Trump has suggested he will wait to pick a running mate until he has more clarity about Biden’s future.
In an interview with Fox News tonight, Trump suggested he would hold off on announcing his running mate “until we know more” about how Biden’s candidacy will play out.
“To be honest with you, we wanted to know what they were doing, because that might change things,” Trump said of Democrats.
“I don’t know. I don’t know if that will happen. But some people say, ‘Trump is waiting to see what happens with evil Joe Biden.’ Let’s see what happens with Biden.”
Biden’s dismal debate performance slowed Trump’s efforts to announce his running mate.
During an interview on “Hannity” tonight, Trump said he would like to announce his running mate at next week’s Republican National Convention, but that “modern technology” might prevent him from doing so. He also suggested he might make the announcement just before the convention begins.
White House releases letter from Biden’s doctor about neurologist’s visit
The White House tonight released a letter from Biden’s physician, Kevin O’Connor, explaining why the Parkinson’s disease expert has made multiple visits to the White House.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, at a press conference today, declined to disclose any information about the content of the visit with Kevin Canard, the neurologist named in the letter.
O’Connor confirmed that Canard is the neurologist Biden saw during his annual physicals while in office. She also confirmed, as Jean-Pierre reiterated today, that Biden has not seen a neurologist outside of his annual physicals. Biden’s last physical was in February, and O’Connor reiterated that the exam showed no signs of any neurological disease, including Parkinson’s disease.
The letter also details Cannard’s background as a neurologist, noting that he has served as a neurology consultant to the White House Medical Unit since 2012. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cannard regularly provided neurology care at the White House Medical Clinic to thousands of active-duty military personnel who support the White House’s operations, the letter said.
“Seeing patients at the White House is something Dr. Canard has done for the past 12 years,” O’Connor wrote. “Dr. Canard was selected for this role not because he is a movement disorder specialist, but because he is a highly trained and respected neurologist at Walter Reed Hospital. [National Military Medial Center] “And with broad expertise across the military health care system, we have the flexibility to serve a wide range of patients and problems.”
Congressional Hispanic Caucus leaders pledge to endorse Biden and Harris
Report from Washington
In statements tonight, the top two members of the House Hispanic Caucus voiced their support for the top Democratic candidate.
“We support President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris,” said Chair Rep. Nanette Barragan (D-Calif.) and Vice Chair Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.).
“President Biden and his administration have worked closely with House Democrats to make historic investments that will positively impact communities across the country, including Latinos, including by combating climate change, lowering health care costs, expanding access to health care for veterans, and creating jobs through our infrastructure bill,” they said. “Most recently, President Biden announced an executive order that is CHC’s top priority: protecting foreign spouses of U.S. citizens to keep their families together.”
The praise came as several leading Democrats in the House of Representatives called on Biden to step down from the presidential race, and received similar support from members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Several Democratic senators endorse Biden
Several Democratic senators said today they continue to support Biden, despite concerns some in the Senate have expressed about his candidacy.
“I support him and look forward to seeing him succeed in the Senate race,” Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, the Senate Democrats’ campaign chairman, told NBC News.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York told NBC News she “continues to have confidence in President Biden and his ability to defeat President Donald Trump in November.”
“We are confident that Joe Biden will be the next president,” said Sen. Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware who is a Biden aide and national co-chairman of his reelection campaign.
“He has made it very clear that he intends to run and win. He has demonstrated that and he has demonstrated his energy and his engagement,” Coons said, referring to a letter Biden sent to Democratic lawmakers this morning.
Biden spoke for about 20 minutes during the meeting with CBC members.
Report from Washington
In an online meeting tonight, Biden spoke with members of the Congressional Black Caucus, who have fiercely defended him amid calls from some House Democrats for him to drop out of the 2024 presidential race.
Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), a CBC member, said in a statement that Biden “comes to this fight with an unwavering commitment to the future of our country.”
“On today’s call, I reaffirmed my support for Biden and Harris. Undermining Biden will only weaken our resolve to defeat Donald Trump in November,” she added.
Biden spoke for about 20 minutes and focused on helping Black Americans and increasing their wealth, according to a Democratic aide, who said everyone on the call praised him.
Sen. Chuck Schumer considers bill to fight back against Supreme Court immunity ruling for Trump
Report from Washington
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer today accused conservative Supreme Court justices of “putting a crown on Donald Trump’s head” allowing him to commit crimes with impunity, and said he was considering a legislative response to last week’s court ruling.
“We, Democrats, will not let the Supreme Court’s decision go unchallenged. The Constitution is clear that Congress has the power to check the judiciary through appropriate legislation. My colleagues and I will work to enact legislation that would classify President Trump’s election interference as unofficial conduct that does not qualify for immunity,” Rep. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor.
Schumer spoke as the Senate returned from recess a week after the Supreme Court handed President Trump a major victory with an ideological 6-3 ruling that said a president has legal immunity from prosecution for “official acts” performed in the course of his office, but not for non-official acts. That condition is open to interpretation, and Schumer is trying to define Trump’s attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election as outside the scope of his office.
Read the full story here.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green said today that Biden is “regaining a lot of credibility” in his public remarks after his stumble on the debate stage.
“The president has four months — an eternity in today’s politics — to convince the American people that a bad president is better than a bad character president,” Greene told NBC News.
Senate Democratic leadership says Biden needs to reckon with his legacy
Report from Washington
Senator Patty Murray of Washington, a member of the Democratic leadership and president pro tempore of the Senate, called on Biden in a new statement tonight to “demonstrate that you can run a campaign strong enough to defeat Donald Trump.”
Murray stopped short of calling for Biden to step down, but said he “must seriously consider how best to protect his incredible legacy and secure it for the future.”
“We need to see a more dynamic and energetic candidate on the campaign trail in the near future to convince voters that he is fit for the job,” she added.
Rep. Adam Smith explains why he thinks Biden should step down
Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said in a television interview and in a statement that Democrats need a new candidate.
“I think he should step down. He’s clearly not the best person to carry the Democratic message,” Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, told CNN.
Smith, one of nine House Democrats calling on Biden to not seek reelection, said Biden’s health problems were undermining his record, adding that a campaign strategy of asking lawmakers to stay quiet and comply “hasn’t worked at all so far.”
“We pride ourselves on having a great track record and he can’t achieve that right now,” Smith said.
“Personally, I think Kamala Harris is a much better and stronger candidate,” he added.
NBC News reported yesterday that Smith told House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (R-New York) and other White House members on a conference call that he believes Biden should resign.
Biden has blasted the “elites” who have called for him to step down. He says he still has voter support. As he fights for his political future, Biden is hoping the support of black voters and union members will help him win again, NBC News’ Hallie Jackson reports.
