WASHINGTON: A poll finds that a growing share of US adults doubt that 81-year-old President Joe Biden has the memory and acuity for the job, turning his coming State of the Union address into something of a real-time audition for a second term.
Roughly 6 in 10 say they’re not very or not at all confident in Biden’s mental capability to serve effectively as president, according to a new survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That’s a slight increase from January 2022, when about half of those polled expressed similar concerns.
By the same token, nearly 6 in 10 also say they lack confidence in the mental capability of former President Donald Trump, the 77-year-old Republican front-runner.
For many voters, this year’s election looks like a showdown for the world’s toughest job between two men who are well beyond the standard retirement age. The next president will probably need to steer through global conflicts, fix domestic emergencies and work with a dysfunctional Congress.
Biden is likely to address those challenges and more in his State of the Union address on Thursday as he tries to convince Americans that he deserves another term.
Going into the big event, just 38 percent of US adults approve of how Biden is handling his job as president, while 61 percent disapprove. Democrats (74 percent) are much likelier than independents (20 percent) and Republicans (6 percent) to favor his performance. But there’s broad discontent on the way Biden is handling a variety of issues, including the economy, immigration and foreign policy.
About 4 in 10 Americans approve of the way Biden is handling each of these issues: health care, climate change, abortion policy and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. But people are less satisfied by Biden’s handling of immigration (29 percent), the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians (31 percent) and the economy (34 percent) — all of which are likely to come up in the speech before a joint session of Congress.
Nearly 6 in 10 (57 percent) Americans think the national economy is somewhat or much worse off than before Biden took office in 2021. Only 3 in 10 adults say it’s better under his leadership. Still, people are more optimistic about the state of their own bank accounts: 54 percent say their personal finances are good.
Many respondents to the survey were deeply pessimistic about their likely choices in November because of age and the risk of cognitive decline.
Paul Miller, himself 84, said Biden is just too old — and so is Trump.
“He doesn’t seem to have the mental whatever to be a president,” Miller said of Biden. He added that Trump is “too old, too, and half crazy.”
The retiree from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, said he voted for Trump in 2020 but he wouldn’t do so again.
“I don’t think I’m going to vote for either one of them,” he said. “I hope somebody else is available.”
The president faces added pressure about his age after unflattering descriptions of him contained in a special counsel’s report that did not recommend criminal prosecution of Biden for his mishandling of classified records, unlike Trump who was indicted for keeping classified material in his Florida home. The report said that Biden’s memory was “hazy,” “fuzzy,” “faulty,” “poor” and had “significant limitations.”
Biden has tried to deflect concerns by joking about his age and taking jabs at Trump’s own gaffes. Yet the president’s age is a liability that has overshadowed his policy achievements on infrastructure, manufacturing and addressing climate change.
About one-third of Democrats said they’re not very or not at all confident in Biden’s mental capability in the new survey, up from 14 percent in January 2022. Only 40 percent of Democrats said they’re extremely or very confident in Biden’s mental abilities, with approximately 3 in 10 saying they’re “somewhat” confident.
And in a major risk for Biden, independents are much more likely to say that they lack confidence in his mental abilities (80 percent) compared with Trump’s (56 percent).
Republicans are generally more comfortable with Trump’s mental capabilities than Democrats are with Biden’s. In the survey, 59 percent of Republicans are extremely or very confident that Trump has the mental abilities to be president. An additional 20 percent are somewhat confident, and 20 percent are not very or not at all confident.
But if there is one thing Democrats and Republicans can agree upon, it’s that the other party’s likely nominee is not mentally up to the task. About 9 in 10 Republicans say Biden lacks the mental capability to serve as president, while a similar share of Democrats say that about Trump.
Part of Biden’s problem is that his policies have yet to break through the daily clutter of life.
Sharon Gallagher, 66, worries about inflation. She voted for Biden in 2020, but believes he has not done enough for the economy. She also feels Trump is a bit too quick to anger. The Sarasota, Florida, resident said she doesn’t have the bandwidth to really judge their policies.
“I don’t pay enough attention to politics to even know,” Gallagher said. “I have grandchildren living with me and I have children’s shows on all day.”
Justin Tjernlund, 40, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, said Biden “seems like he’s mostly still there,” but even if he was in decline he has “a whole army of people to help him do the job.” Trjenlund said he voted for Trump in 2020 and plans to do so again because the Republican is “interesting” and “refreshing.”
Still, because of both candidates’ ages, Greg Olivo, 62, said he plans to focus on Vice President Kamala Harris and whomever Trump, if he’s the nominee, picks for a running mate.
“Keep a close eye on the vice president,” said the machinist from Valley City, Ohio, who voted for Biden in 2020 and would do so again. “Because that person will probably be the president in four years, one way or another.”
As Biden prepares to address the nation, more than 6 in 10 US adults doubt his mental capability
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As Biden prepares to address the nation, more than 6 in 10 US adults doubt his mental capability
- Roughly 6 in 10 say they’re not very or not at all confident in Biden’s mental capability to serve effectively as president
- Nearly 57 percent Americans think the national economy is somewhat or much worse off than before Biden took office in 2021
Heavy rains and flash flooding sweep across Northeast
- Flash flood watches and warnings were in place in parts of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and surrounding areas
- In New York City, some subway service was suspended while other lines were running with severe delays due to flooding
Flash flood watches and warnings were in place in parts of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and surrounding areas as downpours moved through the region.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency due to flash flooding and heavy rainfall, advising people to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. A video posted to social media by CBS showed flood waters bring a major roadway in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, to a standstill, stranding buses.
Some buses and trains in New Jersey were delayed due to flooding.
In New York City, some subway service was suspended while other lines were running with severe delays due to flooding, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. New York’s emergency services agency wrote on the social platform X that parts of the city and mid-Hudson were getting hit with flash floods.
Video posted on social media appears to show water flooding down into a Manhattan subway station, submerging the platform, while passengers inside a train watch. Another photo appears to show passengers standing on a train’s seats to avoid the water beginning to soak the floor.
Parts of major thoroughfares in New York, such as the northbound lanes of the Saw Mill River Parkway and the Cross Bronx Expressway, were temporarily closed due to flooding and at least one downed tree.
Officials in New York’s Westchester County were working to rescue people whose vehicles were submerged in water, according to Carolyn Fortino, a spokesperson for the county executive.
“At this time, residents are still strongly advised to avoid all travel unless fleeing an area that is subject to flooding, or under an evacuation order,” she said in an email.
A flood warning was also issued for Staten Island, which had seen about 10.2 to 15.2 centimeters (4 to 6 inches) of rain, according to NYC’s emergency notification system.
Mount Joy, in southeastern Pennsylvania, declared a disaster emergency as more than 17.8 centimeters (7 inches) of rain fell in less than five hours Monday, according to the Fire Department Mount Joy. Some people reported over 1.5 meters (5 feet) of water in their homes and emergency responders made 16 water rescues, although no injuries were reported.
“The declaration enables us to access additional resources to support residents and accelerate recovery efforts,” Borough Emergency Management Coordinator Philip Colvin said in a statement.
By Monday evening, the rainfall had lessened and water in Mount Joy had started to recede.
In Metuchen, New Jersey, about 54.7 kilometers (34 miles) southwest of New York City, Mayor Jonathan M. Busch, wrote on Facebook that the borough was significantly flooded, but by Monday evening water levels had already receded.
“It looks like the worst of the storm is behind us and thankfully, everyone is safe,” he said.
Australia PM Albanese to discuss trade, security in meeting with China’s Xi
- Australia has pursued a China policy of ‘cooperate where we can, disagree where we must’ under Albanese
- Australia’s exports to China, its largest trading partner, span agriculture and energy but are dominated by iron ore
BEIJING: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Tuesday, where he said resources trade, energy transition and security tensions would be key topics for discussion.
Albanese is due to meet Xi ahead of an annual leaders’ dialogue with Li, and later attend a meeting of business leaders from both countries at the Great Hall of the People in the Chinese capital.
Albanese said on Monday he looked forward to a “constructive dialogue” with the Chinese leaders.
Australia, which regards the United States its major security ally, has pursued a China policy of “cooperate where we can, disagree where we must” under Albanese.
China, meanwhile, is trying to capitalize on US President Donald Trump’s sweeping trade tariffs by presenting itself as a stable and reliable partner. Chinese officials have expressed interest in expanding a decade-old free trade deal and cooperating in areas like artificial intelligence.
The state-owned China Daily published a glowing opinion piece about Albanese’s visit in Tuesday’s paper and said it showed countries with different political systems could still cooperate.
However, any cooperation is likely to be constrained by long-standing Australian concerns around China’s military build-up and the jailing of Australian writer Yang Hengjun.
Beijing has also separately criticized Canberra’s increased screening of foreign investment in critical minerals and Albanese’s pledge to return a Chinese-leased port to Australian ownership.
Australia’s exports to China, its largest trading partner, span agriculture and energy but are dominated by iron ore, and Albanese has traveled with executives from mining giants Rio Tinto, BHP, and Fortescue, who met Chinese steel industry officials on Monday, at the start of the six-day visit.
Bran Black, CEO of the Business Council of Australia, said Australia’s Bluescope Steel would also be at Tuesday’s business roundtable, along with China’s electric vehicle giant BYD, Chinese banking executives, Baosteel and state-run food group COFCO.
“First and foremost we use fixtures such as this to send a signal that business-to-business engagement should be welcomed and encouraged,” Black told Reuters on Tuesday.
German court to rule on claim against Berlin over US strikes in Yemen
- “The German government must put an end to the use of this base — otherwise the government is making itself complicit in the deaths of innocent civilians,” said Andreas Schueller, program director for international crimes at the NGO
BERLIN: Germany’s constitutional court will rule Tuesday in a years-long legal saga over whether Berlin can be held partly responsible for US drone attacks on Yemen due to signals sent through the Ramstein air base.
The case is being brought by two Yemeni men, Ahmed and Khalid bin Ali Jaber, who lost members of their family in a US drone strike on the village of Khashamir in 2012.
The survivors say they were there for a wedding of a male family member and eating dinner when they heard the buzz of a drone and then the boom of missile attacks that claimed multiple lives.
A ruling in favor of the plaintiffs could have groundbreaking implications regarding Germany’s responsibility toward third countries in international conflicts.
The two men, supported by the Berlin-based European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), argue that Germany is partly responsible for the attack because the strike was aided by signals relayed from the Ramstein base in the west of the country.
“Without the data that flows through Ramstein, the US cannot fly its combat drones in Yemen,” according to the ECCHR.
“The German government must put an end to the use of this base — otherwise the government is making itself complicit in the deaths of innocent civilians,” said Andreas Schueller, program director for international crimes at the NGO.
The plaintiffs first took their case to court in 2014, arguing that Germany had a responsibility to ensure the US military was respecting international law in using the Ramstein base.
The case was initially thrown out, before the higher administrative court in Muenster ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in 2019.
However, the government appealed and a higher court overturned the decision in 2020, arguing that German diplomatic efforts were enough to ensure Washington was adhering to international law.
In a hearing scheduled for 0800 GMT, the constitutional court must now decide what conditions are necessary for those affected abroad to sue the German state for the protection of their right to life, according to the ECCHR.
This includes whether data transmission alone is enough of a connection to German territory for Germany to be held responsible.
Ahead of the latest proceedings, which opened in December 2024, the German defense ministry said Berlin was “in an ongoing and trusting dialogue” with the United States about its activities at Ramstein.
The government has repeatedly obtained assurances that drones are not launched, controlled or commanded from Germany and that US forces are acting lawfully, the ministry said.
Japan warns of China’s military moves as biggest strategic challenge
- China’s increasing dispatch of aircraft carriers in the Pacific underscores the country’s attempt to advance its sea power in distant waters, the report said
TOKYO: Japan raised strong caution against China’s rapid acceleration of military activity in extensive areas from around its southwestern coasts to the Pacific, describing the moves as the biggest strategic challenge.
China’s growing joint operations with Russia also pose serious security concerns to Japan, along with increasing tension around Taiwan and threats coming from North Korea, the Defense Ministry said in an annual military report submitted to Cabinet on Tuesday.
“The international society is in a new crisis era as it faces the biggest challenges since the end of World War II,” the report said, citing significant changes to the global power balance while raising concern about an escalation of the China-US rivalry.
The security threats are concentrated in the Indo-Pacific, where Japan is located, and could get worse in the future, report says.
Japan has accelerated its military buildup on southwestern islands in recent years, preparing to deploy long-distance cruise missiles, as it worries about a conflict in Taiwan, which China claims as its territory to be annexed by force if necessary. Taiwan launched 10-day annual live-fire military exercises last week intended to guard against Chinese threats to invade. Japan tested a short-range, surface-to-ship missile at home earlier last month.
Chinese warships’ advance into the Pacific has steadily increased, with the frequency of their passage off southwestern Japan tripling in the past three years, including in waters between Taiwan and its neighboring Japanese island of Yonaguni, the 534-page report said.
The report comes days after Japan demanded China stop flying its fighter jets abnormally close to Japanese intelligence-gathering aircraft, which it said was happening repeatedly and could cause a collision. Beijing, in return, accused Japan of flying near Chinese airspace for spying purposes.
Two earlier close encounters in June occurred over the Pacific Ocean, where Japan spotted two Chinese aircraft carriers operating together for the first time.
China’s increasing dispatch of aircraft carriers in the Pacific underscores the country’s attempt to advance its sea power in distant waters, the report said. It said China’s frequent dispatch of bombers for long distance flights in the Pacific by more sophisticated flight routes and fleet organization is seen as Beijing’s attempt to show off its presence around Japan and to further advance its operational capability.
The Defense Ministry noted two cases last year — a Chinese warplane’s brief violation of Japanese airspace over waters off islands near Nagasaki and an aircraft carrier’s entry into a zone just outside of Japan’s territorial waters further southwest in the Nansei island chain.
With US President Donald Trump focusing on the strengthening of the US economy and security, Japan and other US allies face expectations to play a greater role for peace and stability in the region, the report said.
North Korea poses “an increasingly serious and imminent threat” for Japan’s security, the report said, noting the North’s development of missiles carrying nuclear warheads into the Japanese territory and solid-fuel ICBM that can reach the US mainland.
Russia maintains active military operations around Japan and violated the country’s airspace in September, the report added, saying its increasing strategic cooperation with China has posed “strong concern” for Japan’s security.
Japan’s ruling coalition seen losing upper house majority, Asahi reports
- Asahi said its report was based on phone and Internet surveys conducted on voters July 13-14, as well as research nationwide by the newspaper’s journalists
TOKYO: Japan’s ruling coalition will likely lose its majority in the upper house election on July 20, the Asahi newspaper said on Tuesday, heightening the risk of political instability at a time the country struggles to strike a trade deal with the US
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner Komeito will likely struggle to retain the 50 seats needed to defend its majority in the upper house of parliament, the Asahi said.
The LDP will likely win just around 35 seats, the paper said. The LDP currently hold 52 seats.
Asahi said its report was based on phone and Internet surveys conducted on voters July 13-14, as well as research nationwide by the newspaper’s journalists.
Ishiba’s administration has seen approval ratings slide as the rising cost of living, including the soaring price of Japan’s staple rice, hit households.
