Legendary sports broadcaster unloads over Dems ‘gaslighting’ America about Biden
Longtime sports broadcaster Bob Costas took the Democratic Party to task for acting surprised over President Biden’s debate performance last week, stating it’s been “obvious” that he’s been on the decline for years.
The NBC Sports legend appeared on CNN’s “Smerconish” Saturday morning to react to all the angst within the party following Biden’s disastrous performance. He slammed liberals for not admitting Biden’s mental decline sooner so that a better candidate could be found to beat former President Trump.
“That one atrocious night was simply writ-large what could be seen for years and years, that he is in serious decline,” Costas said. He added that it “makes you wonder whether we’ve been gaslit by the Democrats.”
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Host Michael Smerconish prompted the discussion by asking the former NBC sports anchor whether people in the party were actually blindsided by Biden’s decline at the debate or if people like Costas were the only ones brave enough to admit what everyone was ignoring until Biden’s recent performance forced the issue.
“Yeah, I think it’s the latter and it only became more overwhelmingly obvious with the debate performance,” he said, adding that people who are defending Biden as having one bad night aren’t seeing what has been the case “for years.”
“Nobody should be president when they‘re 85 or 86, including the ghost of Abraham Lincoln, but this guy is clearly in decline at this point. And part of the job, leaving aside whether he can do it for the next four years, is winning the job. And as you just laid out that seems to be nearly impossible at this point.”
Costas then grilled some Democrats’ argument that the party needs to unite behind the president because of how bad Trump is. “No,” he said, “that’s exactly why Joe Biden must be ushered out.”
The pundit referenced that he’s been urging the party to ditch Biden for more than a year and stressed the urgency of that advice in the current moment. “Now, we can no longer indulge [Biden’s] delusions.”
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“These are desperate times and they call for measures that are appropriate to the circumstances,” he added.
Smerconish then mentioned that if it weren’t for the debate, people like actor George Clooney, who called out Biden’s decline in a recent New York Times op-ed, would have kept acting as if Biden was fine.
Costas slammed that attitude, saying, “This has been so overwhelmingly obvious for so long. You don’t need a degree in public policy from Harvard to see it and to say it – if you’re willing to say it – anymore than you need a degree from MIT to say two plus two is four. And it makes you wonder whether we’ve been gaslit by the Democrats.”
“This had to have been obvious to people surrounding the president, people who observed the president,” he said, asking, “Wouldn’t it have been an act of patriotism, if that’s not too overblown a word in this case, to lay that out?”
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Five hospitalized after SUV plunges into highly acidic and hot vacation attraction
Five people were taken to the hospital after swerving their vehicle into an inactive geyser in Yellowstone National Park.
The group’s SUV went off the road in the Wyoming section of the famous park on Thursday between Mammoth Hot Springs and Norris Junction.
Out of control, the SUV plunged into the hot, acidic waters of the Semi-Centennial Geyser.
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Passengers managed to scramble out of the 9-foot deep waters, which hover around 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
They were taken to a nearby hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, according to a park spokesperson.
Recovery crews with the National Park Service arrived to the scene on Friday to pull the vehicle out of the geyser.
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The operation shut down traffic for several hours as crews used a large crane to pull the SUV out of the geyser’s waters.
President Ulysses S. Grant established Yellowstone National Park on March 1, 1872, by signing the Yellowstone Protection Act into law for “the benefit and enjoyment of the people.”
The federally operated park includes territory across three states — Wyoming (96%), Montana (3%) and Idaho (1%).
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Its geothermal features make it a world-famous destination for tourists interested in volcanic activity, geysers, natural hot springs, mud pots and more.
Geothermic water features harm more visitors to Yellowstone than any other aspect of its terrain.
Actor teases possible run for office in red state at governors meeting
Actor and author Matthew McConaughey teased a possible political run during the National Governor’s Association summer meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, Friday, where he weighed in broadly on the 2024 presidential race.
Participating in a discussion on the role of culture in polarization, McConaughey joked with governors about indulging in the Hollywood heavyweight’s tequila brand the night before, while also taking a more serious tone regarding the “entertainment” factor in American politics. He argued that the “extremes seem to be going further left and further right” and “decency doesn’t seem to be on the table.”
“I understand it’s hard to market and sell success in how people negotiate, because it’s not as fun, it’s not as sexy, it’s not as exciting as the car wreck. We’re a nation of rubberneckers,” McConaughey said. “I think right now we’re all caught up in short-term, short-money wins. And so we come to the table, we argue, we call each other names, and America sees a lot of us when we do that — This is entertainment. I’m in the entertainment business. Our leadership and our leaders don’t need to be in the entertainment business.”
“The extremes on the right and left, they have the microphone. It’s more entertaining,” he added.
McConaughey took the stage with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican and outgoing NGA chair, and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat and the newly elected chair of the association for 2024-2025.
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New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, joked that he was “told” that he and his wife enjoyed McConaughey’s tequila the night before, though “I can’t recall any of it,” garnering laughter from attendees before asking the actor whether elected office, which he considered before, was still on his “dance card.”
“Yes. I have thought about running for office, getting into this category,” McConaughey said. “I’m on a learning tour and have been for probably the last six years of understanding what this category means.”
“Do I have instincts, intellect that it would be a good fit for me and I would be a good fit for it. That would be useful. I’m still on that learning tour, and, you know, days like this. I’m learning a lot. Last night, I learned a lot. I learned a lot from you last night. Through those tequila, through that tequila, sir,” he told Murphy.
McConaughey, a Texas native, years ago mulled a run for governor of the Lone Star State, and was rumored to have also considered a potential presidential bid.
To Murphy’s second question about who his favorite director was, McConaughey answered Richard Linklater, who gave him his break-out role in the 1993 coming of age film Dazed and Confused.
“Alright, alright, alright,” McConaughey said, citing his famous line, evoking cheers from the crowd.
“The first three words I ever said on film. People go all the time, doesn’t it upset you? Aren’t you tired of being introduced with that? And I said, no. I know the author,” McConaughey added.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green encouraged McConaughey to run for office – and to not cede to pressure on choosing a certain party affiliation, whether it be Republican or Democrat.
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“Please don’t fall into the trap to think that you have to be just one thing, because I think you’re so, you know, warm and likable. A lot of Republicans who want you to be Republican, a lot of Democrats who want you to be a Democrat, just be you, because that might be something special for all of us,” Green said.
McConaughey argued that politicians, driven in part by attention on social media, are not engaging in “real competition” through thoughtful debate anymore, making the case that American leaders need to become “better marketers” and salespeople in demonstrating the return on investment into “hope and belief.”
“If I invalidate your position off the bat, that’s a lack of courage on my part. Right out of the gate, that’s not real confrontation,” he said, acknowledging that some of that comes with “party preservation.”
“I want to hear more vision from our leaders rather than just, ‘I want to do the opposite of what they want to do.’ Well, no,” McConaughey added. “How do you see the way forward? Instead of just saying, ‘no, all I know is I don’t want to do it that way or that’s the wrong way.’ We see it right now – It’s with two presidential candidates. Fear. Let’s admit fear’s easier to sell than hope. It’s more measurable.”
The actor admitted, though, that “good negotiation” is harder to sell.
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“The train wreck is front page bold print,” he said. “How can you sell belief, which I think is what we really need more of in our country right now is belief, whether it’s literal belief in the prime mover or God, or whether it’s belief more in ourselves and our neighbors in what America can be, we need more belief.”
“I mean, you’ve hit on so many important themes,” Cox responded. “I’m just trying to imagine a presidential candidate like this, talking about belief in something bigger than ourselves, in each other, in our neighbors, laying out a positive vision for the country… We just don’t see that anymore because fear doessell.”
Riley Gaines swims over a mile to shore with ‘most impressive Navy SEALs’
Maybe the Anglin brothers could have used Riley Gaines’ advice. (Or maybe not? We’ll never know.)
Gaines, the former NCAA swimmer who has since fought for fairness in women’s sports, posted on X that she “successfully swam Alcatraz” on Friday.
The infamous prison-turned-museum sits right in the bay in San Francisco, and is roughly a 1.25-mile swim to shore.
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“Successfully swam Alcatraz with a handful of the most impressive Navy Seals & combat veterans. It was such a fun (and cold) way to honor those who risk their lives for our great nation. God bless our troops!” she posted.
Gaines then sent an invitation to Keith Olbermann, with whom she’s had social media spats before, to try to accomplish the feat with her next time. “Although, I’m not sure the general public wants to see him in a Speedo.”
The prison opened in 1934, but it didn’t even last 30 years.
Considering its distance to shore, Alcatraz was categorized as practically escape-proof, although there were 14 documented attempted escapes.
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The most notorious one, though, was the June 11, 1962, escape by John and Clarence Anglin and Frank Morris, which also turned into a Hollywood movie, “Escape from Alcatraz.”
It remains a mystery whether the three reached shore and survived, but it was also the one deemed the most likely to have been successful, although the FBI concluded the escapees drowned due to harsh conditions.
The three prisoners chiseled an escape route from their own jail cells and built makeshift, paper-mache heads.
The final attempted escape from the prison, almost six months later, was the basis of what has now become the swimming route of the “Escape from Alcatraz” triathlon.
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Gaines hosts the “Gaines for Girls” podcast on OutKick, where she discusses what has occurred with transgender individuals participating in girls’ and women’s sports.
Dawn Staley passes on Caitlin Clark for his WNBA Rookie of the Year pick
The future of the WNBA is in good hands.
Caitlin Clark has lived up to the hype of being the No. 1 overall pick, but Angel Reese has been dominant.
While Clark received the most votes for the All-Star Game next week, Reese has a record streak of 15 consecutive double-doubles.
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Before the season, Clark was the overwhelming favorite to be the Rookie of the Year, but South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley says, at this moment, it belongs to Reese.
“They both are having great years. Don’t get me wrong,” Staley told TMZ Sports. “If I had to pick a Rookie of the Year at this time … today, it’s Angel. Not a doubt. What she’s been able to do with the double-doubles.
“But listen, the season is halfway through, and Caitlin is coming.”
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Clark has her own streak going. She recorded 20 points and 13 assists for her fifth-consecutive double-double, and she’s registered 13 assists in each of her last three games.
Reese is averaging 13.8 points and 11.8 rebounds per game on 41.1% from the floor, while Clark is posting 16.8 points, 7.8 assists and 5.9 boards on 40.3% shooting and 34% from 3-point range.
Reese is one of four players averaging a double-double, while her 11.8 boards per game lead the WNBA. Clark’s 7.8 assists per contest rank second. Clark and Reese rank first and second in points per game among rookies.
Staley later added that it may come down to their respective team’s success. Both teams would qualify for the playoffs. Clark’s Indiana Fever are seventh, and the Chicago Sky are eighth.
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It’s been quite a run for the Fever, though. Indiana has won seven of its last 11 contests after starting the season 3-10.
Both teams will play two more games before the extended Olympic break. The All-Star Game is scheduled for July 20.
Stunning report shows half of cancer deaths could have been prevented with simple changes
As many as 40% of cancer cases — and up to half of cancer-related deaths — could have been prevented.
That’s according to a new study from the American Cancer Society (ACS), which measured the impact of modifiable risk factors for 30 types of cancers among adults over age 30.
Some of those factors were cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, excess body weight, dietary choices, ultraviolet (UV) radiation and certain viral infections.
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The biggest contributing risk factor was cigarette smoking — which figured into 30% of cancer deaths and nearly 20% of cancer cases.
Excess body weight was the second most impactful, followed by UV radiation and physical activity.
The study findings were published on July 11 in the journal CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
To reach these conclusions, the researchers analyzed “nationally representative data on cancer incidence and mortality and risk factor prevalence to estimate the proportion and number of cancer cases and deaths attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors overall,” according to an ACS press release.
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“A large number of cancer cases and deaths in the United States are attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors, indicating the potential to substantially reduce the cancer burden through prevention,” said lead author Dr. Farhad Islami, senior scientific director, cancer disparity research at the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, in an email to Fox News Digital.
Ernest Hawk, M.D., head of cancer prevention and population sciences at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, was not involved in the ACS study but commented on the findings.
“It is great to see these messages re-confirmed and reinforced by the latest data and analyses, but I’m not seeing a lot that is new and novel,” Hawk told Fox News Digital via email.
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“Nevertheless, it is important and sobering to see the linkage between modifiable risk factors, cancer incidence and cancer mortality.”
What needs to change?
These findings highlight the need for a greater emphasis on prevention and early detection of cancer, according to Hawk.
“Treatment is always necessary and critically important for those who need it, but we should place a greater priority on personal and societal actions to reduce risks and prevent cancer as our first approach,” he told Fox News Digital.
“A large number of cancer cases and deaths in the United States are attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors.”
“If we do that by taking these issues more seriously, we concomitantly promote health and wellness far more broadly.”
Islami recommended a combination of individual behavioral choices and wider efforts from public, private and community organizations at local, state and national levels.
“This requires multicomponent interventions at multiple levels to increase equitable access to preventive health care and awareness about preventive measures, and widespread implementation of known preventive measures,” he told Fox News Digital.
5 ways to reduce cancer risk
Based on the report findings, here are some of the lifestyle behaviors people should adopt to help reduce their chances of developing cancer, according to experts.
1. Stop smoking
Tobacco exposure is the highest risk factor, responsible for about 55% of cancers in men and 40% of cancers in women.
“The great news is that we have very effective ways to help smokers break their addictions to nicotine,” Hawk told Fox News Digital.
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The doctor also called for society to “drastically reduce” the opportunity for youth to develop nicotine addictions through ready access to vapes, flavored vapes and nicotine pouches.
“Many such products are technically illegal to sell, yet all too readily available in the marketplace,” he warned.
2. Maintain a healthy body weight
Many people don’t realize there is a correlation between being overweight and getting cancer — “so it is always worth reminding folks of that association,” said Hawk.
“It’s also very exciting that we have a host of new treatments — GLP-1 agonists and associated new compounds that influence other related pathways — that can help patients to achieve and maintain weight reductions,” he continued.
“We still don’t know for sure that the new drugs will reduce cancer risks, but emerging animal and human observational data is suggesting that may be the case, which would be most impactful.”
For best results, these therapies can be combined with the longstanding approaches of limiting dietary intake, eating healthy foods and maintaining active lifestyles, according to Hawk.
3. Make healthier food choices
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, emphasized the importance of a healthy diet in mitigating cancer risk.
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“A diet rich in antioxidants, including berries, nuts, fruit, vegetables, olives and unsaturated fats (Mediterranean diet) has been shown to decrease the risk of many cancers,” he told Fox News Digital.
“On top of that, ultra-processed foods have been shown to increase risks of many cancers, especially gastrointestinal and breast.”
4. Eliminate alcohol intake
“The association between alcohol use and cancer is compelling, but is vastly underappreciated by the public and many health care providers,” Hawk noted.
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“Our hope is to see a greater awareness and stronger institutional commitment to actions that align with cancer organizations’ primary mission of reducing cancer cases, cancer deaths, and the cancer risks associated with alcohol.”
5. Get the recommended screenings
Cancer screenings offer additional opportunities for cancer prevention, as well as early detection and treatment — “which often permit treatments to be less toxic, easier to deliver and more effective,” Hawk said.
“New approaches to early cancer detection are on the horizon, such as multi-cancer detection tests that may help us identify more cancers in asymptomatic people, and possibly at a more treatable/curable stage,” he continued.
“This is yet to be proven, but another promising avenue to reducing the burden of cancer in our population.”
These are only a few of the modifiable risk factors. In addition to these five key practices, the experts also recommend exercising regularly, getting the recommended amount of sleep and managing stress levels to help prevent cancer and reduce recurrence.
Fox News Digital reached out to the ACS requesting comment.
Vigil for Vikings draft pick Khyree Jackson marred by fatal shooting
A candlelight vigil for former Minnesota Vikings defensive back Khyree Jackson ended in more tragedy.
Friday’s vigil was held in Jackson’s home state of Maryland as friends, family and members of the community gathered to remember the 24-year-old and two others who died in a car crash on July 6.
The shooting happened around 10:00 p.m. at Jackson’s former high school in Upper Marlboro, according to Prince Georges County Police Department.
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FOX 5 DC reported that the shooting started in the parking lot near the front of the school. One person was reportedly hit in the leg, while the other individual was possibly struck in the chest.
Police found a man and a woman suffering from apparent gunshot wounds when they arrived at the high school. Both were transported to a nearby hospital.
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The woman was listed in stable condition. Authorities later confirmed that the male victim was pronounced dead.
The Vikings selected Jackson in the fourth round of the NFL Draft less than three months ago. The team extended condolences to Jackson’s loved ones shortly after learning of the fatal vehicle crash.
“Our thoughts are with Khyree’s family, friends, teammates and coaches, as well as all the victims of this tragic accident,” the NFL franchise’s verified account shared to X.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell added that the news of Jackson’s death left him “heartbroken.”
Jackson and his former Wise High School football teammates, Isaiah Hazel and Anthony Lytton Jr. died in a car accident. Hazel was 23, while Lytton was 24.
Hazel was driving a Dodge Charger at the time of the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police also found Jackson dead at the crash site.
Lytton was taken to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
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Jackson, Hazel, and Lytton were all members of Wise’s state high school championship team in 2016.
Police have yet to arrest any suspects.
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