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Biden: 'I Know What The Hell I'm Doing'

Your unbiased daily news brief

Author

James Kratch
February 09, 2024

Good morning and happy Friday. Super Bowl LVIII is on Sunday in Las Vegas. The San Francisco 49ers are a 2.5-point betting favorite against the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs. And all the commercials? Research shows they are as expensive and over-the-top as ever, but they do not resonate with consumers as much as they once did. Have a great weekend!

In Today’s Brief

  • Marines: Five killed in helicopter crash

  • Putin: Tucker Carlson interview released

  • Senate: Johnson flips on Montana race

  • S&P 500: Hits milestone during trading

  • Oscars: New award coming in 2026

... and more

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Top Tips

1) Under fire

President Joe Biden will not face charges for mishandling classified documents, but the prosecutor's report could endanger his re-election campaign.

  • At issue: Special Counsel Robert Hur said Biden knowingly and willfully retained and disclosed classified materials. But he did not charge the president after concluding it would be difficult to convict him since he comes across as an "elderly man with a poor memory."

  • Go deep: Hur said Biden's memory appeared to have "significant limitations." He alleged Biden could not recall when he was Vice President or when his son Beau died during an interview, and his memory regarding the war in Afghanistan was murky.

  • The response: The White House criticized Hur's comments before Biden gave a defiant press conference, declaring, "I know what the hell I'm doing." But Biden then referred to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as the leader of Mexico after recently confusing the French and German leaders with deceased predecessors.

  • Big picture: The report will renew scrutiny on Biden's fitness for office and whether he should stay atop the Democratic ticket. Biden will turn 82 after Election Day and would be 86 if he completed a second term. Former President Donald Trump, the favorite to be the GOP nominee, has faced his own memory (and classified document) questions.

2) Supreme skepticism

The U.S. Supreme Court sounds inclined to let Trump stay on ballots nationwide.

  • The hearing: The high court heard oral arguments yesterday regarding Colorado's decision to bar Trump from its ballot on 14th Amendment grounds. A group of voters from the state argue Trump is ineligible because his actions related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot constituted insurrection.

  • Tea leaves: The justices spent considerable time on whether a single state's decision should have a cascading effect that impacts a presidential election. They also asked if a state could act without any Congressional legislation regarding the constitutional provision. Whether Trump committed insurrection was less of a focus.

  • Big picture: A decision could come quickly and may be unanimous, experts said. If the court does rule in favor of Trump, it would be the end of this particular threat to his candidacy.

3) Eternal burn

The dream of limitless clean power appears closer to becoming reality.

  • What happened: A nuclear fusion experiment by researchers at the United Kingdom-based JET laboratory generated the most energy on record. The reaction generated twice the energy it used, a major breakthrough.

  • Go deep: Nuclear fusion is the process that powers the sun. Scientists believe once it is harnessed, it can provide endless amounts of green energy without carbon emissions, heating the atmosphere or reliance on weather.

  • Big picture: The experiment is promising, but much work remains. The output only provided enough energy for a handful of hot baths, researchers said.

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Quick Tips

U.S. News

  • Five Marines were killed after a military helicopter crashed near San Diego. They were conducting a training flight from Nevada; a heavy snowstorm is believed to have contributed to the crash (More)

  • Seven men were charged in an videotaped assault on two New York City police officers in Times Square. Three more suspects remain at large; Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg has been criticized for his handling of the case (More)

  • The Senate advanced a $95B foreign aid package that would send funds to Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine. It is not clear if the bill would be able to pass the House (More)

World News

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the CIA of sabotaging the Nord Stream pipeline in his interview with Tucker Carlson. Carlson implored Putin to release imprisoned U.S. reporter Evan Gershkovich (More)

  • Brazil seized former President Jair Bolsonaro's passport in connection with an investigation into an attempted coup in 2022. Several of Bolsanaro's closest aides were arrested in the probe (More)

  • West Africa's regional bloc has asked Senegal to hold its presidential election as scheduled. President Macky Sall moved the Feb. 25 vote to December, citing disputes on candidate eligibility (More)

Campaign News

  • Speaker of the House Mike Johnson will not endorse Montana Rep. Matt Rosendale for Senate. Johnson reversed course after internal Republican blowback; the seat is considered critical to GOP hopes to retake control of the chamber (More)

  • Washington Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers will not seek re-election. The 10-team Republican is the House Energy and Commerce chairwoman; she did not give a reason for her exit (More)

  • Marianne Williamson suspended her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. The progressive author failed to gain any traction; she also ran in 2020 (More)

Business & Markets

  • Major indexes closed higher yesterday. The S&P 500 hit the 5K mark for the first time during trading (Dow +0.13%, Nasdaq +0.24%, S&P 500 +0.06%).

  • Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman plans to open a fund for individual U.S. investors. The fund will trade on the New York Stock Exchange if approved (More)

  • Workers at the largest nuclear fuel factory in the U.S. will vote on unionization. About 700 people work at the Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility in South Carolina (More)

Entertainment & Sports

  • The Academy Awards will begin recognizing achievement in casting in 2026. It will be the first new Oscar added to the program in almost 25 years (More)

  • Iron from the Eiffel Tower will be embedded in all medals for the 2024 Summer Olympics. The Games will be held in Paris from July 26 to August 11 (More)

  • UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin will not run for re-election in 2017. He has lead Europe's governing body for football since 2016; Ceferin was instrumental in thwarting the failed Super League attempt (More)

Quick Hitters

  • Be Safe: The USDA said a popular chicken pilaf sold at Trader Joe's may be contaminated with rocks. There is no recall since the product is no longer in stores, but it was made through late January.

  • Self Care: There are many scary and serious things happening in the world right now, and they can lead to catastrophic thinking. Listen to these experts explain how to diffuse those feelings and thoughts of despair.

  • Go Deep: Is float therapy worth a try? The trendy new treatment -- where you float in a lightproof and soundproof tank -- has many advocates.

  • Chow Down: There is a football game of significant importance on Sunday. And here are 58 -- or LVIII -- recipes to try for your viewing party.

  • Life Hack: How often should you wash your bed sheets? There is no definitive timeframe, but doctors say you should not go more than two weeks. You hear that, college students?

  • Be Well: Pop quiz: What’s the body’s most abundant protein? The answer: Collagen. NativePath's Certified Grass-Fed Collagen Powder is made from grass-fed, pasture-raised cows and contains 18 grams of protein per suggested serving. Start incorporating it daily to support skin elasticity, joint health, bone strength, and muscle growth and maintenance.*

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Looking Ahead …

This year's solar eclipse will be here before you know it. The April 8 event will last over four minutes -- twice as long as the one in 2017. Here's everything you need to know, including the best places to view the phenomenon.

Question of the Day — Friday Trivia Edition

Name the only quarterback to play in the Super Bowl and the Grey Cup (Canada's big game)?

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