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Greg Clugston
SRN Correspondent Greg Clugston keeps you informed about all the news coming from the White House.
US to send missile defense system, troops to Israel
The United States will send more equipment and some troops to Israel. At the direction of President Biden, the Pentagon authorized the deployment of an advanced missile defense system to Israel, along with U-S military personnel to operate it. A Pentagon spokesman said the system will help bolster Israel’s air defenses following Iran’s ballistic missile attacks this year. Israel is widely believed to be preparing a military response to Iran’s launching of 180 missiles into Israel earlier this month.
Listen DownloadTrump shuts door on final debate offer from CNN
Former President Trump is saying no to another debate with Vice President Harris. Trump wrote on social media that “there will be no rematch” with Harris. He said at this point of the campaign “there is nothing to debate.” However, the Harris campaign disagrees, calling Trump’s refusal to participate in a CNN debate as “a disservice to the American people.” Instead of hosting a debate on October 23rd, CNN will feature the vice president at a town hall in Pennsylvania. Trump also declined an appearance on 60 Minutes, opting instead to do more than two dozen interviews with conservative media.
Listen DownloadTrump, Harris neck-and-neck in the Blue Wall states
The so-called “Blue Wall” states remain up for grabs in the tight presidential race. Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin comprise the Blue Wall that is viewed as critical for both presidential campaigns. And this week’s Quinnipiac Poll shows an extremely close contest. The poll has Vice President Harris slightly ahead in Pennsylvania, and former President Trump holding an edge in Michigan and Wisconsin. Axios reports that Harris, especially, is depending on the Blue Wall to win, but top Democratic politicians and operatives believe those three states are getting tougher for the vice president.
Listen DownloadBiden wants Congress to approve more disaster funding
President Biden is calling on Congress to move quickly on additional emergency funding for natural disasters. The Biden administration says FEMA has enough funding for immediate needs following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. But the president says lawmakers should come back before the election to approve more money. He says billions of dollars will be needed to fund FEMA and the Small Business Administration, which provides disaster relief loans.
Listen DownloadAfter Milton, Biden says life-saving measures made a difference
President Biden says Hurricane Milton caused significant damage, but evacuations and other measures helped save lives. Hours after Milton came ashore and roared across central Florida, the president was briefed on the storm’s impact. He said, “we know that life-saving measures did make a difference.” But he warned of still-dangerous conditions in the hurricane’s aftermath. The president especially thanked military personnel who have been dispatched to help with cleanup from both Helene and Milton.
Listen DownloadRepublicans fault Harris for supporting all Biden decisions
Republicans are seizing on Vice President Harris’s comment about not changing any decision by President Biden. When asked this week how she would lead differently than Joe Biden, the vice president replied, “there is not a thing that comes to mind.” Donald Trump and other Republicans have been sharing that televised clip and telling voters that Harris will continue Biden’s policies. It highlights a dilemma facing the vice president — how to present herself both as a candidate of change while remaining loyal to the Biden administration.
Listen DownloadBiden urges Florida evacuations, warns of “fierce” hurricane
President Biden is urging Florida residents in the path of Hurricane Milton to evacuate. During a hurricane briefing with administration officials, the president said Florida is facing a ferocious storm. He said FEMA has personnel and equipment in place and that he’s told Florida’s governor to call him with any needs. The president also denounced claims that the government is seizing property and offering very little in cash to storm victims.
Listen DownloadAs Mideast tensions escalate, Biden and Netanyahu hold first call in weeks
President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu have held their first call in weeks. Their conversation between the two leaders came as Israel expands its ground incursion into Lebanon and considers how to respond to Iran’s recent ballistic missile attack. The White House says Vice President Harris also joined the call. President Biden supports Israel’s right to defense, but also has been working to secure a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the prime minister had recently spoken with former President Trump.
Listen DownloadBiden sets 10-year deadline to replace lead pipes in cities
President Biden is setting a 10-year deadline for U.S. cities to replace lead pipes. In a bid to improve the safety of drinking water in many U-S cities, the president announced a new rule that requires lead pipes to be replaced over the next decade. The president spoke in Milwaukee, one of many cities across the country taking steps to remove lead pipes. He said the goal is simple: “It’s about clean water.”
Listen DownloadNew Woodward book reveals new Biden, Trump details
A new book from Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward reveals new details about Joe Biden and Donald Trump. In his new book, “War,” Woodward details President Biden’s complicated relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. He writes that the president’s “distrust” of Netanyahu “erupted this past spring, leading to a profanity-laden tirade. Woodward reports that Donald Trump has had as many as seven private phone calls with Vladimir Putin since leaving office, and secretly sent the Russian president COVID-19 test machines during the height of the pandemic. A Trump spokesman said that’s “untrue” and described Woodward as “demented.”
Listen DownloadBiden says Milton could be Florida’s worst storm in 100 years
President Biden is urging Florida residents in the path of Hurricane Milton to evacuate. The president says Milton is shaping up to be a ferocious storm. He says it has the potential to both enter and leave Florida as a hurricane, and he warns people in the path of Milton to “evacuate now, now, now.” The president is postponing a planned foreign to stay at the White House and monitor the approaching storm.
Listen DownloadBiden postpones foreign trip as Hurricane Milton approaches
President Biden is postponing his upcoming trip overseas as Hurricane Milton approaches. The president was scheduled to leave Washington on Thursday for a trip to Germany and Angola, but has decided to stay at the White House. A spokesperson says “given the projected trajectory and strength of Hurricane Milton,” Mr. Biden will postpone his foreign travel “in order to oversee preparations for and the response to Milton,” as well as the ongoing response to Hurricane Helene.
Listen DownloadAhead of Milton, Biden signs emergency order for Florida
President Biden has signed an emergency declaration for Florida as Hurricane Milton approaches. The president’s action comes as Florida prepares for the second major storm to hit the state in two weeks. Mr. Biden’s emergency declaration frees up funding and resources for more than three dozen Florida counties. Meanwhile, the White House says the federal government has provided more than 210-million dollars in assistance so far for survivors of Hurricane Helene — and the president says “more is on the way.”
Listen DownloadFEMA criticizes false claims about its Helene response
FEMA is criticizing false claims about its response to Hurricane Helene. In addition to coordinating hurricane assistance, FEMA has had to deal with debunking rumors and conspiracy theories about its funding and storm response. Administrator Deanne Criswell continues to strongly push back against false claims, pointing to thousands of search and rescue team members on the scene in North Carolina. She also says disaster survivors are receiving initial payments to cover immediate needs and that additional money will be made available for home repairs. Criswell says rumors to the contrary are “dangerous” and “demoralizing.”
Listen DownloadBiden marks 10/7 anniversary with candle lighting memorial
President Biden marked the anniversary of the deadly Hamas attacks with a candle lighting to honor the victims. The president and first Lady were joined by Rabbi Aaron Alexander, who recited the Jewish prayer “God full of Mercy.” It’s a prayer recited during burial services and memorial services. Mr. Biden lit a candle and observed a moment of silence. Earlier, he spoke with Israel’s president to mark the solemn occasion.
Listen DownloadBiden to mark Oct. 7 terror attack anniversary with candle lighting
President Biden will commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack against Israel. The president and first lady will participate in a memorial candle lighting ceremony in the Blue Room of the White House. It will mark one year since the Hamas-led terrorist attack in Israel. Vice President Harris and her husband will commemorate the anniversary by planting a memorial tree at their Naval Observatory residence.
Listen DownloadBiden has doubts if November election will be peaceful
President Biden has doubts about whether the November election will be peaceful. During his first-ever appearance inside the White House briefing room, the president was asked about the upcoming election. He said he had doubts about post-election safety because of what Donald Trump said after the 2020 election — comments Mr. Biden described as “dangerous.” Trump continues to insist that he won four years ago and says he will only accept the outcome of November’s election if it’s fair.
Listen DownloadBiden unsure if Israeli PM is trying to interfere with US election
President Biden is unsure if Israel’s prime minister is trying to interfere with the November election.
A Democratic senator and ally of Joe Biden said last week that he was concerned Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu is holding up a peace deal in order to influence the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. Mr. Biden said no administration has done more for Israel. Meanwhile, the president said his administration and other nations are working to prevent an all-out war in the Mideast.
Trump-Pence divide revealed in new court filing
A court filing reveals new details about the sharp disagreement between Donald Trump and Mike Pence after the 2020 presidential election. The special counsel’s court filing last week offered a detailed look at the exchanges between then-President Trump and then-Vice President Pence. For weeks, Trump pressured his VP to stop the election certification in Congress, telling him people are going to “hate your guts” and “think you’re stupid” if he failed. When Pence said he didn’t have the authority to change the outcome, Trump berated him as being “too honest.” The disagreement led to a falling out between the two men.
Listen DownloadHarris fails to win endorsement from firefighters union
A firefighters union has declined to endorse Kamala Harris for president. The vice president stopped by a firehouse near Detroit on Friday during her swing through the battleground state of Michigan. But she failed to win the backing of the International Association of Firefighters. For 2024, the union declined to back any candidate in the White House race. Last month, the Teamsters also decided against an endorsement. Harris still enjoys support from many unions, but has struggled to lock down the same support from organized labor that Joe Biden won four years ago.
Listen DownloadTrump to hold rally at PA site where he was shot in June
Donald Trump returns to the site where he survived an assassination attempt this summer. The former president is set to hold a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, late this afternoon. It’s the town where he was shot by a would-be assassin two days before the start of the Republican National Convention. Today’s event will take place at the same property where a gunman’s bullets grazed Trump’s right ear, killed an attendee, and wounded several others. The Trump campaign says the former president will be joined by running mate JD Vance, SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and several Pennsylvania law enforcement officers.
Listen DownloadSupreme Court leaves in place two Biden environmental rules
The Supreme Court has left in place two Biden administration environmental regulations. Justices are allowing regulations aimed at reducing emissions of methane and toxic mercury. Their orders were released after industry groups and Republican-leaning states tried to block the rules. The Environmental Protection Agency insisted the regulations were legal, but the challengers said the EPA overstepped its authority. The legal fight is expected to continue in lower courts. GC, Wash.
Listen DownloadBiden dismisses Rubio claim that jobs numbers are “fake”
President Biden is defending the authenticity of the just-released September jobs report. After the Labor Department reported that a surprisingly strong 254-thousand jobs were added last month, Republican Senator Marco Rubio dismissed the government report as “fake.” At the White House, President Biden responded by saying “anything MAGA Republicans don’t like they call fake. Anything. The job numbers are what the job numbers are. They’re real.” Rubio claimed that the Biden-Harris administration releases inflated jobs numbers for good headlines only to revise them downward later.
Listen DownloadBiden welcomes suspension of dockworkers’ union strike
President Biden welcomes the suspension of the strike by union dockworkers at East and Gulf coast ports. The president told reporters he was pleased that the union representing 45-thousand dockworkers reached a deal to suspend a three-day strike until mid-January. The three-month halt to the strike will give both sides time to negotiate a new contract. Mr. Biden said he hopes the agreement holds.
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