VP Harris says she’s “ready to serve” amid Biden age concerns

Vice President Kamala Harris says she’s ready for the Oval Office if needed. Amid renewed concerns about President Biden’s age, the vice president said recently she’s “ready to serve.” She told the Wall Street Journal last week that there’s “no question” about her “capacity to lead.” Her interview took place a few days before a special counsel report called the 81-year-old Biden as an “elderly man with a poor memory.” The president and his team have pushed back against that description, calling it inaccurate and gratuitous.

Biden, Jordan’s king confer on Middle East violence, hostages

The United States and Jordan are pressing Israel for a pause in the Gaza conflict to win freedom for more hostages held by Hamas. President Biden hosted Jordan’s King Abdullah for talks and both leaders expressed deep concerns about an Israeli military operation in Rafah. The president said it “should not proceed without a credible plan” for ensuring the safety and support of more than one-million refugees. He also pushed for a 6-week pause in the fighting to free more hostages, while the king called for a lasting ceasefire.

Trump appeals immunity ruling to the Supreme Court

Former President Trump is asking the Supreme Court for immunity in his 2020 election interference case. Trump lawyers filed an emergency appeal with the high court asking for an extended delay in his trial. Ultimately, the former president wants justices to find him immune from prosecution on the 2020 plot charges. In the filing, his lawyers argued that “without immunity from criminal prosecution, the presidency as we know it will cease to exist.” Earlier this month, a federal appeals court panel ruled that Trump can be prosecuted for his role in the run-up to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Poll: 86% of Americans think Biden is too old to be president

An overwhelming majority of Americans think President Biden is too old for another term in office. The latest ABC News/Ipsos polls shows a whopping 86 percent of Americans think Joe Biden is too old to serve another four years as president. That includes 73 percent of Democrats. A majority of 62 percent also believe Donald Trump is too old to be president. These findings were released days after the special counsel’s report about President Biden’s mishandling of classified documents raised questions about the 81-year-old’s mental fitness.

Biden campaign joins TikTok despite government security concerns

The Biden campaign is now on TikTok despite government security concerns about the social media platform. Joe Biden’s 2024 campaign launched an account on TikTok in an effort to reach younger voters. The move comes even though the president has expressed national security concerns over the platform and banned it on federal devices. The FBI has warned that TikTok’s owner could share user data with China’s authoritarian government.

Trump’s NATO comments rattle world leaders

Donald Trump’s latest comments about NATO are rattling world leaders. At a weekend campaign rally, Trump said Russia should be able to do “whatever” it wants to NATO members who don’t meet their share of defense spending for the alliance. NATO’s leader warned that Trump is putting the safety of U-S troops and their allies at risk. Poland’s president denounced Trump’s comment, as did the White House. The former president said he would not protect a NATO ally if they were “delinquent” in payments and “encourage” Russia to do as it wishes.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin hospitalized again

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is back in the hospital and has transferred authority to his deputy. Austin was transported to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Sunday afternoon with symptoms pointing to an “emergent bladder issue.” The secretary, who transferred authorities to deputy Kathleen Hicks, is recovering from prostate cancer surgery in December. He caused a controversy by keeping his diagnosis, treatment, and earlier hospital stay a secret from the White House. Austin returned to work at the Pentagon two weeks ago.

Trump criticizes Nikki Haley’s husband’s military service

Donald Trump is taking heat for criticizing Nikki Haley’s husband’s military service. Things got personal over the weekend when Trump questioned why Haley’s husband wasn’t on the campaign trail. At a South Carolina rally, the former president mocked Michael Haley’s absence, suggesting the Haleys had marital problems. Michael Haley is currently overseas on a one-year National Guard mission. Nikki Haley called Trump’s comments “insulting to military families” and former Trump Defense Secretary Mike Esper said such an attack “doesn’t make any sense.”

Biden’s advanced age back in spotlight after special counsel’s report

President Biden’s advanced age is back in the spotlight. Last week began with the president mixing up the names of two world leaders. At separate campaign fundraisers he recalled a 2021 conversation with G7 leaders, but named leaders who had died years earlier. Then on Friday, the special counsel’s bombshell report on classified documents described the 81-year-old Joe Biden’s memory as “hazy,” “fuzzy,” “faulty,” “poor” and having “significant limitations.” At a press conference, the president insisted his memory is “fine,” but soon mixed up the names of the Mexican and Egyptian presidents.

After last week’s primaries, Haley vows to stay in GOP race

Nikki Haley is vowing to stay in the presidential race after her showing in two primaries last week. In Nevada’s primary, Haley was the only candidate listed on the ballot and she finished in second place behind “none of these candidates.” It was largely a symbolic vote with no delegates at stake. It’s because Nevada’s Republican party held its own caucus on Thursday, which Donald Trump won. The former president also was victorious in the U-S Virgin Islands. But Haley said she’s “not going anywhere” and her campaign says it’s focused on South Carolina.

Biden to skip Super Bowl pre-game interview for 2nd straight year

For the second year in a row, President Biden is skipping an interview on Super Bowl Sunday. In recent years, American presidents have been interviewed by the TV network broadcasting the big game. The pre-game interview provides a large audience and it has become a tradition. But President Biden declined an interview with CBS News this weekend. He skipped last year, too, opting not to sit with Fox News. Joe Biden is not the first president to say no to a Super Bowl interview. In 2018, Donald Trump decided against an interview with NBC News.

Biden calls Israel’s military response in Gaza “over the top”

President Biden is growing unhappy with the Israeli military’s response in Gaza. Since the October 7th Hamas attack against Israel, the president has supported the Jewish state’s right to retaliate. Here at home, he’s requested additional U-S aid for Israel. But the White House also has decried the number of civilian casualties in Gaza as Israeli forces target Hamas. And this week, Mr. Biden went a step further, calling the response in Gaza “over the top.” The president is facing a political backlash from Arab Americans, who are demanding he support a permanent ceasefire.

Special Counsel’s report includes embarrassing Biden details

President Biden won’t be charged in the classified documents case, but the special counsel’s report didn’t do him any favors. The good news for the president is that the special counsel did not recommend criminal charges. The bad news for him is all the details. Mr. Biden was described as an “elderly man with a poor memory.” And photographs show the top secret documents were kept in a cardboard box in the president’s garage surrounded by household items. The report may prove to be politically damaging to the president as he tries to differentiate himself from Donald Trump’s classified documents case.

Supreme Court skeptical about Colorado’s Trump ballot ruling

It appears the Supreme Court is inclined to reject Colorado’s attempt to kick Donald Trump off the 2024 ballot. During Thursday’s landmark oral arguments, conservative and liberal justices alike questioned whether Trump can be disqualified because of his efforts to undo his loss in the 2020 election. Their main concern was whether Congress must act before states can invoke the 14th Amendment’s “insurrection clause.” At one point, Justice Elena Kagan asked “why a single state should decide who gets to be president of the United States.”

Angry Biden lashes out at questions about memory, age

President Biden is pushing back at the special counsel’s report that questioned his memory. In the special counsel’s report, Mr. Biden was described as an “elderly man with poor memory.” At an evening press conference, he responded angrily to questions about his mental fitness. Reporters then peppered him with questions about his age and fitness for office, and he dismissed those concerns as reporters’ opinions. The president also denied sharing classified information.

Trump campaign blasts Biden classified documents report

The special counsel says President Biden “willfully” retained and disclosed classified documents, but will not face criminal charges. The president will not be prosecuted even though sensitive files were found at his Delaware home and personal office. However, the report includes embarrassing information about the 81-year-old Biden. The special counsel wrote that the president portrayed himself as an “elderly man with a poor memory” who would be sympathetic to a jury. The Trump campaign seized on that, saying in a statement: “If you’re too senile to stand trial, then you’re too senile to be president.” GC, the WH.

Special Counsel: Biden “willfully” retained classified docs, but no charges

President Biden will not face criminal charges for possessing classified materials. A special counsel’s investigation concludes that Joe Biden “willfully” retained and disclosed highly classified materials when he was a private citizen, but says no criminal charges are warranted. Interestingly, the report points to the president’s “poor memory” during an interview with investigators last year. The White House counsel’s office said it disagreed with “a number of inaccurate and inappropriate comments in the special counsel’s report,” but is pleased that the president will not face criminal charges.

Biden refers to a 2021 conversation with leaders who died years earlier

Biden seeks no redactions in special counsel report on classified docs

President Biden won’t seek any redactions in the classified documents report by the special counsel. The White House counsel’s office says the White House notified the Justice Department that it has completed a review of the report and that the president “declined to assert privilege over any portion of the report.” The report was then sent to Congress and its public release could come soon. The investigation was launched after sensitive documents were found at Joe Biden’s Delaware home and a think tank office in Washington.

Supreme Court hears arguments in Trump ballot eligibility case

The Supreme Court took up the Colorado case that Donald Trump is ineligible to appear on the state’s ballot because of the January 6th Capitol riot. Trump attorney Jonathan Mitchell argued that the 14th Amendment does not apply in this case. Section 3 is referred to as the insurrection clause and attorney Jason Murray, representing Colorado voters, focused on the former president’s actions. With Colorado’s primary scheduled for March 5th, the high court has signaled it will try to act quickly.

Biden “heartbroken” over deaths of 5 Marines in chopper crash

President Biden is mourning the loss of five Marines in a helicopter crash in California. The five were killed when their helicopter went down late Tuesday night during stormy weather in the mountains outside of San Diego. They were on a routine training mission. In a White House statement, the president extended his condolences, saying “as we mourn this profound loss, we honor their selfless service and ultimate sacrifice.”

Supreme Court to hear Trump ballot eligibility case

The Supreme Court will hear arguments about whether Donald Trump can be kept off the 2024 presidential ballot. Trump is appealing a Colorado Supreme Court ruling that he should not be on the Republican primary ballot. The state court declared him ineligible because he violated a provision in the 14th Amendment preventing those who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office. The arguments will be historic as the nation’s highest court will consider for the first time the meaning and reach of the Constitution’s “insurrection” clause.

U.S. drone strike kills high-ranking militia commander

A U-S drone strike has killed a high-ranking commander in an Iranian-backed militia group. Officials say the drone strike hit a car in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, killing three members of the powerful Kataib Hezbollah militia, including a senior commander. The strike came days after the U-S military launched an air assault on dozens of sites in Iraq and Syria used by Iranian-backed militias and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in retaliation for a deadly attack on American troops.

Haley vows to stay in presidential race after Nevada showing

Nikki Haley is vowing to stay in the presidential race after her showing in Tuesday’s Nevada primary. Haley was the only candidate listed on the ballot and she finished in second place with 31 percent of the vote. Sixty-three percent of voters selected “none of these candidates.” It was largely a symbolic vote with no delegates at stake. It’s because Nevada’s Republican party is holding its own primary on Thursday in a move that favors Donald Trump. The Haley campaign says it “didn’t bother to play a game rigged for Trump” and is focused on South Carolina instead.