Tipsheet — Try and try again: GOP tests out myriad attacks on Biden

View in your browser     Try and try again: GOP tests out myriad attacks on Biden By Morgan Chalfant   Republicans are testing out a myriad of attacks against President Biden, trying to turn public opinion against a popular president among key sectors of the electorate in hopes of boosting their chances in the 2022 midterm elections and beyond. Republicans have blamed Biden's economic agenda for rising inflation and criticized him over the flow of migrants at the southern border. They have also recycled attacks from the 2020 election, raising questions about Biden’s mental fitness and trying to tie him to the “defund the police” movement and the left wing of the Democratic party. Read the full story here     Biden, DeSantis set aside politics in tragedy response By Julia Manchester and Morgan Chalfant   President Biden and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican who just might challenge him for the White House in 2024, were unlikely partners this week, united by tragedy. Read the full story here     Biden: 'Initial thinking' recent ransomware attack not Russian government By Jordan Williams   President Biden said Saturday that “initial thinking” is that the Russian government is not behind a ransomware attack targeting a tool provided by Miami-based IT software management company Kaseya. Read the full story here     Biden on Richardson suspension: 'The rules are the rules' By Jordan Williams   President Biden weighed in on Sha’Carri Richardson’s one-month suspension amid her positive marijuana test, telling reporters Saturday that "the rules are the rules." Read the full story here       Harris, in optimistic speech, says America 'getting back to work' By Jordan Williams   Vice President Harris said Saturday touted the United States’ progress amid the coronavirus pandemic, proclaiming during an optimistic speech that America is “getting back to work.” Read the full story here     Surfside building to be demolished as Tropical Storm Elsa approaches Florida By Celine Castronuovo   Florida officials said Saturday they would move ahead with a plan to demolish the rest of the collapsed Surfside, Fla., condo building within 36 hours, citing concerns about the structure being unsafe due to the impending Tropical Storm Elsa, which could make landfall within days. Read the full story here     Surfside rescue efforts suspended ahead of demolition By Jordan Williams   Rescue efforts for bodies missing after the collapse of a residential condo building in Surfside, Fla., have been suspended Saturday as officials prepare for the demolition of the rest of the building. Read the full story here     Republicans eyeing White House take hard line on immigration By Tal Axelrod   Several potential 2024 hopefuls in the Republican Party are pouncing on immigration as a top issue to get an edge in the early jockeying for the next presidential race. Read the full story here     Court ruling sets up ever more bruising fight over tech By Chris Mills Rodrigo and Rebecca Klar   The nascent effort to rein in the power of America's tech giants hit a snag this week, but the lawmakers behind the movement are not folding so easily. Read the full story here     Rashad sends apology email to Howard community following Cosby comments By Sarah Polus   Phylicia Rashad, the incoming dean of Howard University's College of Fine Arts, sent an apology email to the school's students and parents after backlash over comments she made about former co-star Bill Cosby's release. Read the full story here     Have Tucker Carlson and Ron DeSantis filled the 'Trump void' for the left? By Douglas MacKinnon   OPINION | It can be argued that since Donald Trump left the White House, the ratings for a number of programs on left-leaning cable outlets or news sites have dropped dramatically. In many ways, for liberal sites — and, to a lesser extent, right-leaning programs and publications — talking about or hating on Trump at first was an unexpected ratings bonanza. And then it apparently became evident to some cable news executives that talking about Trump was morphing into a bullet-proof business model. Read the full story here     Dealing with authoritarian regimes is oldest challenge in American history By Charles Edel   OPINION | According to President Biden, the defining feature of the international system is now competition between democracy and authoritarianism. “We’re at an inflection point,” President Biden stated in February, “between those who argue that … autocracy is the best way forward, and those who understand that democracy is essential.” His early meetings with foreign leaders have underscored just that point. Meeting with the leaders of Japan, Australia, and India in March, Biden pledged his commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region that could deliver practical results to pressing problems. In Europe last month, he told reporters that the United States was in a contest with “autocratic governments around the world, as to whether or not democracies can compete with them in a rapidly changing 21st century.” Read the full story here     Infrastructure success could help keep swing Pa. districts — and the U.S. House — blue: NBC News By Adam Edelman   President Joe Biden’s infrastructure package, if it ever becomes law, won’t just construct new bridges, tunnels and highways — it could also help cement the Democrats’ House majority for another two years. Read the full story here     Inside the Tumultuous Years Before the Florida Condo Collapse: NYT By Patricia Mazzei, Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura, Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, Alexandra E. Petri and Stephanie Saul   SURFSIDE, Fla. — Elena Blasser kept her two-bedroom, two-bath condo in the Champlain Towers South as a beachside gathering place for family reunions. She adored the ocean and the small town of Surfside, Fla., because they reminded her of homes in Cuba and Puerto Rico. Read the full story here     Craving freedom from virus, U.S. heads into July 4 with sharply divided risk: WaPo By Fenit Nirappil, Dan Keating, Ryan Slattery and Dan Diamond   President Biden has pointed to July 4 as the day when Americans can mark independence from the coronavirus. But the United States has not fully snuffed out the threat from the virus — particularly in places where vaccination rates are low — as the delta variant threatens to undo the nation’s progress against it. Read the full story here     Water is disappearing in the West — and not just during the summer : CNN By Hannah Gard   Skiers and snowboarders pray for snow so they can shred the slopes. Climatologists and hydrologists have an entirely different and more critical reason to cross their fingers for the "white gold." Read the full story here     Capitol, symbol of democracy, off-limits on Independence Day: AP By Lisa Mascaro   WASHINGTON (AP) — As it has been for nearly 16 months, longer than any time in the nation’s history, the U.S. Capitol is closed to most public visitors. Read the full story here         Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up for The Hill Tipsheet       Forward this Tipsheet   You Might Like       Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  |  Email to a friend  |  Sign Up for Other Newsletters   The Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006 ©2021 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

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