Hawaii’s Democratic Gov. Josh Green says President Biden has yet to make a final decision about whether he will continue his bid for a second term.
“If the president doesn’t think he can beat Donald Trump, he will hand it off to Kamala [Harris],” Green said during an interview on Saturday with NPR.
“The president has to make this decision with his life-long colleagues from the Senate and his wife. Jill Biden is a superstar. They’ll make the right decision,” Green added.
Green, a close Biden ally, said he still fully backs the president should he choose to continue his campaign. He said he thinks it’s likely that Biden will stay in the race.
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He spoke after a closed-door session with the president, which took place on Wednesday in the wake of Biden’s disastrous debate performance.
Green was among 25 Democratic governors who met with Biden. Eleven were present in the room, while others, including Green, joined via video link.
The meeting came amid growing questions, in the media, from voters and voiced by some Democratic lawmakers about the future of Biden’s candidacy.
Green acknowledged feeling alarmed after watching the debate, but said he was reassured by Biden during their meeting.
Noting that he is also a family physician, Green said, “I asked him the question, among our governor colleagues, ‘Mr. President, are you OK? What happened on Thursday, the debate, was terrible and you weren’t yourself.’ ”
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Green said Biden responded by saying he had been “exhausted” and “under the weather” during his exchange with Trump.
In the June 27 debate, Biden struggled to speak clearly, appeared to lose his train of thought, and seemed unable to counter Trump’s arguments, which fact-checkers later concluded were laced with false claims.
Biden: “It’s just my brain”
Biden, 81, and his opponent, former President Trump, 78, are “elderly,” Green said: “Biden and Trump are going to have moments when they’re not totally clear. It’s who they put around themselves, how they respond when they need to.”
Green confirmed that during the meeting with governors, when asked about his health, Biden said that he was in good shape but then quipped, “It’s just my brain.”
Biden’s campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a statement: “He was clearly making a joke and then said, ‘All kidding aside.’ ”
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Green also read the remark as Biden’s effort at humor.
“It is difficult for a person to actually put together humor like that if they’re not cognitively sound,” Gov. Green said. “He was absolutely making a joke and I know America may not be in a joking mood right now.”
Green said he hoped the media would also focus on Trump’s mental acuity and character.
“If we’re going to judge one gentleman … we should judge the other,” he said.
Biden is “in it to win it”
In public appearances and interviews in the days after the debate, Biden has acknowledged performing poorly on the stage, while saying he will remain in the race.
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“I’m not leaving,” Biden said on Wednesday in a fundraising email sent to supporters.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP / AP
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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul listens as governors speak to reporters after meeting with President Joe Biden, Wednesday, July 3, 2024, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Three other Democratic governors spoke about their meeting with Biden on Wednesday during a press conference outside the White House.
All three Democrats signaled support for Biden.
“President Joe Biden is in it to win it,” said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. “All of us said we pledged our support to him because the stakes could not be higher.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz acknowledged Biden turned in “a bad performance” in the debate, but added “it doesn’t impact what I believe: He’s delivered.”
Walz said he believed Biden was “fit for office.”
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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore called the conversation with Biden “candid” and “honest.”
“We were honest about the feedback we were getting. We were honest about the concerns we were hearing from people,” he said.
Clemson football looks to win its second straight Palmetto Bowl.
The No. 12 Tigers (9-2) faces in-state rival No. 14 South Carolina (8-3) on Saturday (noon ET, ESPN) at Memorial Stadium. This will be the 121st meeting between these two programs and one of the highest-ranked rivalry games in Week 14.
There are still tickets available for Clemson’s last game in Death Valley in the regular season. Here are the best prices for remaining seats.
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See Clemson ticket prices for every game this season
Clemson tickets vs South Carolina
Ticket prices for Clemson’s final home game against South Carolina on Saturday start at $175 on StubHub and at $167 on VividSeats. Prices in the lower bowl range from $224 to over $1000 on both sites.
To see a full list of ticket prices, visit StubHub or VividSeats.
MORE: Why Clemson showcases patriotism before football games at Memorial Stadium
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Clemson football schedule 2024
Aug. 31: Georgia 34, Clemson 3
Sept. 7: Clemson 66, Appalachian State 20
Sept. 21: Clemson 59, NC State 35
Sept. 28: Clemson 40, Stanford 14
Oct. 5: Clemson 29, Florida State 13
Oct. 12: Clemson 49, Wake Forest 14
Oct. 19: Clemson 48, Virginia 31
Nov. 2: Louisville 33, Clemson 21
Nov. 9: Clemson 24, Virginia Tech 14
Nov. 16: Clemson 24, Pitt 20
Nov. 23: Clemson 51, The Citadel 14
Nov. 30: vs. No. 14 South Carolina, noon ET (ESPN)
South Carolina football 2024 schedule
Aug. 31: South Carolina 23, Old Dominion 19
Sept. 7: South Carolina 31, Kentucky 6
Sept. 14: LSU 36, South Carolina 33
Sept. 21: South Carolina 50, Akron 7
Oct. 5: Ole Miss 27, South Carolina 3
Oct. 12: Alabama 27, South Carolina 25
Oct. 19: South Carolina 35, Oklahoma 9
Nov. 2: South Carolina 44, Texas A&M 20
Nov. 9: South Carolina 28, Vanderbilt 7
Nov. 16: South Carolina 34, Missouri 30
Nov. 23: South Carolina 56, Wofford 12
Nov. 30: at No. 12 Clemson, noon ET (ESPN)
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The UCLA women’s basketball put the country on notice, defeating the #1 South Carolina Gamecocks 77-62 at home on Sunday.
The sold out crowd at Pauley Pavilion was engaged all night, with UCLA never trailing in the win, a signature victory for Cori Close’s program. South Carolina entered Sunday’s game winners of 43 in a row, including an undefeated season last year that ended with a national title.
UCLA took a 43-22 lead into halftime, taking an early first quarter lead and never looking back. UCLA didn’t allow a South Carolina basket in the game’s first five minutes, holding the Gamecocks for the first half of the first quarter. A three by junior guard Londynn Jones gave the Bruins a 15-2 lead with 2:36 to play in the opening quarter.
Junior guard Kiki Rice was a full-go for UCLA for the first time all season, with Rice scoring 11 points on 5-11 shooting in 28 minutes. It was a modest scoring night for junior center Lauren Betts, finishing with 11 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks while playing 37 minutes. Jones led the Bruins with 15 points, as UCLA had five players with double figures.
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South Carolina shot the three ball well, going 8-12 from deep but just 29.6% on two point shots. The Gamecocks would win the second half 40-34 but after the dominant first half by the Bruins, it was too late.
The #5 Bruins are due to climb in the rankings after doing what no other women’s college basketball team has done since April of 2023, beat the South Carolina Gamecocks.
No. 5 UCLA pulled off something no team has been able to do since the 2023 NCAA Tournament — it defeated No. 1 South Carolina. And soundly.
The Bruins downed the Gamecocks, 77-62, at Pauley Pavilion on Sunday, ending South Carolina’s 43-game win streak,
The defending national champions, who went undefeated last season, hadn’t lost a game since the 2023 Final Four when they fell to Caitlyn Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Ironically, the Gamecocks had defeated UCLA in the Sweet 16 of that tournament.
The Bruins were led by five double-digit scorers in Sunday’s win, including junior guard Londynn Jones, who led all Bruins with 15 points.
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Junior center Lauren Betts recorded yet another double-double, posting 11 points while grabbing 14 boards.
Freshman guard Elina Aarnisalo tallied 13 points, and junior guards Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez each finished with 11 points.
UCLA shot 47.5& from the field, including 47.6% from distance, as the Bruins made 10 3-pointers in the win.
They were able to come away with a double-digit victory despite turning the ball over 16 times. Meanwhile, they forced 11 turnovers, eight of which were steals. UCLA also recorded five blocks.
The Bruins won the battle of the boards, out-rebounding South Carolina 43 to 35. They also bested the Gamecocks in the assists department, 16-13.
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UCLA never trailed and, at one point, held a 23-point lead.
With the win, the Bruins improve to a perfect 5-0 start. They will next face UT Martin on the road on Friday at 3 p.m. PST, 6 p.m. EST.
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