11:11 Obama tells Harris 'full support'
Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama Endorse Kamala Harris
The former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama have endorsed Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, marking a notable consolidation of the Democratic Party. The Obamas' endorsement comes at the end of the first week, during which Harris was declared the Democratic Party's nominee following President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw from the presidential race. In a phone call, Harris speaks with the Obamas, with Obama stating, "We couldn't be prouder to support you and do everything we can to help bring you through this election and into the Oval Office." Michelle Obama adds, "This is historic," a reference to Harris' potential as the first woman in the country to become President.
10:45 Trump Campaign Spokesperson Mocks Harris' TikTok Debut
Donald Trump's campaign spokesperson, Huyen Cheung, has made a sarcastic comment about Kamala Harris' TikTok debut on the popular platform for the youth. Along with the sentence "But Kamala does well with the youth," written in alternating capital letters, Cheung posts a screenshot of Harris' and Trump's TikTok profiles. The screenshot is circled in red, highlighting the number of followers and likes. Harris had recently published her first video on the platform (see entry 04:33). US President Joe Biden had stepped down from the presidential race just a few days prior. It's time to pass the torch to a new generation and to "new voices," Biden justified this move. Harris could be his successor and is expected to garner support from younger American voters for the Democrats.
10:03 Civil Rights Activist Dolores Huerta Campaigns for Harris among Latino Voters
The renowned US civil rights activist Dolores Huerta supports Kamala Harris in her campaign. At a campaign event in Phoenix, Arizona, the first event for the Harris campaign, Huerta appeared. During her speech, the 94-year-old urged Latino voters to support Harris. Huerta co-founded the United Farm Workers Association in the 1960s, advocating for the rights of Filipino-American and Mexican-American farm workers.
09:20 Navidi: Harris Lacks Economic Profile - "Could Be an Advantage"
Inflation control is one of the major economic issues in the US, but Harris has yet to establish a significant economic profile. Sandra Navidi explains why this could be an advantage and shares insights on why Trump might fear Harris more than Biden.
08:45 Trump: Americans have lost faith in the FBI
On Wednesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed new details about the attack on Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania before the US Congress. Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, expressed his opinion on this matter in a post on Truth Social. Trump disputes some of Wray's statements. Wray stated before Congress that he was unsure if Trump was hit by a shrapnel, a piece of glass, or a bullet. Trump writes, "No. It was unfortunately a bullet that hit my ear." The hospital where Trump was taken after the attack reported a "gunshot wound to the ear." Trump accuses Wray of focusing solely on "rescuing radical left-wing lunatics." Trump concludes, "No wonder that the once renowned FBI has lost the trust of the American people!"
07:30 Melania Trump announces publication of her memoirs
Melania Trump, the wife of the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, has announced the publication of her memoirs. This was announced on her website. Former First Lady of the USA Melania Trump is described by New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd in 2016 as a "Slovenian Sphinx" due to her aloofness - but she has not chosen this title for her memoirs. Under the title "Melania," the publication aims to "tell the powerful and inspiring story of a woman who overcame adversity and forged her own path." The "intimate, portrait of a woman who has led an extraordinary life," promises "stories and images that have never before been shared with the public." She has been relatively absent from public view in recent months.
06:47 Trump rejects debate with Harris for now
The Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has rejected a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris for the time being. It is inappropriate to make arrangements while she has not yet officially been nominated as the Democratic candidate, Trump's campaign spokesman Steven Cheung explains. He justifies the decision by stating that the Democrats may still change their minds. Harris must still be elected as the candidate of the Democrats at the Democratic Party Convention, which is scheduled from August 19-22 in Chicago. A television debate between Trump and President Joe Biden, in which Harris could potentially represent the Democrats as a candidate, was planned for September 10.
06:06 Biden presses Netanyahu for swift Gaza arms truce and hostage releaseUS President Joe Biden urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House for a quick agreement on a ceasefire and hostage release in the Gaza conflict. According to a statement from the White House, Biden emphasized the need to "close the remaining gaps, quickly conclude the agreement, bring the hostages home, and achieve a lasting end to the war in Gaza." The relationship between Biden and Netanyahu has been tense for a long time. The Israeli government's actions during the Gaza conflict further strained the situation. During his meeting with Netanyahu, Biden again emphasized the need to strengthen humanitarian aid in Gaza and improve the protection of civilians. "It's necessary to remove all obstacles for the flow of aid supplies and restore basic necessities for the needy," the statement further reads.
04:33 Harris joins TikTokAs a potential Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris is expanding her presence in social media: She now has an account on the popular among young people platform TikTok. Within a few hours, 750,000 people were following her. Her first, eight-second-long video has been clicked on over 2.2 million times.
01:25 Harris clarifies her stance on Israel - and warnsAfter a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, clearly stated her position on Israel. At the same time, she urged the Israeli leadership to do more for the suffering population in the Gaza Strip. "Israel has the right to defend itself, and it's important how it does that," the 59-year-old said. The strong support of the Biden administration for Israel during the Gaza conflict had alienated many left-wing Democrats from the party in recent months. Harris urged Americans to keep in mind the complexity of the conflict and the history of the region. Terrorism and violence must be condemned, she said. "Let's all do what we can to prevent the suffering of innocent civilians. And let's condemn antisemitism, Islamophobia, and hate of all kinds."
23:35 Immunity debate: Prosecutor requests upholding of Trump rulingThe prosecutor in the hush money case against Donald Trump has asked the presiding judge to uphold the ruling that a president enjoys immunity for official actions. According to the statement of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, the Supreme Court decision, which grants immunity to presidents for official actions, does not apply in this case. The prosecutors argued that the case concerned actions that had nothing to do with the presidency. Therefore, they saw no reason to challenge the jury's verdict. Trump's lawyers are trying to overturn the ruling and the indictment. They refer to the Supreme Court decision of July 1, which ruled that former presidents cannot be prosecuted for official actions.
22:24 Lindner: Working with Harris won't be easier than with Trump
German Finance Minister Christian Lindner does not believe that cooperation with Kamala Harris in the event of a Democratic victory in the US Presidency election would be fundamentally smoother than with Donald Trump. Some give themselves the hope that with Kamala Harris, everything would be easier than with Donald Trump. I am not among them," Lindner told Handelsblatt. The deficits of the Republicans are known. However, the Democrats also have protectionism, an unstable fiscal policy, and in the left wing, a woke politics that is divisive, so Lindner. However, a President Trump "would challenge our diplomacy more than Harris." Moral lectures would not reach him, instead it would be more about realpolitik and working on commonalities.
22:00 Harris: Ready for debate with Trump
Kamala Harris would be "ready" for a debate with the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The Vice President made this clear before a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a conversation with reporters. According to her, the voters would deserve to see the different positions of herself and Trump "on a debate stage." Harris adds: "I'm ready, let's go." She had previously agreed to the debate on September 10. The debate, which is to take place on the US broadcaster ABC, was originally planned as a duel between Trump and Biden. Whether it will actually take place is currently unclear, according to CNN.
21:43 Biden's staffers have mixed feelings
The staffers and staff of Joe Biden have mixed feelings after the withdrawal and Biden's speech, according to the Washington Post. Press Secretary of the White House Karine Jean-Pierre said: "There's a mix of pride, energy, and the knowledge that there's still a lot of work to be done."
21:12 Harris and Trump almost tied in latest poll
According to a New York Times and Siena College survey, Donald Trump is almost tied with Kamala Harris. Trump comes in at 48 percent, Harris at 46 percent, it is stated in reference to the survey. The margin of error is 3.3 percentage points. A total of 1142 registered voters were surveyed nationwide. The result is a significant improvement for the Democrats compared to the Times/Siena survey from early July, which put Biden six percentage points behind.
20:45 Former advisor: Israelis were disappointed by Netanyahu's speech
The Israeli population has shown disappointment with Netanyahu's speech before the US Congress, according to a former advisor to the Israeli Foreign Ministry. In a conversation with Sky News, Laura Blumenfeld said: "There is a real difference between his lofty rhetoric yesterday and the grim statistics and reality in Israel." The speech did not go over well. "The Israelis were disappointed with this speech. They say it was a speech for an American audience," she continues. According to her, the Israelis had not heard what they wanted to hear. "Namely that he [Netanyahu] has taken responsibility for the attacks on October 7."
20:10 Trump calls Harris a "radical Marxist"Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump once again attacked Vice President Kamala Harris. On his platform "Truth Social," Trump labeled Harris a "radical left Marxist," stating that the USA are "not ready" for her. Trump had previously referred to Harris as "radically left" and held her responsible for "mistakes in the Biden administration."
19:50 Biden meets Netanyahu in the Oval OfficeJoe Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office. The Israeli prime minister thanked the president for his support of Israel over the past 50 years and expressed his excitement for cooperation between the two in the coming months, according to Reuters.
You can read about earlier developmentshere.**
- Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, has the support of former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, which is seen as a significant boost for her campaign in the U.S.-Presidential Election 2024.
- Donald Trump's campaign spokesperson, Huyen Cheung, criticized Harris's debut on TikTok, a platform popular among younger Americans, and compared her TikTok following to Trump's.
- Dolores Huerta, a prominent civil rights activist, campaigned for Harris amid Latino voters in Phoenix, Arizona, highlighting the importance of her potential support in the upcoming election.
- Amidst discussions about economic proficiency in the U.S., Sandra Navidi suggested that Kamala Harris's lack of a prominent economic profile could be an advantage in the election campaign, potentially making her a formidable opponent for Donald Trump.
- In the aftermath of the U.S-Intelligence Agency's investigation into the Assault on Donald Trump during his campaign rally in Pennsylvania, President Trump accused the FBI of focusing on radical left-wing activists and criticized the agency's handling of the situation.
- In an attempt to reach younger American voters and engage more with social media, vice president-hopeful Kamala Harris joined TikTok, gaining significant popularity and attention just days after the announcement that President Joe Biden would be withdrawing from the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election.
