NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Thursday, July 11, 2024

Episode Date: July 12, 2024

Biden holds high-stakes news conference as he fights for his political life; More than 1 million still without power in Houston in sweltering heat; Inflation cools in June to lowest annual rate in more than 3 years; and more on tonight’s broadcast. 

Breaking news tonight, President Biden just a short time ago holding a high-stakes news conference as our new reporting reveals growing doubts inside his own campaign. The president under pressure, coming before the cameras this evening for a rare solo news conference, saying he's not in the race for his legacy but to complete the job he started at answering questions about Russia, China, and the war in Gaza. But minutes in, Mr. Biden stumbling, mistakenly referring to his vice president, Kamala Harris, as Vice President Trump. It comes as several of his closest allies tell NBC News they now believe his chances of beating Donald Trump are zero.

One Biden campaign official saying, quote, he needs to drop out. He will never recover from this. All of it as the president prepares to sit down for our exclusive one-on-one interview Monday. Also tonight, deadly floods in the Northeast. Burroughs remnants slamming Vermont, washing out roads, sweeping away an apartment building more than 100 rescued. And extremely dangerous heat, more than 50 million on alert. In Texas, some 500,000 expected to be without power into next week. Hospitals running on generators. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.

Good evening from Washington. Just moments ago, President Biden faced question after question from reporters in what was without question one of the most important press conferences of his presidency. His words, his demeanor, under scrutiny as never before. Tonight, he was asked again about his decision to stay in the race on a day when more Democrats called on him to drop out. Mr. Biden gave no indication that he's considering abandoning his campaign, saying, quote, I'm not in this for my legacy. I'm in this to complete the job I started. The president forcefully responded to questions about the strength of the NATO alliance, Russia, China and Israel. But the president also misspoke at one point tonight when asked about Vice President Kamala Harris. Instead, he referred to Vice President Trump.

Also tonight, the doubts about the president now infecting some close to the reelection effort. Our new reporting that his campaign is testing the idea of a ticket led by Vice President Harris. Our team has been following it all, and we start with senior White House correspondent Kelly O'Donnell. The president facing reporters tonight and defending his decision to stay in the race. There's a long way to go in this campaign. And so I'm just going to keep moving, keep moving. And because, look, I got more work to do. We've got more work to finish. While he spoke at length on complex foreign policy, a mistake early caught attention, mixing up the vice president's name. I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president

because I think she's not qualified to be president. So let's start there. Number one, the fact is that the consideration is that I think I'm the most qualified person to run for president. I beat him once and I will beat him again. After alarming his own party and stoking worries about his wellness to run at 81, at last month's debate, the president addressing his stamina and schedule. I always have an inclination, whether I was playing sports or doing politics, just to keep going, not stop. I just got to just pace myself a little more. Pace myself. New tonight, several close Biden allies, including

three involved in the reelection effort, tell NBC News they no longer see a path to a Biden victory. One campaign official with this stark assessment. He needs to drop out. He will never recover from this. Mr. Biden's response to the growing number of calls urging him to step aside. The best way to assure them is the way I assure myself. And that is, am I getting the job done? Am I getting the job done? Can you name me somebody who's got more major piece of legislation passed in three and a half years? I created 2,000 jobs just last week. So if I slow down, I can't get the job done. That's a sign that I shouldn't be doing it.

But there's no indication of that yet. None. Facing a range of questions on foreign policy and how he would face adversaries like China and Russia and dealing with the war in Gaza. China has to understand that if they are supplying Russia with information and capacity, along with working with North Korea and others to help Russia in armament, that they're not going to benefit economically as a consequence of that by getting the kind of investment they're looking for. The dramatic turn in this campaign, placing the vice president in a different spotlight. The way she's handled the issue of freedom of women's bodies to have control of their bodies. Secondly, her ability to handle

almost any issue on the board. This was a hell of a prosecutor. She was a first-rate person, and in the Senate, she was really good. I wouldn't have picked her unless I thought she was qualified to be president. From the very beginning. I made no bones about that.

She is qualified to be president. That's why I picked her. On the campaign trail today in North Carolina, Harris spoke to Democrats' doubts. One thing we know about our president, Joe Biden, is that he is a fighter. The NATO summit has dominated the president's week with its series of meetings, pageantry, and hosting a Wednesday night dinner. At a session on Ukraine, President Biden vowed to continue support, but also had a verbal slip, introducing Zelensky as Putin before catching himself. Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin. President Putin. He's going to be President

Putin. President Zelensky. All before tonight's high stakes test, the president's first solo press conference of the year. I'm not in this for my legacy. I'm in this to complete the job I started. And Kelly, the president was also asked tonight once again about taking a new medical exam. What did he say? Well, he said he would if his doctors want him to have a new exam, including a neurological workup. But he says they have not asked for that. And he noted that he is with doctors every day on his medical team. He also said he has not held back any medical information. Lester.

All right, Kelly, thank you. And our Peter Alexander was in the room where the president faced persistent questioning from reporters. Peter, your takeaways from this historic event? Well, Lester, we're getting our first evidence that this may not be enough to satisfy those concerned Democrats. The first House Democrat since this performance here at the news conference has come forward saying that he now believes that Joe Biden should step aside. That's the Connecticut Democrat Jim Himes right now. I'm hearing from a top Democratic aide saying they do not believe President Biden did enough tonight to satisfy those who were prepared to come forward and say just as much. We're also hearing from some Biden aides this evening saying if this was the Joe Biden that had performed,

that had been in that debate just two weeks ago, that he would not be, in their words, in this mess right now. I think performatively, minus that one gaffe at the beginning, I think he's going to be haunted by that to some degree as it spreads around, ricochets around the internet separately, substantively. I think most people that support him will be satisfied by his performance. Yeah. And Peter, you mentioned some of those in the early reactions to what we saw today. Today, the campaign scrambled to assure lawmakers, even as more Democrats called on the president to drop out. Ryan Nobles with that story. Who knows when the right tonight, the list of Democrats calling on President Biden to end his campaign for reelection is growing.

Ultimately, the president's going to have to make his own decision. The first senator, Peter Welsh of Vermont, joining a list of more than a dozen House Democrats publicly asking Biden to do the same, including Earl Blumenauer from Oregon. I mean, his legacy is at stake now. And despite President Biden's repeated insistence that he'll remain in the race. I'm not going anywhere. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries today indicating his caucus is far from decided. Those conversations have been candid, comprehensive, and clear-eyed, and they continue. And Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer batting

down a report claiming he has signaled to donors he's open to a change at the top of the ticket by saying, quote, I support President Biden and remain committed to ensuring Donald Trump is defeated in November. The White House and the campaign hoping to calm Capitol Hill fears sent three top officials to brief senators. But many of the senators left with more questions than answers. I still have concerns because I need more of the data and analytics that show the path to victory. Biden does have his backers in Congress who are encouraging their colleagues to end the speculation and get on board. We have the team. We have the operation.

We have the president who I trust. But many others have offered less than enthusiastic support. He needs to be able to prosecute that case that you're making. Yeah, I mean, anyone at the top of the ticket has to be able to make the case, define the terms of the debate. Others outright dodge the question. Mr. Goldman, what are you expecting from the president tonight? I don't have anything to say. Can President Biden win this race? So, Ryan, after this news conference tonight, what will Democrats be discussing tomorrow? Well, they're definitely going to take a close review of what they saw here tonight, Lester, but they're also going to

want to see the president out on the road and see how he performs in high stakes interviews like the one he has with you on Monday. Lester. Ryan Nobles, thanks very much. And please join us Monday when I interview President Biden exclusively. The complete conversation airs on a primetime special starting at 9 p.m. Eastern as Savannah Guthrie and I lead our coverage for the start of the Republican convention. And tomorrow morning, Democratic leader Jim Clyburn joins the Today Show. Let's turn out of the remnants of Hurricane Barrel dumping heavy rain and causing a flooding emergency in Vermont. Here's Stephanie Gosk. It may have been the remnants of Hurricane Beryl, but tonight areas of the Northeast are reeling from storm damage,

like this possible tornado in upstate New York, ripping the roof off a home. Four tornadoes were confirmed in the state. It came fast. From the time I heard the train, we barely made it to the downstairs basement. Tornado right there. And reports of three more are being investigated by the weather service. In northern Vermont, torrential downpours overwhelmed rivers. Water raging through towns after some areas received more than six inches of rain in just a matter of hours. Flash flooding led to at least one death. The Vermont National Guard was called in to help with over 100 water rescues.

Where the water receded, homes were left in ruin. I don't even know where this, how much water came from where because, I mean, there's just mud everywhere. Exactly one year after the same area weathered extreme floods, now the governor says the state was ready. Our response and tools are only stronger as a result of last year, and we will get through this. But it will take time. This morning, the downtown streets of Bar Vermont looked more like the canals of Venice, while roads and bridges are destroyed throughout the state. And the threat is not over. Currents are fast, and there is a tremendous amount of flood debris in the water. A storm that started as a hurricane in Texas, tearing a deadly path across the entire country. Stephanie Gosk, NBC News. In Houston, an increasingly desperate situation with more than a million people still without power from Beryl and facing brutal heat and humidity.

Kathy Park is there. Kathy, good evening. Lester, one of the main energy suppliers in Houston is under fire for the slow response after Beryl as more than a million Texans are spending another day without power. Tonight, Houston reaching a boiling point with the heat index climbing up to 102 degrees. We literally had to sleep in our small car because it was extremely hot in our home. The dangerously hot weather causing a spike in heat-related emergencies. Several hospitals are relying on generators, including Houston's Harris Health. The main issue right now is just the increased,

crazy increase in the number of people showing up to our emergency rooms. At Baylor-St. Luke's Medical Center, ER visits are up 80 percent. The health care provider community has risen to the occasion. People come in on their days off. Dr. Brad Lemke says it's not just treating the patients that's a challenge, but discharging them. There were 15 patients that we couldn't discharge yesterday that didn't have a safe place to go to. The state announced Houston's NRG Park is offering backup. Part of it transformed into a temporary medical facility with 250 beds for people who are discharged from a hospital but can't go home because they don't have power. Will you be turning to that resource if needed?

We certainly will. The oppressive heat is being blamed for at least 38 deaths in the U.S. And in places like Houston, with more than a million still without power, growing frustrations directed at Centerpoint Energy's response. Was Centerpoint prepared? We were, yes. Centerpoint's Darren Carroll says more than 12,000 crews are on the ground, but he anticipates roughly 500,000 customers will still be without power into next week. What do you tell those customers who will be going without power for over a week? Yeah, first thing we do is just let them know that we understand.

We acknowledge, you know, what it must be like to live in Texas in July and not have electricity. How would you rate CenterPoint's response after Beryl? I don't want to put a number on it, but I'll say is that, you know, this is the fastest we've ever restored a million customers. But the prolonged outages are forcing people to search for any form of relief. The demand for food and water is reaching another level. People are waiting at least three hours at distribution sites like this one. Just take a look at this line. It stretches all around this Walmart parking lot and down the road. It's very frustrating. Tensions are high. A crisis deepening after an unprecedented outage in the nation's fourth largest city. Kathy Park, NBC News, Houston. And we will be back in just a moment.

In North Carolina, police have made two arrests in a series of shootings that gripped the city of Charlotte and left it in fear and left one person dead. And you may be surprised when you hear how old the suspects are. Here's Emily Akeda. Tonight, a pair of stunning arrests in Charlotte, North Carolina. Police taking two teens into custody who they say are responsible for five random shootings that left the community on edge over a two-day manhunt. It's one thing when we have a shooting spree between two maybe rival gangs, neighborhood gangs, beefs, but this is randall and just

completely unusual. 18-year-old Carlos Roberto Diaz and an unidentified 16-year-old now facing first-degree murder, among other charges. While their exact roles are unclear, within a half-hour span Tuesday morning, the suspects are accused of shooting at drivers, bicyclists, and people on foot and in homes, all from a car, according to Charlotte Mecklenburg Police. In total, two people were injured, authorities say, and a 58-year-old was killed while driving. Investigators say the 16-year-old suspect had been actively looking to commit more violence. There was no doubt that he was going to continue his crime spree. The rampage comes amid an alarming rise in juvenile crime in Charlotte.

Shootings up 33 percent in 2023. Across the country, the number of firearms homicides by young people nearly doubled over a decade. If we can't break the cycle of violent criminal behavior with our young people, then our future is not very bright for the safety of our citizens within our community. Police say they found a stolen gun in the 16-year-old's car when he was arrested today. They are not looking for anyone else in this shooting. Lester. Emily Aketa,

thank you. Coming up as we continue inflation cooling, have we reached a turning point in the inflation fight? The good news about prices next. Back now with some long awaited news on the economy. For the first time in four years, U.S. consumer prices have fallen. Christine Romans is here. And Christine, this is a long time coming. It is, Lester. From May to June, consumer prices fell a tenth of a percent. We haven't seen lower prices since the start of the pandemic. The annual inflation rate now 3 percent. Remarkable improvement there from the peak of 9.1 percent two years ago. Prices fell this month for gas, used cars and trucks, airfares, other transportation services, and that decline in gasoline more than offset rising housing costs. Grocery store price

is up slightly, but for 2024 so far, average grocery inflation is essentially it's flat. And because wages have been rising faster than inflation for a year now, people may finally start feeling a difference. It may also be a turning point in the Federal Reserve's inflation fight. Coupled with still strong but cooling jobs growth, it signals the Fed may be able to cut interest rates sooner rather than later. Mortgage rates are already retreating. The 30-year fixed rate mortgage falling to 6.8 percent today. Lester.

And that's nightly news for this Thursday. And one more note, join us tomorrow night for the first American interview with newly elected British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Thank you for watching, everyone. I'm Lester Hull. Please take care of yourself and each other. Good night.