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2024 election live updates: Bernie Sanders calls on Dems 'to stop the bickering'

Sanders expressed his support for Biden in a New York Times guest essay.

President Joe Biden is facing a critical point in his reelection bid as Democratic calls for him to exit the 2024 race continue to mount despite his efforts to shut them down.

A poor debate performance against Donald Trump reignited questions about Biden's age and fitness to carry out his campaign and serve another four years. Biden has defiantly insisted he is staying the course, telling lawmakers this week he is not going anywhere.

Biden held his first news conference since the debate Thursday evening -- taking multiple questions about his political future.


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12th House Democrat joins calls for Biden to step aside

Democratic Rep. Ed Case of Hawaii became the latest House member to call on the president to cease his reelection run.

Case released a statement Thursday saying, "Difficult times and realities require difficult decisions."

"This has nothing to do with his character and record. If it did, there would be no decision to make," he said. "This is solely about the future, about the President’s ability to continue in the most difficult job in the world for another four-year term."

-ABC News' John Parkinson


Macron says he's 'happy' to have Biden as president

A foreign pool reporter at the third working session at the NATO summit taking place in Washington asked French President Emmanuel Macron what his impression of Biden was.

"I don’t understand your question about President Biden. He is my counterpart, he is the President of the United States, and we are happy to have him as the president of the United States," Macron replied.

Macron spent ample time with Biden just a month ago during his visit to France.

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart


Wisconsin radio station admits it edited Biden interview at request of campaign

The Wisconsin radio station that hosted Biden last week for an interview edited the conversation at the request of the campaign, cutting out two of Biden’s soundbites, the station said in a statement Thursday.

"On Monday, July 8th, it was reported to Civic Media management that immediately after the phone interview was recorded, the Biden campaign called and asked for two edits to the recording before it aired. Civic Media management immediately undertook an investigation and determined that the production team at the time viewed the edits as non-substantive and broadcast and published the interview with two short segments removed," Civic Media said.

Specifically a line from the interview "… and in addition to that, I have more Blacks in my administration than any other president, all other presidents combined, and in major positions, Cabinet positions," was removed.

A piece of dialogue referencing Donald Trump’s call for the death penalty for the Central Park Five, "I don’t know if they even call for their hanging or not, but he—but they said […] convicted of murder," was also removed.

The station acknowledged that the moves fell short of "journalistic interview standards," but the station said it stands by host Earl Ingram, who conducted the interview.

-ABC News' Olivia Rubin, Will McDuffie, Fritz Farrow and Gabriella Abdul-Hakim


Jeffries refuses to comment on Biden's candidacy, says House Democrats' conversations ongoing

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries remained tight-lipped on Biden’s candidacy as he continued to take the temperature of the House Democratic caucus.

"Throughout this week, as House Democrats, we have engaged in a process of talking to each other. Those conversations have been candid, comprehensive, and clear eyed and they continue until that process concluded," Jeffries said during a news conference Thursday.

"House Democrats, Senate Democrats and President Biden are unified on the affirmative agenda that we have for the American people," the New York congressman added.

Jeffries responded "no" when asked if Biden is a liability for vulnerable House Democrats.