New book blows the lid off what Biden’s team quietly debated behind closed doors
A new book revealed that former President Joe Biden‘s team chose not to have the president take a cognitive test in February 2024, over concerns that taking the test itself would raise more questions about his age, The New York Times reported Sunday.
Authors Tyler Pager, a reporter for The New York Times, Josh Dawsey, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and Isaac Arnsdorf, a reporter for the Washington Post, wrote the book, titled, “2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America,” which is set to be released in July.
The book, one of several about the tumultuous 2024 presidential election, details that Biden’s top aides debated having him complete a cognitive test to quell concerns about his age. The aides were reportedly confident Biden would pass the test.
“At the same time, Mr. Biden’s longtime doctor, Kevin O’Connor, had told aides he would not take the 81-year-old president’s political standing into consideration when treating him,” the Times reported, citing the book.
FORMER CNN ANALYST SAYS MEDIA TURNED BLIND EYE TO BIDEN’S ALLEGED DECLINE BECAUSE MOST ‘VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS’
The debate over whether the president should take the test occurred in February 2024, several months before the June debate against President Donald Trump, and just a couple of weeks before Biden’s White House physical exam, the Times reported.
It was the same month that Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report about the former president’s mishandling of classified documents was released. The special counsel described Biden as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
The NYT report also described a conversation from the new book between former Biden chief of staff Ron Klain and former Obama aide and frequent CNN guest, David Axelrod. Klain, according to NYT, called Axelrod following a Times report from June 2022 that quoted Axelrod saying, “The stark reality is the president would be closer to 90 than 80 at the end of a second term, and that would be a major issue.”
“That comment prompted an angry call to Mr. Axelrod from Ron Klain, then Mr. Biden’s chief of staff, according to the book. Mr. Klain wanted to know why Mr. Axelrod was fueling doubts about a Democratic president who was on track to begin a re-election campaign,” the NYT reported.
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“There’s no Obama out there, Axe,” Klain said during the call, according to the Times. “Who’s going to do it if he doesn’t do it?”
Another new book about the 2024 campaign revealed that Klain said Biden was “fatigued, befuddled and disengaged” before his debate with Trump in June. Klain helped Biden prepare for the debate after exiting his White House role.
“At his first meeting with Biden in Aspen Lodge, the president’s cabin,” author Chris Whipple wrote, Klain “was startled. He’d never seen him so exhausted and out of it. Biden was unaware of what was happening in his own campaign. Halfway through the session, the president excused himself and went off to sit by the pool.”
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Whipple’s book, “Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History,” was released in April.
A representative for Biden did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Dave Portnoy goes scorched earth after antisemitic sign appears at Barstool bar
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy said he will send the two men behind the “f— the Jews” sign at one of his company’s bars in Philadelphia to Auschwitz after the antisemitic incident.
Portnoy made the announcement in a video after he went scorched earth on everyone involved in it. Bottle services girls brought out a “f— the Jews sign” to a group of men and women as music blared in the background. The incident was revealed on social media on Sunday.
The sports media personality initially said he was on a “mission to ruing these people.” But it appeared cooler heads prevailed.
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“These are young f—ing morons who did this. They’re drunk. Do you really want to ruin somebody’s life?” he said. “And let me be honest, I don’t know what’s going on in the world … I’ve been doing Barstool for 20 years, I’ve had more hate, more antisemitism in the last year, year and a half, than I’ve ever had doing it,” he said.
“And I’m not talking politics or what’s going on in the Middle East – just hating groups of people. You hate my parents, you hate my grandparents – s— like that, it’s crazy. So, yeah, my initial reaction was I’m going to burn these people to the ground, their families, everything. And it’s like, you know what? Maybe that’s not the best course of action. Maybe I can use this as a teaching moment.”
Portnoy said he will try to turn a “hideous incident” into a learning moment.
HARVARD PRESIDENT APOLOGIZES FOR FAILURE TO ADDRESS ANTISEMITISM, ISLAMOPHOBIA AFTER NEW REPORTS RELEASED
HARVARD PRESIDENT APOLOGIZES FOR FAILURE TO ADDRESS ANTISEMITISM, ISLAMOPHOBIA AFTER NEW REPORTS RELEASED
“I talked to both the culprits who I know are super involved in it, talked to the families. I’m sending these kids to Auschwitz. They’ve agreed to go. That’s, of course the Holocaust concentration camps. Been in touch with (New England Patriots team owner Robert Kraft) who run the anti-hate group.
“We’re gonna send these kids to Auschwitz. They’re gonna do a tour of the concentration camps (in Poland). Hopefully learn something. Maybe their lives aren’t ruined and they think twice and more importantly other people see it’s not just words you’re throwing around. To me, that’s a fair outcome of this event.”
WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO
Portnoy said two other waitresses involved in the incident were fired.
Nazi Germany operated the Auschwitz facility in Poland which house more than three dozen concentration camps. At least 1.1 million Jews died at the camp.
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Antisemitism has been on the rise since the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorists attacks by Hamas on Jewish people in Israel.
The Anti-Defamation League said last month that the number of incidents in the U.S. reached a record high last year, with more than half of the 9,354 incidents being related to Israel.
Bill Belichick reportedly exploring major move following awkward TV interview
Bill Belichick is reportedly exploring the possibility of making a major move within his camp, a week after major scrutiny over his interview with CBS.
The North Carolina Tar Heels football coach has been in talks with at least one public relations expert with hopes of increasing interest in his book and the program in general for several months, sources told Pro Football Talk on Sunday.
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Belichick had been under the spotlight since the interview aired last weekend. It was supposed to be an easy interview about his book and the people he mentioned or didn’t mention, including his 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson, who was described as Belichick’s “creative muse.”
A simple question about how Belichick had met Hudson was lobbed toward the legendary NFL coach. Hudson intercepted it and shut it down. The moment immediately sparked a wide-range of scrutiny.
Everyone from a relationship expert to “Saturday Night Live” spoofs weighed in on the incident.
Belichick broke his silence on the debacle Wednesday, defending his girlfriend and accusing CBS of creating a “false narrative” with “selectively edited” clips.
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“Unfortunately, that expectation was not honored during the interview. I was surprised when unrelated topics were introduced, and I repeatedly expressed to the reporter, Tony Dokoupil, and the producers that I preferred to keep the conversation centered on the book,” the coach said.
“After this occurred several times, Jordon, with whom I share both a personal and professional relationship, stepped in to reiterate that point to help focus the discussion. She was not deflecting any specific question or topic but simply doing her job to ensure the interview stayed on track. Some of the clips make it appear as though we were avoiding the question of how we met, but we have been open about the fact that Jordon and I met on a flight to Palm Beach in 2021.
“The final eight-minute segment does not reflect the productive 35-minute conversation we had, which covered a wide range of topics related to my career. Instead, it presents selectively edited clips and stills from just a few minutes of the interview to suggest a false narrative — that Jordon was attempting to control the conversation — which is simply not true.”
CBS later responded with a statement of its own.
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“When we agreed to speak with Mr. Belichick, it was for a wide-ranging interview,” the company said. “There were no preconditions or limitations to this conversation. This was confirmed repeatedly with his publisher before the interview took place and after it was completed.”
Trans runner pushes girls aside — latest flashpoint in Trump’s fight to save women’s sports
A girls’ track meet in Maine became the subject of widespread controversy after a trans athlete dominated multiple running events. The incident took place as the state faces internal and federal pressure to keep trans athletes out of girls’ sports, and a lawsuit over the issue from President Donald Trump’s administration.
A trans-identifying athlete who competed for North Yarmouth Academy in Yarmouth, Maine, won the girls’ 800-meter and 1600-meter events. In October 2023, Fox News Digital reported that this athlete was transgender. Fox News Digital has reached out to North Yarmouth Academy for comment.
The athlete has been making national headlines in Maine dating back to that month after jumping to 4th place in the 5k division in the girls’ category after previously finishing 172nd among boys. The athlete again made national headlines for competing in Nordic skiing and taking a podium spot in Maine’s High School State Nordic Skiing Championships this past February.
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On Friday at the POLAND-NYA-YARMOUTH-SEACOAST meet, the athlete won the 1600-meter with a time of 5:57.27, blowing away the second-place runner who finished with a time of 6:16.32. In the 800m, the trans athlete etched out a closer first-place finish with a time of 2:43.31, just around a second better than the second-place finisher with a time of 2:44.87.
Local high school sports photographer David Young, owner of Maine Running Photography, was there to shoot the meet.
“He blew away all the girls in that particular race [the 1600m], there wasn’t anybody near him, easily won it.” Young told Fox News Digital. “In the 800m, it was a one-second difference, the girl tried very hard to catch him.”
Young added that there had been multiple spectators at the meet to cheer the trans athlete on, but no audible protests.
“There were a few people there who yelled out his name, he’s pretty well known,” Young said.
Young said his 2023 photos of the athlete went so viral on Facebook, and prompted so much backlash, that he ended up removing those photos because of the overwhelming response.
“It was getting too nasty,” Young said.
“Not only was I getting it from the people who were for transgenders, I was getting it from people who were anti-transgenders. And I didn’t know what to do, and somebody finally said, ‘Well, if you just remove the photo, the debate will go away.’ So, I removed the photo, and the debate went away.”
However, Young said he plans to post his most recent photos of the athlete on his Facebook page anyway, even after what happened last time.
Many of Young’s past photos of the athlete have gone viral on social media in the aftermath of the athlete’s latest victory. Maine residents, politicians and even national pundits have posted media including the athlete and prompted national debate and awareness for the meet as Maine faces an ongoing internal and federal conflict over the issue.
“Today a biological male won the 800 & 1600 in the girls division at a Maine track meet. Every girl who placed 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and further in those races was pushed aside so a boy could ‘win.’ This is NOT fair. Our girls deserve a fair, safe, and level playing field,” State representative Laurel Libby wrote on X.
Libby previously made a Facebook post that identified a different trans athlete who won a girls’ pole-vaulting competition. Libby was censured for the post by the legislature’s Democrat majority and is currently involved in a lawsuit over the issue.
California conservative activist Beth Bourne drew widespread national attention to the issue by posting footage of the competition on X.
The women’s activist athletics wear brand XX-XY Athletics even turned footage of the competition into an ad.
One of the Maine female athletes who had to compete against the trans athlete in Nordic skiing previously told Fox News Digital about the sense of defeat that came with losing to the athlete.
MAINE GIRL INVOLVED IN TRANS ATHLETE BATTLE REVEALS HOW STATE’S POLICIES HURT HER CHILDHOOD AND SPORTS CAREER
“The defeat that comes with that in that moment is heartbreaking,” Carlisle said. “I’m just in shock in a way. I didn’t believe it. . . . I didn’t think it was happening to me.”
The U.S. Department of Justice announced a lawsuit against the state of Maine for its continued defiance of Trump’s executive order to keep biological males out of girls and women’s sports and alleged violations of Title IX. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the lawsuit at a press conference April 16.
Bondi said she was seeking an injunction and to have titles returned to the girls who “rightfully” won competitions in which trans athletes participated.
The Department of Justice accused the state of “openly and defiantly flouting federal anti-discrimination law by enforcing policies that require girls to compete against boys in athletic competitions designated exclusively for girls,” according to a complaint obtained by Fox News.
Meanwhile, Governor Janet Mills, the Maine Department of Education and the Maine Principal’s Association has held firmly in support of continuing to enable trans inclusion in girls’ sports across the state, citing the Maine Human Rights Act as the precedent for determining gender eligibility.
“I’m happy to go to court and litigate the issues that are being raised in this court complaint,” Mills told reporters in April.
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A survey by the American Parents Coalition found that out of about 600 registered Maine voters, 63% said that school sports participation should be based on biological sex, and 66% agreed it is “only fair to restrict women’s sports to biological women.”
The poll also found that 60% of residents would support a ballot measure limiting participation in women’s and girls’ sports to biological females. This included 64% of independents and 66% of parents with kids under age 18.
Liberal reporter reads the stats — president reminds her it’s what he promised all along
President Donald Trump posed a question to NBC host Kristen Welker during a lengthy interview on Sunday, and asked the “Meet the Press” moderator if it sounded good to report that the border is the “most secure it’s ever been” after being abused during the Biden administration.
Welker noted that border crossings were at record lows and asked the president if he felt the border was “secure.” Trump said, “it’s really secure,” before asking Welker the question.
“When you say that, doesn’t it just sound good? After being abused for years by an incompetent president that allowed people to pour through an open border, criminals from all over the world, murderers, insane people from mental institutions and insane asylums… isn’t it a beautiful thing when you say it’s the most secure it’s ever been in the history of our country? Isn’t that a nice statement?” Trump asked during the interview.
TRUMP REPORTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ENCOUNTERS AT HISTORIC LOWS DURING FIRST FULL MONTH IN OFFICE
Welker then pivoted to another question about Trump’s emergency declaration over the border crisis and when he planned to lift the order.
“The border now is not the emergency,” he told Welker when she asked whether he would lift that determination. “The border is, it’s all part of the same thing though. The big emergency right now is that we have thousands of people that we want to take out, and we have some judges that want everybody to go to court.”
Trump said he had no plans to lift the emergency order.
The president also shot down rumors that he’s planning to seek a third term during the interview.
“It’s something that, to the best of my knowledge, you’re not allowed to do. I don’t know if that’s constitutional,” he said. “But this is not something I’m looking to do.”
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The White House celebrated the president’s first 100 days in office by highlighting its efforts to combat illegal immigration on Monday.
Border czar Tom Homan joined White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at an early morning briefing, Monday, where the pair touted massive decreases in border crossings as well as new executive orders aimed at deportations and further border enforcement.
The Trump administration said in early April that it had already deported 100,000 illegal immigrants, though officials did not offer a new total at Monday’s briefing.
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Paula Abdul jokes about past with fellow ‘American Idol’ judge Simon Cowell
Paula Abdul’s “American Idol” days are still very much with her.
During an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, the 62-year-old singer, dancer and choreographer opened up about the challenges she had to overcome, being the only female judge on the singing competition show alongside Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson from 2002 to 2009.
“Being the only woman on the panel, I had to overcome the guy on the left of me. Starts with a ‘S’ and ends with ‘imon’ and the left side of my brain is permanently damaged with a British accent,” Abdul, who often had playful onscreen tiffs with Cowell, said during the Dance and Dialogue “Celebrate LA!” Event on April 30. “But no big deal because at least I had Randy to the right of me.”
As far as how the newest “Idol” judge, Carrie Underwood, is doing, Abdul had nothing but positive feedback.
PAULA ABDUL ON KATY PERRY’S REPORTED $25M ‘AMERICAN IDOL’ PAYDAY: ‘GOOD FOR HER’
“Carrie has an unbelievable advantage, having come from her humble beginning of being on the show,” she said. “She was such a magnificent artist, as a contestant, and she’s gone on to have the most stellar career. She comes back, and she’s giving back as well. She’s doing a great job.”
When Underwood was a contestant on “American Idol’s” fourth season in 2005, Cowell shared a bold prediction about the Muskogee, Oklahoma, native’s future.
CARRIE UNDERWOOD’S JOURNEY TO TRUMP INAUGURATION FROM ‘AMERICAN IDOL’ CHAMP
“Carrie, you’re not just the girl to beat. You’re the person to beat,” he said after the aspiring country singer performed rock band Heart’s hit “Alone.”
“I will make a prediction. Not only will you win this show, you will sell more records than any other previous Idol winner.”
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Underwood revealed she would be returning to “American Idol” in a video she shared in August 2024.
“I went from nobody knowing my name to tens of millions of people watching the show,” she said. “I’m proud of everything I was able to accomplish on the show, and I’m so proud of everything I’ve accomplished since.”
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White House drops a new clue about the future of Ukraine-Russia peace talks
The U.S. could withdraw from peace talks with Ukraine and Russia if the two sides can’t make progress toward ending their three-year war, President Donald Trump said.
Trump made the comments during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday, telling host Kristen Welker that there is “tremendous hatred” between Ukraine and Russia.
The president says he remains hopeful a peace deal is possible, but confirmed that the U.S. would not remain a mediator indefinitely.
“I do believe we’re closer with one party. And maybe not as close with the other, but we’ll have to see,” Trump said. “Five thousand soldiers a week on average, are dying. They’re not American soldiers. But I want to solve the problem.”
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“How long do you give both countries before you’re going to walk away?” Welker asked.
“Well, there will be a time when I will say, okay, keep going, keep being stupid,” Trump replied.
“Maybe it’s not possible to do,” he added. “There’s tremendous hatred. Just so you understand, Kristen, we’re talking tremendous hatred between these two men and between, you know, some of the soldiers, frankly, between the generals, they’ve been fighting hard for three years. I think we have a very good chance of doing it.”
The interview comes just days after Trump blasted Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioning whether his Russian counterpart has any interest in peace.
TRUMP INSISTS UKRAINE-RUSSIA PEACE DEAL IS CLOSE, BUT MISTRUST IN PUTIN LEAVES EXPERTS SKEPTICAL
Trump spoke up on social media last week after Russian forces launched missiles into Ukrainian cities.
“There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days,” Trump wrote. “It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also appeared to temper expectations for a major peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia last week.
Rubio argued it was “silly” to put a specific date or timeline on when the U.S. might pull out from mediation, but he said this will be “a very critical week.”
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Days later, the White House signed a rare earth minerals agreement with Ukraine, a months-long priority for Trump.
Former University of Texas star’s agent slams NFL over quarterback’s draft slide
Quinn Ewers took a chance on going to the NFL instead of transferring from the Texas Longhorns to further his college football career.
Ewers saw himself slide from a mid-draft projection to the final round last week. The Miami Dolphins selected Ewers in the seventh round. He will likely have to vie with Zach Wilson for the backup quarterback job.
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The former Texas star and his agent Ron Slavin opened up to ESPN for a story about his draft slide. Slavin revealed their mindset as the hours and minutes ticked away during the draft. He said he thought Ewers could have had a good chance to land with the Las Vegas Raiders or Seattle Seahawks on Day 2. But the so-called “nightmare” scenario occurred when The Raiders passed on the quarterback for two FCS guys, a division lower than the top in college football.
Slavin said he had spoken with two teams before the seventh round started – the Dolphins and the Dallas Cowboys. That’s when Miami finally took him. Slavin told ESPN he had reached out of about “half the league” to see why his client fell from a fourth-round projected all the way to round seven.
“They thought he was a third- or fourth-round pick, but too big of a name to be a clipboard holder,” he said. “Which I think is chickens—“
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Ewers said he will use the draft slight as fuel.
“It’s definitely a lot of motivation that comes with it, especially just being the last (quarterback) drafted,” Ewers said. “I still have the high expectations for myself, but just from the outside looking in, this is the first time in my life to not have that much expectation. There’s definitely motivation and fuel. A lot of it.”
Ewers was one of the top quarterbacks in high school when he initially committed to Ohio State. He transferred to Texas before the 2022 season and spent the rest of his career there.
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He had 3,472 passing yards and 31 touchdown passes in 2024. The Longhorns made it to the College Football Playoff, only to be eliminated by Ohio State in the semifinals.
Ancient deity unearthed beneath church — the face they weren’t expecting to see
Excavators working at an ancient Catholic church in Italy recently found an even older religious symbol: the head of an ancient deity.
The Appian Way Regional Park announced the find on Facebook. The park, located in Rome, said that it recently bid farewell to “the beautiful stone head.”
The head was found during the excavation of the Basilica of St. Stephen on Caelian Hill, which was built in the fifth century A.D.
HISTORIC MARYLAND CHURCH OPENS DOORS TO VISITORS 320 YEARS AFTER CLOSING DOWN
“[It was] recently discovered in the archaeological area of the Tombs of Via Latina, as it departs for [the city of] Matera,” the park’s April 10 statement read.
“There, the Central Institute for Restoration (ICR) in Matera, with the involvement of students from the School of Advanced Training for Restoration – ICR, will handle the documentation, study of execution techniques, and diagnostics of the artifact.”
Pictures show the statue sporting a head of curly hair, though it clearly deteriorated and lost its features in the centuries since.
The bearded male figure depicted in the statue head was “likely a deity,” according to experts.
LONG-LOST CAPITAL OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATION MAY HAVE FINALLY BEEN UNCOVERED, ARCHAEOLOGISTS SAY: ‘UNIQUE FIND’
It was discovered in the foundation of the church.
“As a result, the face is covered with significant layers of mortar that prevent a complete reading,” the park said.
The Appian Way Regional Park added that its collaboration with the ICR is aimed at “promoting shared methodological standards and innovative scientific protocols in the fields of archaeology and restoration.”
“It includes an initial study phase at the ICR headquarters in Matera and a second phase at the restoration laboratories in Rome, where the restoration intervention will be completed,” the park concluded.
“The research results will contribute not only to the specific knowledge of the artifact but also to the enrichment of the historical-artistic framework of the Appia Antica territory in the late antique period, providing new elements for understanding the cultural and settlement dynamics of the era.”
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Objects from ancient Rome, including statues, often come up during archaeological digs.
Last year, construction workers found an “exceptionally preserved” ancient Roman marble statue in Bulgaria.
Other ancient statues have also been found in recent months.
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In January, a 2,000-year-old marble statue was found in a garbage bag near the Greek city of Thessaloniki.