Sunday, July 21, 2024

Biden withdraws from the 2024 contest

Biden withdraws from the 2024 contest after a contentious debate stoked ageism issues. 

VP Harris gives his approval.

WASHINGTON (AP) – Following a terrible debate with Donald Trump that cast doubt on the incumbent's suitability for office, President Joe Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential contest on Sunday. Less than four months before the election, the unexpected news was made, upending a campaign that both major parties considered to be the most important in recent memory.

To finish his term in office, the president promptly backed Vice President Kamala Harris to challenge Trump and urged his party to rally behind her. As a result, she became the party's instant favorite to win the nomination at its August convention in Chicago.

A week after Trump was the target of an attempted assassination at a rally in Pennsylvania, the announcement is the most recent shock to the turbulent presidential campaign.


Never has a party's presumed presidential nominee dropped out of the race thus close to the outcome. After only one state's primary, President Lyndon Johnson, overwhelmed by the Vietnam War, declared in March 1968 that he would not run for office again. Following more than 14 million Democratic votes cast in favor of him throughout the primaries, Biden made his decision in July.

In a statement, Harris declared her intention to "earn and win" her party's candidacy while applauding Biden for his "selfless and patriotic act."
"I will exert every effort to bring the Democratic Party and our country together in opposition to Donald Trump and his divisive Project 2025 agenda," she declared.


Biden's decision to withdraw came in response to mounting pressure from his Democratic allies to do so after the June 27 debate, during which the 81-year-old president faltered, frequently answered incoherently, and neglected to address the numerous lies made by the former president.


"Serving as your President has been the greatest honor of my life. Although I have always intended to run for reelection, I feel that it would be better for my party and the nation if I stepped down and concentrated only on carrying out my presidential duties for the balance of my term, Biden wrote in a letter that was uploaded to his X account on Sunday.

After announcing that he was ending his candidacy, Biden backed Harris almost thirty minutes later.
In another post on X, he stated, "Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year." "Democrats, let's band together to defeat Trump."


In the upcoming days, Harris will have a daunting political to-do list: choosing a running partner, getting the support of party delegates, and turning around a large political operation designed to reelect Biden to support her candidacy. Harris would be the first woman and person of South Asian heritage to hold the office of president if she were elected.

Before Harris made any comments regarding Biden's decision to withdraw from the race, she received the endorsements of the Congressional Black Caucus, former President Bill Clinton, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. These signals suggested that the party was beginning to come together around Harris. Notably, though, is that former president Barack Obama waited and supported the party's eventual choice.



The Clintons released a statement saying, "We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her." Though he applauded Biden for his decision to withdraw from the campaign, Obama refrained from publicly endorsing Harris considering his private reservations about Biden's chances of winning reelection.

He declared in a statement, "I have extraordinary confidence that our party's leaders will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges."

Following his COVID-19 diagnosis last week, Biden has been withdrawing to his Delaware beach house and haggling over his political future with a dwindling group of close friends and family members. This decision was made during this period. Later this week, Biden promised to address the nation and give "detail" on his choice.


According to persons familiar with the situation who provided comments on the private discussions on condition of anonymity, Harris learned of Biden's plans on Sunday morning and senior campaign and White House aides were informed just minutes before the letter was sent out. For the past few days, Biden had been considering his future, and he had made a carefully considered decision.

Democrats now have an extremely narrow window of time to persuade voters that their nominee can handle the job and defeat Trump, and they must work quickly to bring consistency to the nomination process in a few weeks. And after spending years homing in on Biden, Trump must turn his attention to a new rival.

Biden's 52 years in electoral politics came to an abrupt and abrupt end with this decision, as politicians, funders, and even close advisors communicated to him their reservations about his ability to persuade voters that he could legitimately serve another four years in office.


With all but one of the nominating contests won by Biden, he easily gained the most delegates, making his nomination a formality. Those delegates can now freely support another candidate as he has withdrawn.

The fact that Harris,59, is the only contender who has direct access to the Biden campaign's war chest because of federal campaign finance regulations made her seem like the obvious choice to succeed Biden.


In an indication of her advantage in the contest for the Democratic nomination, Biden's campaign officially renamed itself as Harris for President, reflecting the fact that she is taking over his political organization. To reflect Harris' candidacy, Democratic organizations—including the Democratic National Committee—also submitted paperwork renaming their joint fundraising committees.


The Democratic National Convention is set to take place in Chicago from August 19–22, however, before the in-person events, the party has declared that it would formally nominate Biden by a virtual roll call.

It was unclear if other contenders would put up a fight with Harris for the nomination. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who competed against Biden and Harris for the Democratic candidacy in 2020, and California Governor Gavin Newsom, who had been mentioned as a potential Biden replacement last year, backed her on Sunday.


Jaime Harrison, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, declared in a statement that the party will choose "a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November" by "undertaking a transparent and orderly process."


Jonathan Kott, a longtime consultant to West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, who quit the Democratic Party earlier this year to become an independent, said that Manchin is thinking about re-registering as a Democrat to run for the nomination against the vice president.

As she attempted to secure the nomination, Harris was phoning Democratic delegates and elected officials on Sunday afternoon.


On Sunday, Harris was awarded her first delegates in the Democratic presidential primary. Following Biden's withdrawal from the campaign, the Tennessee Democratic Party announced on X that its delegation decided to support Harris at a meeting on Sunday.

Governors Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Roy Cooper of North Carolina, and Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona—all of whom are from swing states and have been floated as potential running mates for Harris—also endorsed Harris on Sunday night.

In response, Trump said on his Truth Social page that Biden “was not fit to run for President and is certainly not fit to serve” in response to the news.
"His presidency will cause us great suffering, but we will quickly undo the harm he has caused," he continued. "RESTORE AMERICA'S GROWTH!"


Even though Trump and his staff had made it apparent that they preferred to go on Biden, as pressure mounted on Biden to resign, Trump's campaign upped its attacks on Harris. Prominent Democratic figures, many of whom spearheaded the campaign to remove Biden from the race, swiftly issued remarks endorsing Biden's choice.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, stated, "His decision was not easy, of course, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first." "Today demonstrates that you are a great American and a true patriot, Joe."
Biden was hailed as "one of the most accomplished and consequential leaders in American history" by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.
Speaker of the Republican-controlled House Mike Johnson stated that Biden needed to step down right away if he was unfit to serve as president. Johnson remarked in a statement that "November 5 cannot arrive soon enough."

According to a person familiar with the president's itinerary who was not authorized to publicly comment, Biden still plans to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House this week in addition to his scheduled speech to the nation.



Given that Biden is still recuperating from COVID, the precise time of the meeting is still up in the air. In addition to meeting with Harris while in Washington, Netanyahu is set to address Congress on Wednesday.


In 2020, Biden presented himself as a figure of transition who aimed to serve as a link to a new wave of leaders. But he was reluctant to give up the position he had worked so hard for decades to get.

Someone asked Biden once if he thought any other Democrats could defeat Trump.
"It's probably fifty of them," Biden answered. "No, there are others who can defeat him as well, but I will prevail over him."

As the nation's oldest president, Biden has previously stated that he was ready for another term and another campaign, saying Americans all they needed to do was "watch me."
And they did observe him. His dismal debate performance set off a chain reaction of fear among Democrats and funders, who openly expressed what some had been saying in secret for months: they did not believe he was qualified to serve as president for another four years.

Since declaring his candidacy for reelection, Biden has been plagued by age concerns, although Trump is only three years younger at 78. In August 2023, The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted a poll that found that most Americans believed the president was too old to serve a second term. Though it is certainly a vulnerability for Trump, the majority also question his mental fitness to serve as president. Biden frequently said that although he wasn't as young as he once was and didn't walk or speak as naturally, his wisdom and decades of experience were still very valuable.

In my capacity as a Biden, I swear. At a rally in North Carolina the day after the debate, he declared to supporters, "I would not be running again if I did not believe with all my heart and soul, I can do this job." "Because the stakes are simply too high."

Voters, however, had other issues with him as well. Despite leading the country through its recovery from a pandemic, overseeing a thriving economy, and passing significant bipartisan legislation that will have long-term effects, he has been incredibly unpopular as a leader. Most Americans don't think well of the way he's doing his job, and he consistently has low approval ratings on important topics like immigration and the economy.

Biden's decision to run for office was heavily influenced by Trump. After serving as Obama's vice president for eight years and losing his son Beau to death, he retired from public life. However, Trump's remarks at the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017—as white nationalists flocked to the city to protest the removal of Confederate memorials—prompted him to run for office.

"You had some very bad people in the group, but on both sides, there were also very fine people," stated Trump. on both sides.
First Lady Jill Biden, husband of Joe Biden, reshared his letter of announcement following the president's speech, embellishing it with red heart emojis.

On social media, granddaughter Naomi Biden Neal posted, "I'm nothing but proud of my Pop." "Our world is better today in so many ways thanks to him," she said, adding that he has served the country "with every bit of his soul and with unmatched distinction."

 


Thursday, July 18, 2024

President Joe Biden is under increased pressure to resign.

 



Due to his advanced age and the fact that his campaign activities have been suspended owing to a COVID-19 infection, President Joe Biden is under increased pressure to resign.


US media reports that he visited privately with the two leading Democrats in the US Congress, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, to voice reservations about his candidacy.


It's also said that Nancy Pelosi, the previous Speaker of the House, informed him he wouldn't be able to defeat Donald Trump in November.


The 81-year-old's symptoms are modest, according to the White House, which announced his Covid illness on Wednesday night.

His press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, reported that the president had received a booster shot. He had previously tested positive for Covid twice. Earlier in the day, Mr. Biden was spotted attending an event and touring supporters in Las Vegas. Afterward, he called off a campaign speech.


According to Ms. Jean-Pierre, the president intended to perform "all of his duties fully" while isolating himself in his Delaware house. Kevin O'Connor, the president's physician, stated that Mr. Biden had received his first dose of Paxlovid and had shown signs of upper respiratory symptoms, such as a runny nose and cough. 
According to Dr. O'Connor, he felt well throughout his first event of the day but later tested positive.

Later, Mr. Biden thanked everyone on X/Twitter for "their good wishes" and pledged to "work to get the job done for the American people" throughout his recuperation. His account also tweeted, "I'm sick," and then, in response, said, "... of Elon Musk and his rich buddies trying to buy this election." And please contribute here if you agree.
The tweet linked to a site for donations.


Amid the flurry of color, ceiling fans whirled at a low speed, Latino pop music softly played from the speakers, and Mr. Biden entered through the kitchen door, which was guarded by a Secret Service detail, before making his way into the main dining area. Earlier on Wednesday, reporters covering the trip to Las Vegas reported that they had been hurried from the scene of a campaign stop at a Mexican restaurant to the city's airport following the announcement.

He shook hands, planted a kiss on one, and posed for photographs with diners who had obviously been waiting for him for a while.


In comparison to his energetic speech to a national civil rights group the day before, the president seemed a little stiffer and slower. Mr. Biden was compelled to postpone his speech at the Latino civil rights organization UnidosUS.


The president has been making an effort to win back Hispanic voters, who have been losing ground to him in polls since 2020. 
It is a sudden and debilitating end to a trip that was supposed to see Mr. Biden hitting the campaign trail again with full force—after the pause sparked by the attempted assassination of his rival Donald Trump. 

Mr. Biden's re-election attempt was already being buffeted by growing dissent among Democrats in Congress after his disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump last month. Later on Wednesday, he was seen moving slowly and cautiously up the steps to the plane. He was not wearing a mask.

Air Force One is bouncing through the hot air above Nevada when it hits even more turbulence, and the president up front takes another unanticipated blow.
It seems like the current election campaign is unfolding at a disorganized, erratic speed.

 


Sunday, July 14, 2024

Shannen Doherty, Star of Beverly Hills, Dies at 53:

 'Devoted Daughter, Sister, Aunt and Friend'


Shannen Doherty, beloved actress known for her roles in "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Charmed," has died at the age of 53. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, Doherty bravely battled the disease for many years.

"It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress, Shannen Doherty," shared her publicist, Leslie Sloane, in a statement. "On Saturday, July 13th, she passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones, including her dog Bowie, after a courageous fight against cancer."

Doherty rose to fame in 1990 as Brenda Walsh, the iconic brunette on the smash hit "Beverly Hills, 90210." She and her twin brother Brandon, played by Jason Priestley, portrayed the quintessential outsiders - a Minnesota family navigating the extravagant world of Beverly Hills teenagers. Her character's journey captivated audiences worldwide.


Doherty's family has requested privacy during this difficult time.

Shannen Doherty's Brenda and Luke Perry's Dylan became a teen idol couple. Their on-screen romance sparked controversy in season one with a storyline about teen sexuality, pushing boundaries for the time. Their dramatic breakup, fueled by Dylan's betrayal with Brenda's best friend Kelly (Jennie Garth), further captivated audiences. The show's willingness to tackle sensitive issues like teen pregnancy, drug abuse, and racism made it groundbreaking television.

The show's immense popularity became a double-edged sword. While "Beverly Hills, 90210" soared in the ratings, the cast, including the then-teenage Doherty, faced intense public scrutiny and tabloid fodder. Initially, Jennie Garth's Kelly was the less popular character, but the tide quickly turned, with Brenda becoming the target of public criticism. Labeled a diva by the media, she even faced a pre-internet newsletter dedicated to disliking her ("I Hate Brenda"). Doherty eventually departed the series after 111 episodes, reportedly due to friction with other cast members, particularly Garth.

Despite a tumultuous exit from "Beverly Hills, 90210," Doherty found success in the supernatural drama "Charmed." The series follows three sisters who discover their destiny as witches, battling evil together. Doherty portrayed Prue Halliwell, the eldest sister, alongside Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs. She even stepped behind the camera, directing three episodes during her tenure. However, her character's journey ended in 2001 when Doherty departed the series after season three, with Prue being written out through her death. Years later, with time seemingly healing old wounds, Doherty reprised her role as Brenda Walsh in both the 2008 revival "90210" and the 2019 meta-reboot "BH90210."



Shannen Doherty's acting career began at a young age. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, she moved to Los Angeles with her family and landed her first role at 10 on the series "Father Murphy." Michael Landon, impressed by her talent, cast her as Jenny Wilder in "Little House on the Prairie" a year later. Doherty's versatility shone as she transitioned from family dramas to teen classics like "Heathers" and "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." She also showcased her comedic timing in Kevin Smith's cult favorites "Mallrats" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back." Her career wasn't limited to the big screen, with recurring roles on shows like "Our House" with Wilfred Brimley, and appearances in series like "North Shore" and even a recent stint on "Riverdale." Additionally, she built a filmography of television movies throughout her career.

Here's a look at past attacks against U.S. presidents and candidates

Trump rally shooting raises concerns of political violence.

 

A shooting at a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday that injured former President Donald Trump has heightened concerns about political violence and increased awareness of past attacks and assassination attempts against presidents and candidates. 

In a social media post shared on Saturday night, Trump thanked law enforcement officials for their quick actions after he was "shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear."

The Butler County district attorney confirms to CBS Pittsburgh station KDKA that two people are dead — the gunman and an audience member. Two law enforcement sources told CBS News the gunman was killed by a Secret Service sniper. Two other attendees are in critical condition.

Reporters heard numerous shots and Secret Service rushed the stage. Video captured by CBS News shows Trump touching his ear and then crouching to the ground. Some blood could be seen on his face.

Past direct attacks against presidents and candidates

Direct assaults against presidents, presidents-elect, and candidates have occurred on 15 separate occasions, with five resulting in death, according to a 2008 report compiled by the Congressional Research Service. Of the 45 individuals serving as president, 13 (or about 29%) have been subject to actual or attempted assassinations. That number does not include the latest incident involving Trump.

At least seven of the past nine Presidents have been targets of assaults, attacks or assassination attempts. The Congressional Research Service report says presidents who survived attacks include Gerald R. Ford (twice in 1975), Ronald W. Reagan (a near-fatal shooting in 1981), Bill Clinton (when the White House was fired upon in 1994), and George W. Bush (when an attacker threw a grenade that did not explode towards him and the president of Georgia during an event in Tbilisi in 2005), and the latest Congressional Research Service report, citing Secret Service as source, says also that there have been attempts on former President Barack Obama, Trump and President Biden.

Two others who served as President were attacked, either as a President-elect (Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933) or as a presidential candidate (Theodore Roosevelt in 1912, when he was seeking the presidency after being out of office for nearly four years).

Two other presidential candidates —Robert F. Kennedy, who was killed in 1968, and George C. Wallace, who was seriously wounded in 1972— were also victims of direct assaults, according to the report compiled by the Congressional Research Service.  

Presidents who were assassinated 

Four presidents — Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley and John F. Kennedy — have been assassinated.

Of the 15 attacks listed in the report, only the Lincoln assassination was the result of a broad conspiracy, the report says. But conspiracy theories still surround many of these events.

In only one incident — the Lincoln assassination — was a broad conspiracy proven, although such contentions have arisen on other occasions. Only one other incident involved more than one participant — the 1950 assault on Blair House, the temporary residence of President Harry S Truman. But no evidence of other conspirators emerged from the subsequent investigation or prosecution.

Of the 18 attacks or assassination attempts on presidents or presidential candidates, all but two involved firearms. All but two of the attacks, both against Ford, were committed by men. All but one of the 15 assaults occurred within the U.S. 

First documented attack against a president

According to the Congressional Research Service, the first attack occurred in 1835, when an attacker's pistol misfired against President Andrew Jackson. The attacker, Richard Lawrence, was declared insane. He said "Jackson was preventing him from obtaining large sums of money and was ruining the country," the report says.

 

 


Trump rally shooter identified

A 20-year-old Pennsylvania man, Thomas Matthew Crooks,  FBI says


The gunman who fired shots at former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, PA, Saturday night has been identified by the FBI as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, PA. 

He was killed by a Secret Service sniper at the rally, officials said. In a statement, the FBI confirmed Crooks' involvement in the assassination attempt on July 13 and urged anyone with information to submit photos or videos online or call 1-800-CALL-FBI. "We do not currently have an identified motive," said Kevin Rojek, FBI Pittsburgh special agent in charge. The suspect had no known foreign terrorism ties and was not on law enforcement's radar. Without identification, investigators used DNA to confirm his identity. 

The FBI and Secret Service are investigating Crooks' background and speaking with his family, and have secured and searched his home. One audience member was killed and two are in critical condition. Trump said a bullet grazed his ear; he was checked at a local hospital before leaving under Secret Service protection. The gunman fired with an AR-style rifle from 200 to 300 feet away, from a shed roof outside the security perimeter. 

Additional Secret Service assets, including counter-sniper teams, drones, and robotic dogs, were present due to Trump's heavy campaigning. Trump's teleprompter, flag, and podium banners are protective. A rally attendee saw the gunman "bear crawling" up the building and alerted authorities before shots were heard. Other witnesses also tried to warn officers. The FBI is leading the investigation.

Friday, July 12, 2024

Biden stands by his candidacy in the face of gaffes and skepticism from Democrats.


President Biden, in a rare news conference on Thursday, told reporters he's not running in the 2024 presidential race for his "legacy," but to "complete the job." Moments after it ended, another member of his party expressed doubt about his determination to continue.

Why it matters: Biden's political support has plummeted since his poor performance in the debate against former President Trump. Each public appearance since has been an effort to reset the narrative on his suitability for office.

After the conference, Rep. Jim Himes (D-Ct.), ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, joined over a dozen House Democrats in urging Biden to withdraw from the race. Biden spoke for almost an hour — most compelling when discussing foreign policy — and reiterated that he is staying in the race because he believes he is "the best qualified person to do the job." However, he admitted he would reconsider if his staff presented evidence that he couldn't win, even if data showed Vice President Harris performing better against Trump. What he's saying: "I know I'm the best qualified to govern, and I think I'm the best qualified to win," Biden said.

In a softer tone during an ABC interview on Friday, Biden acknowledged "other people" could beat Trump. Between the lines: Biden delivered detailed answers on foreign policy, from Gaza to Ukraine and China, and a clear defense of reproductive rights: "Control guns, not girls," he said firmly at one point.

He added that there's "no indication" yet that he's slowing down or unable to do the job. During his first answer of the press conference, Biden mistakenly said, "I wouldn't have picked vice president Trump to be vice president," when asked about his confidence in Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump, who has often criticized Biden for gaffes, mocked the president on Truth Social for the error. This was shortly after another mistake before the conference where he introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as President Vladimir Putin. Context: Prominent donors have recently joined the calls for him to quit the race since the debate.

George Clooney, who headlined a record-breaking Biden fundraiser in June, called for him to step down in a New York Times op-ed this week. A majority of voters (67%) said Biden should step aside as the presumptive Democratic nominee, according to a new ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll published Thursday. Zoom out: The president admitted he made a "stupid mistake" in the debate due to a busy schedule. He said he's realized he needs to pace himself better and denied recent reports that he plans to end nights at 8pm.

Biden told reporters his schedule since the debate has been "full bore" and took a jab at his GOP rival. "Where's Trump? Riding around on his golf cart filling out his scorecard before he hits the ball?" Biden said.

Thursday, July 11, 2024

The reason for today's Google Doodle honoring Brazilian physicist César Lattes is unclear.


The brilliant young scientist from Brazil who was awarded a Nobel Prize for his discoveries 

The Google Doodle for today honors César Lattes, a Brazilian experimental physicist and educator whose discovery of the pion altered the direction of nuclear physics, on his 100th birthday.

"Happy birthday, César Lattes! Thank you for paving the way for experimental physics in Latin America and around the world," Google wrote in a tribute to him.

"Lattes was right to surmise that he would be able to see particles breaking down more clearly if he added boron to photographic plates. He was able to observe every proton since it operated so effectively.

César Lattes is who?
Lattes studied physics and mathematics while growing up in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil, where he was born into an Italian immigrant family. He later continued his education at the University of São Paulo, where he received his degree in 1943.


He established the Brazilian Centre for Physical Research at the age of 25, collaborating with other associates who would later become prominent figures in the field of physics.

Lattes, who studied under European instructors like Gleb Wataghin and Giuseppe Occhialini, was regarded as the most gifted member of his cohort, along with Oscar Sala, Mário Schenberg, Roberto Salmeron, Marcelo Damy de Souza Santos, and Jayme Tiomno.

Lattes began his primary research on cosmic rays between 1946 and 1948. He then traveled to Bristol, England, to continue his work on nuclear emulsion research at the University of Bristol.

By creating high-energy collisions in a unique lead chamber using nuclear emission plates he designed, his research group discovered "fireballs" at the top of the Andes in 1969.

A heart attack in the suburbs close to Lattes' São Paulo campus later claimed his life in 2005 at the age of 80.

What is a pion? In 1947, April, Lattes traveled to a weather station atop a 5,200-meter high mountain in Bolivia with two photographic plates to collect more cosmic rays than could be obtained at a lower altitude. It was at this location that Lattes, then only twenty-four years old, discovered a particle that had never been observed before the pion, also known as pi mesons. Pions are particles smaller than an atom composed of a quark and an antiquark, and are created when space matter crashes into Earth's atmosphere. Later, Lattes calculated that some pions are actually heavier than others, which ultimately earned him a 1950 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Sunday, July 7, 2024

Was it a wise gamble?


There are multiple interpretations of the shocking reversal in the second round of French legislative elections. One view sees Emmanuel Macron celebrating, proving critics who thought his gamble was reckless. He challenged voters to welcome the far right into government, and after briefly considering it in the first round, they firmly rejected it. Marine Le Pen’s National Rally came third, with voter turnout the highest since 1981.

Another less favorable perspective suggests Macron has simply traded compromise with one extremist group for another, swapping the far right for the far left. This shift raises concerns among investors that the far left might undo Macron’s pro-business reforms, which could hurt the country’s finances. Investors dislike surprises, as shown by Liz Truss's brief tenure as UK Prime Minister.

This political shift adds to the instability in Western democracies, mirroring concerns seen in the US with Joe Biden’s struggles. A more optimistic view is that the center-left held, suggesting that nationalist populism isn't inevitable. The Republican Front, a tradition of uniting against fascism, remains strong but perhaps too successful.



Jean-Luc Melenchon, the 72-year-old left-wing leader, emerged as the real winner. His policies include taxing the wealthy, raising the minimum wage, and cutting the pension age. Investors are wary of his stance against “extreme markets,” fearing increased deficits and financial instability.



The election signifies a turbulent period, potentially impacting France's image as an investment destination. While the far-right’s Jordan Bardella laments his defeat, Macron remains low-profile, waiting for the new National Assembly to form before making decisions.


Gabriel Attal, the youngest prime minister, plans to resign, distancing himself from Macron. Marine Le Pen downplays her loss, insisting her movement is still rising.



The left's victory in France brings uncertainty, with potential modest fiscal impacts initially, but greater concerns long-term. Bloomberg economists see two scenarios: a minor fiscal change or a larger giveaway, both affecting debt and bond spreads.

At the France Unbowed election night, the atmosphere was defiant, with music and chants celebrating their win and rejecting the far-right.

Friday, July 5, 2024

The UK election

What has transpired and what's next?

The Labour Party has secured a landslide victory in the UK general election, ending 14 years of Conservative rule. Sir Keir Starmer is set to be appointed prime minister, concluding a tumultuous era with five different Conservative leaders. Outgoing PM Rishi Sunak conceded defeat outside a rainy 10 Downing Street, taking responsibility for the result and announcing plans to resign as party leader.

In a passionate victory speech, Starmer promised "national renewal" and emphasized putting "country first, party second." This marks a dramatic turnaround from Labour's worst electoral defeat in 2019 under Jeremy Corbyn.

Conservative minister Robert Buckland called the result "electoral Armageddon" for the Tories, with the party facing its worst outcome in nearly 200 years. Labour has won 412 seats, while the Conservatives have slumped to 121. The Liberal Democrats have taken 71 seats, and Reform UK and the Green Party have each picked up four seats. Labour's surge was partly due to the collapse of the Scottish National Party (SNP), which fell to just nine seats.

Key figures such as Liz Truss, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Grant Shapps, and Penny Mordaunt lost their seats. However, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt held on to his seat with a reduced majority, and Sunak won his seat in Yorkshire with a comfortable majority.

Labour also saw the defeat of prominent members Jonathan Ashworth and Thangam Debbonaire, who were expected to be part of Starmer's incoming cabinet.

The transition of power will happen swiftly, with Sunak set to resign to the King and Starmer formally invited to form the next government. Starmer will then appoint top Labour MPs to his new cabinet.

Sunak wished his successor well, stating, "His successes will be all our successes, and I wish him and his family well."

Sir Keir Starmer, relatively new to politics, began his career as a barrister and was appointed director of public prosecutions in 2008. Elected in 2015, he became Labour leader after the 2019 election, promising a "new era." Re-elected in Holborn and St Pancras, he declared people were "ready for change."

Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, won four seats, including Farage’s first seat after eight attempts. The party's share of the vote was about 14%. Farage will be joined in Parliament by former Conservative deputy chairman Lee Anderson, Reform founder Richard Tice, and Rupert Lowe.


Find out who won each medal at the Paris Olympics 2024.

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