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Biden's Cognitive Clash Continues
Plus, a clean bill of health and a big check.
Good morning and Happy Tuesday! We’re publishing our first premium newsletter this Sunday. There’s a famous American icon with a typo on it. Click here to sign-up, read all about it, and become a Flag Bearer.
Plus: Here are the Flag’s Top Five stories that should be on your radar to start the day:
US: Biden's team faces a tough, pivotal week in D.C. (Axios)
World: Ukrainian children’s hospital attacked as Russian strikes on cities kill at least 31 (CNN)
Business: Boeing to plead guilty to fraud over 737 Max crashes (Axios)
Technology: Lucid Motors sets new record for EV deliveries as it seeks ‘escape velocity’ (TechCrunch)
Sports: Mihailovic, Robinson, Zimmerman in U.S. Olympic men's soccer team (ESPN)
And of course, some good news: A 75-year-old great-grandmother had recently finished her breast cancer treatment. Then she won a $5 million scratch-off game.
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TRENDING
Right: SCOTUS Delivers Setbacks to Anti-Trump Lawfare, Peter Van Buren, American Conservative
Right: Democrats Don't Give a Damn About You, Don Feder, Washington Times
Right: Bidengate and the Doom Loop, Victor Davis Hanson, American Greatness
Left: Biden Tells Hill Dems He Is Staying in the Race, Tausche et. al, CNN
Left: This Week Is Now or Never for Dems Who Want To Replace Biden, Michael Tomasky, The New Republic
Left: Biden’s Survival Plan: Decry 'Elite' Critics, Appeal to Base, Jonathan Martin, Politico
2024
Biden's Cognitive Clash Continues
Today’s Top Story in One Sentence: On Friday, President Biden gave his first televised interview since his debate with former President Trump with ABC News's George Stephanopoulos, who asked him about his health, cognitive ability, and plans for the 2024 presidential race.
Reporting from the Right: Ex-Obama adviser Axelrod rips Biden’s ABC interview: ‘Denial. Delusion. Defiance.’ (Washington Examiner)
Reporting from the Left: ‘In denial’: Democrats livid that Biden is digging in (POLITICO)
RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT
Democrats Want Biden Gone
The Top Argument From The Right: The Almighty Calls for Biden, The Editorial Board, The Wall Street Journal: “Mr. President, the Almighty is on the line. Not the Deity you invoked Friday night in your interview on ABC. The Big Guy appears to be sitting out this presidential race. We mean the closest thing to the Almighty in American politics: the Democratic-media establishment. They want you gone, sir, and the question is when you admit it and oblige. President Biden’s interview on Friday with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos was a portrait in defiance that won’t stem the establishment campaign unfolding against him. The media that covered for him has turned with a vengeance. The sleuths at the New York Times and Washington Post have suddenly discovered that the debate wasn’t merely a ‘bad night.’ Now they tell us that there have been many such episodes of demonstrable cognitive decline. Who knew? Well, the American people knew, since they are not oblivious to evidence they can see. They have said so in every poll for a year. Special counsel Robert Hur knew. … The decisive moment will come when the Obama wing of the establishment turns. … The backroom conversations are already underway about what to do if, or more likely when, Mr. Biden bows out.”
Honorable Mention #1: Another Biden Debacle, Philip Klein, National Review.
Honorable Mention #2: A Taped Interview With A Clinton White House Alum Won’t Be A Real Test Of Biden’s Competence, Tristan Justice, The Federalist.
LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT
This Didn’t Help
The Top Argument From The Left: Biden’s ABC interview does nothing to quell the existential crisis around his campaign, Stephen Collinson, CNN: “President Joe Biden’s struggle to prove he’s got the strength and cognitive capacity for a second term is becoming an excruciating personal and national ordeal. Watching a visibly aged Biden answer frank questions Friday about his health on primetime television…felt like an affront to presidential dignity. It was sad to see a person who’s respected and beloved by many Americans suffer such a plight. … Yet Biden’s position, his shocking presidential debate performance and his defiant refusal to contemplate its implications for his reelection campaign, mean he’s forcing the country to have the conversation. … The political tide may be turning against Biden, but the interview underscored his deep pride in a presidency that it took him nearly half a century to achieve. And he’s not close to giving up his lifelong mantra to stand up and fight when he’s knocked down – a factor that will exacerbate the Democratic Party’s dilemma. While his interview performance was far stronger than the president’s often incoherent showing at the CNN debate in Atlanta, that’s not saying much. It did not contain any new disasters that would push him immediately out of the race. But it equally did little to quell the storm assailing his campaign and raised fresh intrigue about his health amid increasing signs his Democratic power base is beginning to crack.
Honorable Mention #1: Biden is leading Democrats toward their worst-case scenario, Eric Levitz, Vox.
Honorable Mention #2: Joe Biden Doesn’t Seem to Realize How Much Trouble He’s In, Slate, Ben Mathis-Lilley.
FLAG THIS
Growing Concerns
A Reuters/Ipsos poll indicates that 32% of Democrats believe President Biden should withdraw from his reelection campaign following his lackluster debate performance against former President Trump last week (The Hill).
Additionally, new polling by Emerson College shows President Biden trailing Donald Trump by an average of 4 percentage points in six key battleground states: Pennsylvania (43% to 48%), Georgia (42% to 47%), Michigan (44% to 45%), Arizona (42% to 46%), Wisconsin (44% to 47%), and Nevada (41% to 47%). However, the survey suggests that a "qualified Democrat younger than Biden" would likely beat Trump 53% to 47% (New York Post).
What direction do you believe the Democratic party will take going forward? |
WATERCOOLER
Wimbledon, Millionaire Tips, Furby Ban
On This Day in 1877, the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club begins its first lawn tennis tournament at Wimbledon, then an outer-suburb of London. Twenty-two amateurs showed up to compete in the Gentlemen’s Singles tournament, the only event at the first Wimbledon. The winner was to take home a 25-guinea trophy.
The Penny Hoarder: 6 Lessons to Take From Millionaires Who Are Really Good With Money
Today I learned the NSA once banned Furbys.
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