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Asked for proof of his claim that Mr. Biden was personally directing the local cases against him, Mr. Trump pointed to purported ties between prosecutors and “Washington,” but provided no evidence that Mr. Biden had been involved in any of the hiring decisions, conversations or meetings that Mr. Trump cited. The writer E. Jean Carroll filed her first lawsuit against Mr. Trump in November 2019, accusing him of defamation. Faulty and irrelevant comparisonsWhat Mr. Trump Said“I got indicted more than Al Capone.”— in a rally in Ohio in MarchFalse. Mr. Hur described Mr. Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” who had “diminished faculties and faulty memory.” He did not declare Mr. Biden mentally incompetent to stand trial. Inaccurate attacks on judgesWhat Mr. Trump Said“Judge Juan Merchan is totally compromised, and should be removed from this TRUMP Non-Case immediately.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, President Biden, Trump’s, ”, Trump Said “ Biden, General Merrick B, Garland, Trump “, Biden, Mr, Doug Mills, Trump Said, Jack Smith, Merrick Garland’s, Fani Willis, Letitia James, Alvin L, Bragg, Matthew Colangelo, Colangelo, —, James’s, Colangelo’s, Bragg ramped, Willis, Willis — Nathan J, Wade, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Kamala Harris, Harris, Crooked Joe Biden, James, Jean Carroll, Smith, Brittainy Newman, Alexei Navalny, Navalny, Letitia James ’, Hunt, PolitiFact, Trump Said “, Al Capone, Capone, Brad Schwartz, Hillary, Bill, Bush, Reagan, Hillary Clinton, Clinton, Bill Clinton’s, Taylor Branch, Branch, “, Barack Obama, George W, Bill Clinton, George H.W, Ronald Reagan, Robert K, Hur, Biden’s, Juan Merchan, Loren, Loren Merchan, Merchan, Merchan’s, Justice Merchan, Ahmed Gaber, Arthur F, Justice Engoron, Engoron Organizations: New York, Democratic Party, Trump, Justice Department, The New York Times, The, White House, Trump . Credit, New York Times, American People, Biden Administration, Prosecutors, Mr, Manhattan, Washington, Fox News, New, Times, White, Counsel’s Office, Supreme, Black, Trump Organization, Democrat, Companies, Exxon Mobil, Trump Foundation, Trump University, Associated, National Archives, Records Administration, TRUMP, Twitter, Credit Locations: Manhattan, Georgia, Trump ., Washington, New York, “ Washington, Fulton County ,, Russian, New, Ohio, Fla, South Carolina, Trump’s Florida, Beach

Three times over the five hours, Biden told Hur he is a “frustrated architect.”He allowed that his wife, Jill, once offered to send him to architecture school if he’d only stop running for the Senate. “I have them hanging on the walls all over the downstairs, the television room, and some in the library,” Biden told Hur. In subsequent years, as vice president, Biden collected $2,200 a month in rent payments for the guest house from the Secret Service. It was there that investigators found his personal notebooks documenting key meetings from his time as vice president. “I just wanted you to know I picked out the walnut tree that got cut down,” Biden told investigators.

Persons: Joe Biden, Robert Hur, Biden, Hur, ”, Jill, he's, “, ” Biden, Hunter, Beau, Jimmy, I’ve, knickknacks, He's Organizations: WASHINGTON, Senate, FBI, Service, Democratic, Wilmington, Amtrak, White, Secret Service Locations: Wilmington , Delaware, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Delaware, Washington, The Delaware

☆ We asked ChatGPT and Claude to analyze Biden's cognitive abilities based on the Joe Biden-Robert Hur transcript. Their verdict: the president is doing fine.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewPresident Joe Biden's cognitive abilities may be better than some say they are — at least according to two AI chatbots. Some who analyzed it said Hur's claims about Biden's memory issues were overstated. And both chatbots' verdicts were that Biden's cognitive abilities are just fine. "These aspects are essential indicators of cognitive abilities and suggest that he could perform cognitively demanding tasks during the interview." AdvertisementWhen it came to Biden's memory, ChatGPT found that he displayed memory recall by describing interactions and processes related to handling classified documents with context.

Persons: —, Joe Biden's, Robert Hur, Hur, Biden, Beau, Beau died, Claude Pro, ChatGPT, Claude, Anthropic, didn't, Axel Springer Organizations: Service, Business, CNET

☆ Stephen Colbert Slams Former Special Counsel’s Conclusions
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Trish Bendix | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night’s highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now. Thanks for the MemoriesOn Tuesday, the former special counsel Robert K. Hur testified before the House Judiciary Committee, answering questions about his investigation into President Biden’s handling of classified documents. In his report, Hur referred to Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”“Yes, Biden has been dangerously forgetful, unlike Trump, who always remembers that he’s running against Obama, and unopposed, at that, since Nancy Pelosi dropped out,” Stephen Colbert said on his show Tuesday night.

Persons: Robert K, Hur, Biden’s, Biden, ”, Nancy Pelosi, ” Stephen Colbert Organizations: Netflix, Trump, Obama

☆ A Corvette, Swimsuit Shots and a Trip to Mongolia: Biden Offers a Selfie Tour of His Life
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Peter Baker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

They were there to talk about classified documents, but somehow President Biden’s mind had turned to Mongolia. Something about being handed a bow and arrow during a visit and embarrassing his host. “Pure luck, I hit the goddamn target,” Mr. Biden recalled. Mr. Biden described giving an oration in law school on a case he had not read and lying his way into an exclusive club in Delaware. He recounted his time with President Barack Obama and trying to “save his ass” from manipulative generals.

Persons: Biden’s, Mr, Biden, “, Barack Obama, Robert K, Hur, Richard M Organizations: Mr Locations: Mongolia, Mongolian, Delaware

☆ Opinion | Robert Hur’s Testimony About His Report on Biden
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

To the Editor:Re “Special Counsel Defends Claims on Biden Lapses” (front page, March 13):After watching hours of testimony by Robert Hur, the special counsel in the investigation of President Biden’s handling of classified documents, I am impressed by his professionalism and impartiality. Why the Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee thought a televised hearing would undermine Mr. Biden and help Donald Trump eludes me. Mr. Hur’s decision not to prosecute Mr. Biden involved an analysis of the totality of the circumstances and was the correct outcome. Mr. Hur determined he could not meet that high standard. The repeated comparisons with Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents were damning for the former president.

Persons: Biden, Robert Hur, Biden’s, Mr, Donald Trump eludes, Hur’s, Hur, Donald Trump’s, Robert S, Biden “ Organizations: Republican, Prosecutors, Carroll Locations: Carroll Staten

☆ Top news outlets acknowledge Hur’s characterization of Biden’s mental state didn’t match reality
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The Wall Street Journal declared that the transcripts of Biden’s deposition with Hur released on Tuesday painted “a more nuanced picture” than the report indicated. Strangely, that characterization of Biden didn’t find its way into his report — and, thus, the crush of ensuing news stories. To be fair to news organizations, they were faced with a thorny, difficult decision after the Hur report dropped. On the other hand, leaning hard into the report, producing scores of stories and television segments about Hur’s characterization of Biden’s age, proved ultimately to be unwise as well. What news organizations can do now, however, is forcefully acknowledge that the deposition transcript poured cold water on Hur’s over-the-top characterization of Biden’s mental fitness.

Persons: Joe, Robert, Hur, Biden, “ clearheaded, Biden “ doesn’t, Charlie Savage, ” Hur, Biden didn’t, commendably, Bill Grueskin, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Fox, Biden, Columbia Journalism School Locations: New York, ”, That’s, U.S, Afghanistan, Wilmington

☆ Analysis: Biden has shelved the age issue – for now
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

A treasure trove for Biden watchers and historiansIn the interview, Biden speaks at length and fluently, easily recalling in-depth details about his vice presidency, family life and lore. One good week does not make a campaignOne person not ready to let the age issue go is Trump, who himself is 77. The former president’s focus on Biden’s age reflects the fact that one good week will not change a harsh reality of the coming eight months. Outside Washington and the self-contained world of politics and campaigns, concerns about Biden’s age will be hard to shift. The age issue was rumbling long before it became a major campaign issue.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Robert Hur’s, Donald Trump, Beau, Hur, Trump, He’s, Jill Biden, there’s, Scott Fitzgerald, Mr, ” Hur, “, – Biden, Alabama Sen, Katie Britt, “ I’m, ” Biden’s, president’s, ”, CNN’s MJ Lee, – it’s, who’s Organizations: CNN, Republican, Democratic, Wisconsin, GOP, Mar, Biden, Alabama, Trump, Air Force, New York Times, Siena College, Union, White House Locations: Mexico, Egypt, Maryland, Delaware, Mongolia, Scranton, Pennsylvania, Thursday’s, Washington, Siena, State

"There has been a lot of attention paid to language in the report about the president’s memory," Hur said, addressing one of the most contentious parts of his report. For that reason, I had to consider the President’s memory and overall mental state, and how a jury likely would perceive his memory and mental state in a criminal trial." Rep. Adam Schiff, California Democrat, chided Hur for including the references to Biden's memory at all. The issue of both Biden's and Trump's mental acuity has been an ongoing issue in the 2024 campaign, although polling shows that voters have greater concerns about Biden's age. "What does that say about his mental state?"

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, Robert Hur, Hur, –, “ Joe Biden, Mr, Jim Jordan, Adam Schiff, ”, Schiff, Kamala Harris, Matt Gaetz, Nate Moran, needled Hur, wasn't, Jerrold Nadler, bungles, Nadler, Trump's, Ken Buck Organizations: Republicans, Justice, GOP, White House, Ohio Republican, Trump, Biden, Texas Republican, New, New York Democrat, Colorado Republican Locations: Biden’s, Ohio, California, Florida, Texas, New York, Colorado

☆ Transcript of Biden's interview with special counsel Robert Hur shows memory lapses — but also detailed exchanges
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Mike Memoli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

But the transcript of Biden's interview, which was reviewed by NBC News, paints a more nuanced picture on both sides. At one point, Hur acknowledged that some of the questions he would ask would "relate to events that happened years ago." According to the review of the transcript, Biden at times expanded beyond the narrow subject areas of particular questions. In his opening statement, Hur planned to defend his investigation, the final report and his treatment of Biden's age. He also noted that some of the issues he was dealing with as vice president continue today.

Persons: Robert K Hur, Jabin, Robert Hur's, Joe Biden's, Biden, Hur, Beau Biden's, Beau's, Biden Biden, Israel, it's, Joe Biden, Evelyn Hockstein, Jim Jordan, James Comer, Hur's, Bob Bauer, Bauer, Richard Sauber, Joseph R, Beau, Tom Brenner, Beau Biden, I'm, hadn't, Trump, Mandel Ngan, They're, Benjamin Netanyahu, Barack Obama's, Obama, Pope Francis, Francis Organizations: White, Washington , D.C, Washington Post, Getty Images WASHINGTON, NBC, NBC News, Trump, Hamas, Pullman, Reuters, Republican, Capitol, White House, Justice Department, Biden III National Guard / Reserve, New, Penn Biden Center, Chamber, AFP, Getty Locations: Brady, Washington ,, Mongolia, Atlanta , Georgia, U.S, Ohio, Ky, New Castle, New Castle , Delaware, Penn, Virginia, Delaware, State, Israel, Afghanistan, Iran

☆ How the Special Counsel’s Portrayal of Biden’s Memory Compares With the Transcript
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Charlie Savage | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A transcript of a special counsel’s hourslong interview of President Biden over his handling of classified files shows that on several occasions the president fumbled with dates and the sequence of events, while otherwise appearing clearheaded. In a report released last month, Mr. Hur concluded that there was insufficient evidence to charge Mr. Biden with a crime after classified documents ended up in an office he used after his vice presidency and in his home in Delaware. But the report also portrayed Mr. Biden, 81, as an “elderly man with a poor memory,” touching off a political furor amid his re-election campaign. Mr. Biden’s lawyers, who were present for five hours of questioning over two days, have challenged the damaging portrait by Mr. Hur, a former Trump administration official. But the transcript had not been publicly available to evaluate Mr. Hur’s assessment that Mr. Biden’s memory has “significant limitations.”

Persons: Biden, Robert K, Hur, Mr, Mr . Hur Organizations: The New York Times, Trump Locations: Delaware

☆ Takeaways from Robert Hur’s testimony on Biden’s mishandling of classified documents
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Jeremy Herb | Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

which found evidence Biden willfully retained classified materials but that the evidence did not rise to the level of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. And he took on criticism directly over his inclusion of the state of Biden’s memory. On the Republican side, lawmakers pressed Hur on why he didn’t charge Biden despite the evidence of classified documents in Biden’s possession. “In short, to borrow a phrase from the last administration, the Hur report represents the complete and total exoneration of President Biden,” Nadler said. Hur found some evidence that Biden willfully retained classified materials after he left the Obama White House.

Persons: Robert Hur, Joe Biden’s, Hur, Biden, Donald Trump, Jim Jordan’s, Jerry Nadler, Jordan, misremembering, Trump, Viktor Orbán, ” Nadler, Jacquelyn Martin, AP Hur, ” Hur, “, Robert Mueller, Mueller, Eric Swalwell of, ” Swalwell, isn’t, ”, Hank Johnson, Adam Schiff, ” Schiff, didn’t, I’m, ’ ”, Tom McClintock, Joe Biden, Biden “, Obama, “ Joe Biden, he’s, Mr, ” Jordan, Nadler, Biden’s, CNN’s Devan Cole, Hannah Rabinowitz, Holmes Lybrand, Evan Perez Organizations: Committee, Republicans, Biden, Trump, Rep, Department of Justice, Capitol, Democratic, Georgia Democrat, ”, California Democrat, Senate, Republican, California Republican, Democrat, Ohio Republican, Obama Locations: Egypt, Mexico, Hungary, Turkey, Washington ,, Russia, Eric Swalwell of California, Georgia, California, House, Ohio

☆ Robert Hur, Special Counsel Who Investigated Biden, to Testify Before Congress
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Glenn Thrush | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Robert K. Hur will walk into a Capitol Hill hearing room on Tuesday as a uniquely unifying figure in divided Washington — a man disdained by Democrats and Republicans alike. In February, Mr. Hur, the special counsel who investigated President Biden, concluded a yearlong investigation into Mr. Biden’s retention of sensitive government documents by finding that the president should face no criminal charges. But Mr. Hur, using language Mr. Biden’s team saw as gratuitous, politically damaging and outside his job description, described the octogenarian president as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” likely to be acquitted by any jury. Mr. Hur, 51, will face withering questioning from both parties when he testifies before the House Judiciary Committee to explain his exoneration of Mr. Biden and the barbed prose in his 345-page report.

Persons: Robert K, Hur, Biden, Biden’s, Mr . Hur, Mr Organizations: Democrats, Republicans, Mr, Committee Locations: Washington

☆ Opinion: Hur hearing shows GOP will need more than age issue against Biden
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Patrick T. Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —President Joe Biden tried to put voters’ concerns about his age to rest last week with a fiery State of the Union address. In many respects, the damage to Biden was already done by the release of Hur’s report last month. Biden has gamely sought to defuse the age issue, often joking about being aware of his own limitations and contrasting himself favorably with Trump. And the transcript provided more details that provided some added context behind the initial picture painted by Hur’s report. Biden’s age clearly remains his biggest political vulnerability and a key factor in the race.

Persons: Patrick T, Brown, Joe Biden, Robert Hur, Biden, Hur, Republicans didn’t, Hank Johnson, “, gamely, Donald Trump’s, Biden’s, Franklin D, Roosevelt, Trump Organizations: Public Policy Center, Economic Committee, CNN, GOP, Republicans, Georgia Democrat, Trump, Democrats, Democratic Locations: Washington , DC, Georgia, Mexico, Egypt, Afghanistan, America

☆ 5 Takeaways From Hur’s Testimony About the Biden Classified Documents Inquiry
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Charlie Savage | Michael D. Shear | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Robert K. Hur, the former special counsel who investigated President Biden’s possession of classified documents after he left the vice presidency, testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. Republicans grilled Mr. Hur about his conclusion that the evidence was insufficient to charge Mr. Biden with a crime. Members of both parties were unhappy with aspects of Mr. Hur’s report. Republicans were upset that Mr. Biden was not charged with a crime, repeatedly noting the criminal indictment against former President Donald J. Trump that accuses him of willfully retaining sensitive national security documents. Democrats accused Mr. Hur of smearing Mr. Biden’s mental acuity, saying it violated Justice Department policies.

Persons: Robert K, Hur, Biden’s, Mr, Biden, ”, Hur’s, Donald J, Trump

☆ Poised and Precise, Hur Enters Fray Over Special Counsel’s Report on Biden
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Glenn Thrush | Luke Broadwater | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The former special counsel Robert K. Hur, denounced by Democrats for his unsparing description of President Biden’s memory lapses, had one of his own during his testimony on Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee. Representative James R. Comer, a Kentucky Republican, made passing reference to Dana A. Remus, a Democratic lawyer who had served as White House counsel under Mr. Biden from January 2021 to July 2022. Mr. Hur crinkled an eyebrow and corrected him: No, he said, she occupied that post under President Obama. The misstep was an isolated moment in an otherwise poised and precise appearance by Mr. Hur, 51, who was testifying about his report on the investigation into Mr. Biden’s handling of classified documents. Mr. Hur, a Trump-era Justice Department official known among former colleagues for keeping a cool head in high-stress, high-stakes situations, incited a furor after describing the president as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”

Persons: Robert K, Hur, James R, Comer, Dana A, Remus, Biden, Mr, Obama, Mr . Hur, . Hur, ” Organizations: Kentucky Republican, Democratic, White, -, Department Locations: Kentucky

☆ Special Counsel Who Investigated Biden Offers Fierce Defense of Report
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Glenn Thrush | Luke Broadwater | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Robert K. Hur, the special counsel who investigated President Biden, on Tuesday fiercely defended the disparaging assessment of the president’s mental state included in his final report — and his decision not to charge Mr. Biden with a crime. Mr. Hur, appearing before the House Judiciary Committee to answer questions about his polarizing 345-page report, cast himself as an impartial arbiter. He said he had expressed concerns about Mr. Biden’s memory because he needed to justify not bringing a case against Mr. Biden after some evidence showed that the president had willfully retained sensitive material from his vice presidency. “I resolved to do the work as I did all my work for the department: fairly, thoroughly and professionally,” he said in his opening statement. Mr. Hur, a registered Republican who has been slammed by Mr. Biden’s allies for including his politically damaging assessment of Mr. Biden’s memory, showed little emotion during the hearing, but reacted angrily when a Democrat suggested he had “smeared” the president to bolster Mr. Trump.

Persons: Robert K, Hur, Biden, —, Mr, . Hur, “, ”, Mr . Hur, Biden’s, Trump Organizations: Democrat

☆ How a key witness lifted the lid on Trump’s handling of classified documents
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —A new glimpse inside Donald Trump’s inner circle shows how the ex-president’s men and women often confront a fateful dilemma under huge personal pressure. Butler’s comments are important because they foretell how he might testify in the federal classified documents trial that could be hugely damaging to Trump but that is increasingly unlikely to happen before Americans vote in the fall. Why ‘Trump Employee 5’ broke his silenceIt is too early to say whether Butler’s testimony would be decisive in the federal trial in the classified documents case. Walt Nauta, a Trump personal aide, and De Oliveira, who have not broken with the ex-president, have also denied wrongdoing. Cohen will be a key witness when Trump becomes the first ex-president to go on trial over a hush money case in New York later this month.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Brian Butler, “, hoarded, Butler, Trump, who’s, ” Butler, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, ”, Mar, Carlos De Oliveira, Stephanie Grisham, Grisham, ” Grisham, CNN’s Erin Burnett, –, Peter Navarro, Rudolph Giuliani, CNN’s Collins, Jim Sciutto, John Kelly, John Bolton, Adolf Hitler, ‘, ’, Walt Nauta, De Oliveira, John Irving, Jack Smith, Andrew McCabe, Ryan Goodman, Burnett, Smith, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Cassidy Hutchinson, Mark Meadows, Hutchinson, she’s, Cassidy, ” Hutchinson, Joe Biden, Robert Hur, Hur Organizations: CNN, Trump, “ Trump, West Palm Beach, FBI, White, White House, Capitol, New York, Republican, ‘ Trump, Mar, ”, New York University, Republicans, CBS, GOP Locations: Florida, West Palm, New Jersey, Lago, New York

☆ As Biden faces questions about his age, researchers weigh in on working in your 80s
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

"Fluid intelligence" slows with aging, Walsh said. U.S. President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., March 7, 2024. Nearly 80% of older workers say they've seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace, according to research by AARP. There are areas where older workers outperform younger workers. Philip Taylor University of Warwick professor"Crystallized intelligence," considered wisdom, also grows throughout our life, experts say.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Chip Somodevilla, Robert K, Hur, Abdel Fattah el, John Walsh, Walsh, hasn't, Elizabeth Frantz, Selkoe, I've, Joel Kramer, Biden's missteps, Kramer, Philip Taylor, Taylor, Alex Katz, Toni Morrison, they've, —, Joseph Biden Organizations: Getty, gerontology, University of Southern, U.S, Capitol, Washington , D.C, Reuters, University of California, AARP ., UCSF, Aging, University of Warwick, Employees, Philip Taylor University of Warwick, Bettmann Locations: Washington , DC, California, Egypt, Mexico, Gaza, University of Southern California, Washington ,, Israel, Biden's State

☆ Biden says the question isn't about his age: 'It's about how old are our ideas'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewPresident Joe Biden on Thursday used his State of the Union to take concerns about his age head on. Advertisement"Now some other people my age see differently, the American story of revenge, resentment, and retribution," Biden said. "My fellow Americans, the issue facing our nation isn't how old we are: It's about how old our ideas are," he said. Polling shows that even in this hyper-partisan era, Americans broadly agree in their concerns about Biden's age. Democrats also bristle about the extent of concerns about Biden's age compared to former President Donald Trump, the man Biden surpassed to become the oldest president.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Biden, I've, Donald Trump, Robert Hur's, Hur, Obama, Hillary Clinton, Trump's, Trump, Clinton Organizations: Service, Union, Business, New York Times, Siena College

☆ Biden instructed aides to dial up attacks on Trump’s wild comments
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Mj Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —President Joe Biden personally directed his senior campaign aides in recent days to focus more aggressively on former President Donald Trump’s inflammatory comments, according to two sources familiar with the president’s edict. For weeks, his campaign has said they are fully prepared for Trump to emerge as the GOP nominee. “Freedom and democracy itself are on the ballot in November.”That marked only the second time, according to a campaign official, that a Biden campaign statement was attributed directly to the president. It’s un-American.”The next day, the campaign went after Trump again after the former president repeated his threat to NATO members. He’s gone,” Trump taunted at a campaign rally), Biden quickly slammed those comments on X.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump’s, Trump, Biden, “, ” Ammar Moussa, “ Donald Trump, ”, Robert Hur’s, Hur, “ Donald Trump’s, Putin, America’s, excoriated Trump, ” Biden, Nikki Haley’s, He’s, ” Trump, Major Haley Organizations: CNN, Republican, Trump, GOP, Biden, NATO, National Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Baltic States, Russian

☆ Opinion: Alexey Navalny, one man who stood up to a dictatorship
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. “In his courageous and too short life,” wrote Russia scholar Daniel Treisman, “Navalny became a symbol of hope for the younger generations of his compatriots. “He never gave up on the prospect of what he called ‘the beautiful Russia of the future,’” Treisman noted. “For a ‘beautiful Russia of the future’ to emerge in coming years, Putin must lose the war he started. Navalny understood this.”“Navalny’s death represents the extinguishing of all hope for Russia’s turnaround,” wrote Sasha Vasilyuk.

Persons: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Joseph Stalin “, “, ”, you’ve, Alexey Navalny, Vladimir Putin’s, Navalny, fearlessly, Putin, Daniel Treisman, “ Navalny, Navalny’s, ’ ” Treisman, Sasha Vasilyuk, Alexey Navalny’s, Peter Bergen, Andrei Sakharov, ” Putin, Bergen, Nick Anderson, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, authoritarians, Bill Bramhall, James Mattis, ” Peter Bergen, Frida Ghitis, Fidel Castro’s playbook, Patrick Mahomes, Andy “, Amy Bass, New York Democrat Tom Suozzi, George Santos, ” Suozzi, CNN Suozzi didn’t, Biden, isn’t, Long, Max Burns, ” “, Alejandro Mayorkas, ” “ Suozzi, Burns, Robert Hur’s, Norm Eisen, Richard Painter, Joshua Kolb, Hur, ” Joel Pett, Lawrence C, Levy, Julian Zelizer, Dean Obeidallah, Mark Dent, Dent, Saw, Clay Jones, David Orentlicher, ” Orentlicher, Will Cooper, Fani, Willis, Nathan, Wade, ” “ Willis, Antony Blinken, Batniji, Blinken, Fatah, Hussein, Don’t, David Horsey, Agency Jill Filipovic, Lynda Gorov, Taylor Swift, Jim Parrott, Mark Zandi, Brigid Schulte, Yuliya, Kara Alaimo, Frankie de la, Jackie Robinson’s, Jon Stewart’s, Jon Stewart, Matt Wilson, Jon Stewart skewered Trump, Bill Carter, Stewart, ” “ Stewart Organizations: CNN, IK, Moscow Times, Kremlin, Twitter, Facebook, Soviet, Tribune, Agency, Republican, Senate, Agency Former US Defense, Trump, , Kansas City Chiefs, Chiefs, nab, New, New York Democrat, Democratic, GOP, Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, Super Bowl, Kansas, West Bank Locations: Soviet, Germany, Ukraine, Russia, New York, Washington, Georgia, ,, York, Glen Cove, Joel Osteen’s, Houston, Kansas City, America, ”, Kansas, Gaza, San Francisco, Israel, Iran

☆ White House Clashed With Justice Dept. Over Special Counsel Report
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Charlie Savage | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The White House clashed with the Justice Department in the run-up to the release of a special counsel report last week about President Biden’s handling of classified information, previously undisclosed correspondence shows. The letters, obtained by The New York Times, show that a top Justice Department official rejected complaints from Mr. Biden’s lawyers about disparaging comments in the report regarding the president. The lawyers wrote to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland the day before he released the report by the special counsel, Robert K. Hur. They raised objections to passages in the report in which Mr. Hur suggested that Mr. Biden’s memory was failing and questioned some of his actions, even though the special counsel had found no basis to prosecute the president. The lawyers said Mr. Hur’s comments “openly, obviously and blatantly violate department policy and practice,” the letters show.

Persons: Biden’s, General Merrick B, Garland, Robert K, Hur, Hur’s, “ Organizations: Justice Department, The New York Times

☆ Review of Sensitive Issues Slows Potential Release of Biden Transcript
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Charlie Savage | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The White House’s review of whether to release a transcript of a special counsel’s interview of President Biden that set off a political furor is being complicated by the sensitive material it covers, including classified information, security measures and discussions that could be subject to executive privilege, people familiar with the matter said. The White House has been pressed by reporters seeking the transcript since the release last week of the report by Robert K. Hur, a special counsel who investigated Mr. Biden’s handling of classified records from his vice presidency after he left office. And three Republican chairmen of House oversight committees have sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland demanding that he turn over both the transcript and audio recording. Such a disclosure does not appear imminent, according to people who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal matters about why the review is challenging. Mr. Hur, who was appointed by Mr. Garland and had served as a political appointee in the Trump Justice Department, found that “no criminal charges are warranted” against Mr. Biden even though classified material from his vice presidency had been found at an office and in his home.

Persons: Biden, Robert K, Hur, General Merrick B, Garland, . Hur Organizations: White, Trump Justice Department, Mr

☆ Opinion | Why I Am Now Deeply Worried for America
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Paul Krugman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It has seemed increasingly likely that the nation’s good sense would prevail and democracy would survive. But watching the frenzy over President Biden’s age, I am, for the first time, profoundly concerned about the nation’s future. It now seems entirely possible that within the next year, American democracy could be irretrievably altered. And the final blow won’t be the rise of political extremism — that rise certainly created the preconditions for disaster, but it has been part of the landscape for some time now. No, what may turn this menace into catastrophe is the way the hand-wringing over Biden’s age has overshadowed the real stakes in the 2024 election.

Persons: we’ve, Biden’s, Hillary, Donald Trump, Robert Hur, shouldn’t, Biden, James, Clinton — Hur, Comey Organizations: Democrat

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