WEBVTT - Joe Biden steps aside

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<v Speaker 1>You can listen to the front on your smart sneaker

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<v Speaker 1>every morning to hear the latest episode. Just say play

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<v Speaker 1>the news from the Australian. From the Australian, I'm Claire Harvey.

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<v Speaker 1>It's Monday, July twenty two. Joe Biden has finally announced

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<v Speaker 1>the news an increasingly panicky Democratic Party has been hoping for.

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<v Speaker 1>He will step aside from his candidacy for the twenty

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<v Speaker 1>twenty four presidential election. Now the Democrats must choose a

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<v Speaker 1>new candidate, with Vice President Kamala Harris likely dick and

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<v Speaker 1>test the nomination with rivals including state governors Gretchen Whitmer

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<v Speaker 1>and Gavin Newsom. In a statement released early on Monday

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<v Speaker 1>morning Australian Time, Biden heralded his administration's achievements, including in healthcare,

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<v Speaker 1>climate action, and the treatment of veterans. Biden wrote, it

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<v Speaker 1>has been the greatest honor of my life to serve

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<v Speaker 1>as your president, and while it has been my intention

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<v Speaker 1>to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best

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<v Speaker 1>interests of my party and the country for me to

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<v Speaker 1>stand down and to focus solely on my duties as

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<v Speaker 1>president for the remainder of my term. The president continued,

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<v Speaker 1>I believe today what I always have, that there is

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<v Speaker 1>nothing America can't do when we do it together. We

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<v Speaker 1>just have to remember we are the United States of America.

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<v Speaker 1>Biden said he would address the nation later this week.

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<v Speaker 1>The very Ladest News is live right now at the

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<v Speaker 1>Australian dot com au. But today on the front we're

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<v Speaker 1>revisiting the remarkable drama, tragedy and triumph in the life

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<v Speaker 1>of Joseph Robinette Biden Junior, the forty sixth President of

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<v Speaker 1>the United States. It's the end of the political road

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<v Speaker 1>on his terms for a man whose political career has

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<v Speaker 1>stretched over five decades and taken him from Scranton, Pennsylvania

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<v Speaker 1>to the White House. For a long time, Joe Biden

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<v Speaker 1>was considered too young.

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<v Speaker 2>The boys looking father of three young children, was celebrating

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<v Speaker 2>his thirtieth birthdays. That makes him just old enough to

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<v Speaker 2>be a United States Senator, thirty being the minimum age

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<v Speaker 2>prescride by the Constitution in Washington. To date, he was

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<v Speaker 2>having trouble convincing some people he really is a senator

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<v Speaker 2>and having some doubts.

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<v Speaker 1>About Joe Biden was a twenty nine year old lawyer

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<v Speaker 1>when he became one of the youngest Americans to ever

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<v Speaker 1>be elected to the US Senate in nineteen seventy two.

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<v Speaker 1>His political experience before that was a couple of years

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<v Speaker 1>on the local council in his new home state of Delaware,

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<v Speaker 1>and being junior and senior class president at high school.

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<v Speaker 1>He was charming and smooth, but he had not always

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<v Speaker 1>been confident. Joe Biden grew up with a stutter. He

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<v Speaker 1>was ridiculed for the speech impediment by his teachers and peers,

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<v Speaker 1>but Biden credits that stutter with shaping his fortune.

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<v Speaker 3>I learned so much from having to deal with stuttering.

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<v Speaker 3>It gave me insight into other people's pain, other people suffered.

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<v Speaker 3>It made me understand that everyone everyone has something they're

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<v Speaker 3>fighting to overcome.

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<v Speaker 1>Biden's political career stretched fifty two years. During that time,

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<v Speaker 1>he endured shattering personal tragedy. Shortly after Joe Biden turned thirty,

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<v Speaker 1>his wife and children were involved in a car crash

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<v Speaker 1>while Christmas shopping. This is Biden talking about that moment

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<v Speaker 1>some forty years later.

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<v Speaker 4>My wife was.

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<v Speaker 3>Dead, my daughter was dead, and I wasn't sure how

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<v Speaker 3>my sons were going to make it. For the first

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<v Speaker 3>time in my life, I understood how someone could consciously

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<v Speaker 3>decide to commit suicide, not because they were deranged, not

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<v Speaker 3>because they were notts because they've been at the top

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<v Speaker 3>of the mountain and they just knew in their heart

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<v Speaker 3>they never get there again.

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<v Speaker 1>Biden suddenly found himself a single father to his young sons,

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<v Speaker 1>Bo and Hunter. The grief was immense, but Biden's political

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<v Speaker 1>career did not slow down. He was elected to the

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<v Speaker 1>Senate seven consecutive times. He ran for the Democratic presidential

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<v Speaker 1>nomination in nineteen eighty eight and again in two thousand

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<v Speaker 1>and eight, before becoming Vice president under Barack Obama. In

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<v Speaker 1>twenty fifteen, tragedy struck the Biden family again.

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<v Speaker 5>Believing the political world Tonight is mourning the death of

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<v Speaker 5>Bo Biden, the son of Vice President Joe Biden, who

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<v Speaker 5>succumbed to brain cancer Saturday at the age of forty six.

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<v Speaker 5>He was a promising young politician, but his death highlights

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<v Speaker 5>both the dangers of brain cancer and the tragedies that

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<v Speaker 5>too often have befallen the Biden family.

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<v Speaker 1>Joe Biden now had only one living child from his

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<v Speaker 1>first marriage, Hunter Biden, a son whom he loved but

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<v Speaker 1>who would become an enormous political liability.

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<v Speaker 6>Guilty on all counts. That is the verdict in the

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<v Speaker 6>gun trial of Hunter Biden, the President's son. Hunter Biden

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<v Speaker 6>is now convicted of all three felony charges related to

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<v Speaker 6>the purchase of a revolver in twenty eighteen while being

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<v Speaker 6>an addict.

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<v Speaker 1>Scandal after scandal finally culminated in June twenty twenty four,

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<v Speaker 1>Hunter Biden was convicted for lying about his illegal drug

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<v Speaker 1>use in order to buy a gun some years earlier.

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<v Speaker 1>He was the first child of a sitting US president

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<v Speaker 1>to be convicted of a crime. But despite Hunter Biden's

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<v Speaker 1>many controversies and concerns about Joe Biden's age, in twenty twenty,

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<v Speaker 1>Joe became the President of the United States after winning

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<v Speaker 1>a bitter campaign against Donald Trump. In his twenty twenty

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<v Speaker 1>victory speech, Biden sounds, even at seventy seven, relatively youthful

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<v Speaker 1>and dynamic.

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<v Speaker 4>I'm proud of the coalestion. We put together the broadest

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<v 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,

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<v Speaker 4>Native American.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean it, especially those moments, and.

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<v Speaker 4>Especially those moments with his campaign was that lowest down

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<v Speaker 4>the African American community stood up again for Amay bad

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<v Speaker 4>and I have your.

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<v Speaker 1>As a politician, Biden can be difficult to ideologically pin down.

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<v Speaker 1>In a nineteen seventy four profile, Biden rejected the idea

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<v Speaker 1>he was a progressive liberal. We've used an ai voice

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<v Speaker 1>to read his words from nineteen seventy four.

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<v Speaker 7>When it comes to issues like abortion, amnesty, and acid,

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<v Speaker 7>I'm about as liberal as your grandmother.

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<v Speaker 1>On the topic of abortion, Biden was particularly vehement. The

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<v Speaker 1>Supreme Court's landmark Roe versus Wade decision had been announced

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<v Speaker 1>just the year before. Biden, who's a Catholic, did not

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<v Speaker 1>agree with the finding.

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<v Speaker 7>I don't like the Supreme Court decision on abortion. I

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<v Speaker 7>think it went too far. I don't think that a

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<v Speaker 7>woman has the soul right to say what should happen

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<v Speaker 7>to her body.

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<v Speaker 1>The accepted wisdom is that people become more conservative as

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<v Speaker 1>they age. In Biden's case, the opposite appears to be true.

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<v Speaker 1>Biden said in his twenty twenty presidential campaign he would

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<v Speaker 1>look to decriminalize marijuana at a federal level. He also

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<v Speaker 1>said people should not be behind bars on charges of

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<v Speaker 1>simple possession or small scale use. While marijuana was not

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<v Speaker 1>decriminalized in his term, there have been at least two

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<v Speaker 1>rounds of mass pardons for people with federal possession convictions.

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<v Speaker 1>But it's the politically divisive topic of abortion on which

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<v Speaker 1>Biden has softened the most.

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<v Speaker 4>But a few of the American people send me at

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<v Speaker 4>Congress of supports the right to choose. I promise you

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<v Speaker 4>I'll restore Roby Wade as the law of the land again.

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<v Speaker 1>Reproductive rights were at the center of Biden's twenty twenty

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<v Speaker 1>four re election campaign. He positioned himself as the only

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<v Speaker 1>man standing between women and nationwide abortion bands. So where

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<v Speaker 1>did it go wrong for Joe Biden? Up next his

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<v Speaker 1>decline in popularity and questions on his mental acuity. We'll

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<v Speaker 1>be back after this break. When Joe Biden took office

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<v Speaker 1>in twenty twenty one, he faced an immense task.

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<v Speaker 4>Today we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but

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<v Speaker 4>of a cause, the cause of democracy.

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<v Speaker 1>Biden positioned himself as a unifier. Former President Trump called

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<v Speaker 1>the election stolen. When Biden came to office, COVID was

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<v Speaker 1>still raging and the economic situation was dire. Mass layoffs

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<v Speaker 1>meant to unemployed Omen was at six point three percent,

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<v Speaker 1>and food banks were feeding millions.

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<v Speaker 8>San Antonio Food Bank in Texas. The food bank serves

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<v Speaker 8>eight semi truck loads of food to people in need

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<v Speaker 8>every day. They say the numbers are so high they

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<v Speaker 8>have to ration food.

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<v Speaker 1>Biden signed a one point nine trillion dollar stimulus package

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<v Speaker 1>in March twenty twenty one, and the first twinges of

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<v Speaker 1>inflation were felt worldwide. A few months later, for the

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<v Speaker 1>first time, Biden's popularity took a serious hit. His popularity

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<v Speaker 1>was tested again when he withdrew troops from Afghanistan in

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<v Speaker 1>August twenty twenty one. The Taliban took over almost immediately

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<v Speaker 1>as people scrambled to evacuate. A bomb at Kabul Airport

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<v Speaker 1>killed thirteen American troops and nearly two hundred Afghans. Many

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<v Speaker 1>said this was an avoidable tragedy. Biden's popularity might have

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<v Speaker 1>had time to recover had there not been more economic

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<v Speaker 1>strain to come. In February twenty twenty two, Russia invaded

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<v Speaker 1>Ukraine and the costs of energy and shipping went up.

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<v Speaker 1>By June, prices in America had increased by more than

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<v Speaker 1>nine percent. The steepest rise in four decades. Economists predicted

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<v Speaker 1>a recession, and it didn't eventuate for America, but the

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<v Speaker 1>cost of living pressures continued to hit, but more than

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<v Speaker 1>the economy and more than the withdrawal of troops. It

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<v Speaker 1>was this moment which derailed Biden's re election campaign.

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<v Speaker 4>When I'm in a fix the taxis for example, we

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<v Speaker 4>had one thousand tillionaires in America, but a billionaires ann

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<v Speaker 4>and what's happening.

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<v Speaker 1>The first presidential debate, Biden gave a performance so disastrous

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<v Speaker 1>it may be the only thing some Americans remember.

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<v Speaker 4>About him dealing with everything we have to do with.

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<v Speaker 3>Look if we finally beat medicare.

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<v Speaker 7>Thank you President Biden.

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<v Speaker 8>President Trump, he's ready.

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<v Speaker 5>He did beat Medicare, he beat it to death, and

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<v Speaker 5>he's destroying medicare because all of these people are coming in.

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<v Speaker 1>The reaction was swift and severe. This was Democrat's worst nightmare.

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<v Speaker 5>Just a day for mister Biden's to beat performance sparks

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<v Speaker 5>concerns about his age.

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<v Speaker 4>Donald Trump emerged as the winner of the debate, where

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<v Speaker 4>he was saying more nimble and discipline compared to twenty twenty.

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<v Speaker 1>Y cannot be real life.

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<v Speaker 9>It just can't where America god.

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<v Speaker 1>Biden compounded his mistake by introducing Ukrainian President Volodim Zelenski

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<v Speaker 1>as President Putin.

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<v Speaker 4>And now I want to hand it over to the

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<v Speaker 4>President of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he

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<v Speaker 4>has determination. Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin, President prudent, You've

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<v Speaker 4>got beat President Pusin.

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<v Speaker 1>President Lynskin.

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<v Speaker 4>I'm so focused on beating Putin. We gotta worry about

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<v Speaker 4>it anyway.

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<v Speaker 1>He then referred to Kamala Harris as vice President Trump.

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<v Speaker 1>At a news conference. Senior Democrats, movie stars, and millionaires

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<v Speaker 1>began publicly calling for Biden to step down. Former President Trump,

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<v Speaker 1>whose victory already seemed inevitable, then narrowly avoided an assassination attempt.

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<v Speaker 2>What happened.

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<v Speaker 5>Former President Donald Trump was rushed off a stage during

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<v Speaker 5>a Pennsylvania rally. Pops and bangs were heard.

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<v Speaker 6>The Secret Service quickly moved to protect the former president.

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<v Speaker 1>We've all seen that photo. Trump being whisked away by security,

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<v Speaker 1>fist in the air, ear bleeding, and the American flag

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<v Speaker 1>billowing behind him. Trump was staunch on the fire and

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<v Speaker 1>was greeted as a hero at the Republican Convention.

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<v Speaker 9>We are here tonight in one purpose, and that is

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<v Speaker 9>to elect Donald J. Trump as the next president of

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<v Speaker 9>the United States. He is here tonight to show his courage.

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<v Speaker 9>He defiant say yet, somebody who tried to kill him,

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<v Speaker 9>you will not take this man down. He has the courage,

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<v Speaker 9>the strength, and he will be the next president of

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<v Speaker 9>the United States.

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<v Speaker 1>Biden came down with COVID and had to take a

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<v Speaker 1>week off the campaign trail, as colleagues begged the man

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<v Speaker 1>once too young, now unequivocally too old to perform one

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<v Speaker 1>Larne lost active service for his country and step aside.

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<v Speaker 1>Now the Democrats challenge is to seize this moment and

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<v Speaker 1>try to stop the flow of momentum from sweeping Donald

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<v Speaker 1>Trump and the Republicans back to the White House. This

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<v Speaker 1>story is moving fast and you can get across the

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<v Speaker 1>latest right now at the Australian dot com dot au