Zsa Zsa's leg

I doubt it. They're roughly the same age, but Clinton had a lot of heart issues in his post-presidency before starting his plant-based diet. Bush's parents both lived into their 90s while Clinton's mother died at 70 (his father died in a car crash shortly before Bill's birth).

Watching his DNC speech. Still pretty sharp, and doesn't look too awful, but his age is catching up with him.

Second House Dem from New Jersey to die in just four months.

To be fair Sharpton looks like that because he lost a shit ton of weight

Jimmy and Rosalynn recorded audio for the 2020 DNC, but his speaking was a lot rougher when he sent in a recording for Hank Aaron's funeral in 2021. I doubt he's intelligible enough anymore, unfortunately. I suspect he's probably not taking any non-family or hospice visitors due to his condition and age. Any cold or flu could be deadly for him, and campaigning across the country like Harris is exposes her to a lot of germs. The Carter Center or family will probably issue a statement congratulating her if she wins.

Biden has made attending funerals "his thing." I can't remember another politician delivering so many eulogies and going to funerals over official business. The idea is that the deaths of his wife, daughter, and son make him more empathetic. Biden and Carter also have a close relationship, with Biden being the first Democratic Senator to endorse Carter in 1976. Considering Carter famously did not get along with Congress at all (even his fellow Democrats), this is worth noting. I think Carter would be fine with either Biden or Harris delivering a eulogy. Harris is also a baptist, like Carter (though he no longer affiliates with the national Southern Baptists). Carter does generally lean to the left compared to Clinton/Obama (he even says he voted for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 primary), so maybe he feels refreshed by Harris being slightly further to the left of Biden, especially on Israel/Palestine, one of the issues Carter is most passionate about. Sorry for the long post! I've been reading Carter's biography "His Very Best" and have gone on a deep dive about his presidency and post-presidency, so I feel like I have a general idea about what he thinks about this situation.

Tells his son, Chip Carter, that he wants to live long enough to vote for Kamala Harris. Article says he has been more alert and following politics and the war in Gaza lately.

Israel's military says it has confirmed that Mohammed Deif is dead after a strike in Khan Yunis last month.

Perhaps. It might wishful thinking to assume this war ever gets close to ending, but I think a big target like Sinwar surely changes the dynamics. A full out war with Hezbollah is as far as I see this going. I'm sure Iran will continue to support/supply resources, but Iran's domestic situation makes a war untenable.

I wonder if this is a turning point in the war. I imagine that if/when they get Sinwar, this thing will start to enter the end stages?

Iran State TV says Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran.

Wife Alma Powell dead at 86.

Hospitalized with COVID and double pneumonia

Bill Pascrell is in intensive care and "receiving breathing assistance," though he is apparently conscious.

Only diagnosed in June. Pancreatic cancer is horrible

Fritzl

As previously mentioned, Robert Wagner has been labeled as a person of interest in the drowning death of Natalie Wood in 1981. Turning 88 this year, Wagner probably doesn't have much time left and this developing story will probably bring many future updates to this thread.

Gypsy Rose Blanchard, my joker, is pregnant

Has had a conversation with Rep. Jim Clyburn; spox refuses to discuss the contents of their conversation Can the lettuce live stream start now?

Yes he is, and he's a good candidate as well, but I think Cooper would be the party's choice since he has a record of ousting a GOP incumbent and has near universal name recognition as Governor. If he wants to run, I think Schumer clears the field for him.

Well said! I appreciate the detail in your post. Definitely changed my perspective. I suppose campaign finance is not the primary reason why Harris is the favorite to succeed Biden. Still, I have a hard time seeing Dems passing over Harris for Newsom - who's not a Kennedy or Obama by any means. Democrats would have a lot of explaining to do (especially to Black voters and women) if they dropped Kamala for Newsom, Shapiro, etc. Barring any scandal (ex: Spiro Agnew), there's little incentive for dropping a Vice President from a ticket. Dan Quayle was unpopular and a major drag on GWHB's 1988 and 1992 campaigns, but Bush kept him on the ticket because Quayle would be more of a liability if let loose. The assumption was that a VP let go from a ticket would be free to criticize and retaliate against their former running mate. I have to assume that this custom would apply to an incumbent VP if the President were to withdraw from the campaign with her as his running mate.

My understanding from this article is that the funds would be immediately available to Harris, whereas other candidates would have to go through a more complicated process to obtain the funds or that funds specifically donated to a Biden/Harris general election campaign may be unavailable to a non-Harris candidate.

I agree that it seems like there's a lot of doubt right now. The fact that Biden's not going full damage control and Pelosi/Jeffries/Schumer have been far from enthusiastic after the debate makes me feel that it's just a matter of time before the switch happens, but Harris has her own issues

If Biden steps down, it will almost certainly be Harris. Campaign finance law stipulates that Harris is allowed to absorb the Biden campaign's funds, while every other candidate would have to start from scratch. This alone makes her the most likely replacement despite her polling numbers.

My understanding is that Cooper is the party's favorite recruit for NC's Senate seat in 2026. I think Beshear would be Harris' VP. Adds demographic and geographic diversity, and his career is at a dead end: term-limited southern Democratic Governor with no chance of winning a Senate seat. Either he's included in a Democratic cabinet or he's Kamala's VP.