Page 2 - Democratic Party Convention

Biden will stay in race for US Presidential polls: Campaign chairwoman

President Joe Biden's campaign is insisting anew that he is not stepping aside as he faces the stark reality that many Democrats at the highest levels want him to bow out of the 2024 election to make way for a new nominee and try to prevent widespread party losses in November. Isolated as he battles a COVID-19 infection at his beach house in Delaware, Biden's already small circle of confidants before his debate fumbling has shrunk further. The president, who has insisted he can beat Republican Donald Trump, is with family and relying on a few longtime aides as he weighs whether to bow to the mounting pressure to drop out. Biden campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillion acknowledged slippage in support for the president, but insisted he is absolutely remaining in the race and that the campaign sees multiple paths" to beating Trump. We have a lot of work to do to reassure the American people that yes he's old, but he can win," she told MSNBC's Morning Joe show. But she said voters concerned

US elections: More Democrats want Prez Biden to step aside as WH nominee

The fallout from Biden's June 27 showing against Trump continues to reverberate

US polls: Trump keeps low profile while Biden faces doubts over candidacy

Publicly, Trump has commented little on the calls for Biden to drop out of the race and the growing uncertainty within Democratic ranks

Prez Biden opens debate on weak footing as he tries to criticise Trump

President Joe Biden made several verbal missteps Thursday in the opening minutes of his debate with his Republican rival, Donald Trump, as both took the stage seeking to define their presidential rematch. Biden had a raspy voice, struggling repeatedly to clear his throat, and had a halting delivery as he tried to defend his economic record and criticize Trump. Biden appeared to lose his train of thought while giving one answer, drifting from an answer on tax policy to health policy, at one point using the word COVID, and then saying, excuse me, with, dealing with, and he trailed off again. Look, we finally beat Medicare, Biden said, as his time ran out on his answer. Trump picked right up on it, saying, That's right, he did beat Medicaid, he beat it to death. And he's destroying Medicare. Trump falsely suggested Biden was weakening the social service program because of migrants coming into the country. Biden, the 81-year-old Democratic incumbent, entered the debate with the chance

Pannun case: Democratic senators in US want strong diplomatic response

A group of powerful Democratic senators on Monday sought a strong diplomatic response from the Biden administration to the allegations of the Indian government's involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist on US soil. The two-page letter addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken was signed by Senators Jeff Merkley, Ron Wyden, Tim Kaine, Bernie Sanders, and Chris Van Hollen. "We urge a strong diplomatic response to ensure that all of those who were involved are held accountable, and request a briefing on the status of the administration's engagement with the Indian government on this matter, the senators wrote. It comes as an Indian national Nikhil Gupta, accused of being involved in a murder-for-hire plot against Sikh extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil, on Monday, pleaded not guilty in the case at a federal court here. Pannun holds dual American and Canadian citizenship. Gupta was produced before a federal court in New York on Monday, where h

US presidential elections: Who are the candidates in race for top job

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will face each other in the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 5 in what looks set to be a divisive, closely fought contest

US airlines suing Biden admin over new rule that requires more transparency

US airlines are suing to block the Biden administration from requiring greater transparency over fees that the carriers charge their passengers, saying that a new rule would confuse consumers by giving them too much information during the ticket-buying process. The US Transportation Department said Monday it will vigorously defend the rule against what it called hidden junk fees. American, Delta, United and three other carriers, along with their industry trade group, sued the Transportation Department in a federal appeals court on Friday, saying that the agency is going beyond its authority by attempting to regulate private business operations in a thriving marketplace. The airlines said the administration hasn't shown that consumers can't get information about fees already. Airlines go to great lengths to make their customers knowledgeable about these fees, the trade group Airlines for America said Monday. The ancillary fee rule by the Department of Transportation will greatly ...

82-yr-old US Sen Bernie Sanders running for re-election to a fourth term

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said Monday that he would run for reelection this year, squelching speculation that the 82-year-old progressive icon might retire at a time when the Democratic Party is anxious about the advancing age of its top leaders. Hailing from a Democratic stronghold, Sanders' decision virtually guarantees that he will return to Washington for a fourth Senate term. And his announcement comes at a critical moment for Democrats as the party navigates a growing divide over Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza. Sanders has criticised President Joe Biden's handling of the US relationship with Israel even as he's hailed much of the Biden's domestic agenda ahead of what could be a tough reelection bid against GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. With the prospect of Trump's possible return to the White House, Sanders framed his bid to return to the Senate as being driven by concerns about the future of democracy in the US. In an announcement video, he said that in many

Biden to give election-year roast with journalists, celebrities present

President Joe Biden is set to deliver an election-year roast Saturday night before a large crowd of journalists, celebrities and politicians against the backdrop of growing protests over his handling of the Israel-Hamas war. In previous years, Biden, like most of his predecessors, has used the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner to needle media coverage of his administration and jab at political rivals, notably Republican rival Donald Trump. But with protesters pledging to gather outside the dinner site, any effort by Biden to make light of Washington's foibles and the pitfalls of the presidential campaign will have to be balanced against concerns over the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the perils for journalists covering the conflict. Criticism of the Biden administration's support for Israel's 6-month-old military offensive in Gaza has spread through American college campuses, with students pitching encampments in an effort to force their universities to

President Biden's campaign plans to stay on TikTok despite divestment law

TikTok has more than 170 million American users, according to the company. The platform has a significant number of Gen-Z and millennial voters, crucial voting blocs for Democrats

Bob Graham, two-term former US senator and Florida governor, dies at 87

Former US Sen. and two-term Florida Gov. Bob Graham, who gained national prominence as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks and as an early critic of the Iraq war, has died. He was 87. Graham's family announced the death on Tuesday in a statement posted on X by his daughter Gwen Graham. We are deeply saddened to report the passing of a visionary leader, dedicated public servant, and even more importantly, a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, the family said. Graham, who served three terms in the Senate, made an unsuccessful bid for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, emphasising his opposition to the Iraq invasion. But his bid was delayed by heart surgery in January 2003, and he was never able to gain enough traction with voters to catch up, bowing out that October. He didn't seek reelection in 2004 and was replaced by Republican Mel Martinez. Graham was a man of many quirks. He perfected the

Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and their religion, says Trump

Former President Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats hate Israel" and hate their religion, igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders. Trump, in an interview, had been asked about Democrats' growing criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his handling of the war in Gaza as the civilian death toll continues to mount. I actually think they hate Israel, Trump responded to his former aide, Sebastian Gorka. I think they hate Israel. And the Democrat party hates Israel. Trump, who last week became the Republican Party's presumptive nominee, went on to charge: Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion. They hate everything about Israel and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed. The comments sparked immediate backlash from the White House, President Joe Biden's campaign and Jewish leaders. The vast majority of Jewish Americans identify as Democrats, but Trump

Robert F Kennedy Jr to announce VP running mate on March 26 in California

Robert F. Kennedy Jr plans to announce a running mate for his independent presidential campaign on March 26 in Oakland, California, his campaign said on Tuesday. The campaign did not say whom Kennedy will pick, but he told The New York Times this week that NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura are among the frontrunners. Kennedy is making an unusually early announcement because of ballot access rules in many states that require independent candidates to name their vice presidential nominees before they can begin the process. Ballot access for independent candidates is an expensive and time-consuming endeavour, with rules varying vastly across states. Kennedy's father was attorney general for the candidate's uncle, President John F. Kennedy. He began his presidential campaign as a primary challenge to Democratic President Joe Biden but later changed gears to run as an independent. His bid for the presidency, along with his embrace of conspiracy theorie

Donald Trump slams Joe Biden, calls him 'angry, mentally disturbed'

Donald Trump on Friday blasted Joe Biden and his State of the Union address, saying that the US President was "angry and mentally disturbed" and suffers from a terminal case of "Trump derangement syndrome". Trump, 77, the Republican Party's presumptive nominee, was reacting to Biden's final State of the Union address, in which the 81-year-old Democrat slammed the former president on several issues, ranging from his recent comment on Russian President Vladimir Putin, immigration, January 6 insurrection, abortion, and gun control. Biden, who is seeking another term as the president, refrained from naming Trump but referred to him indirectly as his "predecessor" as many as 13 times during his speech on Thursday. In an interview with Fox News on Friday, Trump said that Biden "suffers from a terminal case of Trump derangement syndrome, which is only curable through impeachment." Reacting to Biden's address, Trump said, "He was angry, mentally disturbed, and misrepresenting a lot of the

Prez Biden, Donald Trump poised to move closer to winning nominations

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are poised to move much closer to winning their party's nominations during the biggest day of the primary campaign on Tuesday, setting up a historic rematch that many voters would rather not endure. Super Tuesday elections are being held in 16 states and one territory from Alaska and California to Vermont and Virginia. Hundreds of delegates are at stake, the biggest haul for either party on any single day. While much of the focus is on the presidential race, there are also important down-ballot contests. California voters will choose candidates who will compete to fill the Senate seat long held by Dianne Feinstein. The governor's race will take shape in North Carolina, a state that both parties are fiercely contesting ahead of November. And in Los Angeles, a progressive prosecutor is attempting to fend off an intense reelection challenge in a race that could serve as a barometer of the politics of crime. But the premier races .

Vivek Ramaswamy ruled out as Trump's running mate by ex-president's advisor

Donald Trump's top adviser has ruled out Vivek Ramaswamy as the ex-US president's running mate after the Republican frontrunner publicly criticised the Indian-American presidential candidate ahead of the Iowa caucus. The Iowa caucuses, which begin on Monday, formally kick off the beginning of the long process by which the Republicans and Democrats choose their nominees for the presidential election on November 5. Trump's top adviser, Jason Miller, told the New York Post that voters could probably rule out 38-year-old biotech entrepreneur Ramaswamy as the ex-president's running mate. Pretty safe to say it won't be Vivek, Miller was quoted as saying in the report. On Saturday, Trump, 77, lashed out at Ramaswamy, who is most closely aligned with him in the race for the Republican nomination, accusing him of deceitful campaign tricks". The former president's criticism stemmed from shirts that Ramaswamy's campaign is handing out that say 'Save Trump, Vote Vivek' on them. Ramaswamy pos

Biden raises over $71 mn for his 2024 race from July through September

President Joe Biden and the Democratic National Committee raised more than USD 71 million for his reelection in the three months ending September 30, a strong indication that party donors remain united behind him going into a 2024 race that may feature a rematch with Donald Trump. Sunday's announcement comes after the Biden campaign and the party reported raising USD 72-plus million in the 10 weeks between his official campaign announcement on April 25 and the end of the second quarter on June 30. Both totals include donations to Biden's campaign and to a network of joint fundraising arrangements with the national and state parties. The campaign said Democrats had USD 91 million in cash on hand through the end of last month, the highest-ever total by a Democrat at this point in an election cycle. This quarter's fundraising haul and historic cash on hand speak to the very real enthusiasm and support, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, manager of Biden's reelection campaign, said in a ...

Indian-American Conrad elected as Washington State Democratic Party chair

Indian-American political consultant Shasti Conrad has been elected as the new chair of the Washington State Democratic Party, becoming the youngest and first Indian-American woman to serve as a state party chair in the US. Conrad, 38, a political consultant, ran unopposed, with the support of Gov. Jay Inslee, Washington's Democratic US senators, most of the state's Democratic congressional delegation and a majority of other elected Democrats. I'm so honoured to have the opportunity to serve as Chair of our state party and build on the outstanding success Washington Democrats have earned at the ballot box for the last six years, said Conrad, who has worked on political campaigns since 2008 when she got her start as a field organiser working for then-Senator Obama's primary campaign. I'm excited to work with Democratic leaders from every community to build an unprecedented field operation that will carry the message of how Washington Democrats are delivering for working families to .

Beyond the popular vote

A Democratic majority in both Congress chambers aligned with the president would allow a rollback of many poor policies

House Democrats propose sweeping bill to limit President's pardon power

Each of the bill's provisions is a response to actions by Trump or his administration that Democrats saw as abuses of presidential power