Midwest
'Squad' member Rashida Tlaib refuses to say whether she'll vote for Biden during cease-fire presser
Democratic “Squad” member Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., has refused to say if she will vote for President Biden this November despite saying that a Donald Trump presidency would be a threat to democracy.
Tlaib dismissed a reporter’s question at the end of a press conference outside the Capitol on Thursday when she led a group of Democrats calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.
“Will you vote for President Biden in November?” the reporter asked.
“Thank you very much, y’all. Thank you,” said Tlaib, who then stepped back from the podium and walked away with her fellow lawmakers.
Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and President Biden. (Allison Bailey/NurPhoto via AP, left, Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images, right.)
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Tlaib, who called for an immediate meeting with Biden regarding Gaza, suggested that people use their vote to back candidates who support issues, such as a cease-fire, and to not necessarily focus on the presidential election.
“I want you to exercise your right to vote… but also think of the whole ballot,” said Tlaib, who did not mention party affiliation.
“Everybody’s always driven by what’s on top of the ballot and there’s so many folks on that ballot, many of which support a cease-fire. Folks that have been working on rents too damn high in Michigan, making water human right in Michigan and all of those things. To think of that ballot as a way to speak that truth of what you believe in and not always think about that top of that ticket.”
“Why not use and create a voting bloc and speaking what your truth is and speaking about what you believe in.”
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Tlaib refused to back Biden despite giving a stark warning of the potential effects of a second Trump presidency. She inferred that Biden may lose support given his handling of the conflict.
“I am incredibly scared of a second term of Trump, and I think it’s really important to emphasize this,” Tlaib said.
“Right now our democracy is at stake, and I’m asking the president and I think many of us are saying, change course because you are threatening, literally, our democracy.”
Tlaib was joined at the press conference by fellow “Squad” members Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., as well as other lawmakers.
They called for an immediate cease-fire and said that the majority of Americans support their calls. They blasted the Israeli government for its offenses in the city of Rafah, which borders Egypt at the southern end of the Gaza Strip. More than half of Gaza’s estimated 2.3 million population is now packed into the city. A large portion of the current population has fled into the city from other parts of Gaza.
Palestinians are living in makeshift tents in the city of Rafah. (Abed Zagout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“In Michigan, 53% of our residents in Michigan support a cease-fire. 74% of them are Michigan Democrats and 64% of them are independents, all again supporting a cease-fire. People all around the world from all different backgrounds, faiths, ethnicities,” Tlaib said.
Bush said that they are sending a letter to Biden asking for a meeting about a potential cease-fire.
“We want to hear directly from President Biden,” Bush said.
“We, the United States, have a moral obligation to use our immense power to stop the Israeli government’s plans to invade Rafah.”
“It is where 1.5 million displaced Palestinians are trapped. And though it was referred to as this safe zone, we know that it is not really safe. There aren’t enough places to sleep and families are sleeping in chicken coops or sheltering wherever they can find a place.”
On Tuesday, President Biden said that Israel had agreed to a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, but Hamas is not prepared to call a truce.
Palestinians stand around a house destroyed in an Israeli strike in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Feb. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Hatem Ali)
He suggested that a cease-fire during Ramadan would give the U.S. time to secure the release of American hostages still held by Hamas. However, officials from the terrorist group called his comments premature as it studies the cease-fire agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel will carry out an invasion of Rafah, regardless of whether it reaches a hostage exchange agreement with Hamas.
Netanyahu stated that Israel was still engaged in hostage negotiations, but he added that the Jewish state was committed to rooting out Hamas with as little harm to civilians as possible.
“If we have a deal, it will be delayed somewhat, but it will happen. If we don’t have a deal, we’ll do it anyway,” Netanyahu said of the Rafah operation.
Fox News’ Gregory Brown contributed to this report.
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MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A 16-year-old boy was pulled from the water at Minnehaha Falls after going missing while swimming with family.
Fire crews respond to missing swimmer at Minnehaha Falls
What we know:
Minneapolis Fire Department crews arrived at Minnehaha Falls around 5:20 p.m. after reports that a teenager had gone underwater and did not resurface. Firefighters put on swift-water rescue gear, set up rope safety lines and entered the water at the spot where the boy was last seen.
Crews quickly found the teen submerged in the water and brought him to shore. Firefighters started lifesaving efforts, including CPR, before the boy was taken to a local hospital. According to the Minneapolis Fire Department, he was in critical condition.
Minneapolis Park Police say the area the teen was in is not authorized for swimming but had attracted swimmers due to hot weather.
What we don’t know:
There are no updates on the teen’s current condition or further details about how the incident happened.
The Source: Information from the Minneapolis Fire Department and the Minneapolis Park police.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — While fireworks are the centerpiece of most Independence Day celebrations, one July 4th event in Indianapolis focused on bringing unity through athletic competition.
“Peace on the Plaza” was held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon and evening. The focal point of the event was a 3-on-3 basketball tournament featuring eight teams with young men who have ties to area nonprofits and other community organizations, like IndyPeace.
Shardae Hoskins, Administrator for Community Violence Reduction for the City of Indianapolis, said the participants were, “a bunch of teams that all play together often, and are all a part of mentoring or other community organizations… We really wanted to highlight those teams and give them an opportunity to play on such a big stage.”
The event was part of the city’s violence reduction strategy.
“Communities that have meetings, communities that have parks or opportunities for each other just to gather with each other, also have reduced violence,” Hoskins said. “Community builds peace.”
The teams were coached by people like Chauncey Anderson, a life coach who works with young adults to help them become productive citizens.
“My team got knocked out early, I’m kinda in my feelings about that,” Anderson said, smiling. “But they did (well), they held the fort down. And at the end of the day, they showed good sportsmanship and they just linked up with some people that they didn’t know prior to this. So it was a win.”
For those not interested in hoops, the other side of the basketball court had games like cornhole and Giant Jenga. Nearby, workers gave out free snow cones to offer relief from the sweltering heat. There were also opportunities to sign up for free programs to build skills, like conflict resolution.
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