Axios

Florida swing voters are open to Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee, even though they have some doubts about her, according to our latest focus group with Engagious/Sago.

Why it matters: Some of the voters' willingness to accept Harris as the nominee, even with doubts about her preparedness, underscores the degree to which some of them have concerns about President Biden.

President Biden holds his high-stakes solo news conference Thursday night, which is expected to be his biggest political moment since the first presidential debate two weeks ago.

Why it matters: Biden's every word and move will be dissected and every mangled sentence scrutinized, Axios' Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen write in their latest Behind the Curtain column.

Former President Trump asked a state court judge Thursday to dismiss his criminal conviction in the New York hush money case before the planned sentencing date.

The big picture: Trump is seizing on the Supreme Court's landmark immunity ruling that deemed presidents have immunity for "official acts."

President Biden introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as "President Putin" at the NATO summit on Thursday, before quickly correcting himself.

Why it matters: Many members of Congress, along with the American public, are watching Thursday's presser to assess Biden's performance after his debate disaster in June.

House Republicans had a pretty good run of letting Democrats'' intra-party chaos dominate the news, but some members see a pair of ill-timed floor fumbles as unforced errors that detract from that strategy.

Why it matters: The back-to-back failed floor votes Thursday complicate Speaker Mike Johnson's effort to paint the picture of a unified GOP conference ahead of next week's Republican National Convention.

A Milwaukee radio station admitted Thursday that it had edited portions of an interview it had done with President Biden last week at the request of his campaign.

Why it matters: Biden's disastrous debate performance last month has reignited worries about his age and brought fresh scrutiny to his public appearances and interviews.

U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.) called on President Biden to step down as the party's presumptive nominee Thursday, joining a growing chorus of congressional Democrats publicly urging him to end his campaign.

The big picture: In a statement, Stanton touted himself as an early Biden supporter in 2020, calling the president "one of our ​​country's most effective modern chief executives" whose most defining legacy is likely "as a fierce defender of American democracy."

House Democrats are poised to issue a flood of new statements urging Joe Biden to exit the 2024 race regardless of what happens at the president's NATO press conference, more than half a dozen lawmakers tell Axios.

Why it matters: While some House Democrats view the press conference as a key hurdle for Biden to clear, "many have" already decided to urge Biden to withdraw, one lawmaker said.

A chorus of damaging new leaks about President Biden suggest that parts of his inner circle have been compromised by the same deep-seated anxieties roiling the Democratic Party.

Why it matters: Pressure on Biden to quit the race has been steadily building on Capitol Hill. On Thursday, hours before Biden's NATO press conference, the calls began coming from inside the house.

Former President Trump's recent attempts to court Black and Hispanic voters appear to be unsuccessful so far.

The big picture: With the presidential election just months away, 70% of Black voters and half of Latinos say they have a somewhat or very unfavorable view of Trump, according to AP analysis of two AP-NORC polls.

The U.S. will shut down its short-lived humanitarian aid pier for Gaza, the Pentagon announced Thursday.

Why it matters: The $230 million project, which was intended to stave off famine in Gaza as other aid routes into the enclave closed, has suffered from inconsistent aid deliveries amid logistical issues.

Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) on Thursday joined growing calls from his Democratic colleagues for President Biden to drop his 2024 reelection bid.

Why it matters: Schneider makes 12 House Democrats who have called for Biden to withdraw from the race amid persistent concerns on Capitol Hill about his ability to defeat former President Trump.

Only about a quarter of American voters describe President Biden as "mentally sharp," according to a new Pew Research study released Thursday.

Why it matters: Biden's disastrous debate performance last month has brought longstanding concerns about his age into sharp focus, sparking concern among lawmakers, staff and donors about his fitness for office.

Donald Trump Jr. is scheduled to speak right before his father's vice presidential pick at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Wednesday, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: It's the latest sign that former President Trump has zeroed in on Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) as a favorite contender to be his running mate, over North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).

The House voted down Rep. Anna Paulina Luna's (R-Fla.)'s resolution to fine Attorney General Merrick Garland $10,000 a day for flouting a congressional subpoena.

Why it matters: The vote ended up highlighting the very GOP divisions Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was hoping to avoid showcasing, with many Republicans pointing the blame at Luna.

1. Venezuela's regime is saying President Nicolás Maduro is being "disadvantaged" before the July 28 presidential elections because of U.S. and European sanctions.

• The claim was made while Maduro's government, in power since 2013, has been accused of repeatedly stifling the opposition before the elections.
• Foreign Minister Yván Gil made the comments yesterday during a meeting with foreign ambassadors.

2. El Salvador's Congress approved a 28th extension of a state of emergency that allows authorities to suspend some civil rights in the name of combating crime.

• Under the state of emergency, first declared in March of 2022, authorities can detain without a warrant anyone suspected of being in a gang and incarcerate them indefinitely.
• President Nayib Bukele has repeatedly defended it as the most appropriate security policy, even after reports of innocent people being rounded up and of mysterious deaths inside the prisons.

Huge congrats to Karla Rodriguez, who is now the communications director for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus' BOLD Pac!

• Karla most recently worked as press secretary for Rep. Sylvia Garcia.

Congrats, Karla!

The Biden campaign has consistently argued that upcoming inflection points would change the course of the race — only for those events to come and go without notably improving President Biden's standing in the polls.

The big picture: Facing ominous polling dating back to early in the Republican primary, the Biden campaign maintained that the race would move in his favor once Trump was nominated and a binary choice emerged for voters.

All eyes will be on President Biden as he holds a rare solo news conference Thursday evening, two weeks after the presidential debate and six days after his ABC News interview.

Why it matters: The stakes are high for Biden as calls grow for him to step aside as the Democratic nominee. He has insisted he will remain in the race.

Two Biden campaign officials held a call Wednesday night with a group of Nikki Haley supporters to try to smooth over the post-debate chaos. It didn't go great.

Why it matters: It's another warning sign of the political damage done by President Biden's debate performance, as his campaign officials try to salvage their chances of winning in November.

As pressure mounts for President Biden to step down from the Democratic ticket, some strategists have been trying to assess Vice President Kamala Harris' standing with Latinos and other voters who will play a key role in the upcoming elections.

The big picture: Harris is adamant she is not seeking the nomination, but political strategists have been exploring all possible avenues in case Biden drops out of the race.

Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.) is joining the growing list of congressional Democrats calling for President Biden to end his bid for reelection.

Why it matters: Scholten is among a group of swing-district House Democrats concerned not only about the battle for the White House, but its impact on their races further down the ballot.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) raised $12.8 million in the second quarter of this year for his high-stakes re-election campaign, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Strong fundraising performances will be even more important for frontline Democrats as President Biden's re-election bid wobbles.

House Democrats with grave concerns about President Biden's ability to win the 2024 election are looking to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) as their potential muscle to get him to drop his reelection bid.

Why it matters: In addition to being a Capitol Hill veteran who is respected by Biden, Pelosi is seen as having a steely toughness that could actually break through to the stubborn president.

U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) made a splash last week as one of the first congressional Democrats to call on President Biden to withdraw from the presidential race, but his fellow Arizona Democrats aren't following suit.

Why it matters: Cook Political Report moved Arizona — one of six swing states expected to decide the presidential election — from "toss up" to "lean Republican" Tuesday amid growing voter skepticism over Biden's ability to serve.

A majority of voters (67%) said President Biden should step aside as the presumptive Democratic nominee, according to a new ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll published Thursday.

Why it matters: It's another survey showing that majorities of voters believe Biden should bow out following his performance in last month's debate against former President Trump.

The Consumer Price Index fell 0.1% in June and the measure that strips out energy and food costs rose by the same amount, the Labor Department said on Thursday.

Why it matters: The new data shows price hikes slowed sharply last month — offering relief to American consumers and bolstering the case for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates.

Three top prosecutors from the Mueller investigation will be out Sept. 24 with a book telling the inside story of "the most intense investigation of Trump's Presidency."

Why it matters: The book, which includes an introduction by special counsel Robert Mueller, takes on new meaning after the Supreme Court dramatically limited what presidential actions can be prosecuted.

The House is slated to take up Rep. Anna Paulina Luna's (R-Fla.) anti-Merrick Garland resolution on Thursday after she rallied enough support to overcome two attempts to block her from forcing a vote this week.

Why it matters: The move came as top Republicans urged the Florida Republican to hold off due to a range of "legal, political, institutional and practical concerns" and hopes of avoiding showcasing divisions within the conference amid Democrats' internal feud President Biden's future.

President Joe Biden is down in the polls, and some analysts say weak enthusiasm for his campaign could hurt down-ballot races, including in Georgia. One of those candidates is urging the president to end his bid and make room for a new nominee.

Why it matters: Georgia Democrats earlier this year expressed fears that, without the help of other high-stakes races on the ballot, Biden might not get the progressive voter turnout boost here like he did in 2020.

A true Washington psychodrama will unfold today a mile from the White House, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

• A red-hot press corps — which feels ignored, used and deceived — will get its first true unfiltered crack at grilling President Biden, the most media-sheltered president of modern times. "The dogs are loose," a Biden adviser told us.
• Biden, bitter over media coverage of his age and acuity, gets his shot at redemption — a chance to show the press and public he can think fast, handle the heat, and spar and speak improvisationally without glitching.

Two weeks into Democrats' post-debate meltdown, pressure on President Biden is once again soaring — courtesy of cryptic statements from Democratic leaders and a scorching op-ed from a top Hollywood fundraiser.

Why it matters: The drop-Biden rebellion had been weakening after the president defiantly refused calls to stand down. Now, it's gaining fresh momentum — with an intervention by George Clooney threatening to blow the doors wide open.

The Energy Department is giving automakers and suppliers nearly $2 billion to save at-risk or shuttered plants — if they convert to serve the electric vehicle market.

Why it matters: The money via the 2022 climate law is among the most direct White House attempts to fuse manufacturing and climate policies.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders declared Wednesday that "Ukraine's future is in NATO" as they pledged more aid for the country as it fights Russia's invading forces.

The big picture: While NATO leaders did not announce at the summit in D.C. any timeframe for Ukraine to join the military alliance, the organization's 32 members in a statement pledged their "unwavering commitment" to long-term support for the country in the face of Russia's military aggression.

The ACLU on Wednesday criticized an amendment added to defense policy legislation that would restrict gender-affirming care, calling it "a dangerous and discriminatory attack on transgender members of the armed forces."

Why it matters: If approved, the amendment would mean that government insurance would not cover gender affirming surgeries for soldiers and nearly all gender-affirming care for their children under 18, including hormones and puberty blockers.

Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) said Wednesday that he will not vote for President Biden unless he is convinced the president is "physically or mentally equipped" for a second term.

Why it matters: It's one of the most devastating statements a Democratic lawmaker has made about the 81-year-old president's age and fitness for office since his calamitous debate against former President Trump.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) huddled with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Capitol on Wednesday, with future support for the country being a focal point for world leaders in D.C. for the NATO summit.

Why it matters: The meeting marks the first time the two have met in person since Johnson put his own political career at risk by putting a sweeping foreign aid package on the floor in April.