A halting Biden tries to confront Trump at debate but stirs Democratic panic about his candidacy
ATLANTA (AP) — A raspy and sometimes halting President Joe Biden repeatedly sought to confront Donald Trump in their first debate ahead of the November election. But Biden’s uneven performance crystallized the concerns of many Americans that at, age 81, he is too old to serve as president. It sparked a fresh round of calls for the Democrat to step aside. Meanwhile, the 78-year-old Trump’s rhetoric offered Americans an unwelcome reminder of the bombast he launched daily during his tumultuous four years in office, as he struggles to win over skeptical voters. He declined to clearly state he would accept the results of the November election.
Debate takeaways: Trump confident, even when wrong, Biden halting, even with facts on his side
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump held an unusually early debate on Thursday night in Atlanta, speaking to an electorate that has expressed strong dissatisfaction with their choice of candidates. It was contentious from the start. Trump projected confidence and certitude even when he was wrong on the facts. Biden at times was halting, and had some difficulty finishing off his thoughts. The debate became bitterly personal, almost from the start.
Debate-watchers in the Biden and Trump camps seem to agree on something. Biden had a bad night
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans have gathered in watch parties, bars, a bowling alley and other venues to watch Joe Biden and Donald Trump go head-to-head in their debate. Trump supporters, happily, and Biden supporters, in their angst, seemed to largely agree they had witnessed a lopsided showdown, with Trump coming out on top. By the end of the 90-plus minutes, some Democrats were saying what partisans say to put the best face on things: It’s still early. One debate doesn’t necessarily sway the nation. Judge him by what he’s done and wants to do, not by how he says things. But it’s clear that many Democrats were let down.
Biden’s debate performance spurs Democratic panic about his ability to lead party against Trump
ATLANTA (AP) — Above all, Joe Biden’s allies have wanted him to demonstrate strength and energy on the debate stage this week to help put to rest questions about the 81-year-old Democrat’s physical and mental acuity. But on the biggest stage in U.S. politics on Thursday night, Biden did not meet their modest expectations. And by the end of the 90-minute affair, the Democratic president’s allies — party strategists and rank-and-file voters alike — panicked about his chances against former President Donald Trump this fall. They cited a debate performance punctuated by repeated stumbles, uncomfortable pauses, and a quiet speaking style that was often difficult to understand. Publicly and privately, Democrats questioned whether the party could or should replace him.
FACT FOCUS: Here’s a look at some of the false claims made during Biden and Trump’s first debate
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump met for their first debate of the 2024 season, and there was no shortage of false claims. The Associated Press examined their statements during the 90-minute debate Thursday night. Trump once again falsely asserted that the U.S. had the greatest economy in history during his presidency and spread misleading claims about Jan. 6, migrant crime and the environment. Biden also had some misfires. For example, he overstated it when he asserted that Trump encouraged people to drink bleach to address COVID-19.
Iranians vote to replace president killed in a helicopter crash, but apathy remains high
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranians have started voting in a presidential election to replace late President Ebrahim Raisi. The voting on Friday follows the May helicopter crash that killed Raisi, the foreign minister and several other officials. Analysts broadly describe the race as a three-way contest, with two hard-liners — a former nuclear negotiator and the Iranian parliament speaker. The sole reformist candidate, Masoud Pezeshkian, has aligned himself with those who had supported Tehran’s efforts to reach the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. While Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has final say on all matters of state, presidents can bend Iran toward confrontation or negotiations with the West.
The young democracy of Mongolia begins voting for an expanded 126-seat parliament
ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (AP) — Voters are electing a new parliament in Mongolia, a landlocked democracy that is squeezed between China and Russia, two much larger authoritarian states. At stake in Friday’s vote are 126 seats in an expanded parliament, 50 more than in the previous election in 2020. The Mongolian People’s Party won that year in a landslide. It still appears to hold the upper hand, but other parties may be able to capitalize on voter discontent to eat into its majority. At one polling station, some voters dressed in formal silk robes for the occasion. Many in the district support the ruling party, but some younger voters said they chose candidates they hoped would bring change.
Bolivia’s president lambasts accusations of a self-coup as ‘lies’ as his supporters rally
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Bolivian President Luis Arce has denied being behind an attempted coup against him and said the general who apparently led it “acted on his own,” lashing out at accusations that he had asked for the mutiny in a plan to boost his popularity. In his first appearance before the press since the failed apparent coup, Arce called suggestions of a self-coup “lies,” and he added: “I am not a politician that is going to win popularity through the blood of the people.” Arce earlier said his government announced that a total of 17 people had been arrested for their alleged involvement in the attempted coup, including Gen. Juan José Zúñiga.
Former Uvalde police chief indicted over response to Robb Elementary shooting
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Uvalde’s former school police chief has been booked and released from jail following a grand jury investigation into the police response during the Robb Elementary School shooting in 2022. Uvalde County Sheriff Ruben Nolasco said in a text message to The Associated Press on Thursday that Pete Arredondo was booked on 10 counts of child endangerment and released. The Uvalde Leader-News and the San Antonio Express-News reported that another former school officer, Adrian Gonzales, was also indicted by a grand jury on multiple counts of felony child endangerment and abandonment. The AP was unable to reach Arredondo and Gonzales for comment.
Survivors of Israel music festival massacre unite to build a healing community
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — In the months since Hamas’ surprise attack sent them scattering across fields or hiding in desert brush, survivors of a massacre at a trance festival in Israel have come together as a community to heal. On Thursday, some 30,000 people attended the Tribe of Nova’s first mass gathering since the Oct. 7 attack. The Nova Healing Concert is just one part of a robust network of therapy and support that the survivors have built for themselves in the chaotic months since the attack, as Israeli authorities struggle to provide services to devastated communities.
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