President Joe Biden pushed back on former President Donald Trump’s claim that he took actions to combat the climate crisis. Asked if he would take any actions to address climate change in his second term, Trump didn’t immediately answer the question. Prompted again by CNN moderator Dana Bash, Trump replied that he wants “absolutely immaculate clean water” and “absolutely clean air.” “And we had it,” Trump said. “We had the best numbers ever.” Biden in response said, “I don’t know where the hell he’s been. The idea that anything he said is true.” “He’s claiming to have done something to have the cleanest water? The cleanest water? He had not a damn thing for the environment,” Biden said, touting his hand in passing the Inflation Reduction Act, which allocated money to fighting climate change. Biden also claimed that Trump wanted to undo all of the actions he has taken so far.
Quick Read
- Climate Crisis Discussion: Biden pushed back on Trump’s claim of addressing climate change, criticizing Trump’s lack of specific actions and highlighting the Inflation Reduction Act.
- Trump’s Environmental Claims: Trump claimed he ensured “immaculate clean water” and “clean air” during his presidency but didn’t specify climate change actions. Biden countered by stating Trump did “not a damn thing for the environment.”
- Public Perception: Nearly half of Americans believe Trump hurt the country on climate change, while more see Biden as having a positive impact, though not overwhelmingly.
- Social Security and Medicare: Both candidates vowed to protect Social Security, but neither provided detailed plans. Biden proposed taxing the wealthy to keep Social Security solvent, while Trump promised to protect entitlements without offering specifics.
- Biden Criticizes Trump’s Legal Issues: Biden called Trump a “convicted felon” and compared his morals to an “alley cat,” referencing Trump’s recent felony conviction and civil penalties.
- Trump’s National Guard Claim Fact Check: Trump falsely claimed Pelosi turned down his offer to send National Guard members during the Jan. 6 insurrection. The decision lies with the Capitol Police Board, not Pelosi.
- Trump on Jan. 6: Trump pivoted to other topics when asked about his role in the Capitol riot, claiming he encouraged peaceful protests.
- Violence on Jan. 6: The riot resulted in significant violence against police officers, with over 1,400 charged and more than 850 guilty pleas.
- Biden’s Health: Biden has been battling a cold, contributing to his hoarse voice during the debate. He also experiences occasional throat clearing due to gastroesophageal reflux.
The Associated Press has the story:
Biden shoots back at Trump’s claim about his actions to combat the climate crisis
Newslooks- ATLANTA (AP) —
Candidates discuss climate change
More than an hour into the debate, the candidates finally talked about climate change, which Joe Biden has called an existential crisis and a top priority of his presidency.
Trump, after initially declining to answer on climate, said he wants “absolutely immaculate, clean water and I want absolutely clean air.’’
He said that during his administration, “we were using all forms of energy, all forms, everything’’ and claimed he “had the best environmental numbers ever.’’
It was unclear what he was referring to.
Biden called climate change the greatest threat to humanity, adding that Trump “didn’t do a darn thing about it.’’
Biden cited the 2022 passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which is authorizes billions for clean energy. Biden called it the most significant climate legislation ever passed.
Trump brags about ‘immaculate, clean water’ during his presidency
When former President Donald Trump was asked what he would do about climate change, he said that the U.S. had “absolutely immaculate, clean water” and air when he was president.
Joe Biden retorted: “He hasn’t done a damn thing” for the environment.
Climate change isn’t an area where Americans think Trump performed especially well as president. Nearly half of Americans said Trump hurt the country on climate change while he was president, while relatively few Americans — only about 1 in 10 — said Trump’s presidency helped the country. About 4 in 10 say he neither helped nor hurt.
They’re more likely to see a positive effect from Biden’s presidency, but it’s not an overwhelming endorsement. Nearly half say Biden neither helped nor hurt the country on climate change, while about 3 in 10 say he helped a lot or a little and roughly 2 in 10 say he hurt the country.
Neither Trump nor Biden have issued detailed proposals to shore up Social Security
Former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden debate at CNN’s Atlanta studios on June 27.
Both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have repeatedly vowed to protect Social Security, but neither has issued detailed proposals to address the beloved entitlement program’s looming insolvency.
During tonight’s debate, Trump warned about the negative impacts of another Biden administration on Social Security.
The combined Social Security trust funds – which help support monthly payments to the elderly, survivors and people with disabilities – are expected to be exhausted in 2035 unless Congress acts, according to its trustees’ latest annual report. After that, payroll tax revenue and other income sources will only be able to cover 83% of benefits owed.
Biden has said he would increase taxes on higher-income Americans to shore up Social Security’s finances and has repeatedly slammed a budget proposal from a conservative House Republican group for containing benefit cuts. The president has also criticized Trump for being open to making cuts in the program.
Trump, meanwhile, has not provided details on how he would fix Social Security’s fiscal woes. During a CNBC interview in March, he referenced that there was a lot one could do in terms of cutting entitlements. But he later said that he was referring to addressing theft and bad management of Social Security and Medicare and repeated his promise to protect them.
“I don’t suspect that you’re going to see anything come out before the election from either camp,” said Gary Engelhardt, an economics professor at Syracuse University.
Medicare’s hospital insurance trust fund, known as Medicare Part A, is expected to be able to cover scheduled inpatient hospital benefits until 2036 unless Congress acts, after which it will only be able to pay 89% of total scheduled benefits, according to the program’s latest trustees report.
Biden has issued a plan that he says would solve Medicare’s financial problems by raising certain taxes on wealthier individuals and funneling some savings from the proposed Medicare drug reforms into the trust fund. Trump has not suggested a fix for Medicare.
Biden said he will “make the very wealthy begin to pay their fair share” to keep Social Security solvent
President Joe Biden said he will “make the very wealthy begin to pay their fair share” to keep Social Security solvent.
“Right now, everybody making under $170,000 pay 6% of their income, of their paycheck,” he said. “Millionaires pay 1%.”
“I would not raise the cost of Social Security for anybody under $400,000. After that, I begin to make the wealthy begin to pay their fair share by increasing from 1% beyond to be able to guarantee the program for life,” he said.
Biden gets personal as he slams Trump’s criminal conviction
President Joe Biden launched a fiery set of criticisms against former President Donald Trump’s legal troubles, comparing his predecessor’s morals to an “alley cat” as he called him a “convicted felon.”
“The crimes that you are still charged with – and think of all the civil penalties you have. How many billions of dollars do you owe in civil penalties for molesting a woman in public? For doing a whole range of things? Of having sex with a porn star on the night – while your wife was pregnant?” Biden asked.
Trump was found guilty last month on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush-money payment to an adult-film star in 2016. And last year, a jury found that Trump sexually abused E. Jean Carroll in a luxury department store dressing room in the spring of 1996 and awarded her $5 million for battery and defamation.
Biden turned to Trump, and continued, “You have the morals of an alley cat.”
Trump denied having sex with a porn star.
Biden has been battling a cold in recent days, sources say
Biden speaks during the CNN Presidential Debate on Thursday.
President Joe Biden has been battling a cold in recent days, sources familiar with his debate preparations say.
His voice has sounded hoarse and raspy during the debate, even more so than usual.
Biden also experiences “occasional symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux, primarily having to clear his throat more often,” Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the president’s physician, said in a memo following his February physical.
