President Joe Biden may have left the central question, why he quit his reelection bid, unanswered during his Wednesday evening address to the nation, but he did lay out some priorities for his final six months in office.

“I’ll be focused on doing my job as president,” Biden said. “That means I’ll continue to lower costs for hardworking families, grow our economy. I’ll keep defending our personal freedoms and our civil rights, from the right to vote to the right to choose. I’ll keep calling out hate and extremism and make it clear there is no place in America for political violence or any violence ever, period.”

Biden announced his historic exit with a social media post Sunday afternoon, then followed that with an 11-minute Oval Office speech that was supposed to provide more clarity about why he left. The president remained vague on that topic, saying, “Nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition.”

However, he did set out some concrete policy goals for the final eighth of his term.

Cancer moon shot

“I will keep fighting my for my cancer moon shot,” Biden said before the cameras in his West Wing office. “So we can end cancer as we know it because we can do it.”

Biden has a long history of backing cancer research, dating to the tragic 2015 death of his eldest son, Beau Biden, from an aggressive form of brain cancer. Biden launched the first cancer moon-shot initiative during his last year as vice president, then founded the Biden Cancer Initiative as a private citizen, and relaunched the cancer moon shot after becoming president.

The cancer moon shot includes university research projects and grants, with a long-term goal of improving the prevention and treatment of the disease. The work is certainly not going to be finished within the next six months, but the president may also focus on his private cancer research initiative after leaving office.

Supreme Court reform

Probably the most meaty policy proposal Biden mentioned was a goal of reforming the Supreme Court, which has become a target of criticism from progressives who say that high court justices need to be held to a higher standard of ethics.

“I’m going to call for Supreme Court reform,” Biden said, “because this is critical to our democracy, Supreme Court reform.”

However, the Biden White House has kept details of its reform goals under wraps, even from some key Senate Democrats who would be instrumental in implementing it.

Several Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee surveyed by the Washington Examiner said they have not heard from the White House on the matter despite weeks of reports on the subject, including the panel chairman.

“I haven’t heard anything directly from the White House,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the chamber’s No. 2 Democrat as majority whip. However, another Senate Democrat, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), did say he’d been in contact with the Biden administration.

Either way, even if he gets his own party on board for reforms, Biden will face pushback from the GOP.

“It’s a separate branch,” Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) told the Washington Examiner of efforts to reform the judiciary. “Keep the nose of Congress and the administration out of it.”

Peace in the Middle East

“I’m going to keep working to end the war in Gaza, bring home all the hostages, and bring peace and security to the Middle East and end this war,” Biden said in his Oval Office address.

This goal, too, may rest more on outside factors than on anything Biden himself is able to do between now and Jan. 20, 2025, when he leaves office.

Biden and key members of his administration have been calling for a ceasefire in Gaza for months, but those calls have come with terms to which Hamas, the terrorist organization that controls the strip, has not agreed.

As of early July, Biden said Israel and Hamas were making progress toward an agreement, but nothing has been announced nearly 10 months after the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks sparked the war.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Complicating matters now is that Biden is already sharing the spotlight with Vice President Kamala Harris, who took over the campaign after Biden stepped aside. Harris also met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday evening and delivered a somewhat harsher message, saying she will not “look away in the face of these tragedies” stemming from Israel’s campaign in the Gaza strip.

A senior Israeli official warned that those comments could derail the ceasefire talks, telling the Times of Israel that “the more the gap widens between [the U.S. and Israel], the more we move away from a deal and thus also increase the possibility of a regional escalation.”

2024-07-28 10:00:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F3101001%2Fbiden-to-do-list-white-house-exit%2F?w=600&h=450, President Joe Biden may have left the central question, why he quit his reelection bid, unanswered during his Wednesday evening address to the nation, but he did lay out some priorities for his final six months in office. “I’ll be focused on doing my job as president,” Biden said. “That means I’ll continue to lower costs,

President Joe Biden may have left the central question, why he quit his reelection bid, unanswered during his Wednesday evening address to the nation, but he did lay out some priorities for his final six months in office.

“I’ll be focused on doing my job as president,” Biden said. “That means I’ll continue to lower costs for hardworking families, grow our economy. I’ll keep defending our personal freedoms and our civil rights, from the right to vote to the right to choose. I’ll keep calling out hate and extremism and make it clear there is no place in America for political violence or any violence ever, period.”

Biden announced his historic exit with a social media post Sunday afternoon, then followed that with an 11-minute Oval Office speech that was supposed to provide more clarity about why he left. The president remained vague on that topic, saying, “Nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition.”

However, he did set out some concrete policy goals for the final eighth of his term.

Cancer moon shot

“I will keep fighting my for my cancer moon shot,” Biden said before the cameras in his West Wing office. “So we can end cancer as we know it because we can do it.”

Biden has a long history of backing cancer research, dating to the tragic 2015 death of his eldest son, Beau Biden, from an aggressive form of brain cancer. Biden launched the first cancer moon-shot initiative during his last year as vice president, then founded the Biden Cancer Initiative as a private citizen, and relaunched the cancer moon shot after becoming president.

The cancer moon shot includes university research projects and grants, with a long-term goal of improving the prevention and treatment of the disease. The work is certainly not going to be finished within the next six months, but the president may also focus on his private cancer research initiative after leaving office.

Supreme Court reform

Probably the most meaty policy proposal Biden mentioned was a goal of reforming the Supreme Court, which has become a target of criticism from progressives who say that high court justices need to be held to a higher standard of ethics.

“I’m going to call for Supreme Court reform,” Biden said, “because this is critical to our democracy, Supreme Court reform.”

However, the Biden White House has kept details of its reform goals under wraps, even from some key Senate Democrats who would be instrumental in implementing it.

Several Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee surveyed by the Washington Examiner said they have not heard from the White House on the matter despite weeks of reports on the subject, including the panel chairman.

“I haven’t heard anything directly from the White House,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the chamber’s No. 2 Democrat as majority whip. However, another Senate Democrat, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), did say he’d been in contact with the Biden administration.

Either way, even if he gets his own party on board for reforms, Biden will face pushback from the GOP.

“It’s a separate branch,” Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) told the Washington Examiner of efforts to reform the judiciary. “Keep the nose of Congress and the administration out of it.”

Peace in the Middle East

“I’m going to keep working to end the war in Gaza, bring home all the hostages, and bring peace and security to the Middle East and end this war,” Biden said in his Oval Office address.

This goal, too, may rest more on outside factors than on anything Biden himself is able to do between now and Jan. 20, 2025, when he leaves office.

Biden and key members of his administration have been calling for a ceasefire in Gaza for months, but those calls have come with terms to which Hamas, the terrorist organization that controls the strip, has not agreed.

As of early July, Biden said Israel and Hamas were making progress toward an agreement, but nothing has been announced nearly 10 months after the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks sparked the war.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Complicating matters now is that Biden is already sharing the spotlight with Vice President Kamala Harris, who took over the campaign after Biden stepped aside. Harris also met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday evening and delivered a somewhat harsher message, saying she will not “look away in the face of these tragedies” stemming from Israel’s campaign in the Gaza strip.

A senior Israeli official warned that those comments could derail the ceasefire talks, telling the Times of Israel that “the more the gap widens between [the U.S. and Israel], the more we move away from a deal and thus also increase the possibility of a regional escalation.”

, President Joe Biden may have left the central question, why he quit his reelection bid, unanswered during his Wednesday evening address to the nation, but he did lay out some priorities for his final six months in office. “I’ll be focused on doing my job as president,” Biden said. “That means I’ll continue to lower costs for hardworking families, grow our economy. I’ll keep defending our personal freedoms and our civil rights, from the right to vote to the right to choose. I’ll keep calling out hate and extremism and make it clear there is no place in America for political violence or any violence ever, period.” Biden announced his historic exit with a social media post Sunday afternoon, then followed that with an 11-minute Oval Office speech that was supposed to provide more clarity about why he left. The president remained vague on that topic, saying, “Nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition.” However, he did set out some concrete policy goals for the final eighth of his term. Cancer moon shot “I will keep fighting my for my cancer moon shot,” Biden said before the cameras in his West Wing office. “So we can end cancer as we know it because we can do it.” Biden has a long history of backing cancer research, dating to the tragic 2015 death of his eldest son, Beau Biden, from an aggressive form of brain cancer. Biden launched the first cancer moon-shot initiative during his last year as vice president, then founded the Biden Cancer Initiative as a private citizen, and relaunched the cancer moon shot after becoming president. The cancer moon shot includes university research projects and grants, with a long-term goal of improving the prevention and treatment of the disease. The work is certainly not going to be finished within the next six months, but the president may also focus on his private cancer research initiative after leaving office. Supreme Court reform Probably the most meaty policy proposal Biden mentioned was a goal of reforming the Supreme Court, which has become a target of criticism from progressives who say that high court justices need to be held to a higher standard of ethics. “I’m going to call for Supreme Court reform,” Biden said, “because this is critical to our democracy, Supreme Court reform.” However, the Biden White House has kept details of its reform goals under wraps, even from some key Senate Democrats who would be instrumental in implementing it. Several Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee surveyed by the Washington Examiner said they have not heard from the White House on the matter despite weeks of reports on the subject, including the panel chairman. “I haven’t heard anything directly from the White House,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the chamber’s No. 2 Democrat as majority whip. However, another Senate Democrat, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), did say he’d been in contact with the Biden administration. Either way, even if he gets his own party on board for reforms, Biden will face pushback from the GOP. “It’s a separate branch,” Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) told the Washington Examiner of efforts to reform the judiciary. “Keep the nose of Congress and the administration out of it.” Peace in the Middle East “I’m going to keep working to end the war in Gaza, bring home all the hostages, and bring peace and security to the Middle East and end this war,” Biden said in his Oval Office address. This goal, too, may rest more on outside factors than on anything Biden himself is able to do between now and Jan. 20, 2025, when he leaves office. Biden and key members of his administration have been calling for a ceasefire in Gaza for months, but those calls have come with terms to which Hamas, the terrorist organization that controls the strip, has not agreed. As of early July, Biden said Israel and Hamas were making progress toward an agreement, but nothing has been announced nearly 10 months after the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks sparked the war. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Complicating matters now is that Biden is already sharing the spotlight with Vice President Kamala Harris, who took over the campaign after Biden stepped aside. Harris also met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday evening and delivered a somewhat harsher message, saying she will not “look away in the face of these tragedies” stemming from Israel’s campaign in the Gaza strip. A senior Israeli official warned that those comments could derail the ceasefire talks, telling the Times of Israel that “the more the gap widens between [the U.S. and Israel], the more we move away from a deal and thus also increase the possibility of a regional escalation.”, , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/joe-biden-covid-1.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Haisten Willis,

The White House says President Joe Biden wants to lower the temperature in politics if former President Donald Trump will agree to it.

“The president has called on lowering the temperature,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday. “But here’s the thing: It takes all of us to lower the temperature. All of us. I hope you can read between the lines of what I mean by all of us.”

Biden painted the 2024 campaign in existential terms in a Wednesday night address, saying democracy is at stake and warning voters that “whether we keep our republic is now in your hands.” Those remarks came just 10 days after he vowed to lower the temperature in politics following the attempted assassination of Trump, the GOP nominee.

“Is this dangerous rhetoric?”, a reporter asked during the afternoon press briefing.

“Look, it is important that we continue to talk about unity, it is,” Jean-Pierre said. “Saving democracy, making sure that we’re unified as a country. And [Biden] called on the country to come together. That is a theme that he’s talked about since 2019. Since 2019. Nothing new here.”

Some Republicans have said heated rhetoric contributed to the assassination attempt on Trump.

“I absolutely do [think it contributed],” Rep. Harriett Hageman (R-WY) said at an event outside the Republican National Convention. “We’re in a very strange moment in time in the sense that if you believe in freedom and liberty, they call us fascists. They put President Trump on the cover of a magazine, equating him to Hitler. As I have said over and over again, there is only one Hitler.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

But Jean-Pierre said it’s up to both candidates to keep the rhetoric in check.

“It takes all of us to take that action and to lower the temperature,” she said.

2024-07-25 21:28:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F3099859%2Fwhite-house-biden-trump-lower-temperature%2F?w=600&h=450, The White House says President Joe Biden wants to lower the temperature in politics if former President Donald Trump will agree to it. “The president has called on lowering the temperature,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday. “But here’s the thing: It takes all of us to lower the temperature. All of us. I hope,

The White House says President Joe Biden wants to lower the temperature in politics if former President Donald Trump will agree to it.

“The president has called on lowering the temperature,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday. “But here’s the thing: It takes all of us to lower the temperature. All of us. I hope you can read between the lines of what I mean by all of us.”

Biden painted the 2024 campaign in existential terms in a Wednesday night address, saying democracy is at stake and warning voters that “whether we keep our republic is now in your hands.” Those remarks came just 10 days after he vowed to lower the temperature in politics following the attempted assassination of Trump, the GOP nominee.

“Is this dangerous rhetoric?”, a reporter asked during the afternoon press briefing.

“Look, it is important that we continue to talk about unity, it is,” Jean-Pierre said. “Saving democracy, making sure that we’re unified as a country. And [Biden] called on the country to come together. That is a theme that he’s talked about since 2019. Since 2019. Nothing new here.”

Some Republicans have said heated rhetoric contributed to the assassination attempt on Trump.

“I absolutely do [think it contributed],” Rep. Harriett Hageman (R-WY) said at an event outside the Republican National Convention. “We’re in a very strange moment in time in the sense that if you believe in freedom and liberty, they call us fascists. They put President Trump on the cover of a magazine, equating him to Hitler. As I have said over and over again, there is only one Hitler.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

But Jean-Pierre said it’s up to both candidates to keep the rhetoric in check.

“It takes all of us to take that action and to lower the temperature,” she said.

, The White House says President Joe Biden wants to lower the temperature in politics if former President Donald Trump will agree to it. “The president has called on lowering the temperature,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday. “But here’s the thing: It takes all of us to lower the temperature. All of us. I hope you can read between the lines of what I mean by all of us.” Biden painted the 2024 campaign in existential terms in a Wednesday night address, saying democracy is at stake and warning voters that “whether we keep our republic is now in your hands.” Those remarks came just 10 days after he vowed to lower the temperature in politics following the attempted assassination of Trump, the GOP nominee. “Is this dangerous rhetoric?”, a reporter asked during the afternoon press briefing. “Look, it is important that we continue to talk about unity, it is,” Jean-Pierre said. “Saving democracy, making sure that we’re unified as a country. And [Biden] called on the country to come together. That is a theme that he’s talked about since 2019. Since 2019. Nothing new here.” Some Republicans have said heated rhetoric contributed to the assassination attempt on Trump. “I absolutely do [think it contributed],” Rep. Harriett Hageman (R-WY) said at an event outside the Republican National Convention. “We’re in a very strange moment in time in the sense that if you believe in freedom and liberty, they call us fascists. They put President Trump on the cover of a magazine, equating him to Hitler. As I have said over and over again, there is only one Hitler.” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER But Jean-Pierre said it’s up to both candidates to keep the rhetoric in check. “It takes all of us to take that action and to lower the temperature,” she said., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Joe-Biden-turn-down-the-temperature.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Haisten Willis,

President Joe Biden backed Vice President Kamala Harris and urged voters to “preserve our democracy” in a prime-time address Wednesday night.

Just three days after exiting the race, Biden urged voters to back Harris, describing her as a strong and accomplished leader who can take on and defeat GOP nominee former President Donald Trump.

“I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future all merited a second term,” he said. “But nothing — nothing — can come in the way of saving our democracy; that includes personal ambition. So I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation.”

Biden implied but did not state directly that he felt he could not defeat Trump and that Harris had a more realistic shot at winning. Preserving democracy was also a prominent theme of the address, which lasted roughly 10 minutes. Biden later said he stepped down “in the defense of democracy, which is at stake.”

The Democratic Party has thrown almost its entire weight behind Harris in the three days since Biden stepped down. He joined in that effort himself in touting her record.

“I’d like to thank our great vice president, Kamala Harris,” Biden said. “She’s experienced. She’s tough. She’s capable. She’s been an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country. Now the choice is up to you, the American people.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER 

The choice this fall, as Biden presented it, is not between Harris and Trump but rather between continuing to have a functioning democratic system of government or not.

“When you make that choice, remember the words of Benjamin Franklin,” Biden said. “When Ben Franklin was asked, as he emerged from the convention going on, whether the founders had given America a monarchy or a republic, Franklin’s response was: ‘A republic, if you can keep it.’ A republic, if you can keep it. Whether we keep our republic is now in your hands.”

2024-07-25 00:40:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F3098514%2Fbiden-backs-harris-tv-address%2F?w=600&h=450, President Joe Biden backed Vice President Kamala Harris and urged voters to “preserve our democracy” in a prime-time address Wednesday night. Just three days after exiting the race, Biden urged voters to back Harris, describing her as a strong and accomplished leader who can take on and defeat GOP nominee former President Donald Trump. “I,

President Joe Biden backed Vice President Kamala Harris and urged voters to “preserve our democracy” in a prime-time address Wednesday night.

Just three days after exiting the race, Biden urged voters to back Harris, describing her as a strong and accomplished leader who can take on and defeat GOP nominee former President Donald Trump.

“I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future all merited a second term,” he said. “But nothing — nothing — can come in the way of saving our democracy; that includes personal ambition. So I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation.”

Biden implied but did not state directly that he felt he could not defeat Trump and that Harris had a more realistic shot at winning. Preserving democracy was also a prominent theme of the address, which lasted roughly 10 minutes. Biden later said he stepped down “in the defense of democracy, which is at stake.”

The Democratic Party has thrown almost its entire weight behind Harris in the three days since Biden stepped down. He joined in that effort himself in touting her record.

“I’d like to thank our great vice president, Kamala Harris,” Biden said. “She’s experienced. She’s tough. She’s capable. She’s been an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country. Now the choice is up to you, the American people.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER 

The choice this fall, as Biden presented it, is not between Harris and Trump but rather between continuing to have a functioning democratic system of government or not.

“When you make that choice, remember the words of Benjamin Franklin,” Biden said. “When Ben Franklin was asked, as he emerged from the convention going on, whether the founders had given America a monarchy or a republic, Franklin’s response was: ‘A republic, if you can keep it.’ A republic, if you can keep it. Whether we keep our republic is now in your hands.”

, President Joe Biden backed Vice President Kamala Harris and urged voters to “preserve our democracy” in a prime-time address Wednesday night. Just three days after exiting the race, Biden urged voters to back Harris, describing her as a strong and accomplished leader who can take on and defeat GOP nominee former President Donald Trump. “I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future all merited a second term,” he said. “But nothing — nothing — can come in the way of saving our democracy; that includes personal ambition. So I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation.” Biden implied but did not state directly that he felt he could not defeat Trump and that Harris had a more realistic shot at winning. Preserving democracy was also a prominent theme of the address, which lasted roughly 10 minutes. Biden later said he stepped down “in the defense of democracy, which is at stake.” The Democratic Party has thrown almost its entire weight behind Harris in the three days since Biden stepped down. He joined in that effort himself in touting her record. “I’d like to thank our great vice president, Kamala Harris,” Biden said. “She’s experienced. She’s tough. She’s capable. She’s been an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country. Now the choice is up to you, the American people.” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER   The choice this fall, as Biden presented it, is not between Harris and Trump but rather between continuing to have a functioning democratic system of government or not. “When you make that choice, remember the words of Benjamin Franklin,” Biden said. “When Ben Franklin was asked, as he emerged from the convention going on, whether the founders had given America a monarchy or a republic, Franklin’s response was: ‘A republic, if you can keep it.’ A republic, if you can keep it. Whether we keep our republic is now in your hands.”, , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Joe-Biden-farewell-address.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Haisten Willis,

MILWAUKEE — Republican unity juxtaposed with Democratic chaos was the theme of the 2024 Republican National Convention as former President Donald Trump soaked up praise before accepting the nomination Thursday night.

But Republicans are wary of getting too confident this early in the race, of keeping any assumptions that they are assured of victory from seeping into the campaign or into Trump’s base of supporters.

“This is going to be the biggest landslide election since 1984,” Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) told New York delegates on Thursday. But he later added, “We can’t take anything for granted. The Democrats are not going to just roll over. They are going to fight for the next four months. And so we have to do everything we can to turn out the vote in New York. We can’t take our eye off the ball.”

Trump alluded to the issue himself midway through his 90-minute acceptance speech, reminding the audience that the fight is not over.

“There is love in the room. There is great love in the room,” he told them. “So I better finish strong. Otherwise, we’ll blow it, and we can’t let that happen.”

The GOP has only to look at Trump’s first run for president for inspiration. Democrats spent most of that cycle feeling that their candidate, former Secretary of State and first lady Hillary Clinton, was well ahead of Trump, right up until election night when they learned she had lost within hours of the polls closing.

Trump is up on President Joe Biden by 3 points in the RealClearPolitics national polling average, 47.7% to 44.7%, and holds a polling edge in all seven swing states. But at this point in the 2016 cycle, Clinton held a nearly identical national advantage, up 2.7 points over Trump. A postmortem later ruled that she had neglected key states like Michigan until it was too late.

Dennis Lennox, a Republican strategist who attended the GOP’s Milwaukee convention, acknowledged that complacency is the enemy.

“You always, always want to run like you’re losing,” Lennox told the Washington Examiner. “All of this talk of a landslide and a remaking of the map is not helpful. Not only does it make staff complacent, but it may suppress voters who think Trump has it in the bag. That’s especially an issue with low-propensity voters.”

The Democratic turmoil this time is not like Republican handwringing over Trump in 2016. Back then, Trump was ascendant but seen by some as an unelectable diversion from party orthodoxy who was not fit for the presidency.

Eight years later, Democrats are in turmoil because their candidate, the 81-year-old Biden, seems to be rapidly fading in mental acuity, holed up for the moment with a COVID-19 diagnosis as more and more elected members of his party are calling for him to drop out.

Republicans are now fully behind Trump, with even his vice presidential nominee, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), being a former foe who came around to back him.

Watching the Republican National Convention, CNN’s Van Jones compared the raucous atmosphere to that of Barack Obama’s triumphant 2008 campaign. “There’s something happening,” he said on air.

Many Democrats are frustrated with the situation and envious of the Republican “unity” message.

“The only reason why Democrats lose is because of Democrats,” Florida-based Democratic strategist Sasha Tirador said. “The only ones to blame for the disaster that’s going on right now are Democrats. Trump can do absolutely no wrong. It does not matter how many criminal indictments he has, how many felonies he’s found guilty of, there’s not a single elected Republican official who will criticize Trump in the middle of a campaign.”

In contrast, she sees members of her party knifing their candidate over his verbal gaffes, making it impossible to rally behind him.

In theory, if Biden is cast aside, the party could move beyond its turmoil and unite with renewed energy behind a new candidate. Vice President Kamala Harris provides a number of advantages Democrats might use if she were the nominee. She is nearly 20 years younger than Trump, would become the first female president, and has been a strong campaigner on the crucial topic of abortion.

Brad Bannon, another Democratic strategist, says things could quickly change for the better for his side if the momentum to move beyond Biden continues.

“The party has a chance to reboot with a new ticket, with Kamala Harris at the top and a young Democratic governor like Andy Beshear [D-KY] as her running mate,” he said. “I think that would break the cloud that is hanging over the party right now. It would infuse the party with a lot of energy. Things could look much different a week from now.”

Still, if Harris were viewed as a strong potential candidate, it’s possible she would have already been moved to the top of the ticket, and Team Biden and the Democratic National Committee still hold that Biden will not only remain in the campaign but will be formally nominated by a virtual roll call two weeks before the Democratic National Convention.

There is also no guarantee that other prominent Democrats would sit out and not challenge Harris for the job even if Biden steps down. That means a replacement would not be solidified until the end of the DNC on Aug. 22.

Republicans have begun shifting their own messaging away from Biden — Trump mentioned him only once during his lengthy speech — toward saying that it is Democratic policies that are the problem and therefore no Democrat will be better than Biden.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

GOP strategist Doug Heye is not worried about a feeling that the election is a done deal seeping into his party’s ranks, predicting that Republicans will finish strong over the last weeks before Election Day.

“Given the high level of enthusiasm Republicans have for their nominee, compared to the already low enthusiasm Democrats feel, which seems to fall each day, this shouldn’t be a concern,” he said. “Besides, the leadership at the Trump campaign, [National Republican Congressional Committee], and [National Republican Senatorial Committee], are not the type to take their foot off the pedal.”

MILWAUKEE — Political commentator Tucker Carlson painted former President Donald Trump as a unique and dedicated leader during his speaking slot on the final night of the Republican National Convention.

“Being a leader is not a title, it’s organic,” he said. “You can’t name someone a leader. A leader is the bravest man; that’s what a leader is. That is true in all human organizations. That is a law of nature. And in that moment [following the assassination attempt], Donald Trump, months before presidential election, became the leader of this nation.”

One of the few speakers at this week’s convention who did not read his speech from a teleprompter, Carlson, who is dyslexic, spent much time reflecting on Trump’s near brush with death, saying it both marked Trump as a leader and changed him.

“Everything was different after that moment. This convention was different, the nation was different, the world was different, Donald Trump was different,” he said. “When he stood up after being shot in the face, bloodied, and put his hand up, I thought at that moment, ‘that was a transformation.’”

“The effect it had on Donald Trump — he was no longer just a political party’s nominee, or a former president, or a future president,” Carlson continues. “This was the leader of a nation.”

It was a triumphant return to prominence for the media personality, who had been kicked off of his biggest stage just over a year ago.

Carlson, 55, has worked at CNN and MSNBC in the past but achieved his greatest fame as a Fox News host from 2016 to 2023. Since being let go from Fox he has remained close to the conservative spotlight by hosting a show on X and giving speeches to right-leaning audiences.

In fact, Carlson may have grown closer to Trump’s inner circle since his ouster, seen frequently during the Milwaukee GOP convention and even sitting in Trump’s VIP box during the first night’s festivities.

Continuing with the leadership theme, Carlson more than once mentioned his decades in Washington and the city’s culture.

“The presidency comes with great power, obviously, but if you think about it, that is a title that is bestowed by a process of some sort, which came be subverted,” he said. “In the end it does not confer by itself, as no title does, legitimacy. Just because you call yourself the president doesn’t mean that much inherently.”

“I can call my dog the CEO of Hewlett Packard; it doesn’t mean she is,” he added. “It’s true! And you hate to say it, but it is also true that you could take, I don’t know, a mannequin or dead person and make him president.”

While he’s no stranger to controversy, convention attendees who spoke to the Washington Examiner sang Carlson’s praises as an outspoken voice for the right.

“He doesn’t care if you agree with it or not,” attendee Nicole Powell said. “The reality is we are a society of people with differing opinions, and you should be allowed to express your opinions.”

Don Huffines, who traveled to Milwaukee from Dallas, said he loves Carlson’s message, which “explains it so clearly that this is about good and evil.”

Carlson credited Trump’s courage with calming the crowd in Pennsylvania after he was grazed by a bullet and said that, counter to warnings from his opponents, Trump’s project is about restoring Democracy by giving voters what they want.

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He said vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) is another reflection of that idea because Vance’s policy views hew closely to Trump’s.

“The entire point, from the famous escalator ride nine years ago until today, of Donald Trump’s public life has been to remind us of one fact, which is that a leader’s duty is to his people, to his country, and to no other,” Carlson said. “And another word for this is democracy.”

MILWAUKEE — Not one but three convicted felons were featured on the third day of the Republican National Convention.

The most famous, former President Donald Trump, is there accepting his party’s nomination as he looks to regain the White House. Former Trump campaign Chairman Paul Manafort was spotted on the convention floor, and former Trump administration official Peter Navarro was given a prime speaking spot Wednesday night after getting released from prison Wednesday morning.

“I went to prison so you won’t have to,” Navarro said to a ravenous crowd. “I am your wake-up call.”

Navarro, who woke up in the morning inside a Miami correctional facility, was given a standing ovation that lasted so long he briefly had to delay starting his speech. The enthusiasm never died down throughout his remarks.

“They demanded that I break the law because they have no respect for it,” he said. “I refused.”

Also spotted by the RNC earlier this week was Rudy Giuliani, who took a fall while walking on the convention floor. Giuliani, Trump’s former lawyer, is a co-defendant in the Fulton County, Georgia, election interference case and also indicted in Arizona.

Navarro, an economic adviser in the Trump White House, was convicted on two counts of contempt of Congress after refusing to turn over documents to the Jan. 6 committee and declining to testify to the committee. He described those requests as asking him to violate executive privilege, repeating the “I refused” theme.

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Democrats say the embrace of officials with criminal records undermines the traditional Republican pledge to instill law and order. Delegates at the convention had no apparent qualms about embracing Navarro, who brought up his fiancee onstage and later kissed her in front of the audience.

“I’m Peter Navarro,” he said to cheers. “I went to prison so you won’t have to.”

MILWAUKEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) made his case for the GOP platform at the Republican National Convention, comparing the current president’s tenure to the plot of a popular comedy film.

“Our enemies do not contain their designs to between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.,” DeSantis said. “We need a commander in chief who can lead 24 hours a day and seven days a week. America cannot afford four more years of a Weekend at Bernie’s presidency.”

The 1989 movie features two young men who discover their boss is dead and spend the weekend carrying him around trying to convince people he’s still alive. DeSantis also described President Joe Biden as a “figurehead” for the Democratic agenda who is not running the show for his party.

The Florida governor received strong applause upon taking the stage but elsewhere stuck mostly with the familiar themes he hit during his own run for president.

Speaking quickly, DeSantis pushed back against illegal immigration, saying Democrats support it in most cases while adding, “Just don’t send any to Martha’s Vineyard. Then they get really upset.” He did just that himself in 2022, leading to outrage from the Left and praise from his supporters.

At the time, DeSantis was a rising star in the Republican Party and widely seen as a potential successor to Trump. But his presidential campaign fizzled as Trump rose back to prominence, especially following Trump’s first criminal indictment in New York.

News circulated last week that DeSantis wouldn’t even speak at the convention, but his team clarified that he would and maintained he had always been part of the speaking schedule.

DeSantis endorsed Trump when he suspended his presidential campaign in January, but the pair did not speak again until April. The Florida governor spoke on the heels of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, another vanquished foe whom Trump bested in the Republican primary.

Another former Trump primary foe, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, spoke at the convention earlier in the evening, though he always aligned himself closely with the former president’s views. Yet another, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), spoke on Monday night.

Like the others, DeSantis gave his backing to Trump during his remarks, but his speech was largely focused on issues such as COVID-19 vaccine mandates, requiring proof of citizenship to vote, keeping public education systems from “indoctrinating” children, shrinking the size of the executive branch of the federal government, and embracing law and order.

“We believe in the principles articulated in our Declaration of Independence, that our rights come not from the generosity from the state but from the hand of the Almighty,” he said.

He also touted his own stewardship of the Florida Republican Party.

“For decades, my home state’s elections were determined by razor-thin margins,” he said. “Today, due to bold leadership, the Democratic Party lies in ruins.”

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But he finished by throwing his weight behind onetime nemesis Trump, saying it was time for him to regain the presidency.

“Let’s make the 45th president of the United States the 47th president of the United States,” DeSantis said. “Let’s elect Republicans up and down the ballot, and let’s heed the call of our party’s nominee to fight, fight, fight for these United States.”

MILWAUKEE — A House Republican didn’t hesitate when asked if years of labeling former President Donald Trump a threat to democracy played a role in the assassination attempt against him.

“I absolutely do,” Rep. Harriett Hageman (R-WY) said at a Moms for Liberty event outside the Republican National Convention. “We’re in a very strange moment in time in the sense that if you believe in freedom and liberty, they call us fascists. They put President Trump on the cover of a magazine equating him to Hitler. As I have said over and over again, there is only one Hitler.”

Comparisons between Trump and Adolf Hitler have abounded throughout the presidential race, as have accusations that Trump represents an existential threat to Democracy in the United States. Hageman slammed the talking points as being dangerous, with the memory of Trump’s brush with death still fresh.

“Every time that you compare someone to [Hitler], you are really denigrating what happened during World War II,” she added. “It is totally ahistorical. It’s a level of slander and libel that is beyond the pale.”

Attention has also focused on President Joe Biden’s remarks to supporters that they should “put Trump in a bullseye” just days before the attack. Biden later said he regrets the remarks and has called to lower the temperature in politics going forward.

But Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) said Hageman was “absolutely correct” in suggesting overheated language can lead to violence, saying his office has received repeated threats since he entered Congress.

“The level of venom has reached a point where you have someone deciding to take lives into their own hand,” he said. “President Trump, by the grace of God, is with us today.”

Biden argues that it is Trump who has used violent rhetoric on the campaign trail and said he only wanted Trump’s agenda to be put in the crosshairs.

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At the convention, RNC Co-Chairwoman Lara Trump told the Washington Examiner that Trump has also been criticized for his telling the crowd to “fight, fight, fight” in the moments after the shooting and came to his defense.

“It was really about this country and showing America he was ok, and really giving a message to the rest of the world that, in some ways, I see it as really he’s kind of the personification of America,” she said. “And yes, we get knocked down. Yes, we have hard times. We always get back up, we always fight, we always rise to the occasion, and a lot of people are trying to criticize him for that, but I think, gosh, do we need a fighter right now.”

International Brotherhood of Teamsters President Sean O’Brien made a splash Monday night with his remarks during the Republican National Convention.

Given the closing speech of the convention’s first day, O’Brien did not endorse former President Donald Trump, but thanked him for the opportunity to speak and made it known he is breaking from his union’s recent history of throwing its full weight behind Democrats.

“Today, the Teamsters are here to say that we are not beholden to anyone or any party,” O’Brien said. “We will create an agenda and work with a bipartisan coalition ready to accomplish something real for the American worker.”

O’Brien later lashed out at corporate welfare, nationless elites, and “economic terrorism,” remarks that drew a decidedly less enthusiastic response. But perhaps more notable than anything he said was the simple fact that O’Brien, leader of a 1.3-million member union that endorsed both Hillary Clinton and President Joe Biden, was speaking at the RNC at all.

He claimed to be the first Teamsters president in the union’s 121-year history to speak at a a Republican National Convention.

Labor unions traditionally back Democrats with endorsements and millions of dollars in campaign donations. Biden launched his last campaign at a union hall in Pittsburgh and often calls himself the most pro-union president in history. The Teamsters are one of the only non-law enforcement unions that has not backed Donald Trump, a fact O’Brien proudly pointed out.

“The Teamsters are not interested in whether you have an ‘R’ or a ‘D’ beside your name,” O’Brien said. “We want to know one thing — what are you doing to help American workers?”

O’Brien has also requested a speaking spot at next month’s Democratic National Convention, and Reuters reported earlier Monday that the Teamsters were unlikely to endorse either candidate. Nonetheless, the outlet described the news as a “blow to Biden.”

The Teamsters, whose union members include truckers and UPS drivers, have a largely male, non-college membership that leans more Republican than unions representing teachers or service workers. The group endorsed Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush in days gone by but has backed the Democrat in each of the last two elections.

Dan Bowling, who teaches labor law courses at Georgia State University, said he wasn’t surprised to see O’Brien speak and predicted that most Teamsters members will vote for Trump.

“Trump does have a pro-working class message much more so than Biden,” he said. “I talk to working-class people a lot, I talk to labor people a lot. They are almost unanimously pro-Trump.”

Bowling was surprised by some of O’Brien’s more traditional union talking points, saying at times he sounded “like Jimmy Hoffa on a box outside a warehouse somewhere.”

Nonetheless, his presence represents an opportunity for Republicans. Both Trump and Biden are intensely focused on winning the Rust Belt states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, and any shift in blue collar voters in those states could decide the election.

Ahead of O’Brien’s speech, Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez issued a statement slamming Trump’s union record.

“More than 30 of the nation’s largest unions have Joe Biden’s back because they know Joe Biden will always fight for working people,” she said. “Joe Biden knows unions built this country and the middle class. He is the most pro-union and pro-worker president ever, defending more than 1 million pensions, creating nearly 16 million jobs, fighting for workers over big greedy corporations, and is the first president to join workers on the picket line.”

Trump, of course, argues otherwise, pointing in particular to the Biden administration’s heavy electric vehicle push as a sign that the president is out of touch and pushing policies that will lead to less unionized jobs in order to build products that the working class cannot afford.

Earlier in the evening, self-described lifelong Democrat Bobby Bartels spoke about Trump visiting a union work site before his days in politics, saying “this union democrat will be voting Trump.” Cameras cut to attendees inside Fiserv Forum wearing hard hats while he was speaking.

Trump’s selection of Sen. J. D. Vance (R-OH), whose working-class background became the subject of a best-selling memoir and a Netflix film, can also be seen as a nod to the Rust Belt thanks to his blue collar bonafides and populist persona.

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Cameras cut to Vance at several points during O’Brien’s speech, with the Ohio senator clapping and smiling at his remarks.

“When President Trump invited me to speak at this convention there was political unrest on the left and on the right,” O’Brien said. “Union groups demanded the president rescind his invitation, and the left called me a traitor. This is precisely why it’s so important for me to be here today.”

Former President Donald Trump‘s nomination becomes official this week as tens of thousands of Republicans gather in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with festivities beginning just two days after Trump miraculously survived an assassination attempt that left his right ear slashed and a supporter dead from gunshot wounds.

The 2024 Republican National Convention lasts from Monday through Thursday, with each day focusing on a particular theme. Monday’s theme is “Make America Wealthy Once Again,” as the economy as been one of Trump’s biggest messaging points this year.

“On day one, we will throw out Bidenomics and replace it with a thing called MAGAnomics.,” Trump said at a recent rally in Miami. “We will quickly build the greatest economy in the history of the world. I will repeal every disastrous Biden regulation, of which there are many, cancel crooked Joe’s insane electric vehicle mandate.”

All eyes will also be on the lookout for an announcement about Trump’s pick for vice president. Trump arrived in Milwaukee Sunday night and would be in position make a triumphant appearance before energized delegates in the arena after his brush with death.

The nearly 2,500 delegates from across the country will hit the Fiserv Forum, home of the Milwaukee Bucks, and other nearby venues for the festivities and the formal launch of a campaign that they hope will unseat President Joe Biden — or whoever runs this fall for the Democrats.

The delegates will formally vote to nominate Trump to be the Republican nominee on Monday. Each state will take an official roll call on the convention floor to tally Trump’s delegates. Republican Nikki Haley has urged her 97 hard-fought delegates to back Trump in a sign of unity.

While Trump told the Washington Examiner’s Salena Zito that he has rewritten his convention speech to focus on unity rather than Biden, the convention is proceeding more or less as originally planned, with additional security measures put in place but the daily themes left intact.

Before the assassination attempt thoroughly rewired the campaign, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) spoke out against the “Make America Wealthy Once Again” theme.

“I want to thank the Republicans for making the first day of their convention’s theme ‘Make America Wealthy Again,’” the swing state representative told reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday. “All that does is reinforce that Donald Trump wants to give his billionaire friends a cut, and doesn’t give a damn about working men and women in this country.”

How to watch the Republican convention

The convention is open only to delegates, elected officials, media members, and volunteers, but will be easy to watch from home for everyone else.

Two official sessions will run from 12:45 to 4:45 and from 5:45 to 10 p.m. local time, and coverage will be available on YouTube, X, Facebook Live, Amazon Prime, Rumble, Twitch, Fox News and, of course, the Washington Examiner.

Tuesday’s theme is “Make America Safe Again”, Wednesday’s is “Make America Strong Again” and Thursday’s is “Make America Great Once Again”.

However, the biggest news on Monday may be Trump’s announcement for a vice presidential pick to replace Mike Pence on the ticket, with the finalists reported to be Sens. J. D. Vance (R-OH), Tim Scott (R-SC), and Marco Rubio (R-FL), along with Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND).

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The official list of speakers will be much longer than just Trump and his VP, including a mix of current and former politicians and celebrities, Trump family members, and media personalities.

Among the highlighted speakers throughout the week are RNC co-chairwoman Lara Trump, singer Lee Greenwood, Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk, Teamsters labor union president Sean O’Brien, entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), 11 GOP senators, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), House GOP Conference chairwoman Elise Stefanik, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.