Nancy Pelosi, who appeared to encourage Biden’s exit, to speak at DNC backing Harris
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(CHICAGO) — Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is set to speak at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night where she will throw her support behind Vice President Kamala Harris — after appearing to play a significant role in President Joe Biden’s exit from the top of the Democratic ticket.
She’ll back Tim Walz, making his acceptance speech on Day 3 of the Democrats’ gathering, knowing him from his time as a congressman before he became Minnesota’s governor.
Pelosi, who last month endorsed Harris to be the party’s nominee for president, did not publicly call on Biden to withdraw from the race. Instead, Pelosi, in a July 10 interview, declined to directly answer when asked if Biden had her support in his reelection bid after his ruinous debate performance.
At the time, Biden had already committed to running for reelection, writing in a statement congressional Democrats days earlier that he was “firmly committed” to staying in the race.
Her comments blunted any progress Biden was trying to make persuading congressional Democrats that he was up for the job. And Pelosi’s ambiguous public comments instead created space for rank-and-file Democrats to pressure the president to drop out.
She and other leading members of the Democratic Party raised concerns that his staying in the race could have a negative impact on Democratic candidates down-ballot.
Ultimately, those pressures helped lead Biden to leave the 2024 race just a few weeks later.
Despite turning over the reins of the Democratic caucus to Rep. Hakeem Jeffries in 2023, Pelosi still has significant influence over members given her unmatched fundraising prowess that’s shaped Democratic politics and candidates for decades.
As the first woman to serve as speaker of the House, she has said her support for Harris is “official, personal and political.”
“Officially, I have seen Kamala Harris’s strength and courage as a champion for working families, notably fighting for a woman’s right to choose,” Pelosi said in her endorsement of Harris. “Personally, I have known Kamala Harris for decades as rooted in strong values, faith and a commitment to public service. Politically, make no mistake: Kamala Harris as a woman in politics is brilliantly astute – and I have full confidence that she will lead us to victory in November.”
(WASHINGTON) — Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will meet for the first time on Tuesday for a presidential debate hosted by ABC News.
The two are facing off at a pivotal time, with just weeks until Election Day and days before some states begin the early voting process.
The ABC News presidential debate will take place on Sept. 10 at 9 p.m. EDT and air on ABC and stream on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.
Hot-button political issues that are likely to be discussed by Harris and Trump include the economy, immigration, reproductive rights, crime, and more.
Here is a brief look at where each of them stand on key election-year topics as reflected in recent ABC News/Ipsos polling.
Economy, inflation
Trump has been a vocal critic of the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of the economy, saying their policies are to blame for inflation, which reached a 40-year high in 2022 but has since cooled to 2.9% year-over-year as of July.
On policy, he’s pledged to cut costs by restoring “energy independence” through drilling more oil and lowering gas prices. He’s also said he would reduce the national debt, eliminate regulations and implement a variety of tax cuts for domestic corporations as well as tariffs on foreign imports.
Harris has presented a plan for what she’s calling an “opportunity economy” that builds on what the administration’s done on drug pricing and the Child Tax Credit but also goes further on several fronts.
Her proposal includes $25,000 in down-payment support for first-time homeowners, construction of 3 million new housing units, raising the minimum wage and a federal ban on corporate price-gouging on food and groceries. She’s also pitched a $50,000 tax benefit for new small businesses and a lower long-term capital gains tax of 28%.
Immigration
Trump has made immigration and border security a focal point of his campaign, often going further in his anti-immigrant rhetoric than he did in 2016.
He said if elected, he plans to finish the U.S.-Mexico border wall, revive “Remain in Mexico” and asylum restrictions and “carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American History” of immigrants living in the U.S. without legal permission. Trump has also promised to sign an executive order to end birthright citizenship.
Harris has defended the administration’s handling of the issue, specifically her role in taking on root causes of migration from Central America.
She’s also railed against Republicans for rejecting a bipartisan border bill that would have tightened asylum rules and implemented other immigration restrictions while also increasing resources to improve legal immigration pathways. Harris said if elected, she would continue to push for the legislation and pledged to sign it if it came to her desk. She also wants comprehensive reform that includes an earned pathway to citizenship.
Reproductive rights
Harris became the face of the administration’s fight for reproductive rights and abortion access after the fall of Roe. v. Wade, traveling the country to speak on the issue.
She has called on Congress to pass a law restoring protections to the right to abortion that were guaranteed by Roe. She’s been highly critical of state-level restrictions, questioning why Republican lawmakers don’t “trust women.”
Trump frequently touts his role in nominating three Supreme Court justices who voted to overrule Roe but has changed his stance on some issues as the campaign’s gone on. While he previously voiced support for a nationwide ban, he now says it should be up to states to regulate abortion access.
Recently, he declared that under his administration, the government or company insurance would be mandated to pay for all costs associated with in vitro fertilization or IVF. Though he didn’t specify how exactly the program would work or be funded.
Crime, gun violence
Gun violence is back in the news after two students and two teachers were killed in a shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia.
Harris called the shooting a “senseless tragedy” and said it “doesn’t have to be this way.” She has called for nationwide red flag laws, universal background checks and an assault weapons ban.
Trump blamed a “sick and deranged monster” for the shooting. He has often argued in the wake of mass shootings that guns were not to blame but rather mental health issues. He’s referred to himself as the “most pro-gun” president in history and has not signaled he would enact any gun control measures if elected.
Overall, Trump has frequently claimed crime rates are rising despite violent crime being down across the country overall compared to last year. Harris, meanwhile, has leaned into her background as a prosecutor, saying she has a record of taking on drug cartels and corporations in the interest of everyday Americans. She also pledged to continue funding law enforcement agencies, touting the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan for investing $15 billion in public safety.
Foreign policy
Harris has, so far, adopted much of President Biden’s foreign policy stances. She said as president, she would continue to stand with Ukraine and NATO. She’s also pledged to “never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to protect U.S. forces and interests from Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups.”
On the Israel-Hamas war, Harris has reiterated support for Israel’s security but also expressed sympathy for the plight of civilians suffering in Gaza. She’s called for a cease-fire with hostages returned and said she is working with Biden to secure such a deal.
Trump has claimed neither the Israel-Hamas war nor the Russia-Ukraine war would have started if he were president. He’s signaled he would cut back U.S. aid to Kyiv and continues to criticize NATO allies who he says are not doing enough. He’s also expressed staunch support for Israel’s right to defense and to go after Hamas, but has also called for a quick end to the war.
Trump’s also sought to make Afghanistan a key topic in recent weeks after the third anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal of troops from the country. He’s slammed the Biden-Harris administration for the chaotic withdrawal, blaming them for the death of 13 U.S. service members who were killed in a suicide bombing at Abbey Gate. Harris defended the decision to end America’s “longest war” and said she would take action to protect Americans against terrorist threats.
Democracy
Trump continues to make false claims about the 2020 election, asserting without evidence it was rigged or stolen. He currently faces state and federal charges stemming from his efforts to overturn his election loss, to which he pleaded not guilty. Last week, he appeared to admit he lost the 2020 election, saying he got more votes in his reelection campaign than in 2016 but still “lost by a whisker.”
In a major escalation of that rhetoric, Trump said that if he wins this race, those who “cheated” would “be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law, which will include long term prison sentences.” He suggested his apparent threat of “legal exposure” applies to “Lawyers, Political Operatives, Donors, Illegal Voters, & Corrupt Election Officials.”
Trump’s also sent mixed messages on voting methods this cycle, often doubling down on his calls for Election Day voting only and making groundless claims that mail-in voting is ripe for abuse while also encouraging supporters to cast their ballot whether it’s early voting, mail-in voting or other forms of voting.
Trump’s also accused Democrats of a “coup” after President Biden exited the race and endorsed Harris, who quickly secured enough party support to become the nominee.
Harris has been critical of efforts to cast doubt on the election, claiming Trump tried to “throw away” people’s votes and blaming him for what happened at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
She’s said as president, she would advocate for the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act to bolster voting rights and vowed to “hold sacred America’s fundamental principles, from the rule of law, to free and fair elections, to the peaceful transfer of power.”
ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Hannah Demissie, Fritz Farrow, Lalee Ibssa, Soo Rin Kim, Will McDuffie and Kelsey Walsh contributed to this report.
(CHICAGO) — Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., whose home state is hosting the Democratic National Convention, said Vice President Kamala Harris is on the upswing heading into the major political gathering this week.
Speaking to “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz, Duckworth said “momentum is continuing to build” and that being “consistent with our messaging will be a big part of” gaining more support, particularly on the economy, as most polling suggests voters trust former President Donald Trump more than Harris on the economy and inflation.
“Here in Chicago, we’ve turned things around. We’ve had nine credit upgrades here. We’ve had balanced budgets for the last four years. And this is really the message that we’re sending when Democrats are in charge. We’re going to put the economy back on track,” Duckworth said Sunday.
“We’re going to continue the momentum that we started. Inflation is coming down, and I think that is what Kamala is going to be talking about when she’s going to be talking to those working families, those middle-income families, you’re our priority,” she added.
When pressed by Raddatz on the latest ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos polling showing Harris on her back foot on the issue, Duckworth said she believes Harris can turn it around before the election. She cited Harris’ recent economic plan, which includes proposals to ban “price gouging” on food and groceries, expand the child tax credit and offer up to $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers.
Duckworth predicted Harris will “get into more details” this week but stressed that “the key is to talk about [how] we are going to put working families front and center in our economic plan.”
Trump, Duckworth said, is “on the side of corporations. He’s on the sides of people who make over a million dollars. Democrats [are] on the side of working families, and we’re going to put them front and center.”
The economy won’t be the only thing on Democrats’ minds in Chicago this week, however.
Thousands of demonstrators are anticipated to descend on the city, as well, to protest the Biden administration’s handling of the war in Gaza, threatening a distraction from Democrats’ party-like atmosphere in the United Center and sparking worries over security.
“I think we need to work hard on getting the cease-fire agreement,” Duckworth said Sunday when asked how Harris could differentiate herself from President Joe Biden on the issue. “And I think what she can push for is to talk about making sure that we get the humanitarian aid into Gaza, and I think she would lean more heavily toward the humanitarian side of things.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat who himself has a background as an activist, insisted Sunday that his city is prepared.
“We are ready for this convention,” Johnson told Raddatz in a separate interview on “This Week.”
“The part that’s actually most exciting, though, in this moment is that this is a party that can handle protests and protecting the First Amendment right, which is fundamental to our democracy, while also strengthening our democracy and speaking to the future of our country,” he said.
“Our local police department has worked with the Secret Service as well as other local agencies to ensure a safe, peaceful yet vibrant, exciting convention,” Johnson added.
Duckworth on Sunday also criticized Trump for recent comments referring to recipients of the Medal of Honor as “either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets, or they’re dead.” The Trump campaign said the former president was referring to the experience of giving the award, not denigrating the Medal of Honor or the actions of service members.
Herself an Iraq War veteran who had her legs amputated after being injured in a helicopter crash, Duckworth targeted Trump’s five draft deferments during the Vietnam War and reports that he purportedly called fallen service members “losers” during his time in office. (Trump has vehemently denied the reported remarks, which Biden repeated on the campaign trail before he dropped out of the race.)
“American voters have a chance to choose. Do they want a five-time draft dodger who denigrates military men and women and our veterans and calls us suckers and losers? Who doesn’t want to have his picture taken with amputee veterans of various conflicts to be the next commander in chief? Or are you going to have Kamala Harris and Tim Walz who care deeply about veterans?” Duckworth said.
She also praised Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s own 24-year service in the Army National Guard, defending him against criticism over past comments saying he’d carried a weapon “in war” when he had not actually seen combat.
“We say, ‘when you speak, oftentimes, you say things.’ But remember, this man served 24 years in uniform. He was a, he’s a retired command sergeant major. I’m excited to have a retired command sergeant major in the vice president’s office, in the Situation Room. When we look at issues of conflicts around the world, it’s going to be great to have that experience,” she said.
While Walz was serving as a command sergeant major leading up to his retirement, he did not hold the position long enough to retire with the title. Walz repeatedly referred to himself as a “retired command sergeant major” for years, ABC News has reported, and a line in his bio on the Harris-Walz campaign website also described him that way but has since been edited.
(WASHINGTON) — Attorney General Merrick Garland announced a sweeping crackdown Wednesday on dueling efforts by the Russian government to influence the upcoming 2024 election through covert networks aimed at spreading disinformation to American voters.
For months, the Biden administration has been publicly warning of Russia’s efforts to influence Americans through disinformation and propaganda to sow distrust in the election.
In a meeting Wednesday at the Justice Department, Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray highlighted both foreign and domestic incidents of attempts to influence voters, as well as pervasive and growing threats against those who administer elections.
“The Justice Department will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to exploit our country’s free exchange of ideas in order to covertly further its own propaganda efforts, and our investigation into this matter remains ongoing,” Garland said.
The Justice Department alleged that two employees of Russia Today, or RT — a Russian state-controlled media outlet, implemented a nearly $10 million scheme “to fund and direct a Tennessee-based company to publish and disseminate content deemed favorable to the Russian government.”
To carry this out, the attorney general said the two employees — 31-year-old Kostiantyn Kalashnikov, also known as Kostya, and Elena Afanasyeva, 27 — allegedly directed the company to contract with social media influencers to amplify Russian propaganda.
“The company never disclosed to the influencers or to their millions of followers its ties to RT and the Russian government. Instead, the defendants and the company claimed that the company was sponsored by a private investor, but that private investor was a fictitious persona,” Garland said.
Russian entities also created fake websites to allegedly further influence the election, officials said.
“RT has used people living and working inside the U.S. to facilitate contracts with American media figures to create and disseminate Russian propaganda here. The content was pitched as legitimate independent news when, in fact, much of it was created in Russia by RT employees who work for the Russian government,” Wray said. “The second operation reveals even more malign activities by companies working under the direction and control of the Russian government, companies that created media websites to trick Americans into unwittingly consuming Russian propaganda.”
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said they will continue to investigate election threats without fear or favor.
“Russia remains a predominant foreign threat to our elections, and as the intelligence community has publicly reported, and as I have previously warned, Iran also is accelerating its efforts to influence our elections, including the presidential election,” Monaco said.
Wray also delivered a blunt message for Iran and China when asked what the bureau’s response would be to those who intend to meddle in the presidential election: “Knock it off.”
The attorney general said Russia is using new techniques Russia such as artificial intelligence and other cyber techniques.
“They’re now using bot farms in a way that was not possible before, and therefore it’s a bigger threat than it ever was before. I would just say that [the] reality is that Russia has meddled in our society and tried to sow discord for decades,” Garland said.
The DOJ also announced that it’s targeting a Russian disinformation campaign referred to as “Doppelganger.”
The DOJ has seized 32 internet domains it claims have been used by the Russian government and government-sponsored actors to allegedly engage in the Doppelganger influence campaign by spreading propaganda intended to reduce international support for Ukraine, bolster support for pro-Russian policies and influence American voters, according to newly unsealed court records.
Garland on Wednesday also highlighted domestic efforts to threaten election officials around the country.
Since March, the Election Threats Task Force has participated in more than 25 engagements, trainings and tabletop exercises, including both with law enforcement partners and partners in the election community, the attorney general said.
Over the next several weeks, task force representatives will be on the ground meeting with election workers and, in early November, both in advance of and after Election Day, the FBI will host federal partners at its headquarters command center to address events, issues and potential crimes related to the elections in real time, Garland said.
“Election officials and administrators do not need to navigate this threat environment alone,” he added.
CNN first reported news of the expected law enforcement actions.
In a statement Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken outlined the steps the State Department said it’s taking to “counter Kremlin-backed media outlets’ malicious operations seeking to influence or interfere in the 2024 U.S. elections.”
The measures include introducing a new visa restriction policy to penalize adversaries, designating RT’s parent company and subsidiaries as entities controlled by a foreign government, and offering cash rewards for information on the Russian intelligence-linked hacking group RaHDit under its “Rewards for Justice” program.
“Today’s announcement highlights the lengths some foreign governments go to undermine American democratic institutions. But these foreign governments should also know that we will not tolerate foreign malign actors intentionally interfering and undermining free and fair elections,” Blinken said.
In addition, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said Wednesday that it’s designating 10 individuals — including several RT employees — and two entities as part of the U.S. response to “Moscow’s malign influence efforts targeting the 2024 U.S. presidential election.”
The head of a “hacktivist” group RaHDit and two associates were also part of Wednesday’s sanctions, the Treasury Department said in a statement.
ABC News’ Shannon Kingston and Molly Nagle contributed to this report.
