memeorandum: Biden at peace if he loses to Trump: “As long as I gave it my all” (Zachary Basu/Axios)

11:10 PM ET, July 5, 2024

Top Items:

Alexandra Hutzler / ABC News:

‘Exhausted,’ ‘bad episode’: Biden doubles down on debate explanations in ABC News exclusive — : Speaking with George Stephanopoulos, he dismissed concerns about mental fitness. — President Joe Biden speaks with George Stephanopoulus on July 5, 2024, in an ABC News exclusive.

Zachary Basu / Axios:

Biden at peace if he loses to Trump: “As long as I gave it my all” … - Many Democrats believe Biden has been an excellent president — but that his refusal to give up power at his advantaged age could risk throwing the country into turmoil after November's election.

Discussion: Business Insider, Politico, Fox News and Variety

Politico:

Healey, a top Biden ally, urges him to consider dropping out of the race — “The best way forward right now is a decision for the President to make,” she says. — BOSTON — One of Joe Biden's high-profile campaign surrogates is publicly urging him to consider exiting the presidential race.

Discussion: Axios, CNN, Breitbart, RedState, Fox News, Alternet.org, USA Today, NPR, Washington Examiner, Blaze Media, WHDH-TV, Boston Herald, Boston.com and One America News Network

ABC News:

ABC's George Stephanopoulos' exclusive interview with President Biden: Full transcript — Full transcript of the ABC News exclusive interview with President Joe Biden. — President Joe Biden speaks with George Stephanopoulos on July 5, 2024, in an ABC News exclusive.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, HuffPost, USA Today, So What, Georgia Recorder and Mediaite

Hans Nichols / Axios:

Biden refuses cognitive test, denies he's losing to Trump — President Biden tonight flatly ruled out taking a cognitive test or submitting to an independent medical examination to determine if he has any nuerologial conditions, insisting he had the energy and ability to run for president and defeat former President Trump.

Discussion: USA Today, New York Times and San Diego Union-Tribune

NBC News:

Biden doubles-down at Wisconsin rally: 'I'm staying in the race' — The president mocked Donald Trump for his own misstatements, including saying that George Washington's army won the revolution by taking over airports from the British. — President Joe Biden said Friday at a campaign rally …

Edward-Isaac Dovere / CNN:
Democrats start moving to Harris as Biden digs in

Discussion: Telegraph, The Daily Beast, Alternet.org, Bangor Daily News, RedState, New Republic and California Globe

ABC News:
Trump stays relatively quiet, unseen as Biden struggles to save political future

Discussion: Raw Story

New York Times:
Election Live Updates: Embattled Biden Hits Trail and Sits for Crucial Interview

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money, RedState, Advocate, The Gateway Pundit, Twitchy, Alternet.org, Washington Examiner, New York Post, Forbes, WPR, The American Spectator, CBS News, Diane Ravitch's blog and ABC News

Jeet Heer / The Nation: Why Aren't We Talking About Trump's Fascism?

Rasmussen Reports:
After Debate Disaster, 55% Think Democrats Should Dump Biden

Discussion: Breitbart and Washington Examiner

Dr. Sanjay Gupta / CNN:
It's time for President Biden to undergo detailed cognitive and neurological testing and share his results

Discussion: ABC News, USA Today, Fox News, Washington Examiner, New York Times, CBS News, The Wrap, New York Post, Breitbart, Rolling Stone, RedState, The Daily Beast, The Guardian, Mediaite and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Steven Shepard / Politico:
We now know how bad the debate was for Biden

Discussion: USA Today, ABC News, Slate, The Spectator World, Raw Story, Los Angeles Times, Semafor, Vanity Fair and The Bulwark

Axios:
Behind the Curtain: Trump's Kamala Harris plan

Discussion: The Independent, Vanity Fair, New York Times, New Republic, Talking Points Memo, Washington Examiner, CNN, Blaze Media, Semafor and The Daily Beast

Politico:
Playbook: The biggest interview of Joe Biden's life

Discussion: ABC News, Blaze Media, New York Times, IJR, HotAir, Breitbart, RedState and New York Post

Peter Baker / New York Times:
Varying Treatment of Biden and Trump Puts Their Parties in Stark Relief

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Washington Examiner and Washington Post

Chris Pandolfo / Fox News:
Biden ramps up campaign spending ahead of make or break interview

Discussion: HuffPost, RedState and Fox Business

Washington Post:

Sen. Mark Warner seeks to assemble group of Democratic senators to ask Biden to exit race — There's increasing sentiment among Democratic senators that Biden cannot stay in the race. — Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) is attempting to assemble a group of Democratic senators to ask Joe Biden …

Ursula Perano / Politico:

Warner organizing discussion for Senate Democrats to assess Biden's path forward — Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) has approached Senate Democrats to organize a discussion on Joe Biden's path forward as the party's presidential nominee, according to a source familiar.

Discussion: Alternet.org, Blaze Media and Mediaite

Theodoric Meyer / Washington Post:
Donors pledge $2 million for ‘mini-primary’ if Biden drops out

Discussion: New York Times, NBC News and ABC News

New York Times:
Two More House Democrats Say Biden Should Drop Out

Discussion: Chicago Sun Times, Axios, Bloomberg, New York Post, Fox News, HuffPost, Washington Times and WBUR

Axios:

Trump torches Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 … - Trump's disavowal comes two days after Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts drew outrage from Democrats with his comments about a “second American Revolution” on Steve Bannon's radio show. — “[W]e are in the process …

Hugh Dougherty / The Daily Beast:
Donald Trump Claims Republicans' Project 2025 has Nothing to Do With Him: ‘Abysmal’

Discussion: The Intercept, Washington Examiner, National Review and New Republic

Kathleen Culliton / Raw Story:
MAGA ‘freak out’ starts as Trump game plan threatens to ‘backfire’: analyst

Discussion: Mediaite

Amanda Marcotte / Salon:
Project 2025 was supposed to boost Donald Trump's campaign — but it may be backfiring instead

Discussion: Raw Story, Blaze Media, Breakfast At Ralf's, Alternet.org, The Daily Caller and Los Angeles Times

Ben Smith / Semafor:

A ‘scared’ Biden aide sounds an alarm — The Scoop — Midday on the Fourth of July, I received a call from a government official with regular access to the West Wing, who said they had reached a breaking point and wanted to sound the alarm. — The person insisted on careful ground rules …

Discussion: Alternet.org and New Republic

Alex Thompson / Axios:
Biden staff “miserable,” alarmed as pressure builds

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, HotAir, RedState, Raw Story, Alternet.org, Fox News, Twitchy, Breitbart, The Guardian and New Republic

Corbin Bolies / The Daily Beast:

Trump Jumps on Immunity Ruling to Ask Favorite Judge to Gut Secrets Case — WORTH A SHOT — Trump's attorneys asked Judge Aileen Cannon to lay out a new schedule so they can pounce on the Supreme Court's decision. — Donald Trump seized on the Supreme Court's presidential immunity ruling Friday …

Discussion: CNN, Washington Examiner, CBS News, Bloomberg, Sun-Sentinel, Raw Story, The Guardian, abc7NY, New York Times and NOTUS

Kyle Cheney / Politico:
Trump seeks new pause in classified documents case, citing Supreme Court's immunity ruling

Discussion: Raw Story, Axios, New York Post and Fox News

Greg Sargent / New Republic:

MAGA Gov Candidate's Ugly, Hateful Rant: “Some Folks Need Killing!” — Mark Robinson, the extremist GOP nominee for governor in North Carolina, appeared to endorse political violence in a bizarre and extended rant he delivered on June 30 in a small-town church. — “Some folks need killing!”

Discussion: Raw Story, Alternet.org, So What, New Jersey Online, NC Newsline, Rolling Stone, New York Post, Mediaite and Crooks and Liars

John Hanna / Associated Press:

Kansas Supreme Court Strikes Down Two Anti-Abortion Laws — The pair of 5-1 decisions suggests that other abortion restrictions — even ones decades on the books — might not withstand legal challenges. — LOADING — Kansas' highest court strongly reaffirmed Friday …

Discussion: New York Times, Oklahoma Voice and Associated Press

Thom Hartmann / Common Dreams:

Trump's Far-Right Army Is Threatening Bloodshed. Believe Them. — We must not only resist, but prevail. If we do not, it will be nearly impossible to reverse the course that America's right-wing billionaires have set us on. — Kevin Roberts, who heads the Heritage Foundation …

Michael Daly / The Daily Beast:

Boxer Who Showed off to Donald and Barron Trump Banned for Racist Rant — KNOCKOUT BLOW — Ryan Garcia shadow boxed in front of the ex-president and son Barron at Mar-a-Lago but is now banned from his sport. — A top-ranked prize fighter who put on a shadow boxing display …

Discussion: One America News Network, New York Post, Mediaite, Raw Story, UPI, The Daily Caller and Associated Press

Matthew Chapman / Raw Story:

‘Investigate!’ Outrage as MAGA candidate accused of misdeeds at dangerous daycare he ran — North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, currently running for governor on a far-right MAGA platform, came under fire today for his proclamation endorsing political violence.

Discussion: Raleigh News & Observer