President Joe Biden’s debate performance amplifies Democrats’ biggest fears about his candidacy. Oklahoma public schools are now required to teach the Bible, the state’s top school official said. And new research suggests how certain gut bacteria could trigger weight gain.
Here’s what to know today.
Some Democrats call for Biden to step aside
The debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump included jabs and clashes on abortion, inflation, immigration, foreign policy and, at one point, each other’s golf game, but one resounding question emerged from last night’s event: whether Biden should step aside so the Democratic Party could nominate another candidate to take on Trump in November.
Some Democrats began calling for Biden to do just that after the 81-year-old stumbled from the onset of the debate. He seemingly struggled even to talk, and his voice was raspy. He repeatedly tripped over his words, misspoke and lost his train of thought. Biden aides and others familiar with the situation said he had a cold.
This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.
Trump pounced, saying at one point that he didn’t understand what Biden had just said with regard to the border. “I don’t know if he knows what he said either, ” he said. Trump, however, didn’t evade scrutiny. He also fended off questions about his age (he’s 78), including his struggles to stay on topic and meandering while speaking.
Meanwhile, Democrats were sent into a panic, and Biden aides tried to offer reassurances.
Among the reactions from Democratic lawmakers post-debate:
→ “This was like a champion boxer who gets in the ring past his prime and needs his corner to throw in the towel,” one said, adding that he meant Biden should exit the race.
→ It’s “time to talk about an open convention and a new Democratic nominee,” said another, who had been a solid Biden supporter.
The fear among these Democrats is that the version of Biden that showed up to the debate cannot win in November. Despite the wishes of some Dems that another nominee take on Trump, there is much to consider — and multiple reasons why the options for a switch are limited.
More debate coverage:
- Follow our live blog for day-after debate reaction and analysis.
- Watch highlights from the debate, summed up in 3 minutes.
- Key takeaways: Biden’s gaffes, Trump’s grievances and a few prepared zingers from both,
- NBC News reporters fact-checked claims about inflation, immigration, foreign policy and much more. Here’s what they found.
- Trump downplayed his role on Jan. 6 and falsely claimed some Capitol rioters were “ushered in by the police.”
- The former president also said he’d only accept the 2024 election results if they’re “fair and legal.”
Top Oklahoma school official orders public schools to teach the Bible
All Oklahoma public schools must teach the Bible in grades 5 through 12 and all classrooms must have a copy of the text on hand, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters said in a memo to districts. Curricula should refer to the Bible and the Ten Commandments for their “substantial influence on our nation’s founders and the foundational principles of our Constitution,“ the memo stated, adding, “Immediate and strict compliance is expected.”
The order drew swift criticism from civil liberties groups. Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a nonprofit, called it “textbook Christian Nationalism” and said the policy is “trampling the religious freedom of public school children and their families.” Read more about the order and Walter’s incorporation of Christian beliefs and teachings into state education policy.
Supreme Court rules on Purdue Pharma, abortion and more
A 5-4 Supreme Court ruling along nonideological lines blew up the bankruptcy reorganization of opioid maker Purdue Pharma, finding that the settlement inappropriately included legal protections for the Sackler family. The decision means that billions of dollars secured for victims are now threatened.
In the original settlement, the Sackler family had agreed to pay $6 billion that could be used to settle opioid-related claims, but only in return for a complete release from any liability in future cases. In yesterday’s decision, conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the majority, said the Sacklers sought to piggyback on Purdue Pharma’s own bankruptcy proceedings. Now, settlement talks with the Sacklers will have to begin again, while the separate Purdue Pharma bankruptcy proceedings continue. Read more about the decision.
Kay Scarpone, whose son died of an overdose and was part of a victims’ committee tasked with finding people affected by the drug crisis, said the settlement deal was the most money she and others felt they could get for victims and states. “Now we have to go back and tell all these people, ‘Sorry, it’s off the table,’” Scarpone said. Read more about reactions to the ruling.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court also…
- Sidestepped a ruling on whether Idaho’s strict abortion law conflicts with a federal law, allowing emergency abortions to continue for now.
- Blocked a Biden admin environmental regulation aimed at curbing air pollution that crosses from one state into another.
The smallest victims: Why does America keep allowing toddlers to shoot themselves?
On Valentine’s Day, 3-year-old Skye McBride picked up a revolver at her father’s home and shot herself in the head. She miraculously survived.
The day before Skye shot herself, Michigan’s new firearms storage law went into effect. The measure made it a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison if a gun is left unsecured and a child finds it and injures or kills someone. Skye’s father would be the first person charged under the law.
Despite American’s deep divide on guns, everyone seems willing to agree that no toddler should be able to find a loaded, unsecured weapon and fire it. Unlike so many other types of gun violence that plague the U.S., this appears, on paper, to be a solvable problem. There is a broad consensus that people who own firearms ought to store them properly to limit children’s access to them. And yet, a person is injured or killed nearly every day in America because a child has unintentionally fired a gun, according to reports from 2015 to 2022 compiled by Everytown, an advocacy group for firearm safety.
National investigative reporter Suzy Khimm followed the fallout from Skye’s shooting and the toddler’s recovery and examined how Skye’s story ties into a crisis in the U.S. Read the full story here.
How gut bacteria may trigger binge eating or weight gain
Certain gut bacteria may increase the risk that a person will binge eat and become obese, a new study suggests. In a series of experiments, mice and humans with a propensity for binge eating had similar levels of two types of bacteria in their microbiomes — one detrimental and one beneficial. Researchers found that if they increased a number of a type of beneficial bacteria called Blautia, they could prevent addictive eating behaviors from developing in the mice. While researchers aren’t sure how the bacteria protect against the development of compulsive eating, they have theories.
Paris 2024: Where things stand after Day 1 of the gymnastics trials
Reigning all-around bronze medalist Frederick Richard is leading the men’s competition after the first day of Olympics gymnastics trials in Minneapolis. Richard placed first on floor and high bar and third on parallel bars. Other contenders for the men’s team include U.S. champion Brody Malone, Shane Wiskus, Paul Juda and Asher Hong. Here’s what else happened.
By the end of the weekend, the Team USA gymnastics lineups will be set. Simone Biles is a lock for the women’s team, but you’ll have to wait until the weekend to find out who joins her. Front-runners include reigning Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee and six-time world medalist Shilese Jones. Meet the other major contenders and potential dark horses.
More Olympics highlights:
- 🏸 Twin sisters Kerry and Anni Xi are Paris-bound for badminton after taking a break to attend college and launch careers in accounting.
Politics in Brief
Weight loss drugs: A bill that would allow Medicare to cover weight loss drugs is headed to the House after the Ways and Means Committee voted to pass the legislation, which has languished in Congress for more than a decade.
Israel-Hamas war: The Pentagon is making preparations to evacuate Americans from Lebanon if fighting between Israel and Hezbollah intensifies, according to officials familiar with the plan.
Want more politics news? Sign up for From the Politics Desk to get exclusive reporting and analysis delivered to your inbox every weekday evening. Subscribe here.
Staff Pick: A president’s stolen pocket watch is finally returned
Last year, a sharp-eyed Florida auctioneer recognized the significance of a pocket watch that he was asked to auction off. The 126-year-old timepiece turned out to belong to Theodore Roosevelt, and the treasured gift had accompanied the former president into battle during the Spanish-American War, during his time in office and on an exploration of the Amazon River. And this week, nearly four decades after it had been stolen, the watch was repatriated at his family home. — Claire Cardona, breaking news editor
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
Want to impress the guests at your summer barbecue? It starts with what you’re cooking with. Pitmasters say charcoal and wood smokers produce the best flavor, while pellet and electric smokers are more convenient. Here’s what else to know. And for all the sides, NBC Select editors tested and recommend this popular air fryer/toaster oven.
Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.
Thanks for reading today’s Morning Rundown. Today’s newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Robinson. If you’re a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign up here.
Read More: Presidential debate takeaways and Oklahoma schools required to teach Bible: Morning Rundown
