memeorandum: Trump running mate decision nears, with Vance, Rubio at center of talks (Washington Post)

3:15 PM ET, July 7, 2024

Top Items:

Behind the Curtain: Unbendable Biden vs. breaking-point Dems … Both plan fierce public and private campaigns to see who buckles. — It won't be him, Biden says publicly and privately. … These Democrats, further deflated by Biden's high-stakes ABC interview, believe there's nothing …

Discussion: RedState, New York Post, BBC, The Gateway Pundit, NBC News and New York Times

Washington Post:

Biden thought he had it under control. Then it got worse. — The inside story of the Biden team's failure over nine days to contain the crisis from his debate with Trump. — President Biden's top aides awoke after debate night with a plan to contain the damage: A raucous North Carolina crowd …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite, emptywheel, Politico, PoliticusUSA, Eschaton and CNN

NBC News:
'It's Shakespearean': Long-simmering tensions between Biden's family and aides spill out

Discussion: RedState, Twitchy, Daily Mail, Washington Examiner and HotAir

Politico:

The world wasn't ready for Trump in 2016. It's not making that mistake this time. — In 2016, no one in the world was ready for President Trump. America's NATO allies aren't making the same mistake this time. — In Brussels, NATO officials have devised a plan to lock in long-term military support …

Discussion: Associated Press, Politico, New York Times and CNN

Politico:

Playbook: Biden's lesson in political first aid — With help from Eli Okun, Garrett Ross and Bethany Irvine — DRIVING THE DAY — MUST READ — “Secret Meetings, Private Threats and a Massive Arms Race: How the World is Preparing for Trump,” by Paul McLeary, Christoph Schiltz, Stefanie Bolzen, Jacopo Barigazzi and Philipp Fritz:

Discussion: The Detroit News and Sputnik News

Washington Post:

Trump running mate decision nears, with Vance, Rubio at center of talks — The campaign is eyeing an announcement by July 15th and internal talks have focused heavily on the two senators. — Former president Donald Trump's campaign is aiming to announce his running mate by July 15 …

Discussion: Fox News, NBC News, Washington Examiner, RedState, National Review, Rolling Stone and Newsbusters

Washington Post:
Election 2024 latest news Bidens hit campaign trail; Trump nears VP pick

Discussion: WVEC

Bill Barrow / Associated Press:
At Essence, Black Democrats rally behind Biden and talk up Kamala Harris, but she avoids the drama

Discussion: Raw Story, USA Today, The Daily Beast, The Guardian, ABC News and New York Daily News

Clea Caulcutt / Politico:

Left heading for shock victory in French election — first estimates — France on course for a hung parliament after early forecasts put the left ahead of the far right. — PARIS — The leftwing alliance in France is on course to win the most seats in a dramatic parliamentary election …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Associated Press and Bloomberg

NBC News:

Rep. Adam Schiff says Biden needs to ‘win overwhelmingly’ or ‘pass the torch’: Full interview — Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff (Calif.) exclusively joins Meet the Press to talk about the state of President Joe Biden's re-election campaign.

Discussion: Politico, The Wrap, RedState, New York Post, Mediaite and Mother Jones, more at Mediagazer »

Jordain Carney / Politico:

House Republicans request interview with White House physician — The GOP investigation is the latest sign of the growing political fallout from President Biden's debate performance. — House Republicans are opening an investigation into President Joe Biden's doctor in the wake …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Fox News, HotAir and New York Post

The Philadelphia Inquirer:

The lingering focus on Biden's shaky debate obscures Trump's major verbal miscues — President Joe Biden dug himself a hole and now he is trying to climb out. But many fellow Democrats and some in the media keep shoveling dirt on him.One 20-minute TV interview was never going to swing …

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog and ABC News

Avery Lotz / Axios:

Sen. Graham thinks Biden will “be replaced” as Democratic nominee … - “If she does become the nominee, this is a dramatically different race than it is right now, today. … - Trump advisers told Axios the campaign would launch scathing attacks on Harris should she pick up the baton …

Discussion: CBS News, Politico and Breitbart

Eric Lipton / New York Times:

Wildlife Protections Take a Back Seat to SpaceX's Ambitions … Starship, the upper stage of SpaceX's new rocket, at its launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas. Conservationists are concerned with the environmental impact space operations have on the area. — As Elon Musk's Starship …

Discussion: The Daily Beast

Laura Italiano / Business Insider:

Trump's hush-money sentencing will still happen in September despite his new immunity superpowers, New York legal experts predict — Trump wants his hush-money verdict nixed in the wake of the Supreme Court immunity opinion. — But Trump's new immunity superpowers won't derail his September sentencing, experts predict.

Mark Thiessen / Associated Press:

Hawaii governor says Biden could decide within days whether to remain in the presidential race — U.S. President Joe Biden could make a decision within days whether to remain a candidate for reelection, said Hawaii's governor who participated in a recent meeting with Biden and other Democratic governors …

Discussion: Washington Examiner and Fox News

Annie Karni / New York Times:

McCarthy's Revenge Tour Rolls On, With Mixed Results … Kevin McCarthy, the former House speaker, held his leadership role for 269 days.T.J. Kirkpatrick for The New York Times — During the awkward interlude after he was ousted from the speakership but before he resigned from Congress …

Bryan Schott / Salt Lake Tribune:

Mike Lee spreads fake claim of Biden medical emergency on Air Force One — Utah Senator then attacked media for being untrustworthy, during frenzied posting on social media — On Friday evening, Utah Sen. Mike Lee used his personal X/Twitter account to amplify a baseless claim …

Discussion: Alternet.org