08:51 Biden in video: 'I'm excited to be on the campaign trail'
The debate over a possible withdrawal of sick US President Joe Biden from the campaign is heating up. Leading Democrats are trying to convince the 81-year-old to step down to improve the party's chances against former President Donald Trump. However, Biden intends to campaign next week.
07:51 Democrat: Biden didn't recognize meRepresentative Seth Moulton is part of a group of around a dozen Democrats calling for US President Joe Biden to exit the campaign. In an op-ed for the "Boston Globe", Moulton justifies his position with concerns about Biden's constitution. "Recently, I saw him in a small group in Normandy on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of D-Day. For the first time, he didn't recognize me," Moulton writes. "Of course, that can happen with aging, but when I watched the disastrous debate a few weeks ago, I had to admit that what I saw in Normandy was part of a deeper problem."
06:47 Voter group announces initiative for DemocratsWhile some major donors to US President Biden have withdrawn their financing, the liberal umbrella organization "America Votes" announced it will invest $40 million in the next two weeks. The money will be used to win voters and voters in five contested states for the Democratic Party, according to a press release. "Our partners know how to beat Trump and Co., because they have done it in three consecutive elections," Daria Dawson, head of the group, is quoted as saying by the "New York Times." The democracy is at stake in the November election.
05:31 Pelosi against direct nomination of Harris, if Biden drops outCalifornia Representative Nancy Pelosi reportedly prefers a competitive process for the nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris as the new Democratic presidential candidate in the event of Biden's campaign ending. This is reported by the "New York Times" based on sources in the California Democratic delegation. At a meeting with the delegation, Pelosi reportedly argued strongly for Biden's withdrawal. With Biden, the Democrats would lose every chance.
04:49 Threats against Trump and Vance: Arrest in FloridaBecause he allegedly threatened Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump and his designated vice president J.D. Vance on social media with death, a man was arrested in Florida. The authorities became aware of the suspect through online tips and reports from neighbors, the police in Jupiter, Florida, reported on Facebook. During the examination of his Facebook account, the officers discovered several threats against Trump and Vance. Further threats were directed against their family members. The man was taken into custody.
04:03 Report: Biden "angry" at PelosiPresident Joe Biden is facing a new round of defiant Democrats who publicly urged him to leave the presidential race. Among them is California Representative Zoe Lofgren, a close ally of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. According to CNN, Biden is "angry" with Pelosi, who has publicly expressed her support for the president.
02:45 Trump's bodyguard explored event location with drone
According to a report by the "Wall Street Journal," Trump's bodyguard explored the event location before the attack using a drone. He was able to take aerial photos of the fairgrounds in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, only a few hours before the attack, the paper reported, citing law enforcement officials familiar with the matter. These findings could raise questions about whether the event site was adequately secured.
01:39 Prominent Democratic supporter separates from advisor
Reid Hoffman, a prominent Democratic donor and co-founder of LinkedIn, has separated from his longtime political advisor Dmitri Mehlhorn. Mehlhorn said his views on the future of the Democratic Party had become a "distraction." The two were the spearhead of major donors who encouraged Democrats to rally behind President Biden as their party's candidate.
00:29 More Democrats call on Biden to withdraw
Representative Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico is urging President Biden to "step aside to give the Democrats the best chances to win in November." Vasquez, who faces a tight race for his House seat, joins a chorus of endangered Democrats who have called on the President to drop out. Ten Democrats in the House have joined the chorus of party members urging Biden to abandon his campaign today.
23:20 Harris tries to calm down major Democratic donors - and fails
Vice President Kamala Harris attempted to reassure the major donors of the Democratic Party by telling them during a video call that there was little cause for concern about President Biden's campaign. Several participants in the call told the "New York Times" that they found the meeting overall unproductive and sometimes even condescending. Many believe, according to the report, that Harris' message ignored the legitimate concerns of donors about Biden's campaign.
22:21 Trump's first campaign appearance since the attack, with VP Vance by his side
A week after the attack on him, former US President Donald Trump made his first campaign appearance on Saturday in Grand Rapids, Michigan, alongside his vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance. Trump was nominated as the Republican Party's presidential candidate at the party convention this week and was triumphantly welcomed.
21:50 Union foreign policy spokesman Hardt: We may have to adjust to new Republicans
The foreign policy spokesman for the Union faction, Jürgen Hardt, expects the Republicans, under their presidential candidate, to realign ideologically - regardless of the November election result. Trump's campaign promises were described as a "miracle box."
21:23 While calls for Biden to withdraw grow louder: Harris enjoys ice cream with Tyra Banks and her nieces
As calls for Biden to withdraw as a candidate for the US elections in November grow louder, even from within Democratic ranks (see entry 20:56), his potential successor Kamala Harris enjoys an ice cream with her nieces at a pop-up ice cream shop "Smize&Dream" in the US capital Washington DC. The former supermodel Tyra Banks personally serves the ice cream to Harris and her nieces.
20:56 Democrats openly call for Biden to withdraw
More and more Democrats are openly urging US President Joe Biden to withdraw from the presidential race for the US elections. In the past few hours, Representatives Betty McCollum from Minnesota, Kathy Castor from Florida, Zoe Lofgren from California, and Greg Landsman have given statements calling on Biden to retire. Shortly before that, Democrats Jared Huffman from California, Mark Veasey from Texas, Chuy Garcia from Illinois, and Mark Pocan from Wisconsin - Democratic representatives from the US House of Representatives - had recently expressed their support in an open letter for Biden to "pass the torch to a new generation of democratic leaders."
20:18 Biden to go back on campaign trail next week
US President Joe Biden announced that he would be back on the campaign trail next week and would win the November election. Recently, Biden had paused due to Corona symptoms. In the past few days, the number of Democratic Party members calling on Biden to retire had grown.
19:33 CNN analyst: These Democrats could beat Trump
Should US President Joe Biden decide to withdraw from his candidacy, the Democrats have no reason to worry - they have a women's duo in the party that could still beat the likely Republican candidate Donald Trump, according to Julian Zelizer, CNN political analyst and Princeton professor, in a commentary on CNN. Zelizer believes that Kamala Harris as a presidential candidate and Gretchen Whitmer, the Governor of Michigan, as her running mate have the best chances of leading the party through this crisis. US Vice President Kamala Harris is being talked about as a top contender for the Biden succession in the US presidential elections in November. Whitmer is one of the rising stars in the Democratic Party. Furthermore, Zelizer sees the potential for a campaign by these two Democrats to win over voters and achieve a historic result.
18:17 Report: Biden family discusses withdrawal scenarios
Members of the Biden family have discussed how a withdrawal from his campaign could look. NBC News reports this based on two people familiar with the discussions. The discussions were reportedly about withdrawal options for Biden. The sources quoted by NBC News describe two conditions for a potential withdrawal plan that were a "common theme" during the discussions: If Biden were to make this decision, it should put the party in the best position to defeat former President Donald Trump. It is also important that Biden leaves office with dignity. The fact that Biden is even considering withdrawing and discussing potential withdrawal plans with his family is a new development, writes NBC News.
17:03 Could Kamala Harris beat Trump?
The pressure on US President Joe Biden from within his own party is growing. According to polls, his Vice President Kamala Harris has better chances against the Republican and challenger Donald Trump. But does she have what it takes to be the most powerful woman in the world?
16:23 Team Speaker: Biden takes Democrats' concerns seriously
US President Joe Biden, according to his team, will return to campaigning in the next week after completing his isolation due to mild Corona symptoms. Jen O'Malley Dillon, the head of his campaign team, shared this information in an interview with MSNBC. "He is absolutely in it," she says. The 81-year-old is taking the concerns of some Democrats seriously but remains determined to fight for a second term. In recent days, pressure on Biden has increased. Many representatives of his Democratic Party have publicly questioned his physical and mental fitness for a candidacy and his chances of winning. Biden has withdrawn to his home in Delaware due to a Corona infection.
15:38 Kamala Harris counters Trump's Unity Promise
In his speech at the Republican Party convention in Milwaukee, presidential candidate Donald Trump aims to unite the deeply divided American population. In response, Vice President Kamala Harris writes clearly on social media: "If you claim to stand for unity, you must do more than just use the word." Harris writes that he cannot claim to stand for the unity of the USA while pursuing an agenda that denies fundamental freedoms, opportunities, and dignity to entire groups of Americans.
14:33 Media Report: Biden considers dropping out of the race
According to media reports, ailing US President Joe Biden is now considering withdrawing from the race for the White House. The "New York Times" cites several sources from Biden's entourage, who say the 81-year-old is beginning to accept that he may not be able to win the election against his rival Donald Trump in November. "Reality is setting in," the "New York Times" quotes from Biden's entourage. According to this source, it would not be surprising if Biden soon supported Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential candidate. Another person close to the president emphasized, however, that Biden had not yet made a decision.
13:50 Attacker informed himself about other school shooters
The Trump assassin informed himself about another school shooter, who shot and killed four students at a high school in Michigan in 2021, and the charges against his parents, according to CNN, citing FBI and Secret Service officials.
13:17 Hulk Hogan pays tribute to "Gladiator" Trump in bizarre speech
As a professional wrestler, Hulk Hogan became a folk hero in the USA in the 80s and 90s. Advertising and film appearances followed. Now, Hulk Hogan enters the presidential campaign in a spectacular way. At the Republican Party convention, he pays tribute to Donald Trump in a wrestling-style speech.
12:36 Spahn praises Trump's foreign policy stances
Union Vice-Fraction Leader Jens Spahn expresses praise for Trump's foreign policy positions. Spahn mentioned on MDR approximately the stance towards containing China and the existence of Israel. The former Federal Health Minister also addressed Trump's announced peace initiative for Ukraine. He said Europeans should "be part of these talks" and should not be content with the role of an observer. Spahn emphasized, as an observer at the Republican Party convention, that Trump "is often right in foreign policy." "Our Iran policy was wrong in retrospect, his was right. Our policy on Nord Stream 2 was wrong, he warned us." Trump has been urging "Europe to do more for its security for many years," said Spahn. "We have kept our eyes closed for too long."
11:52 Communication expert: Trump's "unusual tones"
Trump's nomination speech lasts over 90 minutes. According to communication expert Christian Galvez, it's not just "typical campaigning with a lot of fake news," but also "unusual tones" for the Republicans:
11:26 Trump's performance recalls "Life of Brian" for security experts
In the opinion of security expert Christian Mölling, the content of the statements at the US Republican Party convention is not the most important thing. "When you see that people really cling to this bond. [...] That's just like in Life of Brian," he says in the "Stern" podcast "The Situation." "There's this scene at the end where everyone is chasing after someone's sandal, who has become an icon, so to speak, an object of veneration, regardless of whether it's a sandal or a band: Trump is being stylized as a savior and he styles himself that way as well, and that's why the contents, I believe, are totally banal."
10:55 Politologist on Trump's calculation: "Arithmetic carries immense risk"
How surprising or expected was Trump's speech at the Republican Party convention? Thomas Jäger takes a look at the potential consequences of his announcements for Ukraine and other US allies. He also assesses the chances that Biden will still be the Democratic Party's presidential candidate next week:
10:19 Trump accuses Biden of causing greater damage than "ten worst presidents" combined
Trump actually didn't want to mention Biden in his speech, but he deviated from his script again. "The damage he has caused to this country is unimaginable," Trump said about the incumbent president. When the "damage" caused by the ten worst presidents in US history is totaled up, it's not as great as the damage Biden has caused.
09:51 When Trump deviates from the script, chaos ensues
In Milwaukee, Trump told a story about the assassination attempt against him; he seemed tired, but was then celebrated by delegates and didn't always stick to the script - then "old tunes resurface." NTV reporter Hanna Klouth shares her impressions of Trump's nomination speech as the now official Republican presidential candidate:
09:15 Trump makes over 20 false claims in speechCNN counts over 20 false claims in Trump's campaign speech. Many of them were previously made by the presidential candidate, some for years. Affected topics include Economy, Immigration, Crime, Foreign Policy, and Elections. The statement that he left the Biden administration a world at peace is deemed "absurd" by the network. Trump also repeated the allegation of election fraud against the Democrats - although this, according to the report, was not in the speech manuscript.
08:45 Trump circumvents Taiwan issue in speechChina was mentioned only once by Trump in a national security context in his speech. He said, "The country surrounds Taiwan" - without stating whether his administration would come to Taiwan's aid if he is re-elected and China attacks the country. Trump has not yet committed on this issue.
You can read about all previous developments [here].**
- Despite Biden's intentions to campaign next week, calls for his withdrawal from the race by some Democrats are gaining momentum.
- Among those urging Biden to step down is Representative Seth Moulton, who cited concerns about Biden's ability to recognize him and his concerns raised during the debate.
- The liberal umbrella organization "America Votes" has announced it will invest $40 million to win voters in five contested states for the Democratic Party.
- Many Democrats are expressing concerns about Biden's physical and mental fitness for the presidency, and some believe that Vice President Kamala Harris would have a better chance against Trump.
- The US Intelligence Agency is reportedly investigating reports of threats against former President Donald Trump and his campaign, which could raise questions about the security at Trump's rally in Pennsylvania.
- Some Democrats in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, including Representatives Gabe Vasquez and Betty McCollum, have publicly called on Biden to withdraw from the race in order to give the party its best chance of winning in November.
