Liberal publication’s ‘befuddled old man’ Biden cover stuns the internet
Liberal magazine The Economist stunned social media users on July 4th with an eye-popping new cover story that slammed President Biden over his age and fitness for office.
Most notably, the cover story featured an image of an elderly person’s walker with a presidential seal on it next to the words: “No way to run a country.”
“Oh my, The Economist goes for the jugular,” BBC journalist Julia Macfarlane posted to X on Thursday.
BIDEN RESISTS MOUNTING PRESSURE TO STEP ASIDE
Shared on X, the outlet’s new cover gained significant attention on the platform, getting over 1 million views in just a few hours. In addition to the provocative cover image, The Economist’s corresponding piece — a column from the editorial board — took Biden to task for his debate performance, stating it proved he is “unfit” to be president.
The board began by stating, “It was agony to watch a befuddled old man struggling to recall words and facts. His inability to land an argument against a weak opponent was dispiriting. But the operation by his campaign to deny what tens of millions of Americans saw with their own eyes is more toxic than either, because its dishonesty provokes contempt.”
It continued, “Democrats argue, rightly, that Mr Trump is unfit to be president. But the debate and its aftermath have proved Mr Biden unfit, too. First, because of his mental decline. Mr Biden can still appear dynamic during short, scripted appearances. But you cannot run a superpower by autocue. And you cannot put an international crisis on hold because the president is having a bad night.”
“Should someone who cannot finish a sentence about Medicare be trusted with the nuclear codes?” the outlet also asked.
The editorial followed several others published by The New York Times, The Boston Globe and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution urging Biden to drop his re-election bid following the CNN Presidential Debate against former President Trump on June 27.
VAN JONES SAYS DEMOCRATS NOW PLANNING ON ‘HOW’ TO REPLACE BIDEN WITH HARRIS
Economist and podcaster Kip Herriage posted, “The Economist is a 100% Globalist, State-run publication. When the Economist turns on one of their own, it’s OVER.”
Libs of TikTok’s X account posted, “Cover of The Economist. Holy cr*p.”
In another post, the conservative influencer slammed The Economist for posting the piece after pushing Biden for years: “The Economist was part of the coverup. Biden was a dottering old senile grandpa for years. They’re pretending to be shocked by it and by the coverup now. They knew all along and were complicit in the coverup.”
Popular conservative account “End Wokeness” remarked that the outlet was a bit delayed in this realization.
“The Economist wakes up 4+ years late,” the account wrote.
Pro-Trump digital strategist Alex Bruesewitz remarked, “Cover of the Economist. Wow everyone is turning on crooked Joe!”
Time editor-at-large Ian Bremmer riffed on the outlet’s cover, posting, “assisted democracy, from the economist.”
The Babylon Bee’s Seth Dillon asked, “Was The Economist reporting on Biden’s condition before the debate, when it was every bit as obvious as it is now?”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
UK exit polls point to historic win for left-leaning party, new leader set to become PM
An exit poll in the U.K.’s general election suggests it will be a landslide victory for the opposition Labour Party after nearly a decade and a half of Conservative rule.
The poll, released moments after polls closed on Thursday, indicated that Labour leader Keir Starmer will be the country’s next prime minister.
“Today, Britain’s future is on the ballot,” Starmer wrote in an X post prior to the election.
NIGEL FARAGE’S RETURN TO POLITICS CAUSES WRINKLE IN BRITISH ELECTION: WHY HAS HE PROVEN SO SUCCESSFUL?
If Starmer wins the general election, it will be the Labour Party’s first win since 2005.
Labour pledged to get the U.K.’s sluggish economy growing, invest in infrastructure and make Britain a “clean energy superpower.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Rishi Sunak has served as prime minister of the U.K. and leader of the Conservative Party since 2022.
List of the 10 most patriotic states is out — did yours make it?
July 4th is among the patriotic annual U.S. holidays when Americans across the country celebrate the nation’s independence.
Patriotism is defined as “the quality of being patriotic; devotion to and vigorous support for one’s country” by the Oxford Dictionary — and this year the day is sure to be celebrated no differently.
WalletHub analyzed all 50 states to see which were the most patriotic based on a number of factors.
3 GREAT AMERICAN CITIES FOR HISTORY BUFFS AND PATRIOTIC TRAVELERS THIS SUMMER
States were ranked based on military engagement, such as the number of veterans per 1,000 civilian adults, active-duty military personnel and more.
They were also ranked on civic engagement, such as volunteer rate, trial and grand jury participation, U.S. history education requirements, plus the number of adults who voted in the 2020 presidential election.
Analyst Cassandra Happe of WalletHub, which is headquartered in Miami, Florida, said these factors weighed heavily on the patriotism rankings for the states.
“The most patriotic states have a lot of residents who serve or have served in the armed forces, high voter turnouts during elections and a high share of the population volunteering with national and local organizations,” she said in a media statement.
MIKE ROWE, WELL-KNOWN STORYTELLER, ANNOUNCES ‘SOMETHING TO STAND FOR,’ NEW FILM CELEBRATING AMERICA
She continued, “Patriotism also isn’t concentrated in any one particular area. The top states are located in vastly different geographic regions.”
See if your home state ranked near the top of the list.
Counting down: The 10 most patriotic U.S. states
10. Hawaii
9. Maryland
8. Washington
7. New Hampshire
6. Colorado
5. Oregon
4. Maine
3. Montana
2. Alaska
1. Virginia
Virginia, with its proximity to Washington, D.C., was named the most patriotic U.S. state, according to WalletHub, for its high number of active-duty military personnel and veterans in the area, plus other factors.
VETERANS HIKE 100 MILES FROM MAINE TO MASSACHUSETTS TO RAISE PTSD AWARENESS: ‘CHANGED MY LIFE’
WalletHub noted that 71.5% of Virginia’s residents voted in the 2020 presidential election compared to the national average of 67%, which also contributed to the state’s high ranking.
“For every 100,000 civilians in Virginia, there are nearly 1,900 active-duty military personnel, the third-most in the country,” said WalletHub in its report.
In Virginia, 71.5% of residents voted in the 2020 presidential election compared to the national average of 67%.
“And for every 1,000 civilians, there are around 107 veterans, the second-most in the country.”
It also said, “To top things off, Virginia has the seventh-highest number of Peace Corps volunteers per capita, and it is one of the many states that require courses in U.S. history or civics for high school graduation.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
Alaska ranked second and Montana ranked third.
Alaska showed high numbers of jury service participation, while Montana showed a large volunteer rate among the public.
States near the bottom of the list included Florida, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York and Arkansas — which came in last place.
WalletHub also found that the average number of military enlistees was the highest in Georgia and the lowest in North Dakota.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The highest veterans per capita resided in Alaska — while the lowest numbers resided in New Jersey, per WalletHub.
New Jersey, however, was listed as the state with the highest share of adults who voted in the 2020 presidential election.
The WalletHub study also found that blue states tend to be more patriotic, with an average rank of 23.44 compared to red states’ average rank of 27.56.
Data used in the study was collected in May 2024 from the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and others.
White House touts cheaper prices at the pump this year — but there’s just ‘one’ problem
The White House boasted a one-cent decrease in the nation’s year-over-year gas prices on Thursday, the “lowest holiday price” since the previous Fourth of July.
“‘July 4th gas prices expected to hit lowest level in 3 years,'” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a post on X.
The projection comes from a GasBuddy estimate this week which claimed the $3.49 average cost for gas this Independence Day represents over a $1.30 decline compared to 2022.
DRIVING ON THE FOURTH OF JULY? WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO PAY FOR GAS
“For those hitting the road to celebrate Independence Day, gas prices have seen modest recent fluctuations, but most states are seeing prices near or even well below where they were a year ago,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said in a news release. “While the first half of the summer has been relatively smooth sailing, the road ahead may be bumpy. Activity in the tropics has increased, and projections remain for a very busy hurricane season. Even after the holiday fireworks are over, we’ll be watching for any potential fireworks at the pump that could be brought on by hurricanes disrupting refineries.”
GasBuddy’s projection comes just a few weeks after the American Farm Bureau (AFB) said a 10-person Independence Day cookout price would average $71.22 this year, up 5% compared to last year and almost 30% higher than five years ago.
BEST CITIES IN THE US TO CELEBRATE THE 4TH OF JULY
“Higher prices at the grocery store reflect a number of challenges facing America’s families. Lower availability of some cookout staples and inflation are hitting people in their wallets,” AFB chief economist Roger Cryan said. “Farmers are also feeling the effects of high prices. They’re price takers, not price makers. Their share of the retail food dollar is just 15%, but they still pay elevated fuel, fertilizer and other supply prices.”
The bureau’s annual marketbasket survey shows a double-digit increase in the cost of beef and lemonade compared to last year, while chicken breasts and potato salad saw a slight decrease.
HOW IT STARTED… HOW IT’S GOING: JULY 4 BBQ COSTS FLARE UP UNDER BIDEN
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for additional comment.
Comedian Tony Knight dead at 54 following ‘terrible accident’ at festival
Comedian Tony Knight has died following a “terrible accident.”
Knight was “tragically killed” in June while attending the Rock’&’Cars Festival in Lavaur, France, a family member told Fox News Digital.
“He was only 54 and having the time of his life,” they shared. “He was fit, healthy, happy and had everything going for him. He was charismatic, funny, passionate and so very loved by [his partner] Hayley, his family and his friends all over the world.”
HOLLYWOOD STARS WHO DIED IN 2024: PHOTOS
According to French media reports, a large tree branch fell on top of Knight and several other individuals at the festival, although he was the only one not to survive.
A GoFundMe page was established by Joanne Allen, the sister of Knight’s longtime partner, Hayley Wright.
“Hayley is now living her worst nightmare and facing life without Tony, her soulmate,” Allen writes.
“She is in Bouillac having to deal with the difficulties of Tony being an Englishman with Australian residency living in France, arranging a funeral, covering hospital expenses, meeting police detectives, doctors and the mayor, visiting the accident site and sorting Tony’s estate, all while experiencing a crushing amount of grief and disbelief in a foreign country.”
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
In addition to being a comedian, Knight was known for his work with dogs as a “Dog Listener.”
His website describes Knight as having “helped thousands of dog owners all over the world solve problem dog behavior with simple techniques that use no force, pain, domination, drugs or gadgets.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Through that work, Knight appeared on several television and radio shows. According to the GoFundMe, his comedy set, ‘Mad Dogs and an Englishman,’ was performed in Australia and overseas. He was about to do a string of shows in the U.K.
NFL star’s wife forced to hit back at wedding decision after marrying him
Olivia Culpo once again found herself being forced to defend the decisions she made for her wedding to San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey late last month.
Culpo, who was already criticized for having “pick-me girl vibes” by social media influencers, faced similar criticism from another influencer. Jessica Weslie Arena said in a TikTok video on Tuesday she got “pick-me vibes” after reading Culpo’s interview with Vogue and discussing what kind of makeup she was wearing.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Culpo wasn’t wearing mascara, lip liner or eyebrow makeup, Vogue reported.
“I never felt more beautiful than when I was in my ceremony dress and under my veil – I really wanted the simplicity of each component to harmonize perfectly,” she told the magazine.
Weslie Arena said Vogue should point out that what Culpo wasn’t wearing gave her “weird” vibes.
But Culpo didn’t decide to just take the remark in stride. She fired back in the comments section.
“It was an interview….. they asked me what my makeup was………………………..” she wrote.
The odd criticism hasn’t been the first and likely won’t be the last. Even McCaffrey came out to defend his wife.
TRAVIS KELCE REVEALS WHY HE TURNED DOWN NETFLIX ‘RECEIVER’ SHOW: ‘WAY OVER THE REALITY S—‘
A fashion influencer took issue with the dress Culpo wore for her wedding day, describing her Dolce & Gabbana long-sleeved ballgown as “modest.”
“I’ve been a bridal creator for four years now, and I have never said this before, but I do not like this wedding dress,” influencer Kennedy Bingham, who uses the moniker Gown Eyed Girl, said in a video posted to social media.
McCaffrey responded to Bingham’s commentary by slamming her for sharing an “evil” post.
“What an evil thing to post online. I hope you can find joy and peace in the world, the way my beautiful wife does,” he said on the Instagram reel.
Bingham added that while she did not have a problem with the “simple, elegant” dress, she said the gown had “no personality.” She captioned the video, “From Miss Universe to Miss Pick Me, Olivia Culpo is earning her crown.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Culpo later responded in the comment section on TikTok, calling Bingham a “bizarre human.”
NASA prepares to decommission the International Space Station
In October of 2000, a Soyuz Rocket carried the first expedition to the International Space Station and thus began the permanent residence aboard the laboratory. Humans have occupied a place in space ever since. NASA is now preparing for what’s next for human presence in space with plans to de-orbit the International Space Station in 2031.
“We constantly have maintenance on the space station. We constantly send our astronauts out on spacewalks and they are doing just that,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said. “Let’s say we didn’t have commercial stations that are ready to go. Technically, we could keep the space station going, but the idea was to fly it through 2030 and de-orbit it in 2031.”
When the International Space Station de-orbits, it will re-enter the earth’s atmosphere. Most of it will burn up, but some will survive the heat of re-entry.
“It’s as big as a football stadium,” Nelson said. “We need to be able to very precisely put them in the graveyard in the southern Pacific Ocean.”
JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE HELPS ENHANCE TECHNOLOGY FROM VIRTUAL REALITY TO LASIK EYE SURGERY
It is the largest structure ever built in space. In the 1990s the Russians played a part in selecting where the ISS would orbit.
“This far in advance, 5 or 6 years in advance, we are developing the de-orbit vehicle. You never can tell with the things that President Putin is up to. What is going to be our relationship? Could we continue to rely on our partners on the space station to help get it down? So we’re not taking any chances,” Nelson said.
NASA is now partnering with commercial companies from both the U.S. and from allies around the world.
“There are limitations to being on a space station that’s operated by multiple governments,” said President of International and Space Stations at Voyager Space Jeffrey Manber.
Voyager and its international partners plan to launch the Starlab into a lower orbit.
ASTRONAUTS EXPERIMENT WITH SPORTS IN MICROGRAVITY
The company says it is more efficient and cost-effective than what the U.S. and Russians agreed on in the 1990s.
“When you’re commercial, you don’t have to be political like we had to be in inviting the Russians in 30 years ago,” Manber said.
Like the ISS, Voyager’s Starlab will still be an international base. The company is partnering with companies from around the world.
“We have the Europeans being represented by Airbus, the Japanese are represented by Mitsubishi Corporation. We’ve just announced that MDA of Canada does the robotic arm,” Manber said. “And of course we have the support of NASA. So it’s very exciting the way we’ve put this together to be truly international.”
NASA believes the shift to commercial partnerships will also benefit national security.
NASA ADMINISTRATOR SAYS ‘AT LEAST A TRILLION’ OTHER PLANETS LIKE EARTH COULD EXIST IN UNIVERSE
“You see the abrupt separation, a lot of the free world from Russia as a result of Russia invading Ukraine. Interestingly, the one part of the relationship between Russia and the United States that still works is the cooperation on not only running and maintaining and launching astronauts and cosmonauts together. That is a steady professional relationship without a hitch,” Nelson said.
Other than the ISS, the only other structure housing astronauts in orbit is China’s space station. Beijing was banned from the International Space Station, largely because of U.S. concerns of the Chinese military’s control over its space program. Russia plans to launch its orbital service station in 2027. India also hopes to have its own station in the near future. The U.S. believes shifting away from government control in space, will help benefit life on Earth.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“As you orbit the Earth every 90 minutes, you don’t see religious division on Earth. You don’t see racial division. You don’t see political division,” Nelson said. “What you see is our home, the planet. You see that we are all citizens of planet Earth. That is a unifying factor.”
Beachgoers terrorized after shark attacks 4 people at popular US vacation hotspot
Multiple people were injured in a shark attack while on a beach in Texas on the Fourth of July, authorities confirmed.
The South Padre Island Police Department and the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area confirmed to Fox News Digital that four people were injured during the encounter with the ocean predator on South Padre Island in the state’s southern coast.
Police said that the attacks happened at approximately 11 a.m. local time along Beach Access 14, near Wanna Wanna Beach Bar and Grill.
SHARK WATCH: TRIATHLETE DRAGGED UNDERWATER DURING SHARK BLITZ: ‘YOU DON’T HAVE AN ARM… WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?’
First responders from the South Padre Island police and the fire department provided treatment at the scene before one of the male victims was transported to a nearby hospital, police said.
SHARK WATCH: PREDATOR TEARS FLORIDA WOMAN’S FOOT WITH ‘BODIES SLITHERING’ BETWEEN HER LEGS IN ‘FEEDING FRENZY’
Authorities said that the man was “severely” bitten in his leg.
A police spokesperson did not provide an update on the man’s condition. Information on the three other incidents was not immediately available.
Game Warden Capt. Chris Dowdy told The Associated Press that the attacks happened in the span of two hours along the beach.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Based on witness reports and images on social media, Dowdy said, authorities believe a single shark about 6 feet (about 1.8 meters) long was responsible.
Law enforcement said that they are patrolling the shore for sharks.