Tip News
Posts
Defiant Biden Faces More Calls To Bow Out

Defiant Biden Faces More Calls To Bow Out

Your unbiased daily news brief

James Kratch
July 08, 2024

Good Monday morning. Target will reportedly stop accepting personal checks at its nearly 2K U.S. stores by next week, a policy that appears to be new among major retail chains. Have a great day!

In Today’s Brief

Fireworks: Spark N.J. blaze
Iran: New president
Conventions: Safety update
Markets: Record closes
Jon Landau: Dies at 63

... and more

First time reading? Sign up here

Top Tips

1) Circling the wagons

President Joe Biden reiterated he is not going anywhere, but more Democrats are breaking ranks.

Standing pat: The president said he would not drop his re-election bid during an interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos on Friday; the sitdown received mixed reviews. Biden quipped only "the Lord Almighty" could get him out of the race; he doubled down during a fiery exchange with reporters on Saturday.
At the gates: Several House Democratic leaders reportedly told Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries they want Biden to drop out during a private call. Five House Democrats had publicly called for the president to abandon his campaign following his debate performance as of last night. Virginia Sen. Mark Warner is reportedly trying to organize an upper chamber effort to nudge Biden aside.
GOP pressure: House Republicans have subpoenaed Dr. Kevin O'Connor, the White House physician. The House Oversight Committee -- which is investigating the president's family's foreign business dealings -- said it wants O'Connor to sit for a transcribed interview. The committee alleged his medical evaluations may have been improperly influenced.

2) Tragedy in Kentucky

Four people were killed and three critically injured after gunfire broke out at a birthday party just south of Cincinnati.

What happened: Police in Florence responded to an active shooter call early Saturday morning. They heard gunshots upon arrival. A man had entered a private residence and shot seven people. Four were killed and three were hospitalized with serious injuries; their last status update was critical.
The aftermath: The alleged gunman fled the scene before police arrived. The man then died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a car chase with police following a traffic stop. Witnesses identified him as the shooter and described his vehicle to cops.
More information: Police said the gunman was not invited to the party, but was known to the victims. Cops said the man acted alone and there is no ongoing threat to the public.

3) Left turn

France’s snap elections ended with a plot twist no one saw coming.

What happened: The tactical voting pact between France's centrist and left-wing parties denied the far-right National Rally in stunning fashion. The New Popular Front, a left-wing coalition, surprisingly won the most seats in the National Assembly. President Emmanuel Macron's coalition was second and the RN's alliance finished third despite garnering the most votes nationally. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, a member of Macron's coalition, resigned his office after polls closed.
What now? While many French voters (and other European nations) celebrated the results, the country now faces a hung parliament and potential political chaos. Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of the far-left French Unbowed party, demanded Macron appoint an NPF member as Prime Minister; Macron said he would reflect on the results before appointing a new PM. Melenchon is considered an extremist by many rivals in France and has faced accusations of antisemitism. That could complicate the road to a minority government and power-sharing with Macron.
Big picture: Voter turnout was the highest in decades. The RN showing, while falling short of expectations, will position party leader Marine Le Pen as a top presidential candidate in 2027 when Macron is term-limited. The left-wing coalition has expressed support for France's role in NATO and its support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

Officials said fireworks started a wildfire in New Jersey’s Wharton State Forest. About 4K acres have been engulfed; the blaze was 75% contained as of last night (More)
Tropical Storm Beryl was expected to regain hurricane status as it makes landfall in Texas. It could reach Category 2 status as it progresses; the storm will threaten the coastal part of the state before moving northeast (More)
Four volunteers left a NASA simulation of life on Mars after over a year. The participants lived in a 1.7K foot recreation of the Martian surface in Houston (More)

World News

Masoud Pezeshkian is Iran's new president after winning a runoff election. The cardiac surgeon and longtime politician is considered a reformist; he campaigned on loosening social freedoms and engaging the U.S. and other Western adversaries (More)
An Ecuadorian court ruled the Machangara River's rights were violated by pollution. The capital city of Quito, which the river runs through, will challenge the decision; government cleanup efforts must begin during the appeals process (More)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced "non-negotiable" requirements as Gaza ceasefire talks resume. Some domestic and foreign officials claimed it was an effort to sabotage negotiations with Hamas (More)

Campaign News

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle said there are no current credible threats against the Democratic and Republican conventions. The GOP event begins a week from today in Milwaukee; the Democrats hold their convention starting August 19 in Chicago (More)
President Biden leads former President Donald Trump in Michigan and Wisconsin, according to Bloomberg/Morning Consult battleground state polls. Trump has a seven-point lead in Pennsylvania; most analysts believe Biden must sweep the three states to be re-elected (More)
A Philadelphia radio host who used White House-approved questions to interview Biden has been let go. WURD announced Andrea Lawful-Sanders violated its policies while conducting the president's first post-debate media event (More)

Business & Markets

Major indexes closed higher on Friday. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 posted record closes (Dow +0.17%, Nasdaq +0.90%, S&P 500 +0.54%).
Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to criminal fraud regarding a pair of jet crashes that killed almost 350 people. A federal judge still must approve the deal, which includes a $244M fine; the families of victims have criticized the agreement (More)
John Deere will lay off about 600 employees across three Midwest plants. The machinery company plans to shift production from locations in Illinois and Iowa to a new factory in Mexico; about 15% of the workforce at the three sites will be reduced (More)

Entertainment & Sports

Jon Landau died at 63 following a battle with cancer. The film producer won an Academy Award for Titanic and was nominated for Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water, three of the top-4 highest-grossing movies ever (More)
This year's MLB All-Star Game will feature 33 first-time participants. Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes is the first player to earn the honor a year after being the No. 1-overall draft pick (More)
John Cena will retire from WWE at the end of 2025. The actor and professional wrestler said he will work dozens of dates next year, including WrestleMania (More)

Quick Hitters

Feel Good: A 12-year-old sent her grandmother a postcard from her Canadian summer camp, but forgot to use a stamp. A counselor sprung into action while a postal worker went the extra mile to make sure everything worked out.
Go Deep: Amazon turns 30 this year. What does the future look like for a company that seemingly does everything and impacts the day-to-day lives of billions?
Take Note: No, you do not need to drink eight glasses of water a day. That is one of many myths about hydration; here is what you need to know.
New Trend: Grocery store tourism is becoming quite popular on social media. People say they can learn a great deal about other countries and cultures by hitting up supermarkets while on vacation.
Life Hack: Mosquitoes can ruin a beautiful summer day (or night) quite easily. Here are some tips on protecting your skin from bits and keeping the gnats at bay.
OPTIMIZE ME: Researchers “found convincing evidence that higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, a 48% to 53% higher risk of anxiety and common mental disorders, and a 12% greater risk of type 2 diabetes.”

Want more health and wellness news? Subscribe to our brand new newsletter, Optimize Me, and start living a healthier life through diet, exercise, sleep, and mindfulness:

	Optimize MeThe newsletter for evidence-based advice to help you 🥦 eat better, 🏋️ workout smarter, and 🧑‍💻 be more productive. Join the normal folks who cut through the noise by getting the latest health and w...

Watch This

The inside of a Formula 1 race car's gearbox is surprisingly simple -- and wildly expensive.