NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Episode Date: July 25, 2024

Biden addresses nation for first time since exiting presidential race; Netanyahu addresses joint meeting of Congress; Team USA loses first soccer match, Coco Gauff named flag bearer; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Breaking news tonight, President Biden delivering a historic address to the nation about his decision to drop out of the 2024 race. The president speaking this evening from the Oval Office, saying he's decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. And making the case for the Democratic Party's new de facto nominee, Kamala Harris. Mr. Biden telling the American people, quote, history is in your hands. And laying out his plans for the final months in office. Our full team coverage. Also tonight, as Donald Trump returns to the campaign trail for the first time since Mr. Biden dropped out, new video from the attempt on his life and chilling new details about the gunman, the FBI director telling Congress that

he searched for information about the JFK assassination, and thousands of protesters taking to the streets in Washington as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses Congress, police in riot gear deploying pepper spray and making arrests. Netanyahu and his fiery remarks defending the war in Gaza, but dozens of Democrats boycotting his speech. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Good evening and welcome. We have just witnessed a significant moment in our history as President Biden explained to the American people why he gave up his campaign for re-election. In an Oval Office address three days after first announcing his decision, Mr. Biden taking the long view of not just his presidential term,

but the life of a public servant as well. The president declaring that democracy is at stake, saying the idea of America lies in your hands, and asking the question, does character in public life still matter? He told the country why Vice President Kamala Harris, who he called a younger voice, is his choice to run against former President Donald Trump. Mr. Biden saying the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. Peter Alexander reports on a pivotal night at the White House. Lester, this was a historic night. The president, the first in nearly 60 years to not run for a second term, making that announcement just a couple of days ago and now delivering it eye to eye with the honor of his lifetime to serve as your president. He says, I draw strength and find joy in working for the people. But in his words, this sacred task of perfecting our union is not about me. It's about you, your families, your futures. It's about we, the people. The president tonight, among other things,

saying that he reveres the office in which he serves, but says he loves his country more. Here's more of what President Biden said just moments ago. I've given my heart and my soul to our nation, like so many others. I've been blessed a million times in return with the love and support of the American people. I hope you have some idea how grateful I am to all of you. The great thing about America is here, kings and dictators do not rule. The people do. History is in your hands. In just a few months, the American people will choose the course of America's future.

I made my choice. I've made my views known. I'd like to thank our great Vice President Kamala Harris. She's experienced. She's tough. She's capable. She's been an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country. Now the choice is up to you, the American people. The president adding tonight that nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy, saying that includes personal ambition. He said the great thing about America is here. Kings and dictators do not rule. The people do. History, the president said, is in your hands. Lester, I was struck here in the president's speech tonight by the dramatic turn of events we've witnessed over the course of less than a month. Remember, it was less than a month ago that President Biden was on that debate stage, which ultimately led to all the drama within the Democratic Party

and those calls for his departure, ultimately the president making history and reiterating again in his formal remarks moments ago. And of course, dealing with a bout of COVID all along the way. Peter, I know that there were plans for White House staffers to join and watch this together. I can only imagine emotions are running somewhat high. What do we know about the reaction? Lester, you're exactly right. As you look at a live picture of the White House right now, we could hear the loud cheers as the president completed his remarks speaking inside the Oval Office. President Biden exiting the Oval Office, going Biden exiting the Oval Office, going into the Rose Garden where he was greeted, I'm told, by hundreds of White House staffers,

including those who work for the vice president's office as well. The president greeting them with a loud hellos and huge cheers. I'm told by those in attendance that it was both an exhilarating and a joyful moment, but also a bittersweet one, as they acknowledge that only six months now exist in the remaining time that he will serve as president. And perhaps fittingly for this president of the United States, the entire group there gathered and celebrated his successes in their eyes with ice cream. Lester. All right, Peter Alexander, thank you. Join me now. Meet the press moderator, Kristen Welker. Kristen, the president clearly with a long view of history in this speech, standing on his record. History is in your hands. The idea of America lies in your hands, he said. Lester, that's right. Look, this was a speech for the history books, just as when LBJ announced he wasn't going to run for reelection in 1968. It's the type of speech that

will be replayed for decades to come. It's clear that the president wanted to convey that he's come to terms with the reality of the situation, ultimately coming to the conclusion, as he said, quote, nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition. Really stunning to hear him use that term. Now, as Peter just noted, he also urged Americans to support Vice President Kamala Harris, who he now passes the torch to. This speech was his attempt really to write a first draft of how he wants his legacy to be remembered, ticking through his accomplishments and what he hopes to achieve in the next six months. He ended with that call to action, telling Americans that

history is in their hands. Now, just zooming out a little bit, Lester, this all comes as 87 percent of Americans say they support the president's decision to step aside. That's according to a new poll. Still, the bottom line is his legacy could very well be determined by whether Democrats defeat Donald Trump in November. All right, Kristen, thank you. Also tonight, former President Trump is holding his first campaign rally since President Biden dropped out of the race, as the FBI director revealed much more about the man who tried to kill Mr. Trump. Garrett Haik has late details for us. Tonight, new video showing the moment a would-be assassin fired on former President Trump.

As people scream and run for cover. The new video coming to light as FBI Director Chris Wray shared shocking new details of the shooting investigation in testimony before a House committee. Wray reporting that the shooter managed to fire eight total rounds and revealing this disturbing evidence extracted from the shooter's laptop. On July 6th, he did a Google search for, quote, how far away was Oswald from Kennedy. It all comes as Mr. Trump holds a rally in North Carolina tonight with security tighter than ever. More Secret Service and law enforcement agents on scene, plus a roof over the candidate's head. There will be no more outdoor rallies this year, campaign sources tell NBC News. The Trump campaign has seen a surge of enthusiasm since

the attempted assassination, now gearing up to take on Vice President Kamala Harris. We officially defeated the worst president in the history of our country, Crooked Joe Biden. Campaign sources say the former president plans to keep attacks on President Biden front and center and tie Harris to her boss's record on issues like immigration and inflation. She'll destroy our country if she's elected, so we won't let her be elected. Mr. Trump boasting to reporters Tuesday she'll be easier than Mr. Biden to defeat. She's the same as Biden, but much more radical. She's a radical left person, and this country doesn't want a radical left person to destroy it. And saying he'd be open to multiple additional debates. Mr. Trump also attacking Harris in starkly personal language on social media,

as a liar and, quote, dumb as a rock, posting this image contrasting headlines about her racial identity with no other context. Some House Republicans attacking the vice president as a, quote, diversity hire. One hundred percent. She was a D.I. hire. He said he was going to hire. And then she didn't. Her record is abysmal at best. Even former Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy warning his party that attack line will backfire. I would say two attacks I've heard Republicans give that are totally stupid and dumb to do is the DEI attack. She is the vice president of the United States.

She is the former U.S. senator. These congressmen that are saying it, they're wrong in their own instance. All right. Mr. Trump jokingly asking his crowd tonight for permission to stop being nice. these congressmen that are saying it they're wrong in their own instance all right mr trump jokingly asking his crowd tonight for permission to stop being nice the unity message in the republican party apparently a thing of the past lester okay garrett thank you israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu addressed a joint meeting of congress defending the gaza war but facing pushback from some u.s lawmakers as thousands of protesters took to the streets.

Andrea Mitchell has more. Capitol Police deploying pepper spray at protesters against the war in Gaza, where the Hamas-led health ministry says 129 Palestinians have been killed in the last two days. The protesters blaming one man they say is prolonging the war Hamas started. Israel's controversial Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a critical point in the ceasefire talks defiant, not giving the conciliatory speech his aides had promised the White House. Israel will not relent. Israel will not bend. In the gallery, a freed Israeli hostage, Noah Argamani, rescued by IDF soldiers in June and Israeli soldiers wounded in Gaza. Netanyahu's main target, Iran, sponsor of Hamas, which attacked Israel on October 7th.

Netanyahu accusing the anti-war protesters of being allied with Hamas. These protesters stand with them. They should be ashamed of themselves. And claiming many were funded by Iran. You have officially become Iran's useful idiots. More than three dozen Democratic lawmakers boycotted his speech. Others sat in silent protest. The prime minister thanking the U.S. for its weapons. He also complaining about delays, something the U.S. denies.

Give us the tools faster and we'll finish the job faster. Jonathan Dekelhen, whose son, Sagi, was captured on October 7th, called the speech shameful. Our expectation was that he, by virtue of having come to D.C., would be making a clear commitment to ending this madness and this bloodbath in Gaza and along the way returning our loved ones and letting Israel heal. Today, Israel walked away from the hostage talks until next week. The families will get their chance to press for a ceasefire tomorrow at the White House in a meeting with Biden and Netanyahu. year. Andrea Mitchell in Washington, thank you. In Nepal, investigators are trying to find out why a plane crashed today just after taking off from the airport, killing 18 of the 19 people on board.

Janice Mackey-Frayer has late details for us. Chilling video shows how the plane veered then crashed in Nepal, bursting into flames at the side of the runway. The crash just after takeoff from Kathmandu, killing 18 people on board, including a child, according to the Civil Aviation Authority. The pilot, the lone survivor, pulled from the charred wreckage. Airport officials say the Soya Airlines plane was heading toward pokhara a resort town in western nepal for maintenance most of the passengers were nepali mechanics or airline staff there was no way that anyone could go near the plane and help out when there was so much fire

said this eyewitness it isn't yet clear what caused the crash that highlights Nepal's poor air safety record. With a string of plane and helicopter crashes in recent years, experts say unpredictable weather and strong winds make Nepal a risk, with conditions around many of the world's highest mountains a challenge for most pilots. Grieving relatives waited at the hospital to collect the dead as investigators combed the debris for answers. Janice McEfrair, NBC News. In 60 seconds, French officials revealing they have already thwarted potential attacks on the Paris Olympics as we get rare access to the elite team securing the city. Just two days until the opening ceremony and tonight, French officials

say they have already thwarted four potential attacks on the Paris Olympics, including a plot by a Russian-born man to destabilize the Games. Richard Engel takes us inside one elite unit as they make last-minute preps. On a rainy afternoon on the outskirts of Paris, France's most elite counter-terrorist unit prepared for the worst. A hostage crisis during the Olympics. A bus taken over by a terrorist. The SWAT team makes an explosive breach, storming in, killing the terrorist and rescuing the hostages. They've been drilling like this daily. To say that security will be tighter in these games is an understatement. They've been preparing for two and a half years for this. In addition to hundreds of counter-terrorist special

operators who will be driving around the city in armored vehicles and flying above Paris in helicopters, there'll be more than 45,000 police on hand just for the opening ceremonies, which is unprecedented in France. Tight security is by now a feature at all Olympics, but France has a history. Islamic extremists killed 86 with a truck in Nice in 2016 and went on a shooting rampage across Paris, taking over the Baraclan theater during a rock concert. This unit responded to the Baraclan. Lester interviewed a commander just after they went in.

This was the first thing that went to the door. Exactly. Now they worry about a repeat. Are there any particular risks that you're most concerned about? Top priorities? I think that the worst risk is a major and moving terrorist attack, like we faced it in the Bataclan. So we're preparing for all those kind of scenarios with the worst condition possible. Another challenge? Instead of being in a stadium, the opening ceremony will move across Paris, floating down the Seine.

It's expected to be dramatic, artistic, and hard to protect. Today, France said, it's ready. Richard Engel, NBC News, Paris. And up next, as we continue here tonight, Vice President Harris is drawing on her experience as a prosecutor in her presidential campaign. Why it could be a double-edged sword. Next. Back now with more on the historic shakeup in the 2024 race, with Kamala Harris now the clear frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, her past as a prosecutor is in the spotlight.

As Liz Kreutz reports, it wasn't always considered an asset. Vice President Kamala Harris now using her experience as a prosecutor to take on former President Donald Trump. I specialize in cases involving sexual abuse. Well, Trump was found liable for committing sexual abuse. It's a similar message she made four years ago during her run in the Democratic presidential primary. She prosecuted sex predators. He is one. Back then, some progressives dubbed her Kamala the cop and she dropped out of the race. Her supporters are hoping that what was once seen as a liability could now be among her biggest assets, drawing a contrast between Harris,

the former San Francisco District Attorney and California Attorney General, and Mr. Trump, who was convicted of felony crimes. She is well equipped to prosecute, I'm going to emphasize, to prosecute the case against Donald Trump. But as Harris highlights her background, it's also opening up renewed scrutiny of her complicated and at times contradictory record. There's many cases in which Kamala Harris has been extremely weak on crime. Republicans already attacking the self-described progressive prosecutor for failing to seek the death penalty for a man who killed a San Francisco police officer and linking her to state policies they say contributed to a rise in crime.

That I will support and defend. And yet Harris has at times also been seen as a law and order prosecutor. As district attorney, she touted an increase in felony convictions and supported policies that outraged some progressives, including criminally prosecuting parents of children who skipped school. I decided I was going to start prosecuting parents for truancy. Harris later expressed regret over that law. But now, 20 years later... I will proudly put my record against his any day of the week.

With polls showing crime has become a top issue for voters, her image as a top cop is one the VP's supporters are now embracing as she makes the biggest case of her political life. Liz Kreutz, NBC News. And up next, the first results for Team USA in Paris as Coco Gauff is named as a flag bearer. Stay with us. Oh, wow. The opening ceremony is still two days away, but the competition in Paris has already kicked off.

Stephanie Goss spoke to tennis superstar Coco Gauff about her historic Olympic honor alongside LeBron James. Tonight, the unofficial start to the Paris Olympics. Team USA lost to France in men's soccer, but in many ways, just being here is the win. The last time the team qualified for the Olympics was in 2008. On a different field, fireworks. Angry Morocco fans threw bottles and crashed the field after a controversial call, stopping play for two hours. With two days until opening ceremony, 20-year-old tennis star Coco Gauff is feeling the magnitude of the moment. Oh, I was not expecting that. Just named a flag bearer for Team USA.

Surprised when teammate Chris Eubanks broke the news. Goff will join LeBron James. You guys are going to be at the front of the boat. How's it going to work? I have no idea. I don't know if there's flag barrier training I have to go to. And she's a little nervous about meeting her basketball idol. You're a big basketball fan.

Yes, I am. It's kind of huge. It's very huge. You're standing You're a big basketball fan. Yes, I am. It's kind of huge. It's very huge. Yeah, I know. I feel like this and the world is like so big right now. Meanwhile, Parisians are doing what they can to navigate a city center effectively shut down. Fat Tire Tour Company has to adapt. Have you had to change your tours a bit because of it? Just a little bit, completely. Owner David Mebane and his family split their time between Austin, Texas and Paris. What would you say is the best way to get around Paris right now? And then he showed me on a bike I got a traffic-free tour of the most famous tower in the world. Stephanie Gosk, NBC News, Paris.

And that is nightly news for this Wednesday. Thank you for watching. I'm Lester Hull. Please take care of yourself and each other. Good night.