1 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:08,400 Speaker 1: You can listen to the front on your smart sneaker 2 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: every morning to hear the latest episode. Just say play 3 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 1: the news from the Australian. From the Australian, I'm Claire Harvey. 4 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: It's Monday, July twenty two. Joe Biden has finally announced 5 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:35,279 Speaker 1: the news an increasingly panicky Democratic Party has been hoping for. 6 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: He will step aside from his candidacy for the twenty 7 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:42,519 Speaker 1: twenty four presidential election. Now the Democrats must choose a 8 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: new candidate, with Vice President Kamala Harris likely dick and 9 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:50,559 Speaker 1: test the nomination with rivals including state governors Gretchen Whitmer 10 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 1: and Gavin Newsom. In a statement released early on Monday 11 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 1: morning Australian Time, Biden heralded his administration's achievements, including in healthcare, 12 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: climate action, and the treatment of veterans. Biden wrote, it 13 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: has been the greatest honor of my life to serve 14 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:10,480 Speaker 1: as your president, and while it has been my intention 15 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:13,679 Speaker 1: to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best 16 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: interests of my party and the country for me to 17 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: stand down and to focus solely on my duties as 18 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:24,400 Speaker 1: president for the remainder of my term. The president continued, 19 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: I believe today what I always have, that there is 20 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: nothing America can't do when we do it together. We 21 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: just have to remember we are the United States of America. 22 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: Biden said he would address the nation later this week. 23 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:41,680 Speaker 1: The very Ladest News is live right now at the 24 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:45,839 Speaker 1: Australian dot com au. But today on the front we're 25 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 1: revisiting the remarkable drama, tragedy and triumph in the life 26 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:55,559 Speaker 1: of Joseph Robinette Biden Junior, the forty sixth President of 27 00:01:55,600 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: the United States. It's the end of the political road 28 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 1: on his terms for a man whose political career has 29 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 1: stretched over five decades and taken him from Scranton, Pennsylvania 30 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 1: to the White House. For a long time, Joe Biden 31 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: was considered too young. 32 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 2: The boys looking father of three young children, was celebrating 33 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 2: his thirtieth birthdays. That makes him just old enough to 34 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 2: be a United States Senator, thirty being the minimum age 35 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 2: prescride by the Constitution in Washington. To date, he was 36 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 2: having trouble convincing some people he really is a senator 37 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 2: and having some doubts. 38 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: About Joe Biden was a twenty nine year old lawyer 39 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: when he became one of the youngest Americans to ever 40 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 1: be elected to the US Senate in nineteen seventy two. 41 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 1: His political experience before that was a couple of years 42 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:55,800 Speaker 1: on the local council in his new home state of Delaware, 43 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: and being junior and senior class president at high school. 44 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,520 Speaker 1: He was charming and smooth, but he had not always 45 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 1: been confident. Joe Biden grew up with a stutter. He 46 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: was ridiculed for the speech impediment by his teachers and peers, 47 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:21,359 Speaker 1: but Biden credits that stutter with shaping his fortune. 48 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:26,359 Speaker 3: I learned so much from having to deal with stuttering. 49 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 3: It gave me insight into other people's pain, other people suffered. 50 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 3: It made me understand that everyone everyone has something they're 51 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 3: fighting to overcome. 52 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 1: Biden's political career stretched fifty two years. During that time, 53 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:53,560 Speaker 1: he endured shattering personal tragedy. Shortly after Joe Biden turned thirty, 54 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 1: his wife and children were involved in a car crash 55 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 1: while Christmas shopping. This is Biden talking about that moment 56 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: some forty years later. 57 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 4: My wife was. 58 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 3: Dead, my daughter was dead, and I wasn't sure how 59 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 3: my sons were going to make it. For the first 60 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 3: time in my life, I understood how someone could consciously 61 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:19,599 Speaker 3: decide to commit suicide, not because they were deranged, not 62 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 3: because they were notts because they've been at the top 63 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 3: of the mountain and they just knew in their heart 64 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 3: they never get there again. 65 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: Biden suddenly found himself a single father to his young sons, 66 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: Bo and Hunter. The grief was immense, but Biden's political 67 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:42,359 Speaker 1: career did not slow down. He was elected to the 68 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:47,280 Speaker 1: Senate seven consecutive times. He ran for the Democratic presidential 69 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: nomination in nineteen eighty eight and again in two thousand 70 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:56,039 Speaker 1: and eight, before becoming Vice president under Barack Obama. In 71 00:04:56,080 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: twenty fifteen, tragedy struck the Biden family again. 72 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 5: Believing the political world Tonight is mourning the death of 73 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 5: Bo Biden, the son of Vice President Joe Biden, who 74 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,280 Speaker 5: succumbed to brain cancer Saturday at the age of forty six. 75 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 5: He was a promising young politician, but his death highlights 76 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,279 Speaker 5: both the dangers of brain cancer and the tragedies that 77 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 5: too often have befallen the Biden family. 78 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:22,360 Speaker 1: Joe Biden now had only one living child from his 79 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:26,479 Speaker 1: first marriage, Hunter Biden, a son whom he loved but 80 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: who would become an enormous political liability. 81 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 6: Guilty on all counts. That is the verdict in the 82 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 6: gun trial of Hunter Biden, the President's son. Hunter Biden 83 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:42,919 Speaker 6: is now convicted of all three felony charges related to 84 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 6: the purchase of a revolver in twenty eighteen while being 85 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 6: an addict. 86 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: Scandal after scandal finally culminated in June twenty twenty four, 87 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:57,359 Speaker 1: Hunter Biden was convicted for lying about his illegal drug 88 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: use in order to buy a gun some years earlier. 89 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 1: He was the first child of a sitting US president 90 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 1: to be convicted of a crime. But despite Hunter Biden's 91 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 1: many controversies and concerns about Joe Biden's age, in twenty twenty, 92 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 1: Joe became the President of the United States after winning 93 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 1: a bitter campaign against Donald Trump. In his twenty twenty 94 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:26,280 Speaker 1: victory speech, Biden sounds, even at seventy seven, relatively youthful 95 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: and dynamic. 96 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:31,479 Speaker 4: I'm proud of the coalestion. We put together the broadest 97 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 4: and most diverse coalation in history. Democrats, Republicans, Independents, progress as, moderates, Conservatives, young, old, urban, suburban, rural, gay, straight, transgender, weight, Latino, Asian, 98 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 4: Native American. 99 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 3: I mean it, especially those moments, and. 100 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:56,039 Speaker 4: Especially those moments with his campaign was that lowest down 101 00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 4: the African American community stood up again for Amay bad 102 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 4: and I have your. 103 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: As a politician, Biden can be difficult to ideologically pin down. 104 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: In a nineteen seventy four profile, Biden rejected the idea 105 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 1: he was a progressive liberal. We've used an ai voice 106 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 1: to read his words from nineteen seventy four. 107 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:27,239 Speaker 7: When it comes to issues like abortion, amnesty, and acid, 108 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:29,600 Speaker 7: I'm about as liberal as your grandmother. 109 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 1: On the topic of abortion, Biden was particularly vehement. The 110 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: Supreme Court's landmark Roe versus Wade decision had been announced 111 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 1: just the year before. Biden, who's a Catholic, did not 112 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: agree with the finding. 113 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 7: I don't like the Supreme Court decision on abortion. I 114 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 7: think it went too far. I don't think that a 115 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 7: woman has the soul right to say what should happen 116 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 7: to her body. 117 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 1: The accepted wisdom is that people become more conservative as 118 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 1: they age. In Biden's case, the opposite appears to be true. 119 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 1: Biden said in his twenty twenty presidential campaign he would 120 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 1: look to decriminalize marijuana at a federal level. He also 121 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 1: said people should not be behind bars on charges of 122 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 1: simple possession or small scale use. While marijuana was not 123 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: decriminalized in his term, there have been at least two 124 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: rounds of mass pardons for people with federal possession convictions. 125 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: But it's the politically divisive topic of abortion on which 126 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 1: Biden has softened the most. 127 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:36,680 Speaker 4: But a few of the American people send me at 128 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 4: Congress of supports the right to choose. I promise you 129 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 4: I'll restore Roby Wade as the law of the land again. 130 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 1: Reproductive rights were at the center of Biden's twenty twenty 131 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 1: four re election campaign. He positioned himself as the only 132 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:58,680 Speaker 1: man standing between women and nationwide abortion bands. So where 133 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: did it go wrong for Joe Biden? Up next his 134 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:10,680 Speaker 1: decline in popularity and questions on his mental acuity. We'll 135 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:30,320 Speaker 1: be back after this break. When Joe Biden took office 136 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty one, he faced an immense task. 137 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 4: Today we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but 138 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:42,199 Speaker 4: of a cause, the cause of democracy. 139 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 1: Biden positioned himself as a unifier. Former President Trump called 140 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 1: the election stolen. When Biden came to office, COVID was 141 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 1: still raging and the economic situation was dire. Mass layoffs 142 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:02,199 Speaker 1: meant to unemployed Omen was at six point three percent, 143 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 1: and food banks were feeding millions. 144 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 8: San Antonio Food Bank in Texas. The food bank serves 145 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 8: eight semi truck loads of food to people in need 146 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:16,719 Speaker 8: every day. They say the numbers are so high they 147 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 8: have to ration food. 148 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: Biden signed a one point nine trillion dollar stimulus package 149 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 1: in March twenty twenty one, and the first twinges of 150 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 1: inflation were felt worldwide. A few months later, for the 151 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:33,839 Speaker 1: first time, Biden's popularity took a serious hit. His popularity 152 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:37,240 Speaker 1: was tested again when he withdrew troops from Afghanistan in 153 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:41,839 Speaker 1: August twenty twenty one. The Taliban took over almost immediately 154 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: as people scrambled to evacuate. A bomb at Kabul Airport 155 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 1: killed thirteen American troops and nearly two hundred Afghans. Many 156 00:10:56,920 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 1: said this was an avoidable tragedy. Biden's popularity might have 157 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 1: had time to recover had there not been more economic 158 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:08,439 Speaker 1: strain to come. In February twenty twenty two, Russia invaded 159 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 1: Ukraine and the costs of energy and shipping went up. 160 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 1: By June, prices in America had increased by more than 161 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 1: nine percent. The steepest rise in four decades. Economists predicted 162 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: a recession, and it didn't eventuate for America, but the 163 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 1: cost of living pressures continued to hit, but more than 164 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 1: the economy and more than the withdrawal of troops. It 165 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 1: was this moment which derailed Biden's re election campaign. 166 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:40,720 Speaker 4: When I'm in a fix the taxis for example, we 167 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:44,199 Speaker 4: had one thousand tillionaires in America, but a billionaires ann 168 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:45,559 Speaker 4: and what's happening. 169 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: The first presidential debate, Biden gave a performance so disastrous 170 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,599 Speaker 1: it may be the only thing some Americans remember. 171 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:58,720 Speaker 4: About him dealing with everything we have to do with. 172 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 3: Look if we finally beat medicare. 173 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 7: Thank you President Biden. 174 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 8: President Trump, he's ready. 175 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:11,280 Speaker 5: He did beat Medicare, he beat it to death, and 176 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:15,280 Speaker 5: he's destroying medicare because all of these people are coming in. 177 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:21,720 Speaker 1: The reaction was swift and severe. This was Democrat's worst nightmare. 178 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 5: Just a day for mister Biden's to beat performance sparks 179 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 5: concerns about his age. 180 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 4: Donald Trump emerged as the winner of the debate, where 181 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:35,439 Speaker 4: he was saying more nimble and discipline compared to twenty twenty. 182 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 1: Y cannot be real life. 183 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 9: It just can't where America god. 184 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 1: Biden compounded his mistake by introducing Ukrainian President Volodim Zelenski 185 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 1: as President Putin. 186 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 4: And now I want to hand it over to the 187 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 4: President of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he 188 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 4: has determination. Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin, President prudent, You've 189 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:09,720 Speaker 4: got beat President Pusin. 190 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:10,959 Speaker 1: President Lynskin. 191 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 4: I'm so focused on beating Putin. We gotta worry about 192 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 4: it anyway. 193 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 1: He then referred to Kamala Harris as vice President Trump. 194 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:24,560 Speaker 1: At a news conference. Senior Democrats, movie stars, and millionaires 195 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 1: began publicly calling for Biden to step down. Former President Trump, 196 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: whose victory already seemed inevitable, then narrowly avoided an assassination attempt. 197 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:36,960 Speaker 2: What happened. 198 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 5: Former President Donald Trump was rushed off a stage during 199 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:51,080 Speaker 5: a Pennsylvania rally. Pops and bangs were heard. 200 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:54,200 Speaker 6: The Secret Service quickly moved to protect the former president. 201 00:13:56,640 --> 00:14:00,920 Speaker 1: We've all seen that photo. Trump being whisked away by security, 202 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 1: fist in the air, ear bleeding, and the American flag 203 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:09,080 Speaker 1: billowing behind him. Trump was staunch on the fire and 204 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:11,960 Speaker 1: was greeted as a hero at the Republican Convention. 205 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 9: We are here tonight in one purpose, and that is 206 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 9: to elect Donald J. Trump as the next president of 207 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:31,240 Speaker 9: the United States. He is here tonight to show his courage. 208 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:35,800 Speaker 9: He defiant say yet, somebody who tried to kill him, 209 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:39,880 Speaker 9: you will not take this man down. He has the courage, 210 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:44,080 Speaker 9: the strength, and he will be the next president of 211 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 9: the United States. 212 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 1: Biden came down with COVID and had to take a 213 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 1: week off the campaign trail, as colleagues begged the man 214 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 1: once too young, now unequivocally too old to perform one 215 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: Larne lost active service for his country and step aside. 216 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 1: Now the Democrats challenge is to seize this moment and 217 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 1: try to stop the flow of momentum from sweeping Donald 218 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 1: Trump and the Republicans back to the White House. This 219 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:27,960 Speaker 1: story is moving fast and you can get across the 220 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 1: latest right now at the Australian dot com dot au