the Republican National Committee who leads it alongside Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara, similarly celebrated.

“President Trump understands how to solve the problems plaguing the American people,” he said on X. “Biden couldn’t even understand the questions.”

However, Trump did not have it all his own way. Although he managed to temper his style from his chaotic debate performances in 2020, he was seen to spout a series of lies about immigration, abortion, the January 6 riot and the result of the last election.

Weeks after becoming the first former president to be convicted of a crime over his hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, he again denied having had an affair with her in the first place. As Biden accused him of having the “morals of an alley cat” and railed off a litany of scandals and criminal charges engulfing his predecessor, Trump said: “I didn’t have sex with a porn star.”

Another Democratic strategist cautioned that Biden’s performance did not spell death.

“The expectations for Joe Biden were low, but he didn’t come close to meeting them,” they told The Independent on anonymity to speak freely. “It is what it is- donors will pee their pants, Democrats will pine for what could have been, and we will all have to rally around Biden. We won’t win this election through debates, clearly. It’s gonna be a long slog.”

Later in the evening, Biden visited a debate watch party in Atlanta with supporters where he sounded more vigorous and energetic than he did just minutes before on the debate stage.

“They’re going to be out there fact checking,” the president said. “I can’t think of one thing that he said was true.”

Afterward, the president worked the rope line where he greeted supporters for a little under half an hour before he was shuttled out. Later on, he visited the Waffle House and said he did not have an issue with his debate performance.

“No. It’s hard to debate a liar,” Biden said. “The New York Times pointed out he lied 26 times.”

Meanwhile, his deputy campaign manager seemed to brush off the bed-wetting.

“Twitter: Doing twitter stuff,” Rob Flaherty posted. “Biden supporters: Doing the work, powering us to our best grassroots fundraising day of the cycle by far.”

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Iran goes to polls to elect new president after Raisi killed in helicopter crash - The Guardian

More than 61.5 million Iranians aged over 18 have been given a chance to vote for a new president and send a message to the regime about the state of the economy. However, millions are expected to boycott the election on Friday, the outcome of which they believe will be manipulated by the regime to ensure a loyalist victory.

Iran’s leaders want to renew their legitimacy after a steady decline in turnout reached crisis point last year with fewer than 41% voting in parliamentary elections, and fewer than 10% in the capital, Tehran.

The vote comes after President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash in May.

The two conservative frontrunners, Saeed Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator with little or no administrative experience, and Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of the parliament, failed to agree to a pre-polling day pact that would see one of them stand aside. That failure opens the door to the possibility that the sole reformist candidate permitted to stand, 69-year-old heart surgeon Massoud Pezeshkian, will make it to a two-person run-off. Such a run-off is required if none of the four candidates in the race reach 50% in the first round.

Jalili, an opponent of the 2015 nuclear deal, believes Iran can withstand western sanctions by building economic ties to the east. He is also the most ideological about using the powers of the state to enforce the hijab on Iranian women, and has the support of the Front of Islamic Revolution Stability, or Jebhe Paydari, a group that has fallen out with Qalibaf. Qalibaf has said he is willing to negotiate on reviving the nuclear deal, and regards stronger management of the economy as the route to growth.

At the 11th hour Jalili was still pressing Qalibaf to stand down, saying Qalibaf’s sacrifice may be the only way to stop Pezeshkian and what will effectively be the third term of Hassan Rouhani, the centrist whose two-term presidency ended in failure in 2021, largely due to the US pulling out of the nuclear deal. The poll is a huge test of the reformists’ continued relevance in Iranian politics.

The regime has tried to weaken Pezeshkian’s bid, including banning one of his final rallies. The supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , gave a speech on the eve of the vote condemning “certain Iranian politicians” for believing “all paths to progress pass through the United States”, remarks clearly aimed at Pezeshkian’s call to end Iran’s economic isolation from the west.

At the last minute, two of the five conservative candidates permitted to stand by the Guardian Council – Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi, a supporter of Raisi, and Alireza Zakani, the mayor of Tehran – stood aside, confirming reformist accusations that they had been front candidates for Jalili.

Many Iranians, disillusioned by successive crackdowns, question the value of the democratic process, and plan stay away rather than lend the process a veneer of legitimacy. One member of generation Z told the Guardian: “With its killings, the regime has made the issue of not voting one of personal dignity.”

Both Pesezhkian and the supreme leader want a high turnout – closer to 60% – but for different motives. Pezeshkian needs to persuade a depoliticised society to come out to defeat the 15 million or so supporters of the regime. The supreme leader has argued: “High turnout brings honour to the Islamic republic. Every election with low participation gives our enemies reason to criticise us. We must not give them that satisfaction.”

It is also questionable whether the allies of the supreme leader, given his views about America and cultural values, would tolerate a Pezeshkian presidency. Pezeshkian, for his part, has repeatedly stressed he will accept Khamenei’s authority, and insisted that obedience will not prevent him changing Iran.

A new paper by United against a Nuclear Iran, a US pressure group, argues the level of electoral manipulation by the regime goes far wider than simply doctoring the list of eligible candidates. The report highlights the role of the Baqiatallah Cultural and Social Headquarters, which the report says has created a full apparatus and strategy to engineer political and cultural outcomes in Iran.

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Indira Gandhi International Airport: Roof collapse smashes cars in Delhi - BBC.com

One dead as roof collapse smashes cars at Delhi airport

A roof at Delhi airport has collapsed after heavy rain, killing one person and injuring four others.

Videos online show huge pillars supporting the roof smashing into cars parked along the airport's Terminal 1.

All flights from the terminal have been temporarily suspended and check-in counters have been closed.

The incident took place at 05:00 (23:30 GMT Thursday), authorities said.

Rescue operations are under way at the airport and the injured are being treated in hospitals.

India's aviation regulator has advised airlines to accommodate passengers on alternate flights or offer them refunds.

The accident has impacted travel plans of thousands, as most domestic flights take-off from Terminal 1.

Some airlines have shifted flight operations to the remaining two terminals at the airport.

A canopy over Terminal 1 caved in after heavy rain

Federal Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu has announced a compensation of 2m rupees ($24,000; £19,000) to the family of the deceased and 300,000 rupees for the injured.

He also told reporters that the situation was under control and that inspection was under way to prevent any further incident. He added that airports with added structures across the country would also be inspected.

The incident was criticised on social media, with many users pointing out that the terminal had undergone a massive renovation at the cost of billions of rupees and had been inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March – a month before the recent general election began.

However, Mr Kinjarapu later said the portion that collapsed was not part of the renovated section.

“I want to clarify that the building inaugurated by PM Modi is on the other side and the building that collapsed here is an old building and was opened in 2009," he said.

Visuals from the accident site

Heavy rains have lashed Delhi since Thursday, providing a much-needed respite from sweltering temperatures that the Indian capital was experiencing since April.

But the downpour has pushed the city into chaos as several roads are water-logged, leading to major traffic jams.

Commuters reported spending hours in traffic while others said their vehicles had suffered breakdowns.

Videos shared on social media showed people wading through knee-deep water and cars and buses partly submerged in subways.

The torrential downpour has also led to delays and cancellations of flights.

India's meteorological department forecasts that the city will continue to see "heavy to very heavy rainfall" over the weekend.

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EU top jobs go to Ursula von der Leyen, António Costa and Kaja Kallas - Euronews

Ursula von der Leyen, António Costa and Kaja Kallas have been tipped to lead the European Union in the next five years.

White smoke in Brussels.

The 27 leaders of the European Union have agreed on the bloc's political leadership for the next five years: Ursula von der Leyen as president of the European Commission, António Costa as president of the European Council, and Kaja Kallas as the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Leaders on Thursday also approved the Strategic Agenda, a document with broad brushstrokes of ambitions that is meant to guide the future work of the three appointees.

Von der Leyen and Kallas's nominations are not final and still require confirmation by the European Parliament. By contrast, Costa, a former prime minister of Portugal, is automatically elected by his former peers. He will take office on 1 December.

"I would plain and simply like to express my gratitude to the leaders who endorsed my nomination for a second mandate," von der Leyen said. "I am very honoured."

"It is with a strong sense of mission that I will take up the responsibility of being the next President of the European Council," Costa said, thanking his socialist family and the Portuguese government for their backing. "I will be fully committed to promoting unity between all 27 member states and focused on putting on track the Strategic Agenda."

"This is an enormous responsibility at this moment of geopolitical tensions," Kallas said in a statement, promising to work "with pleasure" with both von der Leyen and Costa. "I will be at the service of our common interests," she added. "Europe should be a place where people are free, safe and prosperous."

Party negotiators had preemptively sealed the three-pronged deal during a call on Tuesday and tabled their proposal on Thursday evening. After a debate among all heads of state and government, the accord received the formal blessing.

The talks between the centrist parties had angered those left on the sidelines, most notably Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who lashed out at the "surreal" way in which the top-jobs package was assembled. Meloni, who rules the bloc's third-largest economy, called for greater inclusion and deeper discussions.

"It seems to me that, so far, there's been an unwillingness to account for the message delivered by citizens at the ballot box," Meloni said on the eve of the summit.

Hungary's Viktor Orbán was more scathing, calling the deal "shameful."

Their public grievances contrasted with the apparent coolness of other dignitaries, such as Germany's Olaf Scholz and France's Emmanuel Macron, who were intent on wrapping up the process in a swift, uncomplicated manner.

"We are living in difficult times. We are faced with major challenges, not least Russia's terrible war of aggression against Ukraine. It is therefore important that Europe prepares itself now for the tasks that need to be tackled," Scholz said upon arrival.

Diplomats in Brussels were concerned that, due to the volatile geopolitical environment surrounding the bloc, the image of leaders haggling over well-paid positions for hours on end would seem out of touch.

These worries, coupled with a lack of credible alternatives, made the negotiations easier and helped positions coalesce around the three names.

"Democracy is not only about blocking, democracy is about who wants to work together, and those three groups are willing to work together to the benefit of all Europeans," said Belgium's Alexander De Croo, rebuking Meloni's criticism.

"What we need in the next five years is political stability and being able to act fast."

In the end, Meloni voted against Costa and Kallas, and abstained on von der Leyen, several diplomats told Euronews, a largely symbolic move to express her displeasure. For his part, Orbán voted against von der Leyen, abstained on Kallas and supported Costa.

Asked about Meloni's abstention, von der Leyen said it was "important to work well" with Italy "like with all other member states."

"This is a principle for me which I follow all the time," she noted.

The chosen ones

For those following European politics, the chosen ones are familiar faces.

The Commission presidency goes to the incumbent, Ursula von der Leyen, the Spitzenkandidat (lead candidate) of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP).

Since announcing her re-election bid in February, von der Leyen, the first woman to captain the executive, had been the indisputable frontrunner thanks to her high political profile, built up while weathering the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war.

During the campaign, she infuriated progressives when she made overtures to Meloni's hard right. But the EPP's comfortable victory in the June elections, with 188 MEPs, lessened Rome's importance in the equation and allowed her to change her tune. Von der Leyen has promised to build a strong centrist coalition to support her next term.

At a distant second came the Socialists & Democrats (S&D), with 136 seats. The family will see one of its most recognisable faces, former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, take the reins of the European Council, succeeding Charles Michel.

Although the Council presidency lacks legislative powers, the back-to-back succession of global crises that have hit the bloc in the last five years has increased the job's political relevance and media exposure, making it a coveted prize for the centre-left.

Costa's ascendancy, however, comes with a question mark: his stay in power was cut short in November 2023, when he resigned after several members of his cabinet were accused of corruption and influence peddling in the concession of lithium mining, green hydrogen and data centre projects. Costa has not been formally charged but his exact participation in the irregular deals has not yet been clarified. He denies any wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, the liberals of Renew Europe, who fell hard from 102 to 75 seats, have secured the position of High Representative for Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, a leading figure in the bloc's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Kallas was initially considered too outspoken and hawkish for the office, which is supposed to act as the common voice of the 27 member states vis-à-vis the international community. But concerns around her suitability gradually dwindled and her name, previously linked to the NATO secretary general job, was greenlighted.

Despite its prominence, the High Representative is inherently constrained by the principle of unanimity that rules the EU's foreign policy. If confirmed by the Parliament, Kallas will replace Josep Borrell, who has often been accused of going off-script.

With von der Leyen, Costa and Kallas picked for the top jobs, EU leaders ensure the distribution reflects the bloc's political and geographical diversity and maintains gender balance. Additionally, Costa, whose father was half French-Mozambican and half Indian, is set to become the first non-white person to occupy a top job in the bloc's history.

The selection can be seen as recognition of centrist parties, who held their ground in the elections and defied ominous predictions of a far-right surge. Von der Leyen is already negotiating with the Socialists and Liberals to design a common programme.

On Thursday evening, the incumbent left open the door to invite MEPs from other parties to form a "broad majority for a strong Europe."

This article has been updated with more information.

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2024-06-27 22:07:30Z
CBMifWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmV1cm9uZXdzLmNvbS9teS1ldXJvcGUvMjAyNC8wNi8yNy9ldS1sZWFkZXJzLWFncmVlLW9uLXRvcC1qb2JzLXVyc3VsYS12b24tZGVyLWxleWVuLWFudG9uaW8tY29zdGEtYW5kLWthamEta2FsbGFz0gEA