WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden warned Sunday of the risks of political violence in the U.S. after Saturday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-assassination-attempt-db24c5bfbbe7d09fa2437c3c836bb434">attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump</a>, saying, “It's time to cool it down.”

In a prime-time national address from the Oval Office, Biden said political passions can run high but “we must never descend into violence.” The president acknowledged the passions of an election year, and that he and Republicans offer different policy visions, but implored Americans to “recommit” to resolving their differences peacefully.

“There is no place in America for this kind of violence — for any violence. Ever. Period. No exception. We can’t allow this violence to be normalized," Biden said.

Biden spoke for six minutes in his third address to the nation since Saturday evening's attack by a shooter that killed one rallygoer and seriously injured two more. His warning came hours after FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate said agents have seen increasingly violent rhetoric online since the attack at the Trump rally.

The president and his team had been grappling with how to calibrate the path forward after the weekend attack on the very person Biden is trying to defeat in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">November’s election</a>.

The president noted that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-rnc-what-to-expect-702139084873df3d633ee19d1b82e5f0">Republican National Convention</a>&nbsp;was opening in Milwaukee on Monday, while he himself would be returning to the reelection campaign trail after pausing his schedule to manage the immediate response to the shooting. Biden said he had “no doubt” that Republicans will “criticize my record and offer their own vision for this country" and promised to campaign laying out his own ideas, but said those disagreements must remain peaceful.

“We can do this,” Biden pleaded, saying the nation was founded on a democracy that gave reason and balance a chance to prevail over brute force. “American democracy — where arguments are made in good faith. American democracy — where the rule of law is respected. Where decency, dignity, fair play aren’t just quaint notions, they’re living, breathing realities.”

Biden also warned that political tensions were being flamed by a balkanized media environment and exploited by American enemies.

“Here in America we need to get out of our silos, where we only listen to those with whom we agree, where misinformation is rampant, where foreign actors fan the flames of our division to shape the outcomes consistent with their interests, not ours,” Biden said.

Earlier Sunday he had been briefed in the White House Situation Room and condemned the attempted assassination of his predecessor,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>, as “contrary to everything we stand for as a nation.” He said he was ordering an independent security review of how such an attack could have happened.

The president said he has also directed the U.S. Secret Service to review all security measures for the RNC. Hours later, Audrey Gibson-Cicchino, the Secret Service’s coordinator for the convention, said the weekend attack against Trump did not prompt any changes to the agency's security plan for the event and officials “are fully prepared.”

Biden called for the country to “unite as one nation,” promised a “thorough and swift” review and asked the public not to “make assumptions” about the shooter’s motives or affiliations.

The president said he and first lady Jill Biden were praying for the family of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-victim-fire-chief-11e1aa65e6e45584f49577686d38766e">Corey Comperatore</a>, a former fire chief who was shot and killed during the Trump rally Saturday night in Butler, Pennsylvania.

“He was protecting his family from the bullets," Biden said. "God love him.”

The president also said he'd had a “short but good conversation” with Trump in the hours after the shootings and said he was “sincerely grateful” that the former president is “doing well and recovering.”

Trump, who has called for national resilience since the shooting, posted on his social media account after Biden's remarks, “UNITE AMERICA!”

Biden, who has set out to brand Trump as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-democracy-election-2024-f2f824f056ae9f81f4e688fe590f41b4">dire threat to democracy</a>&nbsp;and the nation’s very founding principles, put a temporary pause on such political messaging. Shortly after Saturday night's attack, Biden’s reelection campaign froze “all outbound communications” and was working to pull down its television ads.

The president also postponed a planned trip to Texas on Monday, where he was to speak on the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act at the Lyndon B. Johnson presidential library. An NBC News interview between Biden and anchor Lester Holt will now occur at the White House, instead of in Texas, as initially planned.

Biden's campaign said that, after the NBC interview airs on Monday night, it and the Democratic National Committee “will continue drawing the contrast” with Trump over the course of the GOP convention — even though it remains unclear when ads would resume.

Biden also still plans to make a planned trip to Las Vegas, which will include a campaign event Wednesday. Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;postponed her planned campaign trip to Florida on Tuesday, where she had been set to meet with Republican women.

Trump, meanwhile, arrived Sunday evening in Milwaukee for the Republican convention, where criticism of Biden and the Democrats is sure to be searing.

The weekend developments were only the latest upheaval in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-lawmakers-debate-2c426f98063ab30143a7675cba10a5b4">campaign that has been extraordinarily topsy-turvy in recent weeks</a>.

Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bidentrumppresidentialdebate-0e7577e9a354a69f50675494fea54ca9">shaky debate performance</a>&nbsp;on June 27 so spooked his own party that some top surrogates and donors turned on him, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-president-trump-d5fb136a643edb020745336ff9709923">nearly 20 Democratic members of Congress</a>&nbsp;called on the president to leave the race outright. Facing mounting questions about whether he was fit for a second term, Biden and his top advisers have been scrambling to salvage his campaign by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-campaigning-pennsylvania-democratic-doubts-election-77b050b1c5c39aec2ef633281d082566">adding events</a>&nbsp;around the country and more aggressively criticizing Trump.

Saturday's attack upended — at least for now — that counteroffensive on the cusp of the Republican convention.

The campaign hoped that Sunday's Oval Office address let Biden further drive home his point about unity while demonstrating leadership that could assuage nervous critics within his own party.

“We’ll debate and we’ll disagree, that’s not going to change,” Biden said in his afternoon remarks. “But we’ll not lose sight of who we are as Americans.”

Although investigators are still in the early stages of determining what occurred and why, some Biden critics were calling out the president for telling donors in a private call Monday that “it’s time to put Trump in the bullseye.”

A person familiar with those remarks said the president was trying to make the point that Trump had gotten away with a light public schedule after last month's debate while the president himself faced intense scrutiny. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to more freely discuss private conversations.

In the donor call, Biden said: “I have one job and that’s to beat Donald Trump. ... I’m absolutely certain I’m the best person to be able to do that."

He continued: “So, we’re done talking about the debate. It’s time to put Trump in the bullseye. He’s gotten away with doing nothing for the last 10 days except ride around in his golf cart, bragging about scores he didn’t score. … Anyway I won’t get into his golf game.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721002063120.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden warned Sunday of the risks of political violence in the U.S. after Saturday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-assassination-attempt-db24c5bfbbe7d09fa2437c3c836bb434">attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump</a>, saying, “It's time to cool it down.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden Full Oval Office Address following Assassination Attempt against former President Trump: &quot;We can&#39;t allow this violence to be normalized.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/IkhCZn8Fn0">pic.twitter.com/IkhCZn8Fn0</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1812645870795391383?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a prime-time national address from the Oval Office, Biden said political passions can run high but “we must never descend into violence.” The president acknowledged the passions of an election year, and that he and Republicans offer different policy visions, but implored Americans to “recommit” to resolving their differences peacefully.“There is no place in America for this kind of violence — for any violence. Ever. Period. No exception. We can’t allow this violence to be normalized," Biden said.Biden spoke for six minutes in his third address to the nation since Saturday evening's attack by a shooter that killed one rallygoer and seriously injured two more. His warning came hours after FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate said agents have seen increasingly violent rhetoric online since the attack at the Trump rally.The president and his team had been grappling with how to calibrate the path forward after the weekend attack on the very person Biden is trying to defeat in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">November’s election</a>.The president noted that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-rnc-what-to-expect-702139084873df3d633ee19d1b82e5f0">Republican National Convention</a>&nbsp;was opening in Milwaukee on Monday, while he himself would be returning to the reelection campaign trail after pausing his schedule to manage the immediate response to the shooting. Biden said he had “no doubt” that Republicans will “criticize my record and offer their own vision for this country" and promised to campaign laying out his own ideas, but said those disagreements must remain peaceful.“We can do this,” Biden pleaded, saying the nation was founded on a democracy that gave reason and balance a chance to prevail over brute force. “American democracy — where arguments are made in good faith. American democracy — where the rule of law is respected. Where decency, dignity, fair play aren’t just quaint notions, they’re living, breathing realities.”Biden also warned that political tensions were being flamed by a balkanized media environment and exploited by American enemies.“Here in America we need to get out of our silos, where we only listen to those with whom we agree, where misinformation is rampant, where foreign actors fan the flames of our division to shape the outcomes consistent with their interests, not ours,” Biden said.Earlier Sunday he had been briefed in the White House Situation Room and condemned the attempted assassination of his predecessor,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>, as “contrary to everything we stand for as a nation.” He said he was ordering an independent security review of how such an attack could have happened.The president said he has also directed the U.S. Secret Service to review all security measures for the RNC. Hours later, Audrey Gibson-Cicchino, the Secret Service’s coordinator for the convention, said the weekend attack against Trump did not prompt any changes to the agency's security plan for the event and officials “are fully prepared.”Biden called for the country to “unite as one nation,” promised a “thorough and swift” review and asked the public not to “make assumptions” about the shooter’s motives or affiliations.The president said he and first lady Jill Biden were praying for the family of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-victim-fire-chief-11e1aa65e6e45584f49577686d38766e">Corey Comperatore</a>, a former fire chief who was shot and killed during the Trump rally Saturday night in Butler, Pennsylvania.“He was protecting his family from the bullets," Biden said. "God love him.”The president also said he'd had a “short but good conversation” with Trump in the hours after the shootings and said he was “sincerely grateful” that the former president is “doing well and recovering.”Trump, who has called for national resilience since the shooting, posted on his social media account after Biden's remarks, “UNITE AMERICA!”Biden, who has set out to brand Trump as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-democracy-election-2024-f2f824f056ae9f81f4e688fe590f41b4">dire threat to democracy</a>&nbsp;and the nation’s very founding principles, put a temporary pause on such political messaging. Shortly after Saturday night's attack, Biden’s reelection campaign froze “all outbound communications” and was working to pull down its television ads.The president also postponed a planned trip to Texas on Monday, where he was to speak on the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act at the Lyndon B. Johnson presidential library. An NBC News interview between Biden and anchor Lester Holt will now occur at the White House, instead of in Texas, as initially planned.Biden's campaign said that, after the NBC interview airs on Monday night, it and the Democratic National Committee “will continue drawing the contrast” with Trump over the course of the GOP convention — even though it remains unclear when ads would resume.Biden also still plans to make a planned trip to Las Vegas, which will include a campaign event Wednesday. Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;postponed her planned campaign trip to Florida on Tuesday, where she had been set to meet with Republican women.Trump, meanwhile, arrived Sunday evening in Milwaukee for the Republican convention, where criticism of Biden and the Democrats is sure to be searing.The weekend developments were only the latest upheaval in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-lawmakers-debate-2c426f98063ab30143a7675cba10a5b4">campaign that has been extraordinarily topsy-turvy in recent weeks</a>.Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bidentrumppresidentialdebate-0e7577e9a354a69f50675494fea54ca9">shaky debate performance</a>&nbsp;on June 27 so spooked his own party that some top surrogates and donors turned on him, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-president-trump-d5fb136a643edb020745336ff9709923">nearly 20 Democratic members of Congress</a>&nbsp;called on the president to leave the race outright. Facing mounting questions about whether he was fit for a second term, Biden and his top advisers have been scrambling to salvage his campaign by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-campaigning-pennsylvania-democratic-doubts-election-77b050b1c5c39aec2ef633281d082566">adding events</a>&nbsp;around the country and more aggressively criticizing Trump.Saturday's attack upended — at least for now — that counteroffensive on the cusp of the Republican convention.The campaign hoped that Sunday's Oval Office address let Biden further drive home his point about unity while demonstrating leadership that could assuage nervous critics within his own party.“We’ll debate and we’ll disagree, that’s not going to change,” Biden said in his afternoon remarks. “But we’ll not lose sight of who we are as Americans.”Although investigators are still in the early stages of determining what occurred and why, some Biden critics were calling out the president for telling donors in a private call Monday that “it’s time to put Trump in the bullseye.”A person familiar with those remarks said the president was trying to make the point that Trump had gotten away with a light public schedule after last month's debate while the president himself faced intense scrutiny. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to more freely discuss private conversations.In the donor call, Biden said: “I have one job and that’s to beat Donald Trump. ... I’m absolutely certain I’m the best person to be able to do that."He continued: “So, we’re done talking about the debate. It’s time to put Trump in the bullseye. He’s gotten away with doing nothing for the last 10 days except ride around in his golf cart, bragging about scores he didn’t score. … Anyway I won’t get into his golf game.”

🎥 Biden's oval office address following Trump assassination attempt

Join 910KINA's Saturday Morning Show hosts Dave Foor and Nate King this Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. on 910AM 107.5 FM.

Hear highlights about community events, public affairs, and all things happening in Salina. Their approach is friendly, informative, and entertaining. To listen to past 910KINA Saturday Morning Shows head on over to the KINA podcast homepage&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/">here.</a>&nbsp;

9:00-9:10 a.m. Rosie Walter with the Salina Senior Center shares tips for how to beat the heat

9:10 a.m.- 9:30 a.m. Martha Tasker, Salina Utilities Director gives an update on the Smoky Hill River Revitalization Project

9:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m. Jason Graves, K-State Research and Extension Horticulturalist shares tips to navigate drought conditions and shares information about the Master Gardener course

10 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Maggie Spicer Brown, Center for Theatre Arts Education Director shares info about the newest show, "Alice by Heart"

10:30 a.m.- 11:00 a.m. Michelle Peck, Executive Director at The Garage Automotive Museum in Salina

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591971280271.jpeg" alt="KINA New logo Blue Black" />
 <figcaption>KINA New logo Blue Black</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTJoin 910KINA's Saturday Morning Show hosts Dave Foor and Nate King this Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. on 910AM 107.5 FM.Hear highlights about community events, public affairs, and all things happening in Salina. Their approach is friendly, informative, and entertaining. To listen to past 910KINA Saturday Morning Shows head on over to the KINA podcast homepage&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/">here.</a>&nbsp;9:00-9:10 a.m. Rosie Walter with the Salina Senior Center shares tips for how to beat the heat9:10 a.m.- 9:30 a.m. Martha Tasker, Salina Utilities Director gives an update on the Smoky Hill River Revitalization Project9:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m. Jason Graves, K-State Research and Extension Horticulturalist shares tips to navigate drought conditions and shares information about the Master Gardener course10 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Maggie Spicer Brown, Center for Theatre Arts Education Director shares info about the newest show, "Alice by Heart"10:30 a.m.- 11:00 a.m. Michelle Peck, Executive Director at The Garage Automotive Museum in Salina

910 KINA Saturday Morning Lineup

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden faced a test Thursday that he had avoided so far this year — a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-president-trump-election-2024-democrats-9e1781a17b3313f525ef70f8a00c310a">solo news conference</a>&nbsp;with questions from the White House press corps.

The news conference was meant to reassure a disheartened group of Democratic lawmakers, allies and persuadable voters in this year's election that Biden still has the strength and stamina to be president. Biden has tried to defend his feeble and tongue-tied performance in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bidentrumppresidentialdebate-0e7577e9a354a69f50675494fea54ca9">June 27 debate</a>&nbsp;against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Republican Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;as an outlier rather than evidence that at 81 he lacks the vigor and commanding presence that the public expects from the commander in chief.

On his social media account Former President Trump mocked Biden's flubs.

Biden made at least two notable flubs, referring at an event beforehand to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin" and then calling Kamala Harris “Vice President Trump” when asked about her by a reporter. But he also gave detailed responses about his work to preserve NATO and his plans for a second term. And he insisted he's not leaving the race even as a growing number of Democratic lawmakers ask him to step aside.

Here are some highlights from the press conference:

He bungled key names — and remained defiant

Perhaps Biden’s biggest slip-up in the press conference came early on when he referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump,” in saying he picked her because he believed she could beat Trump.

Even before the news conference, Biden had bungled an important name at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-summit-ukraine-russia-china-biden-66656f03cd5e203d4074bdb2ead8abd8">NATO summit</a>&nbsp;and instantly lowered expectations for his performance.

“Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” Biden said as he was introducing Ukrainian President President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is most definitely not Russian President Vladimir Putin. The gaffe immediately prompted gasps, as Biden caught himself and said to Zelenskyy: “President Putin? You’re going to beat President Putin.”

But he was defiant when a reporter brought up his reference to “Vice President Trump” and noted the presumptive Republican nominee's campaign was already promoting the slip-up. “Listen to him,” he said, before walking off the stage.

One House Democrat, Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, issued a statement minutes later calling on the president to withdraw.

He insisted, ‘I’ve got to finish this job'

It’s a delicate dance between the president and vice president, with many Democrats openly pining for Harris to replace Biden on the ticket. Biden didn’t acknowledge that tension, but only brought Harris up in response to pointed questions about whether he believed she had the capability to replace him.

“I wouldn’t have picked her unless I thought she was qualified to be president,” Biden said, citing Harris’ resume from prosecutor to the U.S. Senate.

But in response to a later question he acknowledged he’d moved on from his 2020 campaign promise to be a “bridge” to a new generation of Democrats. “What changed was the gravity of the situation I inherited,” he said, without a word about his vice president.

Repeatedly, he said, “I've got to finish this job.”

The press conference ended with Biden being asked directly whether he’d step down for Harris if he saw polling showing she had a better chance of beating Trump. “No, unless they come back and said there’s no way you can win,” Biden responded. Then he added, in a stage whisper, “No poll’s saying that.”

He argued he's delivered results over rhetoric

Biden tried to make the case that what he’s doing matters more than how he talks about it.

He praised the just finished NATO summit as elevating America’s standing. “Have you ever seen a more successful conference?” Biden said to a group of reporters who often only got to see the conference during prepared remarks.

He drilled down on how inflation has eased from its 2022 peak as he reeled off stats such as the creation of 800,000 manufacturing jobs under his watch, saying that world leaders would want to trade their own economies for what United States has. He also said he would cap how much rent could grow for tenants of landlords who are part of a tax-credit program for low-income housing.

It’s the same pitch Biden has made in stump speeches without necessarily doing much to move his own popularity. His team believes it will sink in if repeated constantly.

Biden kicked off the press conference by talking at length about NATO and its value to the United States — one of his strongest political issues against Trump, who has been openly skeptical of the alliance and once suggested he'd encourage Russia to attack NATO members whom he considered delinquent.

Biden tied himself to an American tradition stretching “from Truman to Reagan to me” of defending NATO. “Every American must ask herself or himself, is the world safer with NATO?” he asked.

Later, to assure a European journalist asking about governments on that continent worrying Trump could win, Biden launched into a detailed recounting of how he helped shepherd Finland into the alliance. After that, he went into detail about how to push back against China for supporting Russia during its war against Ukraine and contended he will continue to be able to deal with Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Overall, Biden spoke forcefully and fluently about foreign policy, one of his favorite subjects. But the news conference’s focus wasn’t really foreign policy, it was reassuring Democrats and the world that Biden is still able to be president and beat Trump.

That shows how even Biden’s strengths are being overshadowed by questions about his capabilities.

When possible, he went back to the stump speech

Every politician has a stock set of lines. And whenever Biden could, he went back to his favorite talking points. It was a way to answer the question without necessarily needing to say anything spontaneous or new.

He went after trickle-down economics, borrowing a line about his father never benefiting much from tax cuts aimed at the wealthy (“I don’t remember much trickling down to his kitchen table”). He hailed Delaware for leading the country in corporations. He said he’s the “most pro-union labor president in history.” He explained his decision to run for a second term with a variation on his “finish the job” catchphrase. He went into his standard spiel about computer chips.

With no time limit on his answers like he faced at the debate, Biden went on for several minutes at a time telling stories about his interactions with foreign leaders and making the case for his reelection.

He answered questions in detail — unlike at the debate

There were few fireworks in Biden’s answers -- with the highly anticipated event at times coming across as more of a think tank lecture than an effort to grab voters’ attention. He went into granular detail on geopolitics and rattled off numbers — asking at one moment, though, to not be held to the precise figure.

While it didn’t erase the stumbles and blank stares from the debate, it showed that he could engage with reporters’ questions on a range of issues without losing focus.

There was still regular coughing and throat clearing. And at times he lowered his voice to a hoarse whisper that evoked the rasp of his voice on debate night.

Overall, his presentation was a reminder that people are focused on him now with an almost clinical eye toward possible slip-ups and mistakes, the kind of pressure that is unlikely to go away for as long as Biden insists he’ll stay in the race.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710295653190.png" alt="Photo Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Photo Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden faced a test Thursday that he had avoided so far this year — a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-president-trump-election-2024-democrats-9e1781a17b3313f525ef70f8a00c310a">solo news conference</a>&nbsp;with questions from the White House press corps.The news conference was meant to reassure a disheartened group of Democratic lawmakers, allies and persuadable voters in this year's election that Biden still has the strength and stamina to be president. Biden has tried to defend his feeble and tongue-tied performance in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bidentrumppresidentialdebate-0e7577e9a354a69f50675494fea54ca9">June 27 debate</a>&nbsp;against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Republican Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;as an outlier rather than evidence that at 81 he lacks the vigor and commanding presence that the public expects from the commander in chief.On his social media account Former President Trump mocked Biden's flubs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720749875023.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Biden made at least two notable flubs, referring at an event beforehand to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin" and then calling Kamala Harris “Vice President Trump” when asked about her by a reporter. But he also gave detailed responses about his work to preserve NATO and his plans for a second term. And he insisted he's not leaving the race even as a growing number of Democratic lawmakers ask him to step aside.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden: &quot;And now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination, ladies and gentleman, President Putin.&quot; He immediately corrects himself, &quot;He&#39;s going to beat President Putin. President Zelenskyy.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/VIqDxC8NCS">pic.twitter.com/VIqDxC8NCS</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1811522378280894803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Here are some highlights from the press conference:<h2>He bungled key names — and remained defiant</h2>Perhaps Biden’s biggest slip-up in the press conference came early on when he referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump,” in saying he picked her because he believed she could beat Trump.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;What concerns do you have about Vice President Harris&#39; ability to beat Donald Trump if she were at the top of the ticket? President Biden: Look, I wouldn&#39;t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president if I didn&#39;t think she was not qualified to be vice president. <a href="https://t.co/TqqSKBsyQu">pic.twitter.com/TqqSKBsyQu</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1811546437567586658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Even before the news conference, Biden had bungled an important name at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-summit-ukraine-russia-china-biden-66656f03cd5e203d4074bdb2ead8abd8">NATO summit</a>&nbsp;and instantly lowered expectations for his performance.“Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” Biden said as he was introducing Ukrainian President President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is most definitely not Russian President Vladimir Putin. The gaffe immediately prompted gasps, as Biden caught himself and said to Zelenskyy: “President Putin? You’re going to beat President Putin.”But he was defiant when a reporter brought up his reference to “Vice President Trump” and noted the presumptive Republican nominee's campaign was already promoting the slip-up. “Listen to him,” he said, before walking off the stage.One House Democrat, Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, issued a statement minutes later calling on the president to withdraw.<h2>He insisted, ‘I’ve got to finish this job'</h2>It’s a delicate dance between the president and vice president, with many Democrats openly pining for Harris to replace Biden on the ticket. Biden didn’t acknowledge that tension, but only brought Harris up in response to pointed questions about whether he believed she had the capability to replace him.“I wouldn’t have picked her unless I thought she was qualified to be president,” Biden said, citing Harris’ resume from prosecutor to the U.S. Senate.But in response to a later question he acknowledged he’d moved on from his 2020 campaign promise to be a “bridge” to a new generation of Democrats. “What changed was the gravity of the situation I inherited,” he said, without a word about his vice president.Repeatedly, he said, “I've got to finish this job.”The press conference ended with Biden being asked directly whether he’d step down for Harris if he saw polling showing she had a better chance of beating Trump. “No, unless they come back and said there’s no way you can win,” Biden responded. Then he added, in a stage whisper, “No poll’s saying that.”<h2>He argued he's delivered results over rhetoric</h2>Biden tried to make the case that what he’s doing matters more than how he talks about it.He praised the just finished NATO summit as elevating America’s standing. “Have you ever seen a more successful conference?” Biden said to a group of reporters who often only got to see the conference during prepared remarks.He drilled down on how inflation has eased from its 2022 peak as he reeled off stats such as the creation of 800,000 manufacturing jobs under his watch, saying that world leaders would want to trade their own economies for what United States has. He also said he would cap how much rent could grow for tenants of landlords who are part of a tax-credit program for low-income housing.It’s the same pitch Biden has made in stump speeches without necessarily doing much to move his own popularity. His team believes it will sink in if repeated constantly.<h2>He brought up his work on NATO</h2>Biden kicked off the press conference by talking at length about NATO and its value to the United States — one of his strongest political issues against Trump, who has been openly skeptical of the alliance and once suggested he'd encourage Russia to attack NATO members whom he considered delinquent.Biden tied himself to an American tradition stretching “from Truman to Reagan to me” of defending NATO. “Every American must ask herself or himself, is the world safer with NATO?” he asked.Later, to assure a European journalist asking about governments on that continent worrying Trump could win, Biden launched into a detailed recounting of how he helped shepherd Finland into the alliance. After that, he went into detail about how to push back against China for supporting Russia during its war against Ukraine and contended he will continue to be able to deal with Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.Overall, Biden spoke forcefully and fluently about foreign policy, one of his favorite subjects. But the news conference’s focus wasn’t really foreign policy, it was reassuring Democrats and the world that Biden is still able to be president and beat Trump.That shows how even Biden’s strengths are being overshadowed by questions about his capabilities.<h2>When possible, he went back to the stump speech</h2>Every politician has a stock set of lines. And whenever Biden could, he went back to his favorite talking points. It was a way to answer the question without necessarily needing to say anything spontaneous or new.He went after trickle-down economics, borrowing a line about his father never benefiting much from tax cuts aimed at the wealthy (“I don’t remember much trickling down to his kitchen table”). He hailed Delaware for leading the country in corporations. He said he’s the “most pro-union labor president in history.” He explained his decision to run for a second term with a variation on his “finish the job” catchphrase. He went into his standard spiel about computer chips.With no time limit on his answers like he faced at the debate, Biden went on for several minutes at a time telling stories about his interactions with foreign leaders and making the case for his reelection.<h2>He answered questions in detail — unlike at the debate</h2>There were few fireworks in Biden’s answers -- with the highly anticipated event at times coming across as more of a think tank lecture than an effort to grab voters’ attention. He went into granular detail on geopolitics and rattled off numbers — asking at one moment, though, to not be held to the precise figure.While it didn’t erase the stumbles and blank stares from the debate, it showed that he could engage with reporters’ questions on a range of issues without losing focus.There was still regular coughing and throat clearing. And at times he lowered his voice to a hoarse whisper that evoked the rasp of his voice on debate night.Overall, his presentation was a reminder that people are focused on him now with an almost clinical eye toward possible slip-ups and mistakes, the kind of pressure that is unlikely to go away for as long as Biden insists he’ll stay in the race.___Riccardi reported from Denver.

Trump comments on Biden's 'Big Boy' press conference

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden used his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-press-conference-nato-campaign-f213c40509e35ed485ed3c57277ee911">highly anticipated news conference</a>&nbsp;Thursday to deliver a forceful defense of his foreign and domestic policies, and batted away questions about his ability to serve another four years even as he flubbed a reference to Donald Trump in one of his first answers.

(Click below to watch a replay of the news conferenc)

“I’m not in this for my legacy. I’m in this to complete the job I started,” Biden said as he insisted his support among the electorate was strong and he would stay in the race and would win.

Fumbles notwithstanding, the president pushed back at every suggestion that was slowing down or showing noticeable signs of decline, or that he was not in command of the job. But he was facing a growing chorus of calls from lawmakers, celebrities and other prominent Democrats to step aside from the 2024 race.

“My schedule has been full bore,” he declared. “So if I slow down and I cant get the job done, that’s a sign that I shouldn’t be doing it. But there’s no indication of that yet — none.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-11-2024">Democrats are facing</a>&nbsp;an intractable problem. Top donors, supporters and key lawmakers are doubtful of Biden’s abilities to carry on his reelection bid after his disastrous June 27 debate performance, but the hard-fighting 81-year-old president refuses to give up as he prepares to take on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;in a rematch.

The first questioner of Biden’s press conference asked about him losing support among many of his fellow Democrats and unionists, and asked about Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden was at first defiant, saying the “UAW endorsed me, but go ahead,” meaning the United Auto Workers. But then he mixed up Harris and Trump, saying, “I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be Vice President if she wasn’t qualified."

As of Thursday evening, a dozen House Democrats had called for him to exit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">the race</a>. The press conference was an effort to show he's up for another four years; voters are watching and elected officials are deciding whether to press for another choice.

Trump weighed in live on Biden’s news conference with a post on his social media network of a video clip of the president saying “Vice President Trump.”

Trump added sarcastically, “Great job, Joe!”

Earlier, Biden's campaign laid out what it sees as its path to keeping the White House in a new memo, saying that winning the “blue wall” states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan is the “clearest pathway” to victory. And it declared no other Democrat would do better against Trump.

“There is also no indication that anyone else would outperform the president vs. Trump,” said the memo from campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez that was obtained by The Associated Press.

The memo sought to brush back “hypothetical polling of alternative nominees ” as unreliable and it said such surveys “do not take into account the negative media environment that any Democratic nominee will encounter.”

Meanwhile, the campaign has been quietly surveying voters on Vice President Kamala Harris to determine how she’s viewed among the electorate, according to two people with knowledge of the campaign who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to talk about internal matters.

The people said the polling was not necessarily to show that she could be the nominee in Biden’s place, but rather to better understand how she’s viewed. The research came after Trump stepped up his attacks against Harris following the debate, according to another person familiar with the effort. The survey was first reported by The New York Times.

“I think I’m the best qualified person to do the job,” he said Thursday.

While Biden has expressed confidence in his chances, his campaign on Thursday acknowledged he is behind, and a growing number of the president’s aides in the White House and the campaign privately harbor doubts that he can turn things around.

But they’re taking their cues from Biden, expressing that he is in 100% unless and until he isn’t, and there appears to be no organized internal effort to persuade the president to step aside. His allies were well aware heading into the week there would be more calls for him to step down, and they were prepared for it.

But in announcing a compact that would bring together NATO countries to support Ukraine, Biden referred to the nation’s leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” to audible gasps in the room. He quickly returned to the microphone: “President Putin - he’s going to beat President Putin ... President Zelenskyy,” Biden said.

Then he said: “I’m so focused on beating Putin,” in an effort to explain the gaffe.

“I’m better” Zelenskyy replied. “You’re a hell of a lot better,” Biden said back.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer invited Biden’s team to meet with senators privately at the lunch hour to discuss concerns and the path forward, but some senators groused they would prefer to hear from the president himself. In the Senate, only Peter Welch of Vermont has so far called for Biden to step out of the race.

The 90-minute conversation with the president's team, which one person said included no new data, polling or game plan on how Biden would beat Trump, did not appear to change senators' minds. The person was granted anonymity to discuss the closed door session.

The meeting was frank, angry at times and also somewhat painful, since many in the room know and love Biden, said one senator who requested anonymity to discuss the private briefing. Senators confronted the advisers over Biden’s performance at the debate and the effect on Senate races this year

One Democrat, Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, said afterward, “My belief is that the president can win, but he’s got to be able to go out and answer voters' concerns. He’s got to be able to talk to voters directly over the next few day."

At the same time, influential senators are standing strongly with Biden, leaving the party at an impasse.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent, told AP he thinks Biden "is going to win this election. I think he has a chance to win it big.”

Sanders said he has been publicly critical of the campaign, and said Biden needs to talk more about the future and his plans for the country. “As we come closer to Election Day, the choices are very clear," he said.

__ Associated Press writers Michael Balsamo, Colleen Long, Mary Clare Jalonick, Kevin Freking, Farnoush Amiri and Linley Sanders contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720742007717.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden used his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-press-conference-nato-campaign-f213c40509e35ed485ed3c57277ee911">highly anticipated news conference</a>&nbsp;Thursday to deliver a forceful defense of his foreign and domestic policies, and batted away questions about his ability to serve another four years even as he flubbed a reference to Donald Trump in one of his first answers.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;What concerns do you have about Vice President Harris&#39; ability to beat Donald Trump if she were at the top of the ticket? President Biden: Look, I wouldn&#39;t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president if I didn&#39;t think she was not qualified to be vice president. <a href="https://t.co/TqqSKBsyQu">pic.twitter.com/TqqSKBsyQu</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1811546437567586658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>(Click below to watch a replay of the news conferenc)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4YF3ksozMBw?si=3XavzsHKEhlly8DY&amp;start=4321" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>“I’m not in this for my legacy. I’m in this to complete the job I started,” Biden said as he insisted his support among the electorate was strong and he would stay in the race and would win.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden: &quot;I always have an inclination...just to keep going. I just got to pace myself a bit more.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/vYsoeTip1J">pic.twitter.com/vYsoeTip1J</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1811559314382868719?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden: &quot;I am not opposed if my doctors tell me I should have another neurological exam, I&#39;ll do it.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/7glZeatRyP">pic.twitter.com/7glZeatRyP</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1811559403511824708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden on <a href="https://twitter.com/NATO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NATO</a> Summit: &quot;I thought it was the most successful conference I&#39;ve attended in a long time and find me a world leader who didn&#39;t think it was.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/7rZDnwXhGv">pic.twitter.com/7rZDnwXhGv</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1811549885809783207?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden: &quot;I will not bow down to Putin. I will not walk away from Ukraine. I will keep NATO strong. That&#39;s exactly what we did and exactly what we will continue to do.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/LSDp2dPd7G">pic.twitter.com/LSDp2dPd7G</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1811550403399463028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PeterAlexander?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PeterAlexander</a>: &quot;You referred to Vice President Harris as Vice President Trump. Right now Donald Trump is using that to mock your age and your memory. How do you combat that criticism from tonight? President Biden: &quot;Listen to him.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hJPpXbvDFi">pic.twitter.com/hJPpXbvDFi</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1811560186022142094?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Fumbles notwithstanding, the president pushed back at every suggestion that was slowing down or showing noticeable signs of decline, or that he was not in command of the job. But he was facing a growing chorus of calls from lawmakers, celebrities and other prominent Democrats to step aside from the 2024 race.“My schedule has been full bore,” he declared. “So if I slow down and I cant get the job done, that’s a sign that I shouldn’t be doing it. But there’s no indication of that yet — none.”<a href="https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-11-2024">Democrats are facing</a>&nbsp;an intractable problem. Top donors, supporters and key lawmakers are doubtful of Biden’s abilities to carry on his reelection bid after his disastrous June 27 debate performance, but the hard-fighting 81-year-old president refuses to give up as he prepares to take on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;in a rematch.The first questioner of Biden’s press conference asked about him losing support among many of his fellow Democrats and unionists, and asked about Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden was at first defiant, saying the “UAW endorsed me, but go ahead,” meaning the United Auto Workers. But then he mixed up Harris and Trump, saying, “I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be Vice President if she wasn’t qualified."As of Thursday evening, a dozen House Democrats had called for him to exit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">the race</a>. The press conference was an effort to show he's up for another four years; voters are watching and elected officials are deciding whether to press for another choice.Trump weighed in live on Biden’s news conference with a post on his social media network of a video clip of the president saying “Vice President Trump.”Trump added sarcastically, “Great job, Joe!”Earlier, Biden's campaign laid out what it sees as its path to keeping the White House in a new memo, saying that winning the “blue wall” states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan is the “clearest pathway” to victory. And it declared no other Democrat would do better against Trump.“There is also no indication that anyone else would outperform the president vs. Trump,” said the memo from campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez that was obtained by The Associated Press.The memo sought to brush back “hypothetical polling of alternative nominees ” as unreliable and it said such surveys “do not take into account the negative media environment that any Democratic nominee will encounter.”Meanwhile, the campaign has been quietly surveying voters on Vice President Kamala Harris to determine how she’s viewed among the electorate, according to two people with knowledge of the campaign who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to talk about internal matters.The people said the polling was not necessarily to show that she could be the nominee in Biden’s place, but rather to better understand how she’s viewed. The research came after Trump stepped up his attacks against Harris following the debate, according to another person familiar with the effort. The survey was first reported by The New York Times.“I think I’m the best qualified person to do the job,” he said Thursday.While Biden has expressed confidence in his chances, his campaign on Thursday acknowledged he is behind, and a growing number of the president’s aides in the White House and the campaign privately harbor doubts that he can turn things around.But they’re taking their cues from Biden, expressing that he is in 100% unless and until he isn’t, and there appears to be no organized internal effort to persuade the president to step aside. His allies were well aware heading into the week there would be more calls for him to step down, and they were prepared for it.But in announcing a compact that would bring together NATO countries to support Ukraine, Biden referred to the nation’s leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” to audible gasps in the room. He quickly returned to the microphone: “President Putin - he’s going to beat President Putin ... President Zelenskyy,” Biden said.Then he said: “I’m so focused on beating Putin,” in an effort to explain the gaffe.“I’m better” Zelenskyy replied. “You’re a hell of a lot better,” Biden said back.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer invited Biden’s team to meet with senators privately at the lunch hour to discuss concerns and the path forward, but some senators groused they would prefer to hear from the president himself. In the Senate, only Peter Welch of Vermont has so far called for Biden to step out of the race.The 90-minute conversation with the president's team, which one person said included no new data, polling or game plan on how Biden would beat Trump, did not appear to change senators' minds. The person was granted anonymity to discuss the closed door session.The meeting was frank, angry at times and also somewhat painful, since many in the room know and love Biden, said one senator who requested anonymity to discuss the private briefing. Senators confronted the advisers over Biden’s performance at the debate and the effect on Senate races this yearOne Democrat, Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, said afterward, “My belief is that the president can win, but he’s got to be able to go out and answer voters' concerns. He’s got to be able to talk to voters directly over the next few day."At the same time, influential senators are standing strongly with Biden, leaving the party at an impasse.Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent, told AP he thinks Biden "is going to win this election. I think he has a chance to win it big.”Sanders said he has been publicly critical of the campaign, and said Biden needs to talk more about the future and his plans for the country. “As we come closer to Election Day, the choices are very clear," he said.__ Associated Press writers Michael Balsamo, Colleen Long, Mary Clare Jalonick, Kevin Freking, Farnoush Amiri and Linley Sanders contributed to this report.

🎥Highlights from President Biden's first news conference in 8 months

Click the play button above to listen to Nate's interview with Lori Trow.

In this episode of King in the Community, Salina Post News Director Nate King interviews Lori Trow, president of the Sa<a href="https://www.lwvsalina.org/">lina League of Women Voters</a>. Lori discusses the League's mission to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented. She explains how the local chapter empowers voters through advocacy, education, and litigation.

Lori also shares the need-to-know information for the upcoming Salina League of Women Voters "Speed Dating with the Candidate" event scheduled to take place on Sunday July 14 at from 3-5 p.m. at Sunrise Presbyterian Church, 825 East Beloit.&nbsp;Primary candidates with opponents on the August 6 primary ballot are invited to the two-hour event.&nbsp; They are: U.S. House District 1, Kansas House District 107, Saline County Commission Districts 2 and 3, Saline County Register of Deeds and Saline County Attorney.

The program will follow the speed dating format, which offers candidates and voters the opportunity to quickly meet, ask questions and exchange ideas. Candidates will answer questions with those sitting at a table for 10 minutes, then move to the next table, and the next, until they meet with people at all tables in the room. They will also make opening and closing statements and may meet individually with citizens afterwards.

Trow said the local league chose to repeat the Speed Dating with the Candidates format based on favorable comments for a similar event last October.&nbsp;

Refreshments will be served at the program, which is free and open to all.

Listen in for reminders of crucial dates and deadlines for the 2024 primary and general elections in Salina, Kansas. Additionally, Lori addresses recent changes in local government proclamation procedures and shares her perspective on the impact these changes may have on citizen participation in meetings. 

Tune in for an informative discussion on voter involvement and local government.

<div><iframe title="Lori Trow, president of Salina League of Women Voters" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=k4ymz-166380c-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=60a0c8" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>Click the play button above to listen to Nate's interview with Lori Trow.By SALINA POSTIn this episode of King in the Community, Salina Post News Director Nate King interviews Lori Trow, president of the Sa<a href="https://www.lwvsalina.org/">lina League of Women Voters</a>. Lori discusses the League's mission to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented. She explains how the local chapter empowers voters through advocacy, education, and litigation.Lori also shares the need-to-know information for the upcoming Salina League of Women Voters "Speed Dating with the Candidate" event scheduled to take place on Sunday July 14 at from 3-5 p.m. at Sunrise Presbyterian Church, 825 East Beloit.&nbsp;Primary candidates with opponents on the August 6 primary ballot are invited to the two-hour event.&nbsp; They are: U.S. House District 1, Kansas House District 107, Saline County Commission Districts 2 and 3, Saline County Register of Deeds and Saline County Attorney.The program will follow the speed dating format, which offers candidates and voters the opportunity to quickly meet, ask questions and exchange ideas. Candidates will answer questions with those sitting at a table for 10 minutes, then move to the next table, and the next, until they meet with people at all tables in the room. They will also make opening and closing statements and may meet individually with citizens afterwards.Trow said the local league chose to repeat the Speed Dating with the Candidates format based on favorable comments for a similar event last October.&nbsp;Refreshments will be served at the program, which is free and open to all.Listen in for reminders of crucial dates and deadlines for the 2024 primary and general elections in Salina, Kansas. Additionally, Lori addresses recent changes in local government proclamation procedures and shares her perspective on the impact these changes may have on citizen participation in meetings. Tune in for an informative discussion on voter involvement and local government.<h2>More from King in the Community</h2><div><iframe title="King in the Community" allowtransparency="true" height="315" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:315px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=skmut-558a99-pbblog-playlist&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&order=episodic&limit=11&filter=publish_time&publish_start=2024-01-01&publish_end=2024-07-08&ss=1412047e5eb0022ae7bf983c408f5f5b&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=315" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

🎙King in the Community — Lori Trow, president of Salina League of Women Voters

KANSAS CITY (AP)—A Missouri man accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-arrests-kidnapping-missouri-fb3dd5739aaa2a2d037f858163adb322">keeping a woman hidden in his basement</a>&nbsp;while repeatedly sexually assaulting her was indicted Tuesday for allegedly murdering another woman.

Clay County, Missouri Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said Timothy M. Haslett was charged with murder in connection with 36-year-old Jaynie Crosdale’s death, adding that she was killed “by an act of homicidal violence.” He said her remains showed impact wounds consistent with a gunshot.

Haslett, of Excelsior Springs,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indictments-child-endangerment-missouri-crime-kidnapping-e666d09d04a08170ca843eb6863a080e">previously was indicted</a>&nbsp;on one count of rape, four counts of sodomy, two counts of second-degree assault and one count each of kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child.

He is being held in the Clay County Detention Center on $5 million bond.

Haslett’s public defender, Tiffany Leuty, did not immediately return an Associated Press call and email seeking comment Tuesday.

Police arrested Haslett in October 2022 after a woman told law enforcement that she had escaped from weeks of torture in his locked basement, according to a probable cause statement. She fled to a neighbor's house wearing a trash bag, a padlocked collar around her neck, and duct tape.

The survivor said Haslett had offered her money, and she agreed to go with him to his home. Once she was in his pickup truck, the woman told law enforcement that he held a gun to her, raped her and forced her to take narcotics.

He then took her to his basement, restrained her arms and legs, and raped, whipped, tortured and choked her every day for weeks, according to the probable cause statement. She escaped after slipping out of the chains while she believed he was taking his child to school.

The woman who survived also told authorities that Haslett had described killing two other women he previously kidnapped: one by suffocating her with a gas mask, and another who died after violent sexual torture.

He told her “if she did not listen to him, he would suffocate her and put her in a barrel like the rest of 'them,” according to the probable cause statement.

Thompson had said law enforcement officers followed more than 100 leads and spent more than 1,200 hours on the case, including searching for Crosdale and posting a missing person billboard with her photo in Kansas City.

Police made progress after kayakers in June 2023 found a blue, 30-gallon barrel with a skeleton inside while camping off the Missouri River in Saline County, according to police.

The remains were identified as Crosdale in July 2023, the Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article277830363.html#storylink=cpy">reported</a>.

The charges filed Tuesday are based on the evidence authorities currently have, Thompson said. He said the investigation is ongoing, and he urged anyone with information to come forward.

“Today’s indictment represents the next step in our pursuit of justice for the victims, the families and our community,” he said. “The physical, psychological and sexual torture described by the defendant’s surviving victim is brutal and barbaric.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665352038142.png" alt="Haslett-photo Clay County" />
 <figcaption>Haslett-photo Clay County</figcaption>
 </figure>By SUMMER BALLENTINE&nbsp;KANSAS CITY (AP)—A Missouri man accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-arrests-kidnapping-missouri-fb3dd5739aaa2a2d037f858163adb322">keeping a woman hidden in his basement</a>&nbsp;while repeatedly sexually assaulting her was indicted Tuesday for allegedly murdering another woman.Clay County, Missouri Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said Timothy M. Haslett was charged with murder in connection with 36-year-old Jaynie Crosdale’s death, adding that she was killed “by an act of homicidal violence.” He said her remains showed impact wounds consistent with a gunshot.Haslett, of Excelsior Springs,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indictments-child-endangerment-missouri-crime-kidnapping-e666d09d04a08170ca843eb6863a080e">previously was indicted</a>&nbsp;on one count of rape, four counts of sodomy, two counts of second-degree assault and one count each of kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child.He is being held in the Clay County Detention Center on $5 million bond.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720608172237.png" alt="Charges listed against Haslett as listed by the Clay County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Charges listed against Haslett as listed by the Clay County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Haslett’s public defender, Tiffany Leuty, did not immediately return an Associated Press call and email seeking comment Tuesday.Police arrested Haslett in October 2022 after a woman told law enforcement that she had escaped from weeks of torture in his locked basement, according to a probable cause statement. She fled to a neighbor's house wearing a trash bag, a padlocked collar around her neck, and duct tape.The survivor said Haslett had offered her money, and she agreed to go with him to his home. Once she was in his pickup truck, the woman told law enforcement that he held a gun to her, raped her and forced her to take narcotics.He then took her to his basement, restrained her arms and legs, and raped, whipped, tortured and choked her every day for weeks, according to the probable cause statement. She escaped after slipping out of the chains while she believed he was taking his child to school.The woman who survived also told authorities that Haslett had described killing two other women he previously kidnapped: one by suffocating her with a gas mask, and another who died after violent sexual torture.He told her “if she did not listen to him, he would suffocate her and put her in a barrel like the rest of 'them,” according to the probable cause statement.Thompson had said law enforcement officers followed more than 100 leads and spent more than 1,200 hours on the case, including searching for Crosdale and posting a missing person billboard with her photo in Kansas City.Police made progress after kayakers in June 2023 found a blue, 30-gallon barrel with a skeleton inside while camping off the Missouri River in Saline County, according to police.The remains were identified as Crosdale in July 2023, the Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article277830363.html#storylink=cpy">reported</a>.The charges filed Tuesday are based on the evidence authorities currently have, Thompson said. He said the investigation is ongoing, and he urged anyone with information to come forward.“Today’s indictment represents the next step in our pursuit of justice for the victims, the families and our community,” he said. “The physical, psychological and sexual torture described by the defendant’s surviving victim is brutal and barbaric.”

Man accused of imprisoning, torturing a woman indicted for murder

KANSAS CITY —During the Independence holiday weekend, three officers helped save a woman's life, the Kansas City Police Department reported Tuesday.

For 30 minutes, they talked with a woman who was threatening to jump from a downtown building. The officers listened to her, relating with her until she agreed to let them help her to safety. 

The KCPD recognized the officers, "well done, Sergeant Stephanie Chandler, Officer Joseph Wright and Officer Hayden Miller."&nbsp; If you or someone you know is in crisis or emotional distress, there is help. You can call or text 988.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720562990636.png" alt="Photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —During the Independence holiday weekend, three officers helped save a woman's life, the Kansas City Police Department reported Tuesday.For 30 minutes, they talked with a woman who was threatening to jump from a downtown building. The officers listened to her, relating with her until she agreed to let them help her to safety. The KCPD recognized the officers, "well done, Sergeant Stephanie Chandler, Officer Joseph Wright and Officer Hayden Miller."&nbsp; If you or someone you know is in crisis or emotional distress, there is help. You can call or text 988.&nbsp;

KCPD officers save woman threatening to jump from building

By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancher

A few months ago, I registered my two children for two weeks of swimming lessons at our town’s pool. Registering my 8-year-old daughter for lessons was a nonnegotiable. She needs to continue learning skills that’ll help her keep her head above water while also gaining strength as a swimmer. My son, on the other hand, had a choice of taking lessons or not. 

When I presented him with the option of lessons, I warned him that he’d probably be the oldest kid in his swim level. I told him I’d again register him for the highest level offered at the pool. He easily met all of the required swim skills in that same level last summer, so this would be more like a review rather than an assessment. I half thought he’d decide to pass on lessons because of my warning. 

After a few minutes of contemplation, my son announced that if taking 45-minute swimming lessons guaranteed him pool time for two weeks, he’d do it!

Summer for my family is definitely spent a little differently than others. Yes, there’s guaranteed pool time in the form of swimming lessons for two weeks. Yes, there’s summer ball games with friends, and occasionally there’s a friend that can come over to play or spend the night. But summer for my family also means a steady flow of farmwork, and the kids are an active part of it all. Because of that, we generally experience long summer days and sleep hard at night before getting up and starting the day before it gets too hot.

Between wheat harvest, planting of fall crops, irrigation chores, checking livestock and debris cleanup following summer storms, my two kids will always have a different summertime story compared to their classmates. 

There have been times I have questioned my decision to haul the kids to town every day for two weeks during our busiest time of the year. Scheduling swim lessons in the middle of winter would work better with our farming schedule. However, I have to remind myself they need to experience the joys of summer as children. 

Yes, they need to understand the value of work. Yes, they need to be given responsibilities. Yes, they need to see that being part of a farming family includes helping when needed.

And honestly, leaving the farm and driving to town so the kids can get their guaranteed pool time also means that I have an opportunity to relax in the shade and read a book or listen to a podcast for 45 minutes by myself – something I might not do without this intentionally built-in time during the summer. It’s been a pleasant opportunity to pause and enjoy short breaks during an otherwise very busy time of the year.

The joys of summer can be had at any age, it’s just a matter of recognizing when the opportunity presents itself and making the time to take advantage of those moments.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573617414005.jpeg" alt="Kim-Baldwin Insight" />
 <figcaption>Kim-Baldwin Insight</figcaption>
 </figure>By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancherA few months ago, I registered my two children for two weeks of swimming lessons at our town’s pool. Registering my 8-year-old daughter for lessons was a nonnegotiable. She needs to continue learning skills that’ll help her keep her head above water while also gaining strength as a swimmer. My son, on the other hand, had a choice of taking lessons or not. When I presented him with the option of lessons, I warned him that he’d probably be the oldest kid in his swim level. I told him I’d again register him for the highest level offered at the pool. He easily met all of the required swim skills in that same level last summer, so this would be more like a review rather than an assessment. I half thought he’d decide to pass on lessons because of my warning. After a few minutes of contemplation, my son announced that if taking 45-minute swimming lessons guaranteed him pool time for two weeks, he’d do it!Summer for my family is definitely spent a little differently than others. Yes, there’s guaranteed pool time in the form of swimming lessons for two weeks. Yes, there’s summer ball games with friends, and occasionally there’s a friend that can come over to play or spend the night. But summer for my family also means a steady flow of farmwork, and the kids are an active part of it all. Because of that, we generally experience long summer days and sleep hard at night before getting up and starting the day before it gets too hot.Between wheat harvest, planting of fall crops, irrigation chores, checking livestock and debris cleanup following summer storms, my two kids will always have a different summertime story compared to their classmates. There have been times I have questioned my decision to haul the kids to town every day for two weeks during our busiest time of the year. Scheduling swim lessons in the middle of winter would work better with our farming schedule. However, I have to remind myself they need to experience the joys of summer as children. Yes, they need to understand the value of work. Yes, they need to be given responsibilities. Yes, they need to see that being part of a farming family includes helping when needed.And honestly, leaving the farm and driving to town so the kids can get their guaranteed pool time also means that I have an opportunity to relax in the shade and read a book or listen to a podcast for 45 minutes by myself – something I might not do without this intentionally built-in time during the summer. It’s been a pleasant opportunity to pause and enjoy short breaks during an otherwise very busy time of the year.The joys of summer can be had at any age, it’s just a matter of recognizing when the opportunity presents itself and making the time to take advantage of those moments."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service. Copyright © 2024 Kansas Farm Bureau, All rights reserved.News from Kansas Farm Bureau

Insight Kansas — The joys of summer

Douglas Jay Hein September 5, 1962 ~&nbsp;June 26, 2024

Douglas Jay Hein, son of Harold James and Beverly Marie (Laubhan) Hein was born September 5, 1962, in Marion, KS.&nbsp; Doug attended McPherson, KS schools and graduated from McPherson High School.

Doug’s passion was collecting cars and trucks, especially later models.&nbsp; He would spend hours putting together model kits and painting them.&nbsp; He loved Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars. Most of them are still displayed in their original boxes.&nbsp; Doug also loved playing card games like UNO and Solitaire and taking short drives while listening to country music.&nbsp; In his younger years, he was always seen driving late model cars, like a Camaro or El Camino.&nbsp;

Doug loved his sister, Janet and her husband, Greg, his nieces, Megan, Mollie, and Meranda, his great-nieces, Peyton and Kaelynn, and great-nephews, Kendrick, Karston, Logan, and Karter.&nbsp;

Doug died unexpectedly on June 26, 2024, at his home at the age of 61.&nbsp;

He is preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, and a niece Melissa Lynn Thompson.

Surviving family members include his sister, Janet Thompson and her husband, Greg; a niece, Megan Shaw and children, Kendrick Niemeyer, Kaelynn Shaw, Karston Shaw, and Karter Shaw; a niece, Mollie Klein and her husband, Ross, and children, Peyton Klein and Logan Klein; a niece, Meranda Thompson; and several close family members in Dallas, TX and surrounded areas.

A private family graveside service will be held in McPherson Cemetery at a later date.&nbsp;

Arrangements are with Stockham Family Funeral Home, 205 North Chestnut, McPherson, KS 67460.

Personal condolences may be sent to the family at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stockhamfamily.com/">www.stockhamfamily.com</a>.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/edcd5204-f723-4e8e-9956-0a17c6565c48">📸 Daddy Bud Day celebrates Salina's history and community</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1560792573667.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Douglas Jay Hein September 5, 1962 ~&nbsp;June 26, 2024 Douglas Jay Hein, son of Harold James and Beverly Marie (Laubhan) Hein was born September 5, 1962, in Marion, KS.&nbsp; Doug attended McPherson, KS schools and graduated from McPherson High School.Doug’s passion was collecting cars and trucks, especially later models.&nbsp; He would spend hours putting together model kits and painting them.&nbsp; He loved Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars. Most of them are still displayed in their original boxes.&nbsp; Doug also loved playing card games like UNO and Solitaire and taking short drives while listening to country music.&nbsp; In his younger years, he was always seen driving late model cars, like a Camaro or El Camino.&nbsp;Doug loved his sister, Janet and her husband, Greg, his nieces, Megan, Mollie, and Meranda, his great-nieces, Peyton and Kaelynn, and great-nephews, Kendrick, Karston, Logan, and Karter.&nbsp;Doug died unexpectedly on June 26, 2024, at his home at the age of 61.&nbsp;He is preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, and a niece Melissa Lynn Thompson.Surviving family members include his sister, Janet Thompson and her husband, Greg; a niece, Megan Shaw and children, Kendrick Niemeyer, Kaelynn Shaw, Karston Shaw, and Karter Shaw; a niece, Mollie Klein and her husband, Ross, and children, Peyton Klein and Logan Klein; a niece, Meranda Thompson; and several close family members in Dallas, TX and surrounded areas.A private family graveside service will be held in McPherson Cemetery at a later date.&nbsp;Arrangements are with Stockham Family Funeral Home, 205 North Chestnut, McPherson, KS 67460.Personal condolences may be sent to the family at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stockhamfamily.com/">www.stockhamfamily.com</a>.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/edcd5204-f723-4e8e-9956-0a17c6565c48">📸 Daddy Bud Day celebrates Salina's history and community</a>

Douglas J. Hein

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden, in an open&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24794149-biden-letter-to-congressional-democrats">letter to congressional Democrats</a>, stood firm Monday against calls for him to drop his reelection candidacy and called for an end to the intraparty drama that has torn apart Democrats since his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-campaigning-pennsylvania-democratic-doubts-election-77b050b1c5c39aec2ef633281d082566">dismal public debate performance</a>.

Biden's efforts to shore up a deeply anxious Democratic Party came as lawmakers returned to Washington confronting a choice: Work to revive his campaign or try to edge out the party leader, a make-or-break time for his campaign and their own&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">political futures</a>.

Biden wrote in the two-page letter that “the question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it’s time for it to end.” He stressed that the party has “one job,” which is to defeat presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in November.

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24794331-bidenletterjuly8">Click here to read the full letter</a> from Biden.

“We have 42 days to the Democratic Convention and 119 days to the general election,” Biden said in the letter, distributed by his reelection campaign. “Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us. It’s time to come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump.”

Anxiety is running high as top-ranking Democratic lawmakers are joining calls for Biden to step aside despite his defiance. At the same time, some of the president’s most staunch supporters are redoubling the fight for Biden’s presidency, insisting there’s no one better to beat Trump in what many see as among the most important elections of a lifetime.

Biden followed up the letter with a phone interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” show, in which he insisted that “average Democrats” want him to stay in the race and said he was frustrated by the calls from party officials for him to step aside.

“They’re big names, but I don’t care what those big names think,” Biden said.

He threw the gauntlet at his critics, saying if they’re serious they ought to “announce for president, challenge me at the convention” or rally behind him against Trump. Later, Biden joined a call with members of his national finance committee, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-veterans-north-carolina-florida-georgia-7cfa60e967da9ce9514f89841fc2addc">first lady Jill Biden</a>&nbsp;campaigned for her husband in a three-state swing focused on engaging veterans and military families.

“For all the talk out there about this race, Joe has made it clear that he’s all in,” she told a military crowd in Wilmington, North Carolina. “That’s the decision that he’s made, and just as he has always supported my career, I am all in, too."

Democratic voters are split on whether Biden should remain the Democratic Party’s nominee for president, or whether there should be a different Democratic nominee,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/07/03/us/elections/times-siena-poll-registered-voter-crosstabs.html">according to a New York Times/Siena College poll</a>.

More voices spoke up Monday, including the chair of the House’s Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who was not ready to cast aside Biden, saying that the threat of a second Trump presidency remains too high. Yet one of the most endangered Democrats this election cycle, Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, said in a statement, “President Biden has got to prove to the American people—including me—that he’s up to the job for another four years.”

However, Biden’s letter left some House Democrats, who want to hear directly from Biden himself, furious, according to one House aide granted anonymity to discuss the situation. Lawmakers particularly bristled at being cast as out of touch with voters since representatives in particular have been home in their districts listening to voters.

A person familiar with the matter said Biden would meet virtually Monday with the Congressional Black Caucus. The White House would not say whether Biden would meet with all Democratic lawmakers in person at the Capitol this week.

(click below to watch the complete Monday White House Press briefing)

Meanwhile, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden had undergone three neurological exams while in the White House as part of his annual physical exams — and no more — and said the president has not been diagnosed with or treated for Parkinson’s.

It’s a tenuous and highly volatile juncture for the president’s party. Democrats who have worked alongside Biden for years — if not decades — and cherished his life's work on policy priorities are now entertaining uncomfortable questions about his political future. And it's unfolding as Biden hosts world leaders for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-summit-trump-biden-europe-ukraine-e45273ef1bd408d72245f8f7fd1ec5c0">the NATO summit</a>&nbsp;this week in Washington.

The drama is playing out with just over a month until the Democratic National Convention and just a week before Republicans gather in Milwaukee to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-project-2025-biden-9d372469033d23e1e3aef5cf0470a2e6">renominate Trump</a>&nbsp;as their presidential pick. Many Democrats are arguing the attention needs to be focused not on Biden but on the former president's felony conviction in the hush money case and pending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">federal charges</a>&nbsp;in his effort to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-election-2020-indictment">overturn the 2020 election</a>.

In an effort to “get on the same page,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries is convening lawmakers for private meetings before he shows his own preference, according to a person familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it. He planned to gather on Monday some Democrats whose bids for reelection are most vulnerable.

A private call Sunday including some 15 top House committee members exposed the deepening divide as at least four more Democrats — Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state and Rep. Mark Takano of California — privately said Biden should step aside.

Nadler, as one of the more senior members on the call, was the first, according to a person familiar with the call who was granted anonymity to discuss it. He did so aware that seniority would allow others to join him.

Many others on the call raised concerns about Biden’s capability and chance of winning reelection, even if they stopped short of saying Biden should step out of the race.

Still other members, including Rep. Maxine Waters of California and Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia, both leaders in the Congressional Black Caucus, spoke forcefully in support of Biden, as did Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the powerful Ways and Means Committee.

Neal said afterward that the bottom line is Biden beat Trump in 2020 and “he’ll do it again in November.”

Behind the scenes is Speaker Emerita&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</a>, who continues to field calls from lawmakers seeking advice about the situation and is widely viewed as the one to watch for any ultimate decision on Biden's future because of her proximity to the president and vote-counting skills in party politics.

Pelosi spoke up last week, saying Biden's debate performance raised “legitimate” questions he needed to answer.

But when Biden's prime-time ABC interview on Friday appeared to do little to calm worried Democrats, and some said made the situation worse, Pelosi stepped forward to praise him on social media as a “great President who continues to deliver for America’s kitchen table.” She added, "and we're not done yet!”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer would not answer questions about Biden’s reelection as he entered the Capitol on Monday, but he told reporters: “As I’ve said before, I’m for Joe.”

The Senate’s No. 2 Democrat, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, was more cautious.

“I watched the debate, it raised a lot of questions,” Durbin said. “He is trying to answer those questions. In some respects he’s done it very effectively, in other respects not as effectively.”

One Democrat, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, had intended to gather senators Monday to discuss Biden privately, but a person familiar with his thinking said those conversations will take place in Tuesday’s regular caucus luncheon with all Democratic senators.

Another Democrat, Sen. Alex Padilla of California, said it was “time to quit the hand-wringing and get back to door knocking.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720469721880.png" alt="Reporters during tense White House press briefing on Monday-image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>Reporters during tense White House press briefing on Monday-image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden, in an open&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24794149-biden-letter-to-congressional-democrats">letter to congressional Democrats</a>, stood firm Monday against calls for him to drop his reelection candidacy and called for an end to the intraparty drama that has torn apart Democrats since his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-campaigning-pennsylvania-democratic-doubts-election-77b050b1c5c39aec2ef633281d082566">dismal public debate performance</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> Karine Jean-Pierre to <a href="https://twitter.com/edokeefe?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@edokeefe</a>: &quot;It doesn&#39;t matter how hard you push me. It doesn&#39;t matter how angry you get with me. I&#39;m not going to confirm a name...What I can say share with you is that the president has seen a neurologist for his physical three times.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/oZQjMiIOPv">pic.twitter.com/oZQjMiIOPv</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1810397009150619756?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden's efforts to shore up a deeply anxious Democratic Party came as lawmakers returned to Washington confronting a choice: Work to revive his campaign or try to edge out the party leader, a make-or-break time for his campaign and their own&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">political futures</a>.Biden wrote in the two-page letter that “the question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it’s time for it to end.” He stressed that the party has “one job,” which is to defeat presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in November.<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24794331-bidenletterjuly8">Click here to read the full letter</a> from Biden.“We have 42 days to the Democratic Convention and 119 days to the general election,” Biden said in the letter, distributed by his reelection campaign. “Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us. It’s time to come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump.”Anxiety is running high as top-ranking Democratic lawmakers are joining calls for Biden to step aside despite his defiance. At the same time, some of the president’s most staunch supporters are redoubling the fight for Biden’s presidency, insisting there’s no one better to beat Trump in what many see as among the most important elections of a lifetime.Biden followed up the letter with a phone interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” show, in which he insisted that “average Democrats” want him to stay in the race and said he was frustrated by the calls from party officials for him to step aside.“They’re big names, but I don’t care what those big names think,” Biden said.He threw the gauntlet at his critics, saying if they’re serious they ought to “announce for president, challenge me at the convention” or rally behind him against Trump. Later, Biden joined a call with members of his national finance committee, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-veterans-north-carolina-florida-georgia-7cfa60e967da9ce9514f89841fc2addc">first lady Jill Biden</a>&nbsp;campaigned for her husband in a three-state swing focused on engaging veterans and military families.“For all the talk out there about this race, Joe has made it clear that he’s all in,” she told a military crowd in Wilmington, North Carolina. “That’s the decision that he’s made, and just as he has always supported my career, I am all in, too."Democratic voters are split on whether Biden should remain the Democratic Party’s nominee for president, or whether there should be a different Democratic nominee,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/07/03/us/elections/times-siena-poll-registered-voter-crosstabs.html">according to a New York Times/Siena College poll</a>.More voices spoke up Monday, including the chair of the House’s Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who was not ready to cast aside Biden, saying that the threat of a second Trump presidency remains too high. Yet one of the most endangered Democrats this election cycle, Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, said in a statement, “President Biden has got to prove to the American people—including me—that he’s up to the job for another four years.”However, Biden’s letter left some House Democrats, who want to hear directly from Biden himself, furious, according to one House aide granted anonymity to discuss the situation. Lawmakers particularly bristled at being cast as out of touch with voters since representatives in particular have been home in their districts listening to voters.A person familiar with the matter said Biden would meet virtually Monday with the Congressional Black Caucus. The White House would not say whether Biden would meet with all Democratic lawmakers in person at the Capitol this week.(click below to watch the complete Monday White House Press briefing)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F495556559822359%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=2259" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe>
</div>Meanwhile, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden had undergone three neurological exams while in the White House as part of his annual physical exams — and no more — and said the president has not been diagnosed with or treated for Parkinson’s.It’s a tenuous and highly volatile juncture for the president’s party. Democrats who have worked alongside Biden for years — if not decades — and cherished his life's work on policy priorities are now entertaining uncomfortable questions about his political future. And it's unfolding as Biden hosts world leaders for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-summit-trump-biden-europe-ukraine-e45273ef1bd408d72245f8f7fd1ec5c0">the NATO summit</a>&nbsp;this week in Washington.The drama is playing out with just over a month until the Democratic National Convention and just a week before Republicans gather in Milwaukee to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-project-2025-biden-9d372469033d23e1e3aef5cf0470a2e6">renominate Trump</a>&nbsp;as their presidential pick. Many Democrats are arguing the attention needs to be focused not on Biden but on the former president's felony conviction in the hush money case and pending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">federal charges</a>&nbsp;in his effort to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-election-2020-indictment">overturn the 2020 election</a>.In an effort to “get on the same page,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries is convening lawmakers for private meetings before he shows his own preference, according to a person familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it. He planned to gather on Monday some Democrats whose bids for reelection are most vulnerable.A private call Sunday including some 15 top House committee members exposed the deepening divide as at least four more Democrats — Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state and Rep. Mark Takano of California — privately said Biden should step aside.Nadler, as one of the more senior members on the call, was the first, according to a person familiar with the call who was granted anonymity to discuss it. He did so aware that seniority would allow others to join him.Many others on the call raised concerns about Biden’s capability and chance of winning reelection, even if they stopped short of saying Biden should step out of the race.Still other members, including Rep. Maxine Waters of California and Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia, both leaders in the Congressional Black Caucus, spoke forcefully in support of Biden, as did Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the powerful Ways and Means Committee.Neal said afterward that the bottom line is Biden beat Trump in 2020 and “he’ll do it again in November.”Behind the scenes is Speaker Emerita&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</a>, who continues to field calls from lawmakers seeking advice about the situation and is widely viewed as the one to watch for any ultimate decision on Biden's future because of her proximity to the president and vote-counting skills in party politics.Pelosi spoke up last week, saying Biden's debate performance raised “legitimate” questions he needed to answer.But when Biden's prime-time ABC interview on Friday appeared to do little to calm worried Democrats, and some said made the situation worse, Pelosi stepped forward to praise him on social media as a “great President who continues to deliver for America’s kitchen table.” She added, "and we're not done yet!”Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer would not answer questions about Biden’s reelection as he entered the Capitol on Monday, but he told reporters: “As I’ve said before, I’m for Joe.”The Senate’s No. 2 Democrat, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, was more cautious.“I watched the debate, it raised a lot of questions,” Durbin said. “He is trying to answer those questions. In some respects he’s done it very effectively, in other respects not as effectively.”One Democrat, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, had intended to gather senators Monday to discuss Biden privately, but a person familiar with his thinking said those conversations will take place in Tuesday’s regular caucus luncheon with all Democratic senators.Another Democrat, Sen. Alex Padilla of California, said it was “time to quit the hand-wringing and get back to door knocking.”While some deep-pocketed donors may be showing discomfort, strategists working on House and Senate races said they have posted record fundraising as donors view congressional Democrats as a “firewall” and last line of defense against Trump.__