NEW YORK (AP) — Lou Dobbs, the conservative political pundit and TV host who was a nightly presence on Fox Business Network for more than a decade, has died. He was 78.

His death was announced Thursday in a post on his official X account, which called him a “fighter till the very end – fighting for what mattered to him the most, God, his family and the country.”

“Lou’s legacy will forever live on as a patriot and a great American. We ask for your prayers for Lou’s wonderful wife Debi, children and grandchildren,” the post said.

He hosted “Lou Dobbs Tonight” on FOX Business from 2011 to 2021, following two separate stints at CNN.

Fox News Media said in a statement that the network was saddened by Dobbs’ passing.

“An incredible business mind with a gift for broadcasting, Lou helped pioneer cable news into a successful and influential industry,” the statement said. “We are immensely grateful for his many contributions and send our heartfelt condolences to his family.”

Dobbs was named in a lawsuit against Fox News by Dominion Voting systems over lies told on the network about the 2020 presidential election. A mediator in 2023 pushed the two sides toward a $787 million settlement, averting a trial. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-government-news-media-donald-trump-fraud-b52914ec21a97dec8b5d878a908d566f">mountain of evidence</a>&nbsp;— some damning, some merely embarrassing — showed many Fox executives and on-air talent didn’t believe allegations aired mostly on shows hosted by Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro. At the time,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-television-donald-trump-business-1a4337a89c8abd952a814c60fa269b3c">they feared angering Trump fans</a>&nbsp;in the audience with the truth.

When he joined Fox Business, he said he considered himself the underdog. A few years later his show was highly rated and he was a key figure on the right-leaning network.

“We’ll focus on the American people, their standard of living ... the American nation,” he said about his show in 2011. “Those are always my starting points.”

Dobbs’ Fox show was titled “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” the same as the one he left in 2009 after an awkward last few years at CNN. Once the most visible television business journalist with his “Moneyline” show in the 1990s, Dobbs made CNN management uneasy as he grew more opinionated and drew angry protests from Latinos for his emphasis on curbing illegal immigration.

Dobbs dove into the complex public policy and economic issues that drive society.

Dobbs said he always wanted to be straight with his viewers about his own views on issues.

“My audience has always expected me to tell them where I’m coming from, and I don’t see any reason to disappoint them,” he said in 2011.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721338593178.png" alt="Lou Dobbs&nbsp; courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Lou Dobbs&nbsp; courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Lou Dobbs, the conservative political pundit and TV host who was a nightly presence on Fox Business Network for more than a decade, has died. He was 78.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/0Lr29t1twO">pic.twitter.com/0Lr29t1twO</a>&mdash; Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) <a href="https://twitter.com/LouDobbs/status/1814037403465625995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>His death was announced Thursday in a post on his official X account, which called him a “fighter till the very end – fighting for what mattered to him the most, God, his family and the country.”“Lou’s legacy will forever live on as a patriot and a great American. We ask for your prayers for Lou’s wonderful wife Debi, children and grandchildren,” the post said.He hosted “Lou Dobbs Tonight” on FOX Business from 2011 to 2021, following two separate stints at CNN.Fox News Media said in a statement that the network was saddened by Dobbs’ passing.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721338795111.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“An incredible business mind with a gift for broadcasting, Lou helped pioneer cable news into a successful and influential industry,” the statement said. “We are immensely grateful for his many contributions and send our heartfelt condolences to his family.”Dobbs was named in a lawsuit against Fox News by Dominion Voting systems over lies told on the network about the 2020 presidential election. A mediator in 2023 pushed the two sides toward a $787 million settlement, averting a trial. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-government-news-media-donald-trump-fraud-b52914ec21a97dec8b5d878a908d566f">mountain of evidence</a>&nbsp;— some damning, some merely embarrassing — showed many Fox executives and on-air talent didn’t believe allegations aired mostly on shows hosted by Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro. At the time,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-television-donald-trump-business-1a4337a89c8abd952a814c60fa269b3c">they feared angering Trump fans</a>&nbsp;in the audience with the truth.When he joined Fox Business, he said he considered himself the underdog. A few years later his show was highly rated and he was a key figure on the right-leaning network.“We’ll focus on the American people, their standard of living ... the American nation,” he said about his show in 2011. “Those are always my starting points.”Dobbs’ Fox show was titled “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” the same as the one he left in 2009 after an awkward last few years at CNN. Once the most visible television business journalist with his “Moneyline” show in the 1990s, Dobbs made CNN management uneasy as he grew more opinionated and drew angry protests from Latinos for his emphasis on curbing illegal immigration.Dobbs dove into the complex public policy and economic issues that drive society.Dobbs said he always wanted to be straight with his viewers about his own views on issues.“My audience has always expected me to tell them where I’m coming from, and I don’t see any reason to disappoint them,” he said in 2011.

Lou Dobbs, conservative pundit and Fox Business host, dies at 78

WASHINGTON— President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 while traveling Wednesday in Las Vegas. On Thursday afternoon,&nbsp;Dr. Kevin O'Connor, the president's physician, provided an update on Biden's recovery.

The president's diagnosis comes amid intense scrutiny of his health and stamina after a disastrous debate with former President Donald Trump that sparked a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-poll-drop-out-debate-democrats-59eebaca6989985c2bfbf4f72bdfa112">flurry of concern</a>&nbsp;among Democrats that Biden is not up to the rigors of winning another presidential term.

Biden gingerly boarded Air Force One and told reporters traveling with him, “I feel good.” The president was not wearing a mask as he walked onto Air Force One.

The president had previously been at the Original Lindo Michoacan restaurant in Las Vegas, where he was greeting diners and sat for an interview with Univision.

Biden has been vaccinated and is current on his recommended annual booster dose for COVID-19. The vaccines have proven highly effective at limiting serious illness and death from the virus, which killed more than 1 million people in the U.S. since the pandemic began in 2020. Paxlovid has been proven to curtail the chances of serious illness and death from COVID-19 when prescribed in the early days of an infection, but has also been associated with rebound infections, where the virus comes back a few days after clearing up.

Biden last tested positive for COVID-19 twice in the summer of 2022, when he had a primary case and a rebound case of the virus.

Health officials have reported recent upticks in emergency room visits and hospitalizations from COVID-19. There has also been a pronounced increase in positive test results in much of the country —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid19-vaccinations-cdc-coronavirus-a785acb4aca8e69f21b6f1a41c021e2c">particularly the southwestern U.S.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721330354017.png" alt="President Joe Biden preparing to board Air Force One on his way to Delaware Wednesday- image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden preparing to board Air Force One on his way to Delaware Wednesday- image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON— President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 while traveling Wednesday in Las Vegas. On Thursday afternoon,&nbsp;Dr. Kevin O'Connor, the president's physician, provided an update on Biden's recovery.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721329858359.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721330819270.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The president's diagnosis comes amid intense scrutiny of his health and stamina after a disastrous debate with former President Donald Trump that sparked a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-poll-drop-out-debate-democrats-59eebaca6989985c2bfbf4f72bdfa112">flurry of concern</a>&nbsp;among Democrats that Biden is not up to the rigors of winning another presidential term.Biden gingerly boarded Air Force One and told reporters traveling with him, “I feel good.” The president was not wearing a mask as he walked onto Air Force One.The president had previously been at the Original Lindo Michoacan restaurant in Las Vegas, where he was greeting diners and sat for an interview with Univision.Biden has been vaccinated and is current on his recommended annual booster dose for COVID-19. The vaccines have proven highly effective at limiting serious illness and death from the virus, which killed more than 1 million people in the U.S. since the pandemic began in 2020. Paxlovid has been proven to curtail the chances of serious illness and death from COVID-19 when prescribed in the early days of an infection, but has also been associated with rebound infections, where the virus comes back a few days after clearing up.Biden last tested positive for COVID-19 twice in the summer of 2022, when he had a primary case and a rebound case of the virus.Health officials have reported recent upticks in emergency room visits and hospitalizations from COVID-19. There has also been a pronounced increase in positive test results in much of the country —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid19-vaccinations-cdc-coronavirus-a785acb4aca8e69f21b6f1a41c021e2c">particularly the southwestern U.S.</a>

Read Thurs. update from Biden's doctor on the President's health

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bob Newhart, the deadpan accountant-turned-comedian who became one of the most popular&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/television">TV</a>&nbsp;stars of his time after striking gold with a classic comedy album, has died at 94.

Jerry Digney, Newhart's publicist, says the actor died Thursday in Los Angeles after a series of short illnesses.

<a href="https://apnews.com/television-c3c9e80ce1ff4038ae616c25a6e2b3c3">Newhart</a>, best remembered now as the star of two hit television shows of the 1970s and 1980s that bore his name, launched his career as a standup comic in the late 1950s. He gained nationwide fame when his routine was captured on vinyl in 1960 as "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart," which went on to win a Grammy Award as album of the year.

While other comedians of the time, including Lenny Bruce, Mort Sahl, Alan King, and Mike Nichols and Elaine May, frequently got laughs with their aggressive attacks on modern mores, Newhart was an anomaly. His outlook was modern, but he rarely raised his voice above a hesitant, almost stammering delivery. His only prop was a telephone, used to pretend to hold a conversation with someone on the other end of the line.

In one memorable skit, he portrayed a Madison Avenue image-maker trying to instruct Abraham Lincoln on how to improve the Gettysburg Address: "Say 87 years ago instead of fourscore and seven," he advised.

Another favorite was "Merchandising the Wright Brothers," in which he tried to persuade the aviation pioneers to start an airline, although he acknowledged the distance of their maiden flight could limit them.

"Well, see, that's going to hurt our time to the Coast if we've got to land every 105 feet."

Newhart was initially wary of signing on to a weekly TV series, fearing it would overexpose his material. Nevertheless, he accepted an attractive offer from NBC, and "The Bob Newhart Show" premiered on Oct. 11, 1961. Despite Emmy and Peabody awards, the half-hour variety show was canceled after one season, a source for jokes by Newhart for decades after.

He waited 10 years before undertaking another "Bob Newhart Show" in 1972. This one was a situation comedy with Newhart playing a Chicago psychologist living in a penthouse with his schoolteacher wife, Suzanne Pleshette. Their neighbors and his patients, notably Bill Daily as an airline navigator, were a wacky, neurotic bunch who provided an ideal counterpoint to Newhart's deadpan commentary.

The series, one of the most acclaimed of the 1970s, ran through 1978.

Four years later, the comedian launched another show, simply called "Newhart." This time he was a successful New York writer who decides to reopen a long-closed Vermont inn. Again Newhart was the calm, reasonable man surrounded by a group of eccentric locals. Again the show was a huge hit, lasting eight seasons on CBS.

It bowed out in memorable style in 1990 with Newhart — in his old Chicago psychologist character — waking up in bed with Pleshette, cringing as he tells her about the strange dream he had: "I was an innkeeper in this crazy little town in Vermont. ... The handyman kept missing the point of things, and then there were these three woodsmen, but only one of them talked!"

The stunt parodied a "Dallas" episode where a key character was killed off, then revived when the death was revealed to have been in a dream.

Two later series were comparative duds: "Bob," in 1992-93, and "George &amp; Leo," 1997-98. Though nominated several times, he never won an Emmy for his sitcom work. "I guess they think I'm not acting. That it's just Bob being Bob," he sighed.

Over the years, Newhart also appeared in several movies, usually in comedic roles. Among them: "Catch 22," "In and Out," "Legally Blonde 2" and "Elf," as the diminutive dad of adopted full-size son Will Ferrell. More recent work included “Horrible Bosses” and the TV series “The Librarians,” “The Big Bang Theory” — which won him his only Emmy — and “Young Sheldon."

Newhart married Virginia Quinn, known to friends as Ginny, in 1964, and remained with her until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ginnie-newhart-bob-dies-a82deaf693cd02ba52dbdb7225fbb10f">her death in 2023</a>. They had four children: Robert, Timothy, Jennifer and Courtney. Newhart was a frequent guest of Johnny Carson’s and liked to tease the thrice-divorced “Tonight” host that at least some comedians enjoyed long-term marriages. He was especially close with fellow comedian and family man Don Rickles, whose raucous insult humor clashed memorably with Newhart’s droll understatement.

“We’re apples and oranges. I’m a Jew, he’s a Catholic. He’s low-key, I’m a yeller,” Rickles told Variety in 2012. A decade later, Judd Apatow would pay tribute to their friendship in the short documentary “Bob and Don: A Love Story.”

A master of the gently sarcastic remark, Newhart got into comedy after he became bored with his $5-an-hour accounting job in Chicago. To pass the time, he and a friend, Ed Gallagher, began making funny phone calls to each other. Eventually, they decided to record them as comedy routines and sell them to radio stations.

Their efforts failed, but the records came to the attention of Warner Bros., which signed Newhart to a record contract and booked him into a Houston club in February 1960.

“A terrified 30-year-old man walked out on the stage and played his first nightclub,” he recalled in 2003.

Six of his routines were recorded during his two-week date, and the album, “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart,” was released on April Fools’ Day 1960. It sold 750,000 copies and was followed by “The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!” At one point the albums ranked No. 1 and 2 on the sales charts. The New York Times in 1960 said he was “the first comedian in history to come to prominence through a recording.”

In addition to winning Grammy’s album of the year for his debut, Newhart won as best new artist of 1960, and the sequel “The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!” won as best comedy spoken word album.

Newhart was booked for several appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and at nightclubs, concert halls and college campuses across the country. He hated the clubs, however, because of the heckling drunks they attracted.

“Every time I have to step out of a scene and put one of those birds in his place, it kills the routine,” he said in 1960.

In 2004, he received another Emmy nomination, this time as guest actor in a drama series, for a role in “E.R.” Another honor came his way in 2007, when the Library of Congress announced it had added “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart” to its registry of historically significant sound recordings.

Newhart made the bestseller lists in 2006 with his memoir, “I Shouldn’t Even Be Doing This!” He was nominated for another Grammy for best spoken word album (a category that includes audio books) for his reading of the book.

“I’ve always likened what I do to the man who is convinced that he is the last sane man on Earth ... the Paul Revere of psychotics running through the town and yelling `This is crazy.′ But no one pays attention to him,” Newhart wrote.

Born George Robert Newhart in Chicago to a German-Irish family, he was called Bob to avoid confusion with his father, who was also named George.

At St. Ignatius High School and Loyola University in Chicago, he amused fellow students with imitations of James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, Jimmy Durante and other stars. After receiving a degree in commerce, Newhart served two years in the Army. Returning to Chicago after his military service, he entered law school at Loyola, but flunked out. He eventually landed a job as an accountant for the state unemployment department. Bored with the work, he spent his free hours acting at a stock company in suburban Oak Park, an experience that led to the phone bits.

“I wasn’t part of some comic cabal,” Newhart wrote in his memoir. “Mike (Nichols) and Elaine (May), Shelley (Berman), Lenny Bruce, Johnny Winters, Mort Sahl — we didn’t all get together and say, ‘Let’s change comedy and slow it down.’ It was just our way of finding humor. The college kids would hear mother-in-law jokes and say, ‘What the hell is a mother-in-law?’ What we did reflected our lives and related to theirs.”

Newhart continued appearing on television occasionally after his fourth sitcom ended and vowed in 2003 that he would work as long as he could.

“It’s been so much, 43 years of my life; (to quit) would be like something was missing,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721332524691.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bob Newhart, the deadpan accountant-turned-comedian who became one of the most popular&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/television">TV</a>&nbsp;stars of his time after striking gold with a classic comedy album, has died at 94.Jerry Digney, Newhart's publicist, says the actor died Thursday in Los Angeles after a series of short illnesses.<a href="https://apnews.com/television-c3c9e80ce1ff4038ae616c25a6e2b3c3">Newhart</a>, best remembered now as the star of two hit television shows of the 1970s and 1980s that bore his name, launched his career as a standup comic in the late 1950s. He gained nationwide fame when his routine was captured on vinyl in 1960 as "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart," which went on to win a Grammy Award as album of the year.While other comedians of the time, including Lenny Bruce, Mort Sahl, Alan King, and Mike Nichols and Elaine May, frequently got laughs with their aggressive attacks on modern mores, Newhart was an anomaly. His outlook was modern, but he rarely raised his voice above a hesitant, almost stammering delivery. His only prop was a telephone, used to pretend to hold a conversation with someone on the other end of the line.In one memorable skit, he portrayed a Madison Avenue image-maker trying to instruct Abraham Lincoln on how to improve the Gettysburg Address: "Say 87 years ago instead of fourscore and seven," he advised.Another favorite was "Merchandising the Wright Brothers," in which he tried to persuade the aviation pioneers to start an airline, although he acknowledged the distance of their maiden flight could limit them."Well, see, that's going to hurt our time to the Coast if we've got to land every 105 feet."Newhart was initially wary of signing on to a weekly TV series, fearing it would overexpose his material. Nevertheless, he accepted an attractive offer from NBC, and "The Bob Newhart Show" premiered on Oct. 11, 1961. Despite Emmy and Peabody awards, the half-hour variety show was canceled after one season, a source for jokes by Newhart for decades after.He waited 10 years before undertaking another "Bob Newhart Show" in 1972. This one was a situation comedy with Newhart playing a Chicago psychologist living in a penthouse with his schoolteacher wife, Suzanne Pleshette. Their neighbors and his patients, notably Bill Daily as an airline navigator, were a wacky, neurotic bunch who provided an ideal counterpoint to Newhart's deadpan commentary.The series, one of the most acclaimed of the 1970s, ran through 1978.Four years later, the comedian launched another show, simply called "Newhart." This time he was a successful New York writer who decides to reopen a long-closed Vermont inn. Again Newhart was the calm, reasonable man surrounded by a group of eccentric locals. Again the show was a huge hit, lasting eight seasons on CBS.It bowed out in memorable style in 1990 with Newhart — in his old Chicago psychologist character — waking up in bed with Pleshette, cringing as he tells her about the strange dream he had: "I was an innkeeper in this crazy little town in Vermont. ... The handyman kept missing the point of things, and then there were these three woodsmen, but only one of them talked!"The stunt parodied a "Dallas" episode where a key character was killed off, then revived when the death was revealed to have been in a dream.Two later series were comparative duds: "Bob," in 1992-93, and "George &amp; Leo," 1997-98. Though nominated several times, he never won an Emmy for his sitcom work. "I guess they think I'm not acting. That it's just Bob being Bob," he sighed.Over the years, Newhart also appeared in several movies, usually in comedic roles. Among them: "Catch 22," "In and Out," "Legally Blonde 2" and "Elf," as the diminutive dad of adopted full-size son Will Ferrell. More recent work included “Horrible Bosses” and the TV series “The Librarians,” “The Big Bang Theory” — which won him his only Emmy — and “Young Sheldon."Newhart married Virginia Quinn, known to friends as Ginny, in 1964, and remained with her until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ginnie-newhart-bob-dies-a82deaf693cd02ba52dbdb7225fbb10f">her death in 2023</a>. They had four children: Robert, Timothy, Jennifer and Courtney. Newhart was a frequent guest of Johnny Carson’s and liked to tease the thrice-divorced “Tonight” host that at least some comedians enjoyed long-term marriages. He was especially close with fellow comedian and family man Don Rickles, whose raucous insult humor clashed memorably with Newhart’s droll understatement.“We’re apples and oranges. I’m a Jew, he’s a Catholic. He’s low-key, I’m a yeller,” Rickles told Variety in 2012. A decade later, Judd Apatow would pay tribute to their friendship in the short documentary “Bob and Don: A Love Story.”A master of the gently sarcastic remark, Newhart got into comedy after he became bored with his $5-an-hour accounting job in Chicago. To pass the time, he and a friend, Ed Gallagher, began making funny phone calls to each other. Eventually, they decided to record them as comedy routines and sell them to radio stations.Their efforts failed, but the records came to the attention of Warner Bros., which signed Newhart to a record contract and booked him into a Houston club in February 1960.“A terrified 30-year-old man walked out on the stage and played his first nightclub,” he recalled in 2003.Six of his routines were recorded during his two-week date, and the album, “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart,” was released on April Fools’ Day 1960. It sold 750,000 copies and was followed by “The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!” At one point the albums ranked No. 1 and 2 on the sales charts. The New York Times in 1960 said he was “the first comedian in history to come to prominence through a recording.”In addition to winning Grammy’s album of the year for his debut, Newhart won as best new artist of 1960, and the sequel “The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!” won as best comedy spoken word album.Newhart was booked for several appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and at nightclubs, concert halls and college campuses across the country. He hated the clubs, however, because of the heckling drunks they attracted.“Every time I have to step out of a scene and put one of those birds in his place, it kills the routine,” he said in 1960.In 2004, he received another Emmy nomination, this time as guest actor in a drama series, for a role in “E.R.” Another honor came his way in 2007, when the Library of Congress announced it had added “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart” to its registry of historically significant sound recordings.Newhart made the bestseller lists in 2006 with his memoir, “I Shouldn’t Even Be Doing This!” He was nominated for another Grammy for best spoken word album (a category that includes audio books) for his reading of the book.“I’ve always likened what I do to the man who is convinced that he is the last sane man on Earth ... the Paul Revere of psychotics running through the town and yelling `This is crazy.′ But no one pays attention to him,” Newhart wrote.Born George Robert Newhart in Chicago to a German-Irish family, he was called Bob to avoid confusion with his father, who was also named George.At St. Ignatius High School and Loyola University in Chicago, he amused fellow students with imitations of James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, Jimmy Durante and other stars. After receiving a degree in commerce, Newhart served two years in the Army. Returning to Chicago after his military service, he entered law school at Loyola, but flunked out. He eventually landed a job as an accountant for the state unemployment department. Bored with the work, he spent his free hours acting at a stock company in suburban Oak Park, an experience that led to the phone bits.“I wasn’t part of some comic cabal,” Newhart wrote in his memoir. “Mike (Nichols) and Elaine (May), Shelley (Berman), Lenny Bruce, Johnny Winters, Mort Sahl — we didn’t all get together and say, ‘Let’s change comedy and slow it down.’ It was just our way of finding humor. The college kids would hear mother-in-law jokes and say, ‘What the hell is a mother-in-law?’ What we did reflected our lives and related to theirs.”Newhart continued appearing on television occasionally after his fourth sitcom ended and vowed in 2003 that he would work as long as he could.“It’s been so much, 43 years of my life; (to quit) would be like something was missing,” he said.

Bob Newhart, the low-key comedian and sitcom star, has died

Five candidates delve into campaign rhetoric, gun violence and Trump

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas congressional candidate Chad Young said the federal government was plagued by feeble members of Congress who sold out to big business after settling in Washington, D.C.

During a televised WIBW forum with all five Republican candidates in the 2nd District primary, Young said he would never shed to special-interest lobbyists and big-money influencers the bold stripes of a conservative Republican and limited-government constitutionalist. He chose to devote a portion of his time for closing remarks to a demonstration of his God-first, politics-second philosophy.

“You know me and you know what I stand for, so I’m going to give the next 30 seconds to my God. And, I’m going to bow my head to it,” Young said.

And, he did. The silence lasted 25 extraordinary seconds until ended by co-moderator David Oliver.

Fellow Republican candidate Michael Ogle of Topeka, not to be upstaged by Young’s contemplative demonstration of faith, skipped through several closing points about advocating for veterans, growing hemp and admiring George Washington so he could pose an on-air question.

He looked directly into a camera’s lens and pulled a ring from his suit pocket.

“A good woman is all you really need,” Ogle said. “A bad woman will put a man on his knees, and I found a good woman. So, Nikoe Pulley, if you’re out there, will you marry me?”

“Proposals of all kinds,” said co-moderator Melissa Brunner.

On Wednesday, Ogle said Pulley replied in the affirmative.

Voters of the 2nd District have their own choice to make by the Aug. 6 primary in terms of selecting Republican and Democratic nominees for the general election. The eastern Kansas races help decide who might replace U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Republican who chose not to seek reelection in November.

The GOP candidate forum also featured former Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, former LaTurner staff member Jeff Kahrs and feedlot operator Shawn Tiffany. WIBW plans to broadcast a forum next week with Democrats Nancy Boyda and Matt Kleinmann, both running in the 2nd District primary.

The WIBW hosts quizzed the Republican candidates on inflation, immigration, bureaucracy, mental health and Social Security. They asked about the value of government experience in terms of serving in Congress and about proposals to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education.

The candidates were queried about elevation of campaign rhetoric in light of the Saturday assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign event.

Schmidt, who served in the Kansas Senate before elected to three terms as attorney general, said he thanked the Lord the assailant didn’t more seriously injure the Republican Party’s nominee for president.

“There have been terrible acts of violence throughout American history,” Schmidt said. “Most done by people who are deranged, who are imbalanced, who are improperly motivated, whatever it may be. To blame anybody but the shooter, or whoever may be behind all of this, distracts us from what’s really going on here. We have to focus on the interests of you, the viewers and the people of the 2nd congressional district. We have to put those needs front and center, but we can’t shy away from that simply because some individual in Pennsylvania did a terrible, horrendous, unthinkable act.”

Tiffany said God “kept his hand” on Trump so he could win election in the presidential campaign. He said the attack on Trump “steeled our nation” and brought unity to the Republican Party. Tiffany said Congress would benefit from the influence of additional “outsiders” such as himself.

“It’s time to send outsiders to Washington, D.C., who are bold enough to say what the people in the district are thinking, and say it out loud. That way the left knows exactly what we’re thinking,” Tiffany said.

Kahrs, who worked in the administrations of Gov. Sam Brownback and Trump, likewise proclaimed God intervened to save Trump’s life. Kahrs said President Joe Biden acknowledged “his rhetoric needed to be toned down” in wake of violent attack on Trump. Kahrs didn’t characterize Trump’s rhetorical style.

Ogle, who deployed overseas with the Kansas Army National Guard, said violence in America didn’t warrant alteration of the Second Amendment. He did advocate for a crackdown on armed militias in the United States. Young argued the government should hire military veterans to serve as security guards in U.S. schools.

Schmidt said he opposed sweeping gun control legislation because justice had to be directed at individual offenders rather than weapons used in crimes.

“I don’t believe that firearms, which are a tool, are the problem,” he said. “I believe the misconduct of individuals in our society, whether they are deranged or ill-motivated, those are the problem.”

Tiffany said he was raised in Council Grove amid a culture that embraced gun rights. He asserted that when he was young the prevalence of firearms didn’t prompt school shootings and assassination attempts. He said violence in America was partially linked to the nation’s failure to address mental illness.

“We have radicalized a segment of the population to where they don’t even respect human life anymore,” Tiffany said.

On illegal immigration, Young said the federal government had to create an iron-clad barrier at the border. He said the millions of undocumented residents in the United States had to be sent home, but each should be given a Bible before deported. He said nobody in this country was safe amid the flow of undocumented intruders.

“It’s not going to end by allowing China to come across the border, allowing our enemies across the world to come across the border to hunt us. We are looking at a massive terrorist attack across the board,” Young said. “We ask ourselves this question: Why aren’t our borders closed? Because big corporations do not want them closed.”

Kahrs recommended the U.S. military be deployed to the border with Mexico until a security barrier could be constructed. He called for deportation of undocumented migrants that “Biden let in,” but didn’t say what ought to be done with migrants who entered the country under other presidents.

Ogle, who didn’t object to military deployments along the southern border, opposed federal actions to separate immigrant parents from their children.

Young and Kahrs said they were certain more than one federal agency had to be eliminated in an effort to bring wasteful spending under control.

Kahrs, who lauded trickle-down economics of tax cuts endorsed by Trump, said his sights were on getting rid of the U.S. departments of commerce and education. Young and Tiffany endorsed the education department cut, but Young said he would expand the list to include demise of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency.

“It’s time to homeschool,” Young said. “It’s time to teach our children what we want.”

Schmidt said Congress should consider reorganizing, consolidating or eliminating the Department of Education. He said key functions of the federal agency had to be retained, including a division to enforce civil rights law.

During the candidate forum, Kahrs claimed the GOP primary in the 2nd District was a two-person race between himself and Schmidt.

“I’m running because our country is in serious trouble,” Kahrs said. “Our culture is collapsing. It seems like families, children, our common values and our culture are under attack from the extreme left.”

Schmidt, who had a wide lead in a May poll, said he stood up to President Barack Obama’s water regulation overreach, Biden’s student loan giveaway and added the state to lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies “peddling addiction to kids and our neighbors.” He said he personally argued and won three cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

“It’s going to take more than talk to get American running again,” Schmidt said. “I have a proven record of standing tall for our conservative values.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721319928940.png" alt=" Michael Ogle, a Topeka Republican seeking the 2nd District nomination for U.S. House, issued a marriage proposal at conclusion of his closing remarks during a televised WIBW candidate forum. (Kansas Reflector screen capture courtesy WIBW-TV)" />
 <figcaption> Michael Ogle, a Topeka Republican seeking the 2nd District nomination for U.S. House, issued a marriage proposal at conclusion of his closing remarks during a televised WIBW candidate forum. (Kansas Reflector screen capture courtesy WIBW-TV)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Five candidates delve into campaign rhetoric, gun violence and Trump</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas congressional candidate Chad Young said the federal government was plagued by feeble members of Congress who sold out to big business after settling in Washington, D.C.During a televised WIBW forum with all five Republican candidates in the 2nd District primary, Young said he would never shed to special-interest lobbyists and big-money influencers the bold stripes of a conservative Republican and limited-government constitutionalist. He chose to devote a portion of his time for closing remarks to a demonstration of his God-first, politics-second philosophy.“You know me and you know what I stand for, so I’m going to give the next 30 seconds to my God. And, I’m going to bow my head to it,” Young said.And, he did. The silence lasted 25 extraordinary seconds until ended by co-moderator David Oliver.Fellow Republican candidate Michael Ogle of Topeka, not to be upstaged by Young’s contemplative demonstration of faith, skipped through several closing points about advocating for veterans, growing hemp and admiring George Washington so he could pose an on-air question.He looked directly into a camera’s lens and pulled a ring from his suit pocket.“A good woman is all you really need,” Ogle said. “A bad woman will put a man on his knees, and I found a good woman. So, Nikoe Pulley, if you’re out there, will you marry me?”“Proposals of all kinds,” said co-moderator Melissa Brunner.On Wednesday, Ogle said Pulley replied in the affirmative.Voters of the 2nd District have their own choice to make by the Aug. 6 primary in terms of selecting Republican and Democratic nominees for the general election. The eastern Kansas races help decide who might replace U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Republican who chose not to seek reelection in November.The GOP candidate forum also featured former Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, former LaTurner staff member Jeff Kahrs and feedlot operator Shawn Tiffany. WIBW plans to broadcast a forum next week with Democrats Nancy Boyda and Matt Kleinmann, both running in the 2nd District primary.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721319878155.png" alt=" Lawrence resident Chad Young, one of five Republican candidates for the U.S. House in Kansas’ 2nd District, said he demonstrated his religious faith by bowing his head for 25 seconds during his closing remarks in a WIBW candidate forum. (Kansas Reflector screen courtesy WIBW-TV)" />
 <figcaption> Lawrence resident Chad Young, one of five Republican candidates for the U.S. House in Kansas’ 2nd District, said he demonstrated his religious faith by bowing his head for 25 seconds during his closing remarks in a WIBW candidate forum. (Kansas Reflector screen courtesy WIBW-TV)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Political rhetoric</h2>The WIBW hosts quizzed the Republican candidates on inflation, immigration, bureaucracy, mental health and Social Security. They asked about the value of government experience in terms of serving in Congress and about proposals to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education.The candidates were queried about elevation of campaign rhetoric in light of the Saturday assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign event.Schmidt, who served in the Kansas Senate before elected to three terms as attorney general, said he thanked the Lord the assailant didn’t more seriously injure the Republican Party’s nominee for president.“There have been terrible acts of violence throughout American history,” Schmidt said. “Most done by people who are deranged, who are imbalanced, who are improperly motivated, whatever it may be. To blame anybody but the shooter, or whoever may be behind all of this, distracts us from what’s really going on here. We have to focus on the interests of you, the viewers and the people of the 2nd congressional district. We have to put those needs front and center, but we can’t shy away from that simply because some individual in Pennsylvania did a terrible, horrendous, unthinkable act.”Tiffany said God “kept his hand” on Trump so he could win election in the presidential campaign. He said the attack on Trump “steeled our nation” and brought unity to the Republican Party. Tiffany said Congress would benefit from the influence of additional “outsiders” such as himself.“It’s time to send outsiders to Washington, D.C., who are bold enough to say what the people in the district are thinking, and say it out loud. That way the left knows exactly what we’re thinking,” Tiffany said.Kahrs, who worked in the administrations of Gov. Sam Brownback and Trump, likewise proclaimed God intervened to save Trump’s life. Kahrs said President Joe Biden acknowledged “his rhetoric needed to be toned down” in wake of violent attack on Trump. Kahrs didn’t characterize Trump’s rhetorical style.<h2>Guns, immigration</h2>Ogle, who deployed overseas with the Kansas Army National Guard, said violence in America didn’t warrant alteration of the Second Amendment. He did advocate for a crackdown on armed militias in the United States. Young argued the government should hire military veterans to serve as security guards in U.S. schools.Schmidt said he opposed sweeping gun control legislation because justice had to be directed at individual offenders rather than weapons used in crimes.“I don’t believe that firearms, which are a tool, are the problem,” he said. “I believe the misconduct of individuals in our society, whether they are deranged or ill-motivated, those are the problem.”Tiffany said he was raised in Council Grove amid a culture that embraced gun rights. He asserted that when he was young the prevalence of firearms didn’t prompt school shootings and assassination attempts. He said violence in America was partially linked to the nation’s failure to address mental illness.“We have radicalized a segment of the population to where they don’t even respect human life anymore,” Tiffany said.On illegal immigration, Young said the federal government had to create an iron-clad barrier at the border. He said the millions of undocumented residents in the United States had to be sent home, but each should be given a Bible before deported. He said nobody in this country was safe amid the flow of undocumented intruders.“It’s not going to end by allowing China to come across the border, allowing our enemies across the world to come across the border to hunt us. We are looking at a massive terrorist attack across the board,” Young said. “We ask ourselves this question: Why aren’t our borders closed? Because big corporations do not want them closed.”Kahrs recommended the U.S. military be deployed to the border with Mexico until a security barrier could be constructed. He called for deportation of undocumented migrants that “Biden let in,” but didn’t say what ought to be done with migrants who entered the country under other presidents.Ogle, who didn’t object to military deployments along the southern border, opposed federal actions to separate immigrant parents from their children.<h2>Efficiency, and the race</h2>Young and Kahrs said they were certain more than one federal agency had to be eliminated in an effort to bring wasteful spending under control.Kahrs, who lauded trickle-down economics of tax cuts endorsed by Trump, said his sights were on getting rid of the U.S. departments of commerce and education. Young and Tiffany endorsed the education department cut, but Young said he would expand the list to include demise of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency.“It’s time to homeschool,” Young said. “It’s time to teach our children what we want.”Schmidt said Congress should consider reorganizing, consolidating or eliminating the Department of Education. He said key functions of the federal agency had to be retained, including a division to enforce civil rights law.During the candidate forum, Kahrs claimed the GOP primary in the 2nd District was a two-person race between himself and Schmidt.“I’m running because our country is in serious trouble,” Kahrs said. “Our culture is collapsing. It seems like families, children, our common values and our culture are under attack from the extreme left.”Schmidt, who had a wide lead in a May poll, said he stood up to President Barack Obama’s water regulation overreach, Biden’s student loan giveaway and added the state to lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies “peddling addiction to kids and our neighbors.” He said he personally argued and won three cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.“It’s going to take more than talk to get American running again,” Schmidt said. “I have a proven record of standing tall for our conservative values.”

Kansas’ 2nd District GOP candidate forum features marriage proposal, devotional silence

By LISA MASCARO, ZEKE MILLER, MICHAEL BALSAMO and AAMER MADHANI

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former president Barack Obama has privately expressed concerns to Democrats about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-president-trump-d5fb136a643edb020745336ff9709923">President Joe Biden’s candidacy</a>, and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi privately warned Biden that Democrats could lose the ability to seize control of the House if he didn’t step away from the 2024 race, according to several people familiar with the sensitive internal matters.

Pelosi also showed Biden polling that she argued shows he likely can’t defeat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-republican-national-convention-nomination-assassination-attempt-5f1f337ac39477e9d1c53d3e027edda3">Republican Donald Trump</a>, according to two of the people, who insisted on anonymity to discuss such matters.

Obama has not spoken directly to Biden, two other people said. He has conveyed to allies that Biden needs to consider the viability of his campaign but has also made clear that the decision is one Biden needs to make.

Time racing, Democrats at the highest levels are making a critical push for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Biden</a>&nbsp;to reconsider&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b">his reelection bid</a>, as unease grows at the White House and within the campaign at a fraught moment for the president and his party.

Biden has insisted he's not backing down, adamant he's the candidate who beat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;before and will do it again. Pressed about reports that Biden might be softening to the idea of leaving the race, his deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said Thursday: “He is not wavering on anything.”

In recent days the president has become more committed to staying in the race, according to another person familiar with the matter.

But influential Democrats from the highest levels of the party apparatus, including congressional leadership headed by Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;and House Democratic Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">Hakeem Jeffries</a>, are sending signals of concern. Some Democrats hope Biden will assess the trajectory of the race and his legacy over the coming days.

Using mountains of data showing Biden’s standing could wipe out the ranks of Democrats in Congress, frank conversations in public and private and now the president’s own time off the campaign trail after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-las-vegas-ff29bb071f18b993d20dedccbe2c8fbf">testing positive for COVID-19</a>, many Democrats see an opportunity to encourage a reassessment.

If Democrats are seriously preparing the extraordinary step of replacing Biden and shifting Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket, this weekend will be critical to changing the president's mind, other people familiar with the private conversations said.

One said it's now or never ahead of a planned virtual roll call to nominate the party's choice in early August, ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Over the past week, Schumer and Jeffries, both of New York, have spoken privately to the president, candidly laying out the views of Democrats on Capitol Hill, including Democrats' concerns.

Separately, the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington, spoke with the president last week armed with fresh data. The campaign chief specifically aired the concerns of front-line Democrats seeking election to the House.

And on Wednesday, California Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/adam-schiff">Adam Schiff</a>, a close ally of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Pelosi</a>, called for Biden to drop his reelection bid, saying he believes it's time to “pass the torch.”

Biden, in a radio interview taped just before he tested positive for COVID-19, dismissed the idea it was too late for him to recover politically, telling Univision's Luis Sandoval it's still early and many people don't focus on the November election until September.

“All the talk about who’s leading and where and how, is kind of, you know — everything so far between Trump and me has been basically even,” he said in an excerpt of the interview released Thursday.

Some national polls do show a close race, though others suggest Trump with a lead. And some state polls have contained warning signs for Biden, too, including a recent New York Times/Siena poll that suggested a competitive race in Virginia, a state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-voting-elections-virginia-3f75551ada7b2c55e9c053043d2ce01f">Biden won</a>&nbsp;in their 2020 matchup.

While the tensions over Biden's ability to carry on a winning campaign subsided some, particularly after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-inspector-general-secret-service-045449b3e8f3ab7326cb779f416f83fd">last weekend's Trump assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;and as&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/o">the Republican National Convention</a>&nbsp;is underway in Milwaukee, Democrats know they have limited time to resolve the party turmoil after the president's faltering debate performance last month.

To be sure, many Democrats want Biden to stay in the race. And the Democratic National Committee is pushing ahead with plans for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-ballot-biden-access-3bf359cce8e73714be45cb99a6e31546">a virtual vote to formally make Biden its nominee</a>&nbsp;in the first week of August, ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/democratic-national-convention">the Democratic National Convention</a>, which begins Aug. 19.

Late Wednesday, ABC News reported new details about Biden's private meeting over the weekend with Schumer at the president's beach home in Delaware. It said Schumer told the president it would be "better for the Democratic Party and better for the country if he were to bow out.” A Schumer spokesperson called the report "idle speculation.”

White House spokesman Andrew Bates said Biden told Schumer, as well as Jeffries, that "he is the nominee of the party, he plans to win, and looks forward to working with both of them to pass his 100 days agenda to help working families.”

But among Democrats nationwide, nearly two-thirds say Biden should step aside and let his party nominate a different candidate, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/">an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll</a>. That sharply undercuts Biden's post-debate claim that “average Democrats” are still with him even if some “big names” are turning on him.

Biden tested positive for COVID-19 while traveling Wednesday in Las Vegas and is experiencing “mild symptoms” including “general malaise” from the infection, the White House said. The president, who had spent the past several days campaigning, had already been scheduled to return to his Delaware beach home even before the diagnosis.

Schiff's announcement brings to nearly 20 the number of Democratic members of Congress calling on Biden to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-president-trump-d5fb136a643edb020745336ff9709923">withdraw from the presidential race</a>&nbsp;in the wake of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debate-trump-biden-presidential-campaign-44e71c900a1c4af2bed93041fdfe923d">his dismal debate performance</a>&nbsp;against Trump last month.

Schiff said that by bowing out, Biden would "secure his legacy of leadership by allowing us to defeat Donald Trump in the upcoming election.”

Schiff is a prominent Democrat on his own, and his statement will also be watched because of his proximity to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Pelosi</a>.

It was Pelosi who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-pelosi-project-2025-trump-28ca690455cc04a6faccda9daad1a22a">revived questions about Biden</a>&nbsp;post-debate, when she said recently that “it’s up to the president” to decide what to do — even though Biden had already fully stated he had no intention of stepping aside. The former House speaker publicly supports the president but has fielded calls from Democrats since debate night questioning what’s next.

In response to Schiff's comments, the Biden campaign pointed to what it called “extensive support” for him and his reelection bid from members of Congress in key swing states, as well as from the Congressional Black and Hispanic caucuses. The campaign noted that Biden had been joined on his trip to Nevada this week by nearly a dozen Congressional Black Caucus members.

Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Leah Askarinam contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721136116042.png" alt="File photo President Joe Biden as shown in an interview this week with NBC -image from video released by the Biden campaign" />
 <figcaption>File photo President Joe Biden as shown in an interview this week with NBC -image from video released by the Biden campaign</figcaption>
 </figure>By LISA MASCARO, ZEKE MILLER, MICHAEL BALSAMO and AAMER MADHANIWASHINGTON (AP) — Former president Barack Obama has privately expressed concerns to Democrats about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-president-trump-d5fb136a643edb020745336ff9709923">President Joe Biden’s candidacy</a>, and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi privately warned Biden that Democrats could lose the ability to seize control of the House if he didn’t step away from the 2024 race, according to several people familiar with the sensitive internal matters.Pelosi also showed Biden polling that she argued shows he likely can’t defeat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-republican-national-convention-nomination-assassination-attempt-5f1f337ac39477e9d1c53d3e027edda3">Republican Donald Trump</a>, according to two of the people, who insisted on anonymity to discuss such matters.Obama has not spoken directly to Biden, two other people said. He has conveyed to allies that Biden needs to consider the viability of his campaign but has also made clear that the decision is one Biden needs to make.Time racing, Democrats at the highest levels are making a critical push for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Biden</a>&nbsp;to reconsider&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b">his reelection bid</a>, as unease grows at the White House and within the campaign at a fraught moment for the president and his party.Biden has insisted he's not backing down, adamant he's the candidate who beat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;before and will do it again. Pressed about reports that Biden might be softening to the idea of leaving the race, his deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said Thursday: “He is not wavering on anything.”In recent days the president has become more committed to staying in the race, according to another person familiar with the matter.But influential Democrats from the highest levels of the party apparatus, including congressional leadership headed by Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;and House Democratic Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">Hakeem Jeffries</a>, are sending signals of concern. Some Democrats hope Biden will assess the trajectory of the race and his legacy over the coming days.Using mountains of data showing Biden’s standing could wipe out the ranks of Democrats in Congress, frank conversations in public and private and now the president’s own time off the campaign trail after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-las-vegas-ff29bb071f18b993d20dedccbe2c8fbf">testing positive for COVID-19</a>, many Democrats see an opportunity to encourage a reassessment.If Democrats are seriously preparing the extraordinary step of replacing Biden and shifting Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket, this weekend will be critical to changing the president's mind, other people familiar with the private conversations said.One said it's now or never ahead of a planned virtual roll call to nominate the party's choice in early August, ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.Over the past week, Schumer and Jeffries, both of New York, have spoken privately to the president, candidly laying out the views of Democrats on Capitol Hill, including Democrats' concerns.Separately, the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington, spoke with the president last week armed with fresh data. The campaign chief specifically aired the concerns of front-line Democrats seeking election to the House.And on Wednesday, California Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/adam-schiff">Adam Schiff</a>, a close ally of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Pelosi</a>, called for Biden to drop his reelection bid, saying he believes it's time to “pass the torch.”Biden, in a radio interview taped just before he tested positive for COVID-19, dismissed the idea it was too late for him to recover politically, telling Univision's Luis Sandoval it's still early and many people don't focus on the November election until September.“All the talk about who’s leading and where and how, is kind of, you know — everything so far between Trump and me has been basically even,” he said in an excerpt of the interview released Thursday.Some national polls do show a close race, though others suggest Trump with a lead. And some state polls have contained warning signs for Biden, too, including a recent New York Times/Siena poll that suggested a competitive race in Virginia, a state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-voting-elections-virginia-3f75551ada7b2c55e9c053043d2ce01f">Biden won</a>&nbsp;in their 2020 matchup.While the tensions over Biden's ability to carry on a winning campaign subsided some, particularly after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-inspector-general-secret-service-045449b3e8f3ab7326cb779f416f83fd">last weekend's Trump assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;and as&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/o">the Republican National Convention</a>&nbsp;is underway in Milwaukee, Democrats know they have limited time to resolve the party turmoil after the president's faltering debate performance last month.To be sure, many Democrats want Biden to stay in the race. And the Democratic National Committee is pushing ahead with plans for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-ballot-biden-access-3bf359cce8e73714be45cb99a6e31546">a virtual vote to formally make Biden its nominee</a>&nbsp;in the first week of August, ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/democratic-national-convention">the Democratic National Convention</a>, which begins Aug. 19.Late Wednesday, ABC News reported new details about Biden's private meeting over the weekend with Schumer at the president's beach home in Delaware. It said Schumer told the president it would be "better for the Democratic Party and better for the country if he were to bow out.” A Schumer spokesperson called the report "idle speculation.”White House spokesman Andrew Bates said Biden told Schumer, as well as Jeffries, that "he is the nominee of the party, he plans to win, and looks forward to working with both of them to pass his 100 days agenda to help working families.”But among Democrats nationwide, nearly two-thirds say Biden should step aside and let his party nominate a different candidate, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/">an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll</a>. That sharply undercuts Biden's post-debate claim that “average Democrats” are still with him even if some “big names” are turning on him.Biden tested positive for COVID-19 while traveling Wednesday in Las Vegas and is experiencing “mild symptoms” including “general malaise” from the infection, the White House said. The president, who had spent the past several days campaigning, had already been scheduled to return to his Delaware beach home even before the diagnosis.Schiff's announcement brings to nearly 20 the number of Democratic members of Congress calling on Biden to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-president-trump-d5fb136a643edb020745336ff9709923">withdraw from the presidential race</a>&nbsp;in the wake of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debate-trump-biden-presidential-campaign-44e71c900a1c4af2bed93041fdfe923d">his dismal debate performance</a>&nbsp;against Trump last month.Schiff said that by bowing out, Biden would "secure his legacy of leadership by allowing us to defeat Donald Trump in the upcoming election.”Schiff is a prominent Democrat on his own, and his statement will also be watched because of his proximity to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Pelosi</a>.It was Pelosi who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-pelosi-project-2025-trump-28ca690455cc04a6faccda9daad1a22a">revived questions about Biden</a>&nbsp;post-debate, when she said recently that “it’s up to the president” to decide what to do — even though Biden had already fully stated he had no intention of stepping aside. The former House speaker publicly supports the president but has fielded calls from Democrats since debate night questioning what’s next.In response to Schiff's comments, the Biden campaign pointed to what it called “extensive support” for him and his reelection bid from members of Congress in key swing states, as well as from the Congressional Black and Hispanic caucuses. The campaign noted that Biden had been joined on his trip to Nevada this week by nearly a dozen Congressional Black Caucus members.___Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Leah Askarinam contributed to this report.

Obama, Pelosi now make push for Biden to reconsider 2024 race

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces multiple felony charges in connection with fatal shooting of a woman found in the grass near a Kansas City street, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Richard Gerard Harris Jr, 37, faces Murder 2nd Degree, two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, three counts of Armed Criminal Action, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Tampering with a Motor Vehicle.

According to court records, Kansas City police officers were dispatched June 17, to the area of 3200 E. Linwood and found a woman later identified as&nbsp; 29-year-old Taylor Thomas in the grass near a road.&nbsp;

She died four days later and the death was ruled a homicide. A witness told detectives that a man later identified as the Harris shot the victim. Surveillance video captured the suspect shooting the victim.

Prosecutors requested a $500,000 cash-only bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720887258225.png" alt="Harris photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Harris photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces multiple felony charges in connection with fatal shooting of a woman found in the grass near a Kansas City street, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Richard Gerard Harris Jr, 37, faces Murder 2nd Degree, two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, three counts of Armed Criminal Action, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Tampering with a Motor Vehicle.According to court records, Kansas City police officers were dispatched June 17, to the area of 3200 E. Linwood and found a woman later identified as&nbsp; 29-year-old Taylor Thomas in the grass near a road.&nbsp;She died four days later and the death was ruled a homicide. A witness told detectives that a man later identified as the Harris shot the victim. Surveillance video captured the suspect shooting the victim.Prosecutors requested a $500,000 cash-only bond.

Homicide: Kansas City woman found in the grass near a road

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 2a.m. Thursday in Montgomery County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Toyota Avalon driven by Zachary L&nbsp;Evans, 24, New Blaine, Arkansas,&nbsp;was eastbound on Woodland Avenue approaching N Buckeye Street in the city of Coffeyville.

The driver failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway. The car entered the north ditch, rolled and came to rest on its top.

Evans was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Frontier Medical. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 2a.m. Thursday in Montgomery County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Toyota Avalon driven by Zachary L&nbsp;Evans, 24, New Blaine, Arkansas,&nbsp;was eastbound on Woodland Avenue approaching N Buckeye Street in the city of Coffeyville.The driver failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway. The car entered the north ditch, rolled and came to rest on its top.Evans was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Frontier Medical. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

KHP: Man dies from injuries in car rollover crash

SEDGWICK COUNTY —In April, USD 262 Valley Center suspended the schools baseball season due to an investigation of alleged animal cruelty after a chicken was killed on the baseball field at the high school before a game, according to the Valley Center Department of Public Safety. A school employee contacted a school resource officer about the incident.

On Tuesday, the Valley Center Police Department presented the results of their ongoing investigation to the Office of the Sedgwick County District Attorney.

After a full review of the investigation, the district attorney's office determined that insufficient evidence was uncovered to establish the commission of a chargeable crime under Kansas law, according to a statement released by the DA's office.

&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 262 officials continue their investigation of alleged animal cruelty that prompted the suspension of the Valley Center High School baseball season.

According to the Valley Center Department of Public Safety, a chicken was killed on the baseball field at the high school before a game on April 20. A school employee contacted a school resource officer on Monday about the incident.

According to a memo sent to parents of USD 262 students on Monday, "The Valley Center High School varsity baseball season has been suspended due to an active law enforcement investigation."

"High school administrators were alerted to an incident of possible animal cruelty involving the entire Hornet varsity baseball team and the entire coaching staff on USD 262 property."

"Immediately upon learning of the incident, high school and district leadership notified the appropriate authorities and suspended the season. A decision regarding the remainder of the baseball season will be made pending the outcome of the investigation.”

SEDGWICK COUNTY —In April, USD 262 Valley Center suspended the schools baseball season due to an investigation of alleged animal cruelty after a chicken was killed on the baseball field at the high school before a game, according to the Valley Center Department of Public Safety. A school employee contacted a school resource officer about the incident.On Tuesday, the Valley Center Police Department presented the results of their ongoing investigation to the Office of the Sedgwick County District Attorney.After a full review of the investigation, the district attorney's office determined that insufficient evidence was uncovered to establish the commission of a chargeable crime under Kansas law, according to a statement released by the DA's office.------------------&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 262 officials continue their investigation of alleged animal cruelty that prompted the suspension of the Valley Center High School baseball season.According to the Valley Center Department of Public Safety, a chicken was killed on the baseball field at the high school before a game on April 20. A school employee contacted a school resource officer on Monday about the incident.According to a memo sent to parents of USD 262 students on Monday, "The Valley Center High School varsity baseball season has been suspended due to an active law enforcement investigation.""High school administrators were alerted to an incident of possible animal cruelty involving the entire Hornet varsity baseball team and the entire coaching staff on USD 262 property." "Immediately upon learning of the incident, high school and district leadership notified the appropriate authorities and suspended the season. A decision regarding the remainder of the baseball season will be made pending the outcome of the investigation.”----------

DA rules on Kansas high school baseball animal cruelty case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee issued a subpoena Wednesday to the Secret Service director compelling her to appear before the committee on Monday for what is scheduled to be the first congressional hearing into the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

And even before the first hearing Republican calls for Director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-donald-trump-government-and-politics-f3d1e4308d7e2d367d91d9ab037e2229">Kimberly Cheatle</a>&nbsp;to resign intensified Wednesday with top Republican leaders from both the House and the Senate saying she should step down. The director has said she has no intention of resigning.

Rep. James Comer said initially that the Secret Service committed to her attendance but that Homeland Security officials appeared to intervene and there has been no “meaningful updates or information” shared with the committee.

Comer said the “lack of transparency and failure to cooperate” with the committee called into question Cheatle's ability to lead the Secret Service and necessitated the subpoena.

Cheatle has said the agency understands the importance of a review ordered by Democratic President Joe Biden and would fully participate in it as well as with congressional committees looking into the shooting.

In response to the subpoena and an earlier letter from Comer, Zephranie Buetow, an assistant secretary at Homeland Security, said that while the department was “disappointed that the Committee rushed to issue a subpoena,” Cheatle welcomes the chance to testify. The official said that given Cheatle's focus on securing the ongoing Republican National Convention, the department would appreciate if she could appear on July 25 or July 26, or the following week, instead of Monday.

The Oversight panel rejected that request for a change of date and committee spokesperson Jessica Collins said, “Director Cheatle has agreed to comply with Chairman Comer's subpoena and the hearing will take place as scheduled.”

“Americans demand and deserve answers from the director about the attempted assassination of President Trump and the Secret Service's egregious failures,” Collins said.

The subpoena was just one of a series of developments that occurred Wednesday in the wake of the Saturday assassination attempt.

The fact that a shooter was able to get so close to the former president while he's supposed to be closely guarded has raised questions about what security plans the agency tasked with taking a bullet for its protectees put in place and who is ultimately responsible for allowing the 20-year-old gunman to climb a roof where he had a clear line of sight to a former president.

House Speaker Mike Johnson announced he would be setting up a task force to investigate security failures that occurred during the assassination attempt. He also said he would be calling on Cheatle to resign from her post as director of the Secret Service, saying on Fox News Channel without elaborating, “I think she’s shown what her priorities are.”

He said the task force would be made up of Republicans and Democrats and its formation would speed up the investigative process.

“We must have accountability for this. It was inexcusable,” Johnson said. “Obviously, there were security lapses. You don’t have to be a special ops expert to understand that. And we’re going to get down to the bottom of it quickly.”

Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate, added his name to the list of lawmakers calling for Cheatle to step down. He said on the social media platform X that the near assassination was a “grave attack on American democracy.”

“The nation deserves answers and accountability,” McConnell tweeted. New leadership at the Secret Service would be an important step in that direction.”

The House Homeland Security Committee also invited several state and local law enforcement officials from Pennsylvania to testify at a hearing in the coming days with Rep. Mark Green, the committee’s chairman, saying their accounts of events were critical to the investigation.

A key issue in the unfolding aftermath of the shooting is how security responsibilities were divided between Secret Service and local law enforcement at the rally and what breakdowns occurred that eventually allowed the gunman onto the roof.

Cheatle said during an interview Monday with ABC News that the shooting should never have happened, but also said she has no plans to resign.

When asked who bears the most responsibility for the shooting happening, she said: “What I would say is the Secret Service is responsible for the protection of the former president."

“The buck stops with me. I am the director of the Secret Service," she said.

Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service, on Wednesday said: “Director Kimberly Cheatle is proud to work alongside the dedicated men and women of the U.S. Secret Service and has no intention to resign.”

So far, she has the support of the administration.

“I have 100% confidence in the director of the United States Secret Service. I have 100% confidence in the United States Secret Service,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Monday.

But in addition to the Congressional inquiries, Cheatle and the Secret Service are also facing an inquiry by the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general.

In a brief notice posted to the inspector general’s website Tuesday, the agency said the objective of the probe is to “Evaluate the United States Secret Service’s (Secret Service) process for securing former President Trump’s July 13, 2024 campaign event.”

The agency also said Wednesday it is launching a review of the agency's Counter Sniper Team's “preparedness and operations.”

“Our objective is to determine the extent to which the Secret Service Counter Sniper Team is prepared for, and responds to, threats at events attended by designated protectees,” the inspector general's office said.

Biden on Sunday said he was ordering an independent review of the security at the rally. No one has yet been named to lead that inquiry.

Since the shooting, Cheatle and the Security Service have come under intense scrutiny over how a gunman could get in position to fire at a former president.

The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was able to get within 135 meters (157 yards) of the stage where the Republican former president was speaking when he opened fire. That’s despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-attempted-assassination-iran-threat-secret-service-87f9a1e6e74c2ac18636334e9b2e03a3">a threat on Trump’s life from Iran leading to additional security</a>&nbsp;for the former president in the days before the Saturday rally.

A bloodied Trump was quickly escorted off the stage by Secret Service agents, and agency snipers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-thomas-matthew-crooks-shooter-881581c46c07025898027143fc9132e5">killed the shooter</a>. Trump said the upper part of his right ear was pierced in the shooting. One rallygoer was killed, and two others critically wounded.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-donald-trump-government-and-politics-f3d1e4308d7e2d367d91d9ab037e2229">Cheatle</a>&nbsp;said her agency was working to understand how Saturday’s shooting happened and to make sure something like it never does again.

Cheatle and FBI Director Christopher Wray participated in a telephone briefing Wednesday afternoon with senators. Republicans came away critical.

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., tweeted on X that it was a “100% cover-your-ass briefing.” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., called for administration officials to hold a daily press conference to share updates with the public, and Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said “they are so disjointed that they don’t have their own facts together yet.”

The Secret Service has roughly 7,800 staff members and is responsible for protecting presidents, vice presidents, their families, former presidents, their spouses and their minor children under the age of 16 and a few other high-level Cabinet officials such as the Homeland Security secretary.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720975879185.jpeg" alt="Former President Donald Trump gestures while surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents as he is helped off the stage at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)" />
 <figcaption>Former President Donald Trump gestures while surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents as he is helped off the stage at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee issued a subpoena Wednesday to the Secret Service director compelling her to appear before the committee on Monday for what is scheduled to be the first congressional hearing into the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.And even before the first hearing Republican calls for Director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-donald-trump-government-and-politics-f3d1e4308d7e2d367d91d9ab037e2229">Kimberly Cheatle</a>&nbsp;to resign intensified Wednesday with top Republican leaders from both the House and the Senate saying she should step down. The director has said she has no intention of resigning.Rep. James Comer said initially that the Secret Service committed to her attendance but that Homeland Security officials appeared to intervene and there has been no “meaningful updates or information” shared with the committee.Comer said the “lack of transparency and failure to cooperate” with the committee called into question Cheatle's ability to lead the Secret Service and necessitated the subpoena.Cheatle has said the agency understands the importance of a review ordered by Democratic President Joe Biden and would fully participate in it as well as with congressional committees looking into the shooting.In response to the subpoena and an earlier letter from Comer, Zephranie Buetow, an assistant secretary at Homeland Security, said that while the department was “disappointed that the Committee rushed to issue a subpoena,” Cheatle welcomes the chance to testify. The official said that given Cheatle's focus on securing the ongoing Republican National Convention, the department would appreciate if she could appear on July 25 or July 26, or the following week, instead of Monday.The Oversight panel rejected that request for a change of date and committee spokesperson Jessica Collins said, “Director Cheatle has agreed to comply with Chairman Comer's subpoena and the hearing will take place as scheduled.”“Americans demand and deserve answers from the director about the attempted assassination of President Trump and the Secret Service's egregious failures,” Collins said.The subpoena was just one of a series of developments that occurred Wednesday in the wake of the Saturday assassination attempt.The fact that a shooter was able to get so close to the former president while he's supposed to be closely guarded has raised questions about what security plans the agency tasked with taking a bullet for its protectees put in place and who is ultimately responsible for allowing the 20-year-old gunman to climb a roof where he had a clear line of sight to a former president.House Speaker Mike Johnson announced he would be setting up a task force to investigate security failures that occurred during the assassination attempt. He also said he would be calling on Cheatle to resign from her post as director of the Secret Service, saying on Fox News Channel without elaborating, “I think she’s shown what her priorities are.”He said the task force would be made up of Republicans and Democrats and its formation would speed up the investigative process.“We must have accountability for this. It was inexcusable,” Johnson said. “Obviously, there were security lapses. You don’t have to be a special ops expert to understand that. And we’re going to get down to the bottom of it quickly.”Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate, added his name to the list of lawmakers calling for Cheatle to step down. He said on the social media platform X that the near assassination was a “grave attack on American democracy.”“The nation deserves answers and accountability,” McConnell tweeted. New leadership at the Secret Service would be an important step in that direction.”The House Homeland Security Committee also invited several state and local law enforcement officials from Pennsylvania to testify at a hearing in the coming days with Rep. Mark Green, the committee’s chairman, saying their accounts of events were critical to the investigation.A key issue in the unfolding aftermath of the shooting is how security responsibilities were divided between Secret Service and local law enforcement at the rally and what breakdowns occurred that eventually allowed the gunman onto the roof.Cheatle said during an interview Monday with ABC News that the shooting should never have happened, but also said she has no plans to resign.When asked who bears the most responsibility for the shooting happening, she said: “What I would say is the Secret Service is responsible for the protection of the former president."“The buck stops with me. I am the director of the Secret Service," she said.Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service, on Wednesday said: “Director Kimberly Cheatle is proud to work alongside the dedicated men and women of the U.S. Secret Service and has no intention to resign.”So far, she has the support of the administration.“I have 100% confidence in the director of the United States Secret Service. I have 100% confidence in the United States Secret Service,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Monday.But in addition to the Congressional inquiries, Cheatle and the Secret Service are also facing an inquiry by the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general.In a brief notice posted to the inspector general’s website Tuesday, the agency said the objective of the probe is to “Evaluate the United States Secret Service’s (Secret Service) process for securing former President Trump’s July 13, 2024 campaign event.”The agency also said Wednesday it is launching a review of the agency's Counter Sniper Team's “preparedness and operations.”“Our objective is to determine the extent to which the Secret Service Counter Sniper Team is prepared for, and responds to, threats at events attended by designated protectees,” the inspector general's office said.Biden on Sunday said he was ordering an independent review of the security at the rally. No one has yet been named to lead that inquiry.Since the shooting, Cheatle and the Security Service have come under intense scrutiny over how a gunman could get in position to fire at a former president.The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was able to get within 135 meters (157 yards) of the stage where the Republican former president was speaking when he opened fire. That’s despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-attempted-assassination-iran-threat-secret-service-87f9a1e6e74c2ac18636334e9b2e03a3">a threat on Trump’s life from Iran leading to additional security</a>&nbsp;for the former president in the days before the Saturday rally.A bloodied Trump was quickly escorted off the stage by Secret Service agents, and agency snipers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-thomas-matthew-crooks-shooter-881581c46c07025898027143fc9132e5">killed the shooter</a>. Trump said the upper part of his right ear was pierced in the shooting. One rallygoer was killed, and two others critically wounded.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-donald-trump-government-and-politics-f3d1e4308d7e2d367d91d9ab037e2229">Cheatle</a>&nbsp;said her agency was working to understand how Saturday’s shooting happened and to make sure something like it never does again.Cheatle and FBI Director Christopher Wray participated in a telephone briefing Wednesday afternoon with senators. Republicans came away critical.Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., tweeted on X that it was a “100% cover-your-ass briefing.” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., called for administration officials to hold a daily press conference to share updates with the public, and Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said “they are so disjointed that they don’t have their own facts together yet.”The Secret Service has roughly 7,800 staff members and is responsible for protecting presidents, vice presidents, their families, former presidents, their spouses and their minor children under the age of 16 and a few other high-level Cabinet officials such as the Homeland Security secretary.

Secret Service director to testify on Trump assassination attempt

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal carjacking in Kansas City.

Just after 1p.m. Wednesday,&nbsp;a suspect was attempting to steal a white Ford F350 in the&nbsp;2900 Block of Paseo in Kansas City, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

 The owner attempted to stop the suspect from stealing the truck.&nbsp; The suspect drove away while dragging the owner with the vehicle. The victim was dislodged from the vehicle. and thrown to the pavement. The suspect left the scene in the stolen Ford without stopping. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to DiMaratino.

 This is fatality crash #51 compared to #46 at this time last year.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal carjacking in Kansas City.Just after 1p.m. Wednesday,&nbsp;a suspect was attempting to steal a white Ford F350 in the&nbsp;2900 Block of Paseo in Kansas City, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. The owner attempted to stop the suspect from stealing the truck.&nbsp; The suspect drove away while dragging the owner with the vehicle. The victim was dislodged from the vehicle. and thrown to the pavement. The suspect left the scene in the stolen Ford without stopping. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to DiMaratino. This is fatality crash #51 compared to #46 at this time last year.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

KCPD: Victim dies when dragged by suspect in carjacking 

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Newly minted vice presidential nominee JD Vance built his Wednesday night speech to the Republican National Convention around his own Appalachian roots, but it wasn't the first time he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vance-rnc-2024-67880a3003a69938aebd3ac8a586dc65#:~:text=MILWAUKEE%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20Introducing%20himself,best%20understands%20the%20challenges%20facing">shared his personal story</a>.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8TlBHRtrvM">Click here </a>to watch his full acceptance speech

Long before he was a U.S. senator from Ohio, Vance rose to prominence on the wings of “Hillbilly Elegy,” a bestselling memoir that many thought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-business-arts-and-ohio-8c7a70bad96c48df9544049a38584cb8">captured the essence of Donald Trump's political resonance</a>&nbsp;in a rural white America ravaged by joblessness, opioid addiction and poverty.

The 2016 book set off a fierce debate in the region. Many Appalachian scholars thought it trafficked in stereotypes and blamed working-class people for their own struggles, without giving enough weight to the decades of exploitation by coal and pharmaceutical companies that figure prominently in Appalachia's story.

Some of the resentment sparked by the book crossed party lines.

“A lot of us born and raised natives of Appalachia are just highly sensitive to the fact that knocking hillbillies is the final frontier of accepted prejudice in America," said TJ Litafik, an eastern Kentucky Republican political consultant and Trump supporter.

Litafik said he would vote for Trump no matter whom he chose as vice president, but Vance was not anywhere near the top of his list. That's in part because Vance had strong words to say against Trump around the time the book was published, even suggesting once that he might be “America’s Hitler” in a text to a former roommate that later became public.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Newly minted vice presidential nominee JD Vance built his Wednesday night speech to the Republican National Convention around his own Appalachian roots, but it wasn't the first time he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vance-rnc-2024-67880a3003a69938aebd3ac8a586dc65#:~:text=MILWAUKEE%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20Introducing%20himself,best%20understands%20the%20challenges%20facing">shared his personal story</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">JD Vance: &quot;Our movement is about single moms like mine, who struggled with money and addiction, but never gave up. I&#39;m proud to say that tonight my my mom is here, 10 years, clean and sober. I love you mom.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/sl2P0hDk5i">pic.twitter.com/sl2P0hDk5i</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1813783939099828705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">JD Vance: &quot;I stand here humbled and I&#39;m overwhelmed with gratitude to say I officially accept your nomination to be Vice President of the United States of America.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/xSq3U4sLeR">pic.twitter.com/xSq3U4sLeR</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1813770852082860461?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8TlBHRtrvM">Click here </a>to watch his full acceptance speechLong before he was a U.S. senator from Ohio, Vance rose to prominence on the wings of “Hillbilly Elegy,” a bestselling memoir that many thought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-business-arts-and-ohio-8c7a70bad96c48df9544049a38584cb8">captured the essence of Donald Trump's political resonance</a>&nbsp;in a rural white America ravaged by joblessness, opioid addiction and poverty.The 2016 book set off a fierce debate in the region. Many Appalachian scholars thought it trafficked in stereotypes and blamed working-class people for their own struggles, without giving enough weight to the decades of exploitation by coal and pharmaceutical companies that figure prominently in Appalachia's story.Some of the resentment sparked by the book crossed party lines.“A lot of us born and raised natives of Appalachia are just highly sensitive to the fact that knocking hillbillies is the final frontier of accepted prejudice in America," said TJ Litafik, an eastern Kentucky Republican political consultant and Trump supporter.Litafik said he would vote for Trump no matter whom he chose as vice president, but Vance was not anywhere near the top of his list. That's in part because Vance had strong words to say against Trump around the time the book was published, even suggesting once that he might be “America’s Hitler” in a text to a former roommate that later became public.Litafik, who read “Hillbilly Elegy,” subtitled “A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis,” and saw the 2020 film adaptation, said Vance might come off as condescending to some voters. But he called the senator “dynamic and intelligent” and said Vance’s accomplishments are undeniably impressive.“I think to me and to a lot of my friends, JD Vance is something of an enigma,” Litafik said. “We appreciate some of his recent convictions, but based on past history, there’s a hesitancy there.”He said he's open to giving Vance a chance if he's willing to show his commitment to rural and blue-collar Americans by protecting them from policy proposals like those that would roll back expanded Medicaid, especially for drug treatment.Vance was raised by his grandparents in Middletown, in southwestern Ohio, while his mother, whom he introduced during his speech Wednesday, battled an addiction he said she put behind her 10 years ago. He spent a significant amount of time traveling to Kentucky with his grandparents to visit family and said he hoped to be buried in a small mountain cemetery there.He vowed in the speech to be “a vice president who never forgets where he came from.”Many conservatives loved the book. Among them were some who lobbied for Vance to be Trump's vice presidential pick. They include Donald Trump Jr.; Kevin Roberts, who leads the Heritage Foundation; and Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk.In an interview before Vance was selected, Illinois native Kirk said he thought both the book and movie were excellent.“It’s incredibly persuasive, and he’s lived the experience that many Trump voters have," he said. "So it’s not talking down to Trump voters, or people in the Midwest. He grew up in southwestern Ohio, in Appalachia, you know, raised by his Mamaw, and understands kind of how that part of the world stopped working. And he also now, of course, has an agenda and a vision and a passion to try to bring it back to prominence and greatness.”Roberts, a native of Lafayette, Louisiana, said he couldn’t put the book down after discovering it, so true was it to his own life story.“I think it’s one of the most important books written in the past 20 years,” he told The Associated Press before Vance’s selection. “Not because he’s in the Senate. It’s just such an authentic portrayal of an experience that tens of millions of Americans have had.”Some critics acknowledge Vance's right to tell his own story. Where they have trouble is when he makes sweeping generalizations.At one point, for example, Vance describes his grandmother’s violent reaction to his grandfather coming home drunk after she had threatened to kill him if it happened again. In another scene, his grandparents curse out a store employee and smash a toy after one of their children was told not to play with it without paying.“Destroying store merchandise and threatening a sales clerk were normal to Mamaw and Papaw,” Vance wrote. “That’s what Scots-Irish Appalachians do when people mess with your kid.”Ray Jones, the judge-executive of Pike County, Kentucky, and a former Democratic state senator, said he recognized nothing about his family’s experience in “Hillbilly Elegy.”“Maybe that’s his life story, but I thought the overall depiction of the people in eastern Kentucky was offensive,” said Jones, whose grandfathers were both union coal miners. “I don’t think that book is a fair depiction of the people of this region, and most certainly not the hard-working men and women here."“The book paints the people of this region as white trash, and that’s just not true,” he said, before adding, “His story is obviously compelling to people who aren’t from here.”Neema Avashia, a public educator and author from West Virginia who now lives in Boston, said she was unsettled by the book’s tone, by its lack of representation of Appalachia’s nonwhite residents and by what she called “sweeping generalizations” about working-class white people.Avashia responded with her own memoir, “Another Appalachia,” about growing up Indian-American and queer in a West Virginia chemical plant community.“People are allowed to write memoirs about whatever they want — it’s their life," Avashia said. "I think where I really started to struggle was with the attempt to draw lines in terms of claiming sort of expertise around culture and characterizing like, entire groups of people.”“I would never claim to say that my Appalachian story is the Appalachian story. It is an Appalachian story. It's called ‘Another Appalachia’ for a reason. It’s ‘another’ because there are many.”Avashia said the book's popularity “is rooted in a desire to have your biases confirmed.”Vance, whose office didn't return a request for comment Wednesday, has acknowledged some criticism. He recently told The New York Times he’d distanced himself from “Hillbilly Elegy,” in order not to “wake up in 10 years and really hate everything that I’ve become.”Sam Workman, a professor of political science at West Virginia University, called the book “poverty porn.” He said the reception to it has more to say about the disconnect between intellectual pundits in academics, politics, the media and rural working-class people than anything else.“‘Hillbilly Elegy’ was so popular at the start, and all of a sudden everyone now dislikes it, because they realize the rabbit’s out of the hat in a way,” said Workman, who runs WVU's Institute for Policy Research and Public Affairs. “This is really about a lot of liberal intellectuals being caught off guard as to what the real purposes of ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ were. It was the first foray into a really potent, conservative political career.”On the heels of the book's popularity, Vance started a charity called “Our Ohio Renewal” that he said he would use as a vehicle for helping solve the scourge of opioid addiction that he had lamented in the book. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-entertainment-health-175153d8a80d93b2c9c6654a6a730de9">shuttered the nonprofit</a>&nbsp;shortly after clinching the Senate nomination in 2022.___