Thread: President Joe Biden

Originally Posted by Hugh Cow

Anyone who thinks the dems are far left needs to look at other western govts to see that at best the dems are more centrist in comparison.

I doubt that you could fit a US democrat into any political party in Denmark.

Certainly wouldn't be centrist here.

Maybe in AUS; you would know , I don't

Frederiksen would welcome President Biden with open arms.

Frederiksen for her part thanked Biden for leading the transatlantic alliance.

“I am looking forward to working even closer with you on defense and security,” she said.

Originally Posted by S Landreth

Frederiksen would welcome President Biden with open arms.

We are nice to invalids and old fossils

Originally Posted by S Landreth

“I am looking forward to working even closer with you on defense and security,” she said.

Only on two subjects ?

(yes we are US vassals, happy?)

Alone on grounds of his age, he couldn't get elected to a bloody thing in Denmark.

Him persisting to run now, indicates, among other things, insanity.

^

Originally Posted by Hugh Cow

I hope Jo doesnt run another term.

Come to think of it, HC, Biden should run with Sir Joh as vice president.

They are both corrupt right wingers and Joh is only a tad more dead than Joe.

Hurrah !

Biden sees ‘Oppenheimer’ night Trump gets indicted on Jan. 6 charges

President Biden and first lady Jill Biden went to see the summer box office hit movie “Oppenheimer” the evening his predecessor and political rival, former President Trump, was indicted.

The Bidens are on vacation in Rehoboth and prior to going to the movies, they had dinner at a nearby restaurant, Matt’s Fish Camp Lewes. They arrived at the theater around 6:30 p.m. to see the movie, starring Cillian Murphy as the famed real-life Manhattan Project physicist.

Biden said in a podcast interview released Monday that the White House movie theater gets new movies, including “Oppenheimer.” It is unclear if the president has seen the other summer box office hit, “Barbie.”

“I get this list what movies are in and we have the new one,” Biden said of “Oppenheimer,” during the interview, at which time he had yet to see the summer box office hit.

The president also said in the interview that he doesn’t watch television when asked which show is the most accurate to Washington.

“Mission Impossible,” he joked, adding, “Look, one of the problems I have is I don’t — and I should — I don’t watch much television.”

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How’s your day going Donnie?

Fitch downgrades US credit rating from AAA to AA+

The US government's credit rating has been downgraded following concerns over the state of the country's finances and its debt burden.

Fitch, one of three major independent agencies that assess creditworthiness, cut the rating from the top level of AAA to a notch lower at AA+.


Fitch downgrades US credit rating from AAA to AA+ - BBC News

Originally Posted by Stretchy

Fitch downgrades

And Moody's and S&P

^nothing on hunter yet

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• After strong GDP surprise, analysts grapple with recession forecasts

Quarter-over-quarter change in U.S. real GDP

New numbers released Thursday showed the U.S. economy expanded at a perkier-than-expected rate in the second quarter.

Why it matters: Earlier this year, there was a lot of talk among investors and economists that the U.S. was likely hit a recession in 2023. It hasn't.

The numbers: Gross domestic product — the broadest measure of the U.S. economy — grew at a 2.4% annual rate last quarter.

• Analysts had expected a reading of 1.5%.
• Consumer spending stayed robust, and businesses boosted investments — particularly in manufacturing — helping to drive growth.

What they're saying: Many are grappling with their expectations of a downturn.

• "While we remain in the recession camp, we admit that a soft landing isn't impossible. It's been difficult to forecast the post-pandemic economy," wrote economists at Oxford Economics.
• "Overall, while the acceleration in second-quarter GDP growth would seem to make a mockery of forecasts (including ours) that the economy is headed for recession," wrote Capital Economics analysts.

Yes, but: Of course, there's no guarantee that what looks like a strong economy now will remain that way. Financial crises, energy shocks, and all manner of unpredictable events could upend an otherwise solid economy at any time.

• As analysts at brokerage firm Piper Sandler wrote, "This doesn’t change our outlook that a recession is likely to start in 4Q, based on our leading indicators."
• And of course, growth isn't everything. There are plenty of parts of the U.S. where people are struggling with really high costs of basics such as housing.

The bottom line: But growth-wise, things are looking pretty solid.

__________

• GDP data shows a strikingly resilient U.S. economy

With data out Thursday morning showing the American economy continues to grow at a healthy clip, the single word to describe the U.S. economy is "resilient."

Why it matters: A range of indicators raise hopes that a potential recession remains far from reality. Economic activity is striking the delicate balance policymakers want to see: strong, but still moderating, activity.

What they're saying: "Economic growth continues to hold up better than had been anticipated late last year, and especially in the face of the fastest interest rate tightening cycle since at least 1970," Richard de Chazal, an economist at William Blair, wrote in a note.

By the numbers: Adjusted for inflation, GDP increased at a 2.4% annualized rate in the second quarter, picking up from Q1's 2% pace.

• An underlying measure of demand, which strips out the volatile categories like trade and inventories that don't signal much about the economy's health, was also solid.
• Real final sales to domestic purchasers increased at a 2.3% rate, a healthy pace that moderated from the 3.5% in the first quarter.

Details: Last quarter's strength boils down to consumer spending, the U.S. economy's bedrock. Personal consumption expenditures increased at a 1.6% annual rate, slowing from the 4.2% surge the prior quarter.

• That reflects a slower pace of spending on goods (0.7% versus the 6% in Q1) and services (2.1% compared to 3.2% in Q1). Overall consumer spending contributed 1.12 percentage points to growth last quarter.

The intrigue: Perhaps the biggest surprise in the report is a business investment boom that looks to be underway, at least in Q2.

• Non-residential fixed investment — spending on buildings, equipment, software and more — contributed nearly a percentage point to growth, the most since 2021.

• The shift from rapid-fire consumer spending to more business investment could be helpful on the inflation front as the Federal Reserve looks to chill consumer demand.
• Inflation as measured by the Fed's preferred Personal Consumption Expenditures Index remains too high, but continued to slow. That rose by 2.6% in the April-June period, down from a 4.1% gain in the first quarter.

Of note: The report came alongside others this morning that pointed to resiliency — a fact welcomed by stock market investors.

• Durable goods orders were stronger than expected in June, while weekly filings for unemployment dropped.

The bottom line: The economy, for now, is powering along. "If one was looking for evidence of a soft landing this report is about as good as it gets," writes RSM chief economist Joe Brusuelas.

Originally Posted by S Landreth

nothing on hunter yet

You worry too much about Hunter

He is just a miserable human being.

Not a problem and he'll be pardoned.

His father however....

If he live so long, there probably won't be a pardon for his corruption, and even worse, cover up shenanigans.

We'll see and bon appetit

If he live so long, there probably won't be a pardon for his corruption, and even worse, cover up shenanigans.

any credible support

It's a hunch !

nothing then

Joe Biden - A cup of Joe never tasted better. Grab yours: http://joe.link/DarkRoast

https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1687120734793986048

VP Harris on Jobs

Joe Biden - Our economy added 187,000 jobs last month, and we've added 13.4 million jobs since I took office.

That’s Bidenomics. https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1687526381331021824

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The labor market added 187,000 jobs in July and the unemployment rate edged down to 3.5% from 3.6%, the government said on Friday.

Why it matters: The numbers show employers still have healthy — though cooling — demand for workers, the latest sign of a resilient economy.

Biden asylum restrictions at border can remain for now, appeals court rules

A key Biden administration policy imposing asylum restrictions on migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border can remain in effect for now, a U.S. appeals court ruled Thursday.

Why it matters: The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' decision means the restrictions that the the Biden administration has partially credited for plummeting illegal border crossings can remain in effect, pending the outcome of its appeal against a judge's ruling last month that found the new rule violated U.S. law.

Now for something serious - according to Trump, Biden is at fault for the US Women's team losing to Sweden

Joe Biden - This is no accident—it’s Bidenomics at work. https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1687593550655950848

• "Dark Brandon" is driving Biden's campaign merch sales

https://images.axios.com/EXLFk0J8gj4...154.png?w=1920

A few hours before Donald Trump was arraigned Thursday, Joe Biden's campaign posted a cheeky video of the president drinking coffee from a mug featuring a photo of him with laser eyes — a common illustration for the meme known as “Dark Brandon."

• "I like my coffee dark," Biden says after taking a sip.

Why it matters: Biden has long had trouble trending online — especially compared to Trump, his once and perhaps future GOP rival. But "Dark Brandon" is giving Biden's 2024 campaign some social media virality.

By the numbers: "Dark Brandon" — an online meme that portrays the 80-year-old president as a two-steps-ahead Machiavelli — is driving the Biden campaign's merchandise sales. More than 54% of the store's total revenue is coming from Brandon-themed products, his re-election team told Axios.

• The "Dark T-Shirt" and "Dark Roast Mug" are the best-selling products in the campaign's store, which offers 43 products, the campaign says.
• There are eight Dark Brandon-themed products in the store, including a crop top, stickers, and white and navy baseball caps.
• Those products alone have accounted for 44% of all store orders and driven nearly 76% of all clicks onto the website, per the campaign.

What's next: The campaign told Axios it will release a Dark Brandon tank top soon and that they are "prototyping" a color-changing Dark Brandon mug.

• Campaign spokesperson TJ Ducklo told Axios: "All we're saying is that if you're MAGA extremists, Vladimir Putin, the post-COVID economic collapse, climate change, a crumbling bridge, or our grassroots fundraising goals: You better watch out, Jack."

Yes, but: Despite the early successes in Dark Brandon merchandise, Biden's team has struggled with small donors — people who give less than $200.

• Biden's campaign and its joint fundraising group raised $10.2 million from small donors during the past quarter, half of Barack Obama's $21.2 million haul during the same period in 2011.

Background: The Biden White House first embraced the Dark Brandon meme last summer, when Biden aides began tweeting various images.

• "Dark Brandon" is a play on the Republican chant "Let's go Brandon" which is a euphemism for "F--- Joe Biden."
• At the White House Correspondents' Dinner in April, Biden introduced a comedian by putting on his Aviator sunglasses and saying: "I'm going to be fine with your jokes, but I'm not sure about Dark Brandon."
• Some of the early imagery used in Dark Brandon memes likely came from a Chinese illustrator named Yang Quan, who shortly after the 2020 election depicted a strongman Biden, "Game of Thrones"-style.
• Since then, the Biden memes have become increasingly varied.

Flashback: There is a comedic presidential parallel to Dark Brandon.

• In 1986, "Saturday Night Live" depicted Ronald Reagan — then the oldest president in U.S. history at 75 — at a time when there were concerns about his mental competence.
• SNL's Phil Hartman played Reagan as sweet and doddering in public, but an all-seeing, multi-lingual mastermind behind closed doors.

• Biden heads west for a policy victory lap, drawing an implicit contrast with Trump

President Joe Biden is setting out Monday on a Western swing aimed at showcasing his work on conservation, clean energy and veterans’ benefits as he seeks to draw an implicit contrast between his administration’s accomplishments and former President Donald Trump’s legal troubles.

Biden’s first stop will be the Grand Canyon, where he’s expected to announce plans for a new national monument to preserve more than 1 million acres (405,000 hectares) and limit uranium mining. After Arizona, he will travel to New Mexico and Utah.

The Democratic president will be in Albuquerque on Wednesday and will talk about how fighting climate change has created new jobs, and he’ll visit Salt Lake City on Thursday to mark the first anniversary of the PACT Act, which provides new benefits to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances. He’ll also hold a reelection fundraiser in each city.

• World Series champ Astros visit President Biden, White House

At 73, Dusty Baker became the oldest manager ever to win the World Series when the Houston Astros took the title last year. On Monday at a White House celebration for the team, President Joe Biden said he could relate.

"People counted you out, saying you were past your prime. Hell, I know something about that," joked Biden, who in 2020 became the oldest president ever elected, at age 77. Biden, now 80, is running for reelection in 2024.

Baker has been around the game for decades. He won a World Series as a player with the Los Angeles Dodgers and had been to the Fall Classic twice before as a manager. He finally got his first title in his 25th season as a manager. The win came 20 years after a near-miss, when he came within five outs while guiding the San Francisco Giants.

"I remember rooting for him as a kid, and I was older than he was," Biden quipped.

Baker, now 74, spent the past three seasons with the Astros after they hired him to help the team regain credibility after a sign-stealing scandal cost manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow their jobs, and made Houston the most reviled team in baseball.

Baker, like Biden, is working on a repeat and said he wants to be back in the White House next year after winning the title again.

The team presented Biden, the 46th president, with an honorary jersey with the number 46. The MLB trophy was on display during the ceremony in the East Room, where the team also posed for photos.

The Astros won last year's World Series over the National League's Philadelphia Phillies -- whose fans include first lady Jill Biden. The president often jokes that he must root for the Phillies or else he'll be sleeping alone. He joked Monday that he wouldn't be able to set foot in Philadelphia again after hosting the Astros.

This season the Astros are not doing too badly, either. They hold an American League wild-card spot and are 2½ games behind the first-place Texas Rangers in the AL West. The team begins a three-game series in Baltimore on Tuesday.