It had been only 48 hours since a lone gunman had tried to assassinate former President Trump in Pennsylvania before President Biden appeared in a one-on-one sit down with veteran NBC journalist Lester Holt.
The interview had been arranged days before the assassination attempt to show skeptical members of the Democratic coalition that Biden still had the depth of focus to do a high-profile interview without aides, Tel-e-Prompters, pre-fixed prompts, or softball questions.
Biden’s appearance on national TV followed his Oval Office address the previous day. During this address, he sounded truly presidential, empathetic, and like the uniter he said he would be when he campaigned in 2020. His opening remarks were spot on.
My fellow Americans. I want to speak to you tonight about the need for us to lower the temperature in our politics and to remember while we may disagree, we are not enemies; we’re neighbors, we’re friends, coworkers, and citizens, and most importantly, we’re fellow Americans. We must stand together.
Yesterday’s shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania calls on all of us to take a step back, take stock of where we are and how we go forward from here. Thankfully, former President Trump has not been seriously injured. I spoke with him last night, and I’m grateful he’s doing well. Jill and I keep him and his family in our prayers. We also extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims who were killed. Corey was a husband, a father, a volunteer firefighter, a hero, sheltering his family from those bullets; we should all hold his family and all those injured in our prayers.
Biden’s conciliatory, statesman-like theme didn’t last very long. Just 24 hours later, during the Holt interview, Biden was back to being the bitter Trump critic he has been. Biden launched into a tirade against Trump with the usual complaints—that Trump lies and instigated violence on January 6—and to the viewer, it was clear that someone in the Biden campaign had forced Biden to hit back, and Biden had agreed.
The list of charges went on and on – and became tiring. A staffer must have researched this Reuters piece from March, and Biden dutifully repeated lines from the story, including the words bloodbath and vermin.
“Now, my — my — my opponent has engaged in that rhetoric. Talks about there’d be a bloodbath if he loses.”
“It matters whether or not you, for example, talk about how you’re gonna deal with the border instead of talking about people as being vermin and all — I mean, those things matter. That’s the kind of language that is inflammatory.”
Holt pushed back: “This doesn’t sound like you’re — you’re — you’re turning down the heat, though. You — you’ve talked about the —”
Biden, characteristically, responded: “Oh, no, no, no, no. Look, what I’m turning down — we have to stop the whole notion that certain things are contrary to our — our democracy that we’re for.” And he launched into another litany of complaints against Trump for not conceding the 2020 election.
Biden also pointed out how the MAGA crowd treats him:
I’ve never seen a circumstance where you ride through certain rural areas of the country, and people have signs there stand — big Trump signs with — m — middle — signs saying “F Biden” and the little kid standing there putting up his middle finger.
Of course, Biden made no apologies for members of the Left saying far worse things about Trump than holding a sign.
From then onwards, Biden was angry and combative no matter whom Holt brought up, even people who have supported him. He dismissed concerns that leaders of his party—Obama, Pelosi, Clyburn—had, and insisted that he had decided to run on the top of the ticket. To justify his decision, Biden misrepresented his accomplishments.
It’s essentially a toss-up race. And I think one of the arguments that get made, you have the most successful presidency of any president in modern history, maybe since Franklin Roosevelt. Passed more major legislation no one thought you could get done. Were able to put together a consensus. Were able to unite NATO. Were able to deal in f — foreign policy. Why don’t you just decide to rest on that — on those laurels? And the answer is because the job’s not finished.
What successful presidency? An administration that has added over $5 trillion in debt? Bidenflation upto 20%? Eighteen million illegal aliens forever changing America’s landscape? Conducting lawfare against a political opponent? Routinely being rebuffed by the Supreme Court (like on student aid and environmental executive orders) and blatantly ignoring them? A $200 billion transfer of money that we don’t have to corrupt Ukraine with nothing to show but defeat? Uniting NATO but losing the Global South countries (which are eager to make alliances) and jeopardizing America’s global standing?
If Biden is such a successful President, why have his approval ratings been below 45% for nearly three years since October 2021?
Holt did not challenge any of these assertions, and rather than be grateful for such friendly treatment, Biden began combating Holt himself.
Biden: And by the way, seriously, you won’t answer the question, but why doesn’t the press talk about all the lies he told? I haven’t heard —
Holt: Well, we —
Biden: — anything about that.
Holt: We — we have reported many of the issues that came of that —
Biden: No, you haven’t —
Holt: — that debate.
Biden: No, you haven’t.
Holt: Well, we’ll provide you with them.
Biden: God love you.”
The old, stubborn, combative, attacking, nasty Biden is back. And to us, it was no surprise.
Mr. President, learn to walk the talk.
TIPP Takes
Geopolitics, Geoeconomics, And More
1. Israel’s Netanyahu Vows To ‘Increase Pressure’ On Hamas – AFP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in remarks during a state commemorative event, added, “This is exactly the time to increase the pressure even more, to bring home all the hostages – the living and the dead – and to achieve all the war objectives.”
Netanyahu’s comments come as Israel has stepped up attacks on the besieged Palestinian territory, with Gazan rescuers saying three airstrikes in one hour killed more than 40 people on Tuesday.
2. Israel Says Half The Leadership From Hamas’ Military Wing Killed Or Captured – Reuters
Half of the leadership of Hamas’ military wing has been eliminated, with approximately 14,000 fighters killed or captured since the start of the Gaza campaign, a statement from the Israeli military said.
The military said it eliminated senior commanders, including brigade commanders, battalion commanders, and company commanders, and destroyed thousands of militant targets.
3. Russian Anger Builds As Greece Prepares A Military Deal With Ukraine – Al Jazeera
Greece’s concern for its security has made it a supporter of Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion.
According to Dianeosis, an Athens-based think tank, about 70 percent of Greeks had a favorable view of Russia before the full-blown war in Ukraine. That fell to 50 percent after the 2022 invasion and down to 30 percent last year.
4. Orban Tells EU Leaders: Re-Elected Trump Would Act As Russia-Ukraine Peace Broker- Reuters
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in a letter to EU leaders that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is ready to act “immediately” as a peace broker in the Russia-Ukraine war if he is elected in November.
The letter, addressed to European Council President Charles Michel and shared with all EU leaders, was drafted after Orban held talks with Trump and the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, and China.
5. Japan To Loan $3.3 Billion To Ukraine From Frozen Russian Assets – Reuters
The loan, using interest from frozen Russian assets, is about 6 percent of the Group of Seven’s (G7) total $50 billion package, the Kyodo news agency reported.
Kyodo said the breakdown of the loan package, in which the U.S. and European Union each lend $20 billion and Japan, Britain, and Canada lend a combined $10 billion, is set to be approved at a G7 meeting later this month on the sidelines of a G20 finance leaders’ meeting in Brazil.
6. Russia May Have Shared U.S. Arms Info With China: Lawmakers – RFA
Moscow may have shared information with Beijing about the capabilities of American weapons systems it has encountered in its invasion of Ukraine, a group of U.S. lawmakers say.
The claim comes as Beijing and Moscow hold joint naval drills off China’s southern coast. The letter to White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan asks how much Russia has shared with China about countering U.S. arms systems.
7. Chinese Censors Delete, Hide Links To Trump Shooting T-Shirts – RFA
Authorities in China appear to have moved to take down T-shirts bearing images of the attempted assassination of former U.S. president and Republican candidate Donald Trump from the country’s major e-commerce platforms after the items started to sell fast online in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
T-shirts showing Trump’s raised fist and defiant slogans went on sale within hours of the assassination attempt.
8. Palau Says China Exerting ‘New Level’ Of Pressure – Nikkei Asia
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr. told Nikkei Asia that China’s pressure is reaching a “new level” after a tourism delegation was recently denied entry to Macao.
The Pacific island nation is investigating a suspicious cyber attack this month targeting customs and border functions. Palau is among the few remaining countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan and is one of three states in free association with the United States, which provides a security guarantee and economic assistance and gets access for its military in return.
9. China Tycoon Guo Wengui Found Guilty Of Fraud In U.S. – BBC
Self-exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui has been convicted by a U.S. court of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from online followers.
He was found guilty on nine of the 12 criminal counts he faced, including racketeering, fraud and money laundering.
If convicted, Guo could face decades behind bars. He has been in prison since his arrest in March 2023. He criticizes the Chinese Communist Party and was an associate of Stephen Bannon, an ex-White House chief strategist.
10. IMF Cuts 2024 Growth Forecasts For Japan, U.S., Revises China’s Up – Kyodo News
The International Monetary Fund said its 2024 global growth outlook remains unchanged at 3.2 percent. It predicts slower expansion for Japan and the United States that offsets a noteworthy upward revision for China.
The IMF said in its World Economic Outlook report that “downside surprises in Japan and the United States were notable” in the first three months of this year. However, the report cautioned that the momentum on disinflation is weakening globally and increasing policy uncertainty.
11. Big Four Australian Banks To Repay Millions In Fees To Low-Income Customers – UPI
Australian financial regulators said that four of the country’s biggest banks had agreed to repay $20 million in account fees to hundreds of thousands of low-income customers, including many Indigenous “First Nation” people.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission said in a news release that ANZ Bank, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and Westpac wrongly kept at least two million Australians, including many dependent on social security or government schemes, in high-fee accounts.
12. U.N. Report Urges North Korea To End “Institutionalized” Forced Labor – Kyodo News
North Korea has engaged in serious human rights violations by subjecting its citizens to an institutionalized system of forced labor, and the practice must be abolished immediately, a U.N. report said.
Based on 183 interviews conducted between 2015 and 2023 with victims and witnesses of the system who managed to escape and now live abroad, the report also said that organized forced labor even begins at school.
13. North Korean Diplomat Commended By Kim Jong Un Defects To South Korea – RFA
A North Korean diplomat who had been stationed in Cuba defected to South Korea last year, Seoul’s spy agency said, joining a small but growing number of defections by the North’s elite in recent years.
Ri Il Kyu, who had served as the political affairs counselor at the North Korean embassy in Cuba, entered the South in November with his family.
14. CDC: U.S. Adults With Disabilities Are More Susceptible To Long COVID – UPI Health
The CDC released its annual Disability and Health Data System update, which, for the first time, includes data on long COVID-19 symptoms, which are described as COVID-19 symptoms that last for three or more months.
The CDC reported that 10.8% of fully or partially disabled adults reported long COVID symptoms versus 6.6% of adults who did not report a disability.
15. Study: ‘Staying Regular’ Good For Health – HealthDay News
Researchers found that predictable bowel movements could be tied to long-term health. They allow the body to absorb essential nutrients without producing harmful organ-damaging toxins.
The “Goldilocks zone” of bowel movement frequency, once or twice a day, is associated with better health, results show. That gives gut microbes enough time to digest dietary fiber, which they ferment into beneficial short-chain fatty acids, explained lead researcher Johannes Johnson-Martinez.
Republished with permission from TIPP Insights
