Today’s theme at the Republican national convention will be “Make America Strong Once Again,” and many of the speeches are expected to focus on foreign policy.
“Each one of these has a theme, like last night was ‘bend the knee and grovel’ apparently,” Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, said at a Democratic press conference in Milwaukee. “And today is ‘celebrate Russia day,’ I guess.”
JD Vance will deliver his first speech since becoming Donald Trump‘s running mate, and given the theme, his remarks may highlight his isolationist views on foreign policy.
Vance has been one of the most outspoken critics of US aid to Ukraine, and European diplomats fear his elevation could heighten the risk of a Russian victory in the war.
Read Andrew Roth’s full piece on Vance’s foreign policy views.
During the Democratic press conference in Milwaukee, Minnesota governor Tim Walz was pressed on the party’s plans to nominate Joe Biden via a roll call vote in the coming days.
Walz, who co-chairs the DNC Rules Committee, confirmed that delegates would not begin voting before 1 August, and the governor’s spokesperson confirmed that the process should wrap up by 7 August.
The news comes as 19 congressional Democrats have publicly called on Biden to drop out of the race following his disastrous debate performance last month.
The rules committee will meet on Friday to set out an agenda, Walz said, and he added that the meeting was never meant to kick off the virtual roll call vote.
Democrats have previously cited a ballot deadline of 7 August in Ohio as justification for the virtual roll call vote, but state legislators passed a bill to delay that deadline. Still, Walz argued that Democrats needed to confirm their nominee quickly to avoid potential legal challenges, as a number of states have August deadlines.
“We need to get these things done. We need to get the roll call done,” Walz said. “But it won’t happen before the first of August.”
Quentin Folks, Biden’s principal deputy campaign manager, appeared to grow frustrated with the questions, telling reporters, “The Republicans are lying to the American people about virtually every single issue that impacts their lives. And we’re caught up in process stores.”
Joe Biden campaign officials and Democratic lawmakers held a press conference in Milwaukee this morning to attack Republicans’ anti-abortion policies.
Quentin Folks, Biden’s principal deputy campaign manager, specifically called out Donald Trump‘s running mate, JD Vance, over his views on abortion. Vance, who will speak at the Republican convention tonight, has indicated he does not support abortion even in cases of rape or incest.
“JD Vance is an anti-choice politician whose views on reproductive freedom and women’s rights would take us back decades,” Folks said.
The Democratic officials were joined by Amanda Zurawski, who nearly died because she could not obtain an abortion in Texas after it became clear her pregnancy was not viable.
“It was in that dark and lonely hospital room where I realized I was actually lucky. I lived. And I knew others might not be so lucky,” Zurawski said.
“What I went through was nothing short of barbaric, and it didn’t need to happen. But it did because of Donald Trump.”
Donald Trump has a 'nice flesh wound,' says Eric Trump
Donald Trump does not have stitches but has a “nice flesh wound,” his son Eric Trump said following his father’s assassination attempt.
In an interview with CBS, Eric said:
“You know, he was millimeters away from having his life expunged ... I’m sure the ear doesn’t feel well.”
Eric added that his father said that the injury felt like the “greatest earache he’s ever had,” and went on to say that his father’s hearing is fine and that he is in “great spirits.”
Trump has appeared at the RNC this week in Milwaukee with a white bandage taped over his ear amid a heavily intensified security team.
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Nearly two-thirds of Democrats want Biden to withdraw - poll
Nearly two-thirds of Democrats want Joe Biden to withdraw his re-election bid, a new AP-NORC poll has found.
According to the poll which was mostly conducted before Donald Trump’s assassination attempt on Saturday, 65% of Democrats say that Biden should withdraw.
Overall, 7 in 10 American adults say that Biden should drop out from the race.
57% of American adults say that Trump should withdraw from the race and allow the GOP to name a replacement. Meanwhile, 73% of Republicans say that Trump should remain in the race.
In stark contrast, only 35% of Democrats say that Biden should remain in the race.
Moreover, nearly half of Democrats are not very or not at all confident that Biden has the mental capability to serve as president, up from a third in a February poll. 27% of Democrats are extremely or very confident in his ability to be an effective president, down from 40% in the February poll.
Republicans have more confidence in Trump. 60% of Republicans are extremely or very confident that Trump has the mental capability to serve effectively as president.
DNC virtual roll call to nominate Biden scheduled for August - report
The Democratic National Committee said that its virtual roll call to officially nominate Joe Biden as its party’s presidential nominee will happen in August, CBS reports.
In a letter obtained and reported by CBS on Wednesday, the DNC rules committee chairs Leah Daughtry and Tim Walz wrote:
“We have confirmed with the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic National Convention that no virtual voting will begin before August 1…
None of this will be rushed. Unlike our nation’s other major political party, our rules are set in public meetings, anchored in the Party’s charter and its traditions. That will continue in the 2024 cycle, as it must with so much at stake.”
Daughtry and Walz added that they will propose a framework on Friday for “how best to proceed” and that they will follow up with a second meeting next week to “consider and adopt specific rules for that purpose.”
SCOOP: DNC says the virtual roll call to nominate Biden will happen in AUGUST, according to letter first obtained by CBS News
— aaron navarro (@aaronlarnavarro) July 17, 2024
Sent today by heads of the rules convention committee Gov. Walz and Leah Daughtry. DNC and DNCC have buy in.
Developing story... https://t.co/LyfEPZ456C pic.twitter.com/lT4ETBtFr2
Reports of the virtual roll call date comes amid Democratic infighting over whether Biden should remain the party’s nominee or withdraw his re-election bid.
Concerns over Biden’s capability as president have swirled intensely following his poor debate performance and repeated public faux pas including accidentally calling Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy “President Putin” at last week’s Nato summit in Washington DC.
Efforts to replace Biden in 2024 race 'over', Democratic strategist says - report
The Hill is reporting that efforts to replace Joe Biden is “game over”.
In a new report on Wednesday, the outlet quoted one Democratic strategist saying: “It’s over. There’s been no meaningful movement in a week.”
“There is little to no time left. People are focused elsewhere. It’s a collective action problem and we have no solution … Game over,” the strategist added.
Following Biden’s poor debate performance, Democrats have scrambled amid the political fallout to determine the trajectory of the party. In recent weeks, numerous sitting congressional members and celebrity donors including George Clooney have called on Biden to drop out from the race.
Yet, the president has remained defiant, repeatedly pushing back on criticisms of his age and mental competency.
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Ahead of Joe Biden’s address at UnidosUS today in Las Vegas, the White House unveiled new actions to expand opportunities across Latino communities.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the White House said some of the actions include:
To strengthen the federal government’s commitment to advancing opportunity, today, president Biden will sign an executive order establishing the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Hispanic-Serving Institutions …
On June 18th, the president announced a new process to help US citizens with noncitizen spouses and children who have been here for 10 years or more keep their families together … And today, the president is announcing that beginning on August 19, 2024, eligible spouses and children will be able to apply for this process to obtain legal status while remaining with their families…
The Department of Homeland Security’s US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is announcing the launch of a new initiative – ‘USCIS to You’ – to bring immigration-related assistance into local communities, including rural and underserved areas …”
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With JD Vance scheduled to take center stage tonight, here is the Guardian’s Sam Levine’s report from Milwaukee on the senator’s expected address and the RNC’s third day:
Vance will be introduced by Donald Trump Jr. The theme for Wednesday – “Make America Strong Once Again” – comes amid internal divisions on how to handle the war in Ukraine. Earlier this year, House speaker Mike Johnson only narrowly passed a bill to provide additional funding for Ukraine over the loud objection of some Republicans.
The day will also offer an opportunity for Republicans to attack Joe Biden over his handling of the US military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan and the war between Israel and Gaza.
For the full story, click here:
Republican convention to focus on foreign policy as JD Vance prepares for speech
Good morning,
With the Republican national convention entering its third day, Trump’s vice-presidential pick, 39-year-old JD Vance, is set to deliver perhaps the most significant speech of his political career today.
The Ohio senator is expected to address the RNC this evening following the announcement of his selection as Donald Trump’s running mate on Monday.
Vance, a former critic of Trump who once called the former president “America’s Hitler” as well as a “total fraud”, is set to make his appearance tonight amid the RNC’s theme for today – “Make America Strong Once Again”. On Tuesday, Trump’s former opponents Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis both made appearances at the Milwaukee convention during which they heavily endorsed Trump.
Wednesday’s theme, an ode to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” tagline, is expected to largely revolve around US foreign policy, which Vance has been heavily critical of with regards to US military aid to Ukraine. Following the announcement of Trump’s vice-presidential pick, European experts have warned that Vance is a “terrible choice” for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
Here are other developments in US politics:
Joe Biden is in Las Vegas, where he is expected to deliver remarks at UnidosUS, the largest annual gathering of Latino advocates and policymakers.
The White House is reaffirming its support for surgeries for trans minors following backlash over its comments that the surgeries “should be limited to adults”.
A former White House official has been accused of working as South Korea agent in exchange for luxury goods, according to an indictment filed in a Manhattan federal court.
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