George Stephanopoulos offers blunt assessment of Biden after sit-down interview
ABC News host George Stephanopoulos was filmed by a pedestrian Tuesday appearing to admit he doesn’t think President Biden can serve another four years.
TMZ shared a clip on X of Stephanopoulos being asked on the sidewalk whether he thinks Biden should step down.
“You talked to him more than anybody else has lately, and you could be honest,” the cameraman says, referring to Stephanopoulos’s first TV interview since the president’s disastrous debate performance the week prior that re-ignited questions about Biden’s mental fitness to serve as commander-in-chief.
“I don’t think he can serve four more years,” Stephanopoulos said, per reporting from TMZ.
President Biden on Tuesday delivered a closely scrutinized speech at the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., as fallout from last month’s debate performance continues igniting calls for him to drop out of the presidential race.
The president’s speech was relatively free of errors or gaffes as he invoked the importance of the alliance, now in its 75th year.
“Friends, it’s good that we’re stronger than ever, because this moment in history calls for our collective strength,” Biden said.
“Autocrats want to overturn global order, which by and large, kept for nearly 80 years and counting,” Biden said, imploring members to maintain support of Ukraine in its ongoing war against Russia.
During the speech, Biden announced a “historic donation” of air defense equipment for Ukraine.
“In the coming months, the U.S. and our partners intend to provide Ukraine with dozens of additional tactical air defense systems,” Biden said. “The United States will make sure that when we export critical air defense interceptors, Ukraine goes to the front of the line.”
At one point, Biden invoked the legacy of former President Reagan, who said if an ally is not at peace, “we cannot be at peace.”
“And we understand that this is a sacred obligation, as President Reagan put it, and I quote, ‘for if our fellow democracies are not secure, we cannot be secure. If you are threatened, we are threatened,’” Biden said.
At the end of his speech, Biden awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg whom he credited with guiding the NATO alliance through one of the most consequential periods in its history.
Click here to read the full story on Biden’s NATO remarks.
Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., on Tuesday became the latest Democratic lawmaker calling on President to drop out of the presidential race.
In a statement posted on her X account, Sherrill said the president had served the nation “honorably” for more than half a century.
“I know that President Biden and his team have been true public servants and have put the country and the best interests of democracy first and foremost in their considerations,” Sherrill said. “And because I know President Biden cares deeply about the future of our country, I am asking that he declare that he won’t run for reelection and will help lead us through a process toward a new nominee.”
Sherrill is now the seventh Democratic lawmaker who has called on President Biden to drop out of the race.
Former U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley on Tuesday said President Biden was “not competent” to serve a second term as she urged her supporters to vote for former President Trump.
“The nominating convention is a time for Republican unity,” Haley said in a statement on Tuesday. “I encourage my delegates to support Donald Trump next week in Milwaukee.”
Haley, who was the final challenger against Trump for the 2024 GOP nomination before ending her White House bid four months ago, charged in her statement that “Joe Biden is not competent to serve a second term and Kamala Harris would be a disaster for America.
“While Trump “has not been perfect on these policies,” Haley said, “Biden has been a catastrophe.”
This post contains excerpts from a story by Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and Kellianne Jones. Click here to read the full report.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Tuesday broke his silence on whether or not he supports President Biden in the 2024 presidential race.
“Are you confident that President Biden has what it takes to win in November and serve the next four years?”
“As I’ve said before, I’m with Joe,” Schumer said.
Until now, the Democratic has refused to comment on Biden’s poor presidential debate performance against former President Trump late last month.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday said President Biden’s comments about his health being fine, “It’s just my brain,” was a “lighthearted joke.”
The comment came in response to Fox News’ Peter Doocy who referenced the president’s comment, that “his health is fine, but it’s just his brain and that’s he’s sharp as before.”
“He was joking, by the way,” Jean-Pierre cut in. “I just want to make sure that’s out there.”
Biden made the comment during a meeting with around 20 governors who met at the White House July 3 amid concerns about his mental acuity after his disastrous debate performance.
The president reportedly said that his health was fine, “it’s just my brain.”
“He was making a lighthearted joke,” Jean-Pierre said. “He was speaking off the cuff and was making a joke. You know, the president, he likes to joke a lot. He’s the same guy who says, ‘I know I look 40, right?’”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday said the White House would like to “turn the page” on questions of President Biden’s mental acuity.
Jean-Pierre made the comment while fielding reporters’ questions about the president, following his disastrous debate performance.
Jean-Pierre tried to highlight Biden’s active schedule to illustrate that the president is as active as ever, despite calls growing louder for him to step down.
“You’re right. We do want to turn the page. You heard me say this last week. We want to get to the other side of this. We want to continue doing the work. And that’s what the president’s going to do,” Jean-Pierre said.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday denied that a Monday night letter disclosed more information that wasn’t mentioned at the prior day’s briefing.
“A lot of what is in the letter was said at the briefing to be very, very clear. I said many of the things that were laid out in the letter was actually repeated right here behind this lectern at this podium yesterday,” Jean-Pierre said.
In the letter released Monday night, White House physician Kevin O’Connor said Dr. Kevin Cannard was chosen for Biden’s annual physicals “not because he is a movement disorder specialist, but because he is a highly trained and highly regarded neurologist here at Walter Reed and across the Military Health System, with a very wide expertise which makes him flexible to see a variety of patients and problems.”
The letter was released amid calls for President Biden to step down after a disastrous debate performance raised questions about his mental acuity.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Tuesday said there has been no discussion among Cabinet members of invoking the 25th Amendment in the wake of a politically disastrous debate that reignited concerns about President Biden’s age and mental acuity.
Asked while she was testifying before the House Financial Services Committee whether Cabinet members have talked about invoking the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, Yellen said: “No.” The 25th Amendment enables the vice president and a majority of sitting Cabinet secretaries to declare the president unfit to serve, and immediately transfer power to the vice president.
A president can challenge the move; however, the decision would then be up to Congress. A two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate would be required for the president to remain in office.
The 25th Amendment has never been invoked.
Biden’s shaky performance in his debate performance against former President Donald Trump at the end of June sparked widespread concern over his age, health and memory. Some Democrats have called on the president – who is 81 years old – to pull out of the race. Biden said this week that he will not step aside, and dared Democrats to “challenge me at the convention.”
But Yellen defended her boss on Tuesday, when she was pressed by Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., about whether she has witnessed any mental or cognitive decline in meetings with him.
“The president is extremely effective in the meetings that I’ve been in with him,” she said. “That includes many international meetings that are multi-hour,” including with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox Business’ Megan Henny
Sen. John Fetterman, D-PA., accused the New York Times of acting on a “vendetta” against President Biden’s candidacy on Tuesday.
Fetterman posted a headline from the New York Times editorial board that called on Democrats to remove Biden from the 2024 pool.
“The Democratic Party must speak the plain truth to the president,” the headline reads.
Above the screenshot, Fetterman placed the caption, “When journalism becomes vendetta.”
The senator’s declaration of support for Biden comes as the president is facing mounting pressure to drop out, both from inside and outside his party.
House Democrats met on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to discuss the issue, but attendees who spoke to the press say they reached “no consensus.”
President Biden’s schedule for the second half of his week is jam-packed with events relating to NATO and his re-election campaign.
Biden is scheduled to deliver a speech marking the 75th anniversary of NATO later Tuesday, and events will truly kick off on Wednesday. He will meet with his longtime union allies at the AFL-CIO Wednesday morning before welcoming NATO allied leaders to the U.S. ahead of this week’s summit.
The president will participate in all three work sessions for the summit over the course of Wednesday and Thursday. He and first lady Jill Biden will also host an arrival ceremony for the group Wednesday, and Biden will conduct a rare press conference on Thursday.
With the NATO summit ending on Thursday, Biden will hit the campaign trail on Friday, traveling to an event in Detroit, Michigan. He will then fly to his family home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where he is expected to remain for the weekend.
The busy three days comes as Biden is facing increasing pressure to drop out of the 2024 presidential race. Some Democrats argue his disastrous performance at the debate against former President Trump indicates his age has caught up with him and he is no longer fit for office.
Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner told reporters that questions are being raised about President Biden “that need to get asked” – after he sought to gather a group of Senate Democrats to meet on the matter on Monday.
“[The] most important thing we can do is defeat Donald Trump. If we don’t do that, we will set back America a generation,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to the chance to talk face to face with my colleagues,” he added. The senators were away from Washington, D.C., during Biden’s decidedly poor debate performance and only returned on Monday.
Warner had been making phone calls to other Democrats over the recess, trying to gather a group of them to meet on Monday to discuss the path forward in relation to Biden’s status on the Democratic ticket, a source familiar told Fox News Digital. But that meeting was never scheduled after the effort was leaked to the press. Instead, Democrats planned to discuss it during a regularly scheduled caucus meeting on Tuesday.
“I’ve had tough campaigns during my time. And, you know, sometimes asking questions, at least in my case, made me a better campaigner,” Warner said. “A lot of folks are raising some questions that need to get asked. But, end of the day, we got to beat Donald Trump.”
When asked about Biden’s debate, Warner said he wouldn’t “go through that.” However, he claimed, “I’ve had lots and lots of input from folks across all walks of life across Virginia. And we’re gonna have to talk about that.”
The Virginia senator smiled and said, “I’ll let other senators weigh in,” when Fox News Digital sought his response to Biden’s dismissal of his effort to gather Democrats for a Monday meeting. In an interview last week with ABC News, Biden said, “Well, Mark is a good man. We’ve never had that – he also tried to get the nomination, too. Mark’s not – Mark and I have a different perspective. I respect him.”
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Julia Johnson
Famed Democratic strategist James Carville said on Monday that former Presidents Clinton and Obama should lead discussions on replacements for President Biden.
“I want to see the Democratic Party hold four historic town halls between now and the Democratic National Convention in August — one each in the South, the Northeast, the Midwest and the West,” Carville wrote in the New York Times.
“We can recruit the two most obvious and qualified people in the world to facilitate substantive discussions: Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. They may not represent every faction under our party’s big tent. But they care as much about our democracy as our nation’s first president, they understand what it takes to be president, and they know how to win,” he said.
Carville explained further that the two Democratic icons should consult with the country’s 23 Democratic governors in a town hall selection process.
Carville’s comments came after commentators, lawmakers, and Democrat officials continue to call for Biden to withdraw after his debacle at the presidential debate.
Due to so many House lawmakers calling for the commander-in-chief to step aside, Biden penned a letter on Monday to congressional Democrats urging them to stop questioning whether he should end his re-election bid and “move forward as a unified party” in order to defeat former President Trump in their 2024 election rematch.
This is an excerpt of an article from Fox News’ Joshua Q. Nelson
A familiar face of America’s past political landscape has criticized Joe Biden’s letter to his party and finds it more “harmful” than helpful for the 46th president.
“I read that letter,” former Nebraska senator, governor and 1992 Democratic presidential candidate Bob Kerrey said on “The Claman Countdown” Monday.
“If I was a Democratic member of Congress, I’d call the White House and say, ‘You made a mistake. You don’t send this letter out to us,’” he continued. “If I question [whether] you can defeat Donald Trump, I’m bad for democracy? It’s blatantly untrue, it’s self-serving and not helpful.”
On Monday morning, President Biden urged his colleagues to stop questioning whether he should end his re-election bid and “move forward as a unified party” in order to defeat former President Donald Trump in their 2024 election rematch.
Biden also reiterated that he’s “firmly committed to staying in this race” and argued that any further questioning of his candidacy “only helps Trump and hurts us.”
The president’s fitness for office has come into question following his rough debate performance a week and a half ago in his first face-to-face showdown with Trump.
President Biden met with members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) on Monday night in a virtual call meant to strengthen his support base. He reportedly thanked them for their reliable support and promised a mutual sense of loyalty.
“You’ve had my back, and I’ll continue to have yours,” Biden told the CBC members on the call, two sources told the Washington Post.
The Post reported that multiple sources claimed a formal statement of support for Biden was expected to be released by the CBC.
An endorsement from the caucus would be a crucial victory in Biden’s battle against factions of his own party seeking to force him out of his campaign for re-election.
Democratic Reps. Mike Quigley, D-Ill.; Seth Moulton, D-Mass.; Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas; Angie Craig, D-Minn.; and Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., have all come out publicly urging Biden to step aside.
This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News’ Timothy H.J. Nerozzi
Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-NY, walked back his call for President Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race on Tuesday.
Nadler had been among the most prominent Democrats to privately break off from Biden and call for his replacement.
“At this point he is the best candidate he is the only candidate,” Nadler told reporters on Tuesday.
Democrats in both the House and Senate are holding meetings regarding Biden’s candidacy on Tuesday. Lawmakers exiting the meetings have been tight-lipped, though at least one has said there is “no consensus” regarding Biden.
For his part, Biden has aggressively stated that he will not resign from the race. He issued a public letter to House Democrats on Monday demanding an “end” to the party drama.
New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd accused the Biden campaign of pressuring the publication to change the wording in an article transcribing a recent gaffe made by the president.
In her Sunday column, headlined “Joe Biden, in the Goodest Bunker Ever,” Dowd detailed an exchange between herself and the Biden campaign after she quoted the president in her Saturday column telling ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that he would feel content staying in the race, even if Trump won, “As long as I gave it my all and I did the goodest job as I know I can do, that’s what this is about.”
The ABC News transcript of Biden’s Friday interview with Stephanopolous also initially transcribed him as saying “goodest.” However, ABC News then updated the transcript to read, “I did the good as job as I know I can do,” and added an editor’s note that read, “This transcript has been updated for clarity.”
After using the original Biden quote in her Saturday column, Dowd said she was contacted by T.J. Ducklo, a Biden campaign spokesman, who emailed her to “flag” that ABC had updated its transcript.
He reportedly asked her to “tweak” her column and change the word “goodest” to make her reporting “consistent with the corrected transcript.”
Dowd noted that while “goodest isn’t a word,” she and her researcher had listened to footage of Biden making the comment with “our ears up against the computer, 10 times, and that’s what it sounded like.”
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Yael Halon
Most of the House Democrats who have urged President Biden to bow out of the 2024 race are silent on whether they’d support him as the White House nominee if their calls go unheeded.
The 81-year-old leader’s disastrous debate performance two weeks ago has fueled concerns among his fellow Democrats that he may not be able to beat former President Donald Trump in November.
Reps. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., Seth Moulton, D-Mass., Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, Angie Craig, D-Minn., and Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., have all come out publicly urging Biden to step aside.
Fox News Digital reached out to each of the five Democrats via email multiple times on Monday and did not hear back.
Biden and his campaign have both maintained that he is staying in the race and is the best suited candidate to keep Trump from a second term. This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News’ Liz Elking
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s fiery back-and-forth with members of the press was a hot topic Monday.
Reporters largely focused on reports that Dr. Kevin Cannard, a neurologist from Walter Reed Military Medical Center who specializes in Parkinson’s disease, met several times with Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, in the White House over the past year.
But during the daily press briefing, Jean-Pierre repeatedly would not confirm Cannard’s name as the visiting doctor to reporters, citing security and privacy concerns despite the fact that Cannard was listed in the public visitor logs.
Multiple reporters, particularly CBS’ Ed O’Keefe, quickly called her out for avoiding naming the doctor.
The two got into a lengthy, tense back and forth, with O’Keefe getting an assist from NBC correspondent Kelly O’Donnell, who also stressed that Cannard’s visitor logs are public.
“There’s no reason to go back and forth with me in this aggressive way,” Jean-Pierre scolded the reporters.
“Well, we are miffed around here about what has been shared with the press corps about him,” an exasperated O’Keefe said. Several other reporters went on to grill Jean-Pierre about the name of the doctor and the nature of his visits.
This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News’ Lindsay Kornick
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., third in line to the presidency, said President Biden must “seriously consider” how to secure his legacy for the future as calls grow among Democrats for Biden to drop out of the 2024 presidential race over concerns about his mental fitness.
Murray, who as president pro tempore is third in line to the presidency, said in a statement on Monday that Biden needs to be “more forceful and energetic” on the campaign trail to prove to voters that he is more fit for another term in the White House than former President Trump.
“President Biden has to lead the charge in making that case,” Murray said.
“We need to see a much more forceful and energetic candidate on the campaign trail in the very near future in order for him to convince voters he is up to the job,” Murray said. “At this critical time for our country, President Biden must seriously consider the best way to preserve his incredible legacy and secure it for the future.”
Biden’s physical and mental fitness were called into question after the first presidential debate in June, sparking calls from voters, Democratic members of Congress and donors for the party to select a new nominee to take on Trump in November.
House Democrats held a virtual meeting over the weekend to discuss the future of Biden’s re-election campaign in the wake of his highly-criticized performance at the debate.
Biden, however, has remained defiant against all calls to step aside, proclaiming that he will be staying in the race.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Stephen Sorace
A defiant President Biden insists he will be the Democratic Party’s nominee in 2024 despite growing calls for him to bow out, and the betting markets have been on a roller-coaster ride over the odds ever since the 81-year-old’s disastrous debate against former President Trump two weeks ago.
Leading up to the debate on June 27, traders on Polymarket – the world’s largest prediction market with roughly 80% of market share globally – bet there was approximately a 1 in 4 chance of Biden dropping out. That shot up to a 43% chance the next day and surged to a 75% chance on July 3 as the news cycle showed pressure rising for the former president to pass the baton.
But those odds have steadily declined ever since as Biden has repeatedly said he isn’t going anywhere. Polymarket traders determined that as of Monday afternoon, there was a 45% chance of Biden stepping aside after earlier in the day he sent a letter to congressional Democrats saying he was “firmly committed to staying in the race.”
Other sites have seen similar shifts.
“The market currently prices President Biden in the lead for becoming the Democratic nominee, with a 14c bump just today,” PredictIt public relations director Lindsey Singer told FOX Business in a statement Monday. “But these numbers follow days of considerable action and price shifting – including the addition of several new potential candidates.”
PredictIt’s traders gave Biden a 54% chance of becoming the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee for 2024 as of the first of the week. Vice President Harris came in second on the site with a 31% chance, followed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom at 9%. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and former first lady Michelle Obama are both seen as having a 6% chance.
This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News’ Breck Dumas
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has refused to comment on President Biden’s poor presidential candidate debate performance last month against former President Trump or the concerns it has raised for many about Biden’s ability to serve another term.
Schumer’s staff was asked Monday by Fox News Digital how he felt about Biden’s debate performance and whether the interview the president did with ABC News last week calmed any concerns among Democrat senators. His staff was also questioned about whether Schumer believes Biden should be the Democrat nominee, if he has any potential replacement ideas, and his thoughts about the concerns of fellow Democrats about Biden that have been made public.
The leader’s office did not respond.
The majority leader has not commented on the debate or mounting Democrat fears. However, he told reporters last week and again on Monday that he remains supportive of Biden.
“I’m with Joe Biden,” he said at a New York press conference on July 2. “I’m for Joe,” he reportedly reiterated while walking into the Senate on Monday.
Biden’s showing at the debate managed to awaken fears among Democrat lawmakers, staff and strategists almost immediately. But officeholders, particularly those in leadership positions, have been careful about making any such concerns public.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Julia Johnson
President Biden’s White House team made conscious efforts to insulate the president from interactions with the public and even lawmakers as evidence of his aging continued to grow, the Wall Street Journal reported late Monday.
Biden’s staff blocked “impromptu” exchanges and limited the number of interviews he was granting to the press. The White House also refused to allow Biden to conduct a Super Bowl interview two years in a row.
Sources tell the journal the measures were part of an effort to prevent the public from realizing just how greatly Biden mental acuity has deteriorated, even compared to earlier in his term.
White House staff have taken to blasting loud music during Biden’s arrivals and departures at the White House, drowning out the shouted questions that presidents often answer in such instances.
Some Democratic governors were incredulous earlier this week when Biden himself told them during a meeting that he needs more sleep and should avoid events starting after 8 p.m., the journal reported.
On an MSNBC program that’s a favorite of the Washington and New York liberal establishment, President Biden blasted “elites” in the Democratic Party on Monday who are trying to force him out of the 2024 race. And some critics and media observers sympathetic to him aren’t buying it.
As he wrapped up a lengthy phone-in interview on “Morning Joe,” Biden challenged his own party doubters as he emphatically declared he was staying in the 2024 race.
“I’m getting so frustrated by the elites,” he told MSNBC hosts and Biden supporters Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. “Now I’m not talking about you guys, but by the elites in the party who — they know so much more. If any of these guys don’t think I should run, run against me. Go ahead, announce for president. Challenge me at the convention.”
Earlier in the interview, Brzezinski name-dropped outlets who want him to step aside amid concerns about his viability against former President Trump, such as The New York Times, The Economist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The Boston Globe. There have also been some House Democrats who have called for him to not seek re-election, as well as prominent liberal names like Tim Ryan, James Carville and David Axelrod.
“They’re big names, but I don’t care what those big names think!” Biden said. “They were wrong in 2020! They were wrong in 2022 about the red wave! They’re wrong in 2024! Come out with me, watch people react. You make a judgment!”
NBC’s Chuck Todd was skeptical about Biden’s rhetoric afterward, noting that Biden had sailed to the Democratic nomination without a serious challenger. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., voiced concerns about Biden’s age and health as part of his primary campaign, but he never remotely threatened the president’s chances of winning the nomination.
“Biden’s anger at ‘elites’ is a bit misplaced,” Todd wrote on X. “Without the ‘elites,’ he would have had a serious primary foe. Without the ‘elites,’ the No Labels effort would have a compelling ticket. Arguably, it’s the ‘elites’ who put too much faith in Biden that got the Dems in this position.”
“Ding ding ding,” The Atlantic’s Tim Alberta agreed. “The ‘elites’ assured Biden’s nomination by refusing to go on-the-record with the grave concerns they whispered in private.”
This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News’ David Rutz
President Biden and his status at the top of the Democrat ticket in November are expected to be discussed by Democrat senators on Tuesday during a weekly caucus meeting as concerns continue to emerge among the party members.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., had been trying to gather a group of Democrat senators to meet on Monday to discuss a path forward amid the fallout of Biden’s debate against former President Trump, a source familiar told Fox News Digital.
However, the meeting the Virginia senator was trying to plan is no longer being sought. The details of the potential meeting hadn’t yet been confirmed when reports of it emerged. Because of the leaks, the Democrats opted not to hold a separate meeting to talk about the president.
Instead, the caucus will talk about the dilemma during their already scheduled policy lunch on Tuesday.
“With so much at stake in the upcoming election, now is the time for conversations about the strongest path forward,” Warner said in a statement Monday afternoon. “As these conversations continue, I believe it is incumbent upon the President to more aggressively make his case to the American people, and to hear directly from a broader group of voices about how to best prevent Trump’s lawlessness from returning to the White House.”
The meetings come after Biden’s physician said a neurologist who specializes in Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders visited the White House as part of his annual physical examinations.
In a letter
released Monday night, White House physician Kevin O’Connor said Dr. Kevin Cannard was chosen for Biden’s annual physicals “not because he is a movement disorder specialist, but because he is a highly trained and highly regarded neurologist here at Walter Reed and across the Military Health System, with a very wide expertise which makes him flexible to see a variety of patients and problems.”
This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News’ Julia Johnson
Early dementia often has a surprising warning sign, report says
Dementia takes a costly toll on the families it affects — emotionally, physically and even financially.
In many cases, an impact on finances is one of the earliest signs of the disease, according to a new report from the New York Federal Reserve.
In analyzing 17 years of data from consumer credit agencies and Medicare databases, researchers found that a decline in credit scores and an increase in late payments are often seen in the five years prior to diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders (ADRD).
ALZHEIMER’S ON MOTHER’S SIDE OF THE FAMILY COULD INCREASE DISEASE RISK, STUDY FINDS
Those in the early stages of dementia may also accumulate greater debt, open new credit accounts and use multiple types of credit.
“Considering the typical progression of the disease, these findings point to financial consequences of the disease in its earliest stages, when symptoms are typically mild and not widely apparent,” the researchers wrote.
“The financial consequences of ADRD prior to diagnosis steadily increase over time.”
This is particularly concerning given that older adults with dementia will likely face substantial costs for caregiving and other related expenses, the report noted.
AFTER BIDEN’S ‘TERRIBLE’ DEBATE, HEALTH EXPERTS WARN OF DENIAL DANGERS, CALL FOR INVESTIGATION OF SYMPTOMS
Monica Moreno, senior director of care and support for the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, said the new report confirms what experts have already known — that challenges in managing money or personal finances are common early warning signs of dementia.
“While there are several signs or symptoms of dementia, challenges with problem-solving or planning can cause a person to mismanage their finances,” Moreno, who was not involved with the New York Fed’s report, told Fox News Digital via email.
“Other dementia-related symptoms, including decreased or poor judgment and difficulty completing familiar tasks, can also adversely affect money management or personal finances.”
“The individual may have stacks of unopened bills or may be spending an excessive amount of money.”
Early in the disease, people may struggle with more complicated tasks, like managing investments or making decisions about large purchases, Moreno noted.
“Since dementia is often a progressive condition, these challenges will increase over time,” she said. “It is important for family members to identify these potential signs early and intervene as soon as possible.”
Common warning signs
Some common signs to look for include the inability to balance a checking account, or consistently late payments on credit cards or other monthly bills, Moreno said.
“The individual may also have stacks of unopened bills or may be spending an excessive amount of money,” she said.
People living with dementia are also more susceptible to financial abuse, identity theft, fraud or get-rich-quick schemes.
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“Failure to address these problems or potential threats can put individuals living with dementia at great financial risk,” Moreno warned.
5 ways families can help
“If you feel a family member is showing signs of dementia, it’s important to share your concerns and talk to a health care professional,” said Moreno. “Early diagnosis of dementia offers the best opportunity to put financial safeguards in place.”
For those whose loved ones are having difficulty managing their finances, the Alzheimer’s Association shared the following tips and strategies with Fox News Digital.
1. Discuss with the person how a trusted family member or friend can help either with paying bills or setting up automatic billing to avoid late payments.
ALZHEIMER’S CAREGIVER HANDBOOK: HERE ARE EXPERT TIPS AND TECHNIQUES FOR THOSE WHO TEND TO DEMENTIA PATIENTS
2. Create a separate account where you can keep a small, agreed-upon amount of money that the person can use for recreational activities, meals with friends or other personal purchases.
3. Sign up to receive automatic notifications for withdrawals from bank accounts or large charges to credit cards. If you set a charge or spending limit and if the person spends more than that, the bank or credit card company will let you know.
4. Request electronic bank and credit card statements and watch for unusual purchases or changes in how the person typically spends money.
5. Sign up for the “Do Not Call” list at donotcall.gov to protect against telemarketing calls and potential phone scams.
It’s always best to have conversations about managing finances sooner rather than later, Moreno advised.
“In the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, people are more likely to understand the importance of these issues and suspicious activities to avoid,” she said.
“If you wait, these concepts will be more difficult to comprehend as your relatives’ memories and other executive functioning skills decline.”
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Fox News Digital reached out to the New York Federal Reserve researchers requesting comment.
New WH digital staffer praised social media ban of Trump: ‘What took them so long?’
FIRST ON FOX: A newly hired White House digital staffer celebrated social media companies “finally, mercifully” banning President Trump on their platforms and asked “What took them so long?” in a 2021 blog post days before President Biden took office.
Andy Volosky, who posted a picture on social media Monday in front of the White House with the caption “Started the new gig today,” joined the White House’s Office of Digital Strategy as the “deputy director of platforms,” according to his Linkedin profile.
In Volosky’s blog post, published on the website of a previous employer, he called the action from social media companies to ban Trump following the Jan. 6 Capitol riots “welcome steps to limiting anyone’s ability to incite real-world violence.”
In a subsection of his article, titled “A New, and Hopefully Welcome, Standard,” Volosky warned that “Twitter still allows the accounts of various world leaders, governments, and spokespeople, who use Twitter for what one can only describe as propaganda as cover for autocracy, to continue to use their platform.
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“While these speeches’ consequences are far from most of the world’s eyes, and certainly from those of most Americans, the effects are real all the same,” he continued.
He went on to say that Democrats have “long advocated for regulating the [social media] platforms” and emphasized how active social media users like himself and others can “keep the platforms honest.”
“As social professionals, this is initially scary; we know these platforms inside and out, and unknown regulations affecting our day to day work aren’t exactly something we list on our to-do,” Volosky added. “But with the same token, we can play a role in keeping the platforms honest and improving the positive role of social in people’s lives.
“It’s past time for the platforms to take content moderation and user safety seriously; as social media professionals, we should be ready and eager to make that happen, and we hope that this can be a small step in getting that ball rolling,” he added, referring to Trump being kicked off social media.
Volosky’s new role made headlines in 2022 when the White House hired Megan Coyne, who previously worked in multiple social media roles for New Jersey’s Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, to run the White House social media accounts. The Washington Post called the White House’s tweets “feisty,” and BuzzFeed said the posts were “punchy.” It appears Coyne is still in her role and will share the same title with Volosky.
Volosky, who appears to have deleted his X account and created a new account last month ahead of starting the White House position, previously worked for Middle Seat Consulting as a “senior social & texting strategist.”
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The progressive digital agency, which specializes in fundraising and advertising, received millions of dollars from the campaign of Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and has worked closely with Justice Democrats and several members of the “Squad.”
The digital agency also promoted a fundraiser for an organization led by controversial activist Shaun King, which aimed to promote Soros-style prosecutors across the country. Middle Seat has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Real Justice PAC.
A White House spokesperson defended Volosky, telling Fox News Digital that White House officials are “proud to have Andy on the team and are excited about the work he’s already doing to inform Americans about the president’s work to lower costs and deliver for the American people.”
“As we have consistently said, social media companies make independent decisions about the information they present,” Robyn Patterson added. “But those companies have a critical responsibility to take into account the effects their platforms are having on the American people and the security of this nation.”
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Patterson’s comments follow multiple controversies involving Rob Flaherty, who previously served as the White House’s director of digital strategy and is currently the Biden campaign’s deputy campaign manager. Flaherty played a prominent role in working with Facebook on behalf of the Biden White House regarding the narrative on social media as it related to COVID-19, according to Facebook files reviewed by Fox in 2023.
The files showed conversations between Flaherty and Facebook officials in which the Biden staffer suggested the tech company “pay attention” to certain types of conversations, specifically those that expressed hesitancy about the COVID-19 vaccine and its potential side effects.
“Since it’s a global pandemic, can we give agencies access to targeting parameters that they normally wouldn’t be able to?” the White House official said in a conversation at the time.
Rescued Israeli hostage takes action against US nonprofit tied to Hamas
EXCLUSIVE — A rescued Israeli hostage is filing a lawsuit Tuesday against a U.S. nonprofit with financial ties to the Hamas operative who reportedly kept him prisoner.
Almog Meir Jan, 22, was held captive by Hamas for nearly 250 days after the Oct. 7 terrorist attack in southern Israel and was found in the home of Abdallah Aljamal, a contributor to the Palestine Chronicle website who also worked as a spokesperson for the Hamas-run labor ministry in Gaza. Aljamal was killed during the IDF’s rescue mission.
The Palestine Chronicle is run by the tax-exempt group called People Media Project.
Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41, were also held captive at his family’s home in Nuseirat, Gaza, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
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“Under the leadership of Defendants [editor-in-chief] Ramzy Baroud and [People Media Project governor] John Harvey, Defendant Palestine Chronicle employed Hamas Operative Aljamal and offered him its U.S. platform to write and disseminate Hamas propaganda, ultimately subsidized, through its status as a tax-exempt charitable organization, by U.S. taxpayers,” the court filing reads. “Following the Hamas terror attacks of October 7, while Hamas Operative Aljamal imprisoned Plaintiff, Defendants permitted Hamas Operative Aljamal to use their platform to whitewash Hamas’s crimes and attract international support for its terrorist cause.”
“By providing this platform to Hamas Operative Aljamal and compensating Hamas Operative Aljamal for his propaganda, Defendants aided, abetted, and materially supported both Hamas Operative Aljamal and Hamas itself in their acts of terrorism, including kidnapping and holding Plaintiff hostage for 246 days, in violation of international law,” the suit continued.
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The lawsuit, which will be filed Tuesday in Washington state’s western district court, goes on to claim that the defendants “knowingly and willfully procured and disseminated Hamas propaganda to the Palestine Chronicle’s readers in the United States,” citing reports alleging “at least six Palestine Chronicle writers and contributors have been affiliated with Iranian propaganda outlets.”
It also links Baroud with Aljamal by citing an opinion piece they co-authored in 2019 for Al Jazeera.
“We filed this lawsuit against Palestine Chronicle and its directors because they knowingly supported a Hamas operative who held our client as a hostage in his home. We look forward to seeking justice from the federal court for our client,” Mark Goldfeder, director of the National Jewish Advocacy Center and counsel for Jan, told Fox News Digital.
Fellow counsel Jason Torchinsky added, “Palestine Chronicle needs to be held accountable for its support of the Hamas operative who held our client hostage in Gaza. We filed this suit to seek relief for our client and to help expose the network of Hamas-linked PR fronts operating within the United States.”
The Palestine Chronicle did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital‘s request for comment.
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Last month, Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., called on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and the Biden administration to revoke the People Media Project’s tax-exempt status after Jan’s rescue.
“Obviously, it’s disturbing, but to find out that a journalist, quote unquote, was engaged in the holding of hostages is deeply troubling. And that’s why myself and my colleagues have called for the 501(c)(3) status to be revoked and to make sure that we certainly, as the United States, government and U.S. taxpayers are not giving benefits, in any way, to entities or organizations affiliated with terrorism,” Lawler told Fox News Digital.
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McDonald’s to temporarily bring back ‘everyone’s favorite sandwich’
The Smoky BLT Quarter Pounder with Cheese is making a temporary comeback at U.S. McDonald’s restaurants.
The entrée, which is described by McDonald’s as “everyone’s favorite sandwich,” makes its “limited time” reappearance beginning on Wednesday, with participating restaurants across the country expected to sell it “while supplies last,” according to the fast-food chain.
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McDonald’s said it will make the Smoky BLT Quarter Pounder with Cheese with a “100% free beef Quarter Pounder patty … two slices of melty American cheese, three half strips of thick cut Applewood Smoked bacon, three fresh Roma tomatoes, shredded lettuce and a special, smoky BLT sauce – all on a toasted sesame seed bun.”
The sandwich will be accompanied on the menu by the Smoky BLT Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese during its limited-time run, the fast-food chain said.
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McDonald’s previously introduced them as temporary offerings in November 2022. In that instance, a limited-edition Oreo Fudge McFlurry rolled out at the same time.
From time to time, the fast-food chain adds temporary items to its menu alongside permanent staples like the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, Chicken McNuggets and Egg McMuffin.
Its core menu items bring McDonald’s about $75 billion in global annual food sales, the chain said in early December.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCD | MCDONALD’S CORP. | 245.82 | -2.01 | -0.81% |
McDonald’s is slated to reveal its second-quarter financial results later this month.
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Henry Winkler explains why the FBI unexpectedly showed up at his home
For Henry Winkler, it was no laughing matter when the FBI showed up at his home.
The “Barry” actor, who starred as the “Fonz” on “Happy Days,” spoke on the “SmartLess” podcast in an episode released Monday. In it, the 78-year-old recalled how he once received an unexpected visit from law enforcement.
“So, I’m sitting in my apartment,” the star began. “I have a Victrola because everything was vinyl. I went to Tower Records on Sunset Boulevard. I bought Dan Fogelberg, and I was listening to Dan Fogelberg on my rented Victrola. The door knocks.
‘HAPPY DAYS’ STAR HENRY WINKLER REVEALS LOW POINT IN HIS 45-YEAR MARRIAGE: ‘NOT MY FINEST HOUR’
“I get up,” said Winkler. “There are three men with badges. And I said, ‘Oh no, you do not smell what you think you’re smelling. Oh my God.’ And they said, ‘We’re with the FBI.’”
“There was some weed going [on],” co-host Sean Hayes chimed in.
Winkler said that as he broke a sweat, it turned out they had other priorities.
“’We’re not here for that,’” Winkler quoted them. “’We just wanted to meet the Fonz.’
“I was so happy that I was not being put in handcuffs, I didn’t care what they did.”
It wouldn’t be the last time Winkler got a surprise visit. In the podcast, the Emmy winner described how fans would come to his apartment “and lift their shirt and ask [him] to sign parts of their anatomy.”
In 2023, Winkler’s memoir, “Being Henry: The Fonz… and Beyond,” was published. In it, the actor detailed how he skyrocketed to fame on “Happy Days” and how his character’s popularity tested his friendship with Ron Howard, who played Richie Cunningham.
The series, which chronicled the lives of the Cunningham family in the 1950s, aired from 1974 to 1984.
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In the book, Winkler describes that while “Happy Days” was designed to have Howard be the star, his greaser role had taken off. Winkler was quickly given a raise from ABC. Worried about how Howard might feel, Winkler reached out to his pal.
“You’re not letting this go to your head or change who you are,” Howard told Winkler, as quoted in the book. “You’re a great team player. What you’ve created is incredible … for the show. But if I’m honest, I have to say it does hurt my feelings; more than that — it’s made me angry at times. Because you’re right — I was supposed to be the star of the show. But I was never angry at you, Henry.”
Leonard Goldenson, the president of ABC, even wanted to change the title of the show at one point to “Fonzie’s Happy Days.” Winkler balked at the suggestion.
“I’m asking you not to do that,” Winkler wrote in his book. “If you do that, it is so disrespectful to everybody who has been doing ‘Happy Days’ as a family together with me. … How much more of a success can you make the show by changing the name. … That would be so hurtful — just as a slap in the face to everyone else in the cast.”
According to Winkler, “Happy Days” producers Tom Miller and Ed Milkis even approached Howard with the title change suggestion. Howard threatened to leave “Happy Days” and return to film school at USC.
Winkler said it was show creator Garry Marshall who put his foot down on the idea.
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Then, in 1980, during the beginning of the eighth season of “Happy Days,” Winkler got a surprise phone call from Howard.
“Ron was just here for dinner with his wife and daughter, and he recounted the phone call,” Winkler explained to Fox News Digital. “What I heard was, ‘Hey, Henry, in 10 minutes it’s going to hit the press, but I wanted you to hear it first. I’m not coming back.’
“I was devastated,” Winkler admitted. “I was scared. He was my acting partner. And yet I knew this was this man’s dream, to be a filmmaker. Ron said I told him, ‘Go get it. Go out there, and you go get it because this is what you want.’ He said, ‘I’ll never forget those words because it was an impetus for me. It made me feel better about my decision.’ I said, ‘It took you 50 years to finally tell me that?’”
In the book, Winkler described the phone call that left him “completely thunderstruck.”
“[Ron] told me how disrespected the network had made him feel — financially and personally,” Winkler wrote. “‘You know,’ he said, ‘ABC just really doesn’t care about me.’ He mentioned his salary; he even mentioned the wallet the network gave him for Christmas when I got that fancy videotape player — and, finally, pushed him over the edge.
“I was scared and sad,” Winkler continued. “I didn’t know what was going to happen. My acting partner in most of the scenes on ‘Happy Days’ was leaving! My entire character was based on being Richie’s big brother; everything else was ancillary. How could I ever find somebody I felt this connected to? All these things were swirling in my brain. But mostly I felt, I love you; I want you to go out there and be unbelievable; possibly cast me…”
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Howard’s character Richie got drafted into the Army on the show to explain his absence, and the former child actor went on to become an Oscar-winning director. Some of his many blockbusters include “Apollo 13” and “A Beautiful Mind.”
Today, there are no hard feelings, Winkler stressed. He’s the godfather of Howard’s daughter, actress Bryce Dallas Howard.
Howard and his wife Cheryl told Winkler, “God forbid anything happens to us, will you take the children? You can bar mitzvah them, if you want.”
A spokesperson for the filmmaker, 70, didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
‘Friends’ star crawls out of a freezer in bikini and face mask, pokes fun at workout routine
“Friends” star Courteney Cox takes her exercise routine very seriously.
In an Instagram video she posted Monday, the actress, who celebrated her 60th birthday in June, shared that she tries her best to stay fit as she gets older, while also poking fun at her workout routine.
“I just had a birthday. Don’t love the number, but look, we have no choice. You just gotta do the best you can,” she said at the start of the Instagram post.
The actress gave fans an inside look at her workout routine, which included running on a treadmill, pull-ups, squats and crunches. For this part of the video, Cox was wearing a black sports bra and leggings and had her hair up in a ponytail.
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Later in the video, the “Cougar Town” star emerged from inside a freezer, wearing a black bikini, a sheet face mask and a baseball cap that appeared to have red lights in it.
“What? It’s cryotherapy?” she joked as she walked off camera.
Her celebrity friends flooded the comments section with compliments.
Mira Sorvino wrote, “You look amazing and continue to delight with your antics.”
Angie Harmon added, “WHAT?? WHO? WHHAAAAT??? KILLING IT GORGEOUS WOMAN!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!”
This is not the first time Cox has shared that cryotherapy and ice baths are part of her workout routine. In February, the actress shared a video of her getting ready to go into an ice bath in a blue bikini and wetsuit socks.
“Is this cheating?” she asked her fans while pointing to her socks, “because your feet get really f—ing cold.”
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In a November 2023 interview with Glamour, the “Scream” actress revealed she believes hydration is key, and she will do anything to hydrate her skin whether the trendy word for it is “flooding or slugging or slagging.”
“I thought I would never do a cold plunge. I thought I would hate it, but I love it so much,” she told the outlet. “I feel great for hours afterward. So, as much as you dread getting in, you know that you’re going to feel so good … the dopamine hit you get from it lasts a long time. Do it. Really, it’s worth it.”
The actress recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the final episode of “Friends” with an emotional Instagram tribute to the popular show.
She posted a video of the final scene from the series finale of the show, writing, “I don’t know how we were able to act through all the tears,” adding she is “forever grateful” for the experience. The final scene showed the group of friends gathered together in Monica’s apartment one last time as they help her move out.
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The show also starred Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matthew Perry. Perry died in October 2023 from “acute effects of ketamine,” according to an autopsy released by the Los Angeles medical examiner’s office.
Angel Reese caught off guard by hot mic moment at WNBA press conference
A Chicago Sky press conference was interrupted by mysterious audio on Sunday night after the team fell to the Seattle Storm, 84-71.
Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon, rookie sensation Angel Reese and starting guard Marina Mabrey were at their desk awaiting questions from reporters when someone appeared to forget to mute their audio.
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Video from the press conference showed the trio listening in on an apparent conversation about someone’s “intimate relationship” and their reactions were priceless. Eventually, the person’s audio was muted, but it still appeared to stun Weatherspoon, Reese and Mabrey.
Reese later reacted to the ordeal.
“I was shook,” she wrote on X.
Even as the Sky lost to the Storm, Reese was able to set the record for most consecutive double-doubles by a player. She surpassed Candace Parker’s mark with her 13th. Reese had 17 points and 14 rebounds and is the lone rookie averaging a double-double this year.
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“I’m just trying to be consistent for my teammates, doing whatever I can to help my team,” Reese said, via EPSN. “I think I didn’t do enough tonight, but just being able to be there for my teammates and knowing that I have a job to do every day no matter if I’m a rookie or a vet.”
Reese and Caitlin Clark are the top candidates for the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award.
After Reese tied Parker’s mark, the Sky’s social media account made clear who it believes is the front-runner.
“Record setter. THE front runner,” the team wrote.
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Reese now has 14 double-doubles on the season. According to ESPN, it’s tied for fifth most from a rookie in WNBA history.