Tuesday morning news: September 10, 2024

Debate » During the last presidential debate, President Biden was on stage. Tonight, the White House says, like millions of other Americans, he’ll be tuning in. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

PIERRE: The president is going to watch the debate. He's looking forward to watching the debate. I'm not going to preview or, or confirm any conversations between the president and the vice president. As you know, they speak often. He will be watching.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have taken sharply different approaches in gearing up for the debate.

Trump remained out on the campaign trail over the weekend while Harris huddled with her team at a Pittsburgh hotel.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz says cramming for the debate won’t be enough.

TED CRUZ:  Kamala, this is the one time they're letting her be unscripted. Her campaign team is terrified for her to answer questions. She reads from, from the teleprompter. This debate, she can, she can step on landmines.

But Democratic Congresswoman Madeleine Dean said Harris will be more than ready.

MADELEINE DEAN: She’s a skilled storyteller. She’s a skilled prosecutor. And my, there is a case to be prosecuted here for the future of America.

ABC News will host the debate in Philadelphia at 9pm Eastern Time.

House budget bill » On Capitol Hill, lawmakers are clashing over a Republican push to attach election security to a government funding bill. They’re looking to merge spending legislation with what’s known as the SAVE Act.

GOP Congressman Chip Roy:

CHIP ROY:  We have an obligation to secure our border, but also make sure that only American citizens vote. Republicans are standing up for that.

But Democrats see it differently. And Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer signaled on Monday that if a funding bill attached to the SAVE Act reaches the Senate … he’s prepared to kick it back to the lower chamber.

CHUCK SCHUMER:  It's a shame that the House of Representatives is once again wasting time catering to the hard right, instead of doing the hard work of responsible, bipartisan governance.

Members are working on a stopgap funding bill with three weeks left till the end of the fiscal year.

Afghanistan report » Meantime, House Republicans on Monday released a detailed and scathing report on the botched withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan three years ago.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul:

MICHAEL MCCAUL: President Biden had no justification to go to zero – pulling all military troops out, all contractors -- going to zero, leaving…our marines at the end of the day were completely unprotected.

But National Security Council spokesman John Kirby pushed back. He said the decision to withdraw when we did avoided future American casualties. But he did concede …

KIRBY: Not everything went according to plan. Nothing ever does. And we mourn the loss of those 13 lives at Abbey Gate. Every single day here, their sacrifice does – is not forgotten.

Democrats released their own report Monday, laying blame at the feet of the Trump administration for inking the deal with the Taliban that preceded the pullout of U.S. forces. They claim that agreement forced President Biden’s hand on the hasty complete withdrawal.

Tropical Storm Francine » A storm now swirling over the Gulf of Mexico could strike the U.S. Gulf Coast this week as a hurricane.

Michael Brennan with the National Hurricane Center said Tropical Storm Fancine is heading north.

MICHAEL BRENNAN:  The center reaching the coast sometime Wednesday afternoon within the hurricane warning area that's now been issued from Sabine Pass to Morgan City, Louisiana. That's where we expect landfall to occur, but hazardous conditions are going to extend well away from the center.

Officials have already extended tropical storm watches along much of the Texas coast.

Francine is expected to dump heavy rains in northern Mexico and Texas before making landfall possibly in northern Texas or Louisiana.

Cancer-free Kate » Kate Middleton said she’s officially cancer free according to a personal video the Royal Family posted on Monday.

Kate: Doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes.

The Princess of Wales stepped back from her royal duties earlier this year after doctors discovered an undisclosed form of cancer during surgery on her abdomen in January.

King Charles also announced his battle with an unnamed cancer just before Kate in February.

James Earl Jones obit » James Earl Jones has died at the age of 93.

His agent confirmed that Jones passed Monday at home. Jones was a pioneering actor who eventually lent his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and, of course Darth Vader.

SOUND (Star Wars clip): I find your lack of faith disturbing.

Working well into his 80s, he won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, and a Grammy, among other awards. In 2022, a Broadway theater was renamed in his honor.

I’m Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Why China is halting international adoptions. Plus, homeschool lending libraries.

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