[KARAH]

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: If you can be convinced that you cannot defeat Donald Trump, will you stand down?

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: (LAUGH)- It depends on– on if the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me that, I might do that.

PRESIDENT BIDEN’S FIRST BROADCAST INTERVIEW AFTER THE DEBATE LEAVES TOP DEMOCRATS STILL SEEKING A CHANGE

AND — HURRICANE BERYL MAKES LANDFALL IN TEXAS — BRINGING DANGEROUS WINDS AND RAINS ALONG THE COAST

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS MONDAY, JULY 8TH

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN HOPED HIS FIRST BROADCAST INTERVIEW SINCE the first presidential debate WOULD RELIEVE WORRY IN HIS OWN PARTY AND CREATE A CONSENSUS THAT HE IS THE RIGHT MAN TO TAKE ON FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IN NOVEMBER’S ELECTION.

but FOLLOWING THE INTERVIEW —  TOP DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE ARE reportedly BANDING TOGETHER – IN THEIR BELIEF THAT BIDEN SHOULD DROP OUT OF THE RACE.

HOUSE DEMOCRATS HELD A VIRTUAL PRIVATE MEETING SUNDAY – BROUGHT TOGETHER BY MINORITY LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES – AND ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED – THEY DISCUSSED HOW TO GET THE PRESIDENT TO AGREE TO STEP ASIDE AS THEIR PARTY’S CANDIDATE.

FOUR NAMES ARE BEING REPORTED WHO SPOKE OUT DURING THE MEETING TO SAY THAT BIDEN SHOULD END HIS CAMPAIGN — CONGRESSMEN JERROLD NADLER AND JOSEPH MORELLE OF NEW YORK,  ADAM SMITH OF WASHINGTON, AND MARK TAKANO OF CALIFORNIA.

EACH A RANKING COMMITTEE MEMBER.

CONGRESSWOMAN SUSAN WILD OF PENNSYLVANIA RELEASED A STATEMENT AFTER THE MEETING – SAYING  SHE “EXPRESSED THE SAME CONCERNS THAT AMERICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE GRAPPLING WITH, ABOUT PRESIDENT BIDEN’S ELECTABILITY AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET.”

SOME DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS HOWEVER SAY THEY ARE STICKING WITH THE PRESIDENT – CONGRESSMAN DON BEYER OF VIRGINIA saying he SUPPORTs BIDEN AND RICHARD NEAL OF MASSACHUSETTS CALLING BIDEN “A VISIONARY” – ADDING “LET’S KEEP GOING!”

DURING THE INTERVIEW WITH ABC NEWS ON FRIDAY – PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS ASKED ABOUT BEING CONFRONTED BY DEMOCRATIC LEADERS TO STEP ASIDE.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: And if Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries and Nancy Pelosi come down and say, “We’re worried that if you stay in the race, we’re gonna lose the House and the Senate,” how will you respond?

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: I– I’d go into detail with them. I’ve speaken (PH) to all of them in detail including Jim Clyburn, every one of ’em. They all said I should stay in the race– stay in the race. No one said– none of the people said I should leave.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: But if they do?

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Well, it’s, like, (LAUGH) they’re not gonna do that.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: You’re sure?

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Well, Yeah, I’m sure. Look. I mean, if the Lord Almighty came down and said, “Joe, get outta the race,” I’d get outta the race. The Lord Almighty’s not comin‘ down.

[KARAH]

ALSO IN THE ABC INTERVIEW – THE PRESIDENT WAS ASKED IF HE WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE AN INDEPENDENT MEDICAL EXAMINATION INCLUDING COGNITIVE TESTS. BIDEN REPLIED HE HAS A COGNITIVE TEST WITH HIS DUTIES AS PRESIDENT EVERY DAY.  ON SUNDAY — JAMES COMER – THE REPUBLICAN CHAIR OF THE HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE — REQUESTED BIDEN’S PERSONAL PHYSICIAN TESTIFY ABOUT THE PRESIDENT’S HEALTH.

WITH JUST WEEKS TO GO UNTIL IT HOSTS THE SUMMER OLYMPICS — FRANCE WOKE UP TODAY WITH SOME UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT ITS GOVERNMENT AFTER THE SECOND ROUND OF LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS ENDED SUNDAY.

NO PARTY WON AN ABSOLUTE MAJORITY AND THE COUNTRY NOW FACES A HUNG PARLIAMENT.

IT WAS THE LEFT-WING ALLIANCE — CALLED THE NEW POPULAR FRONT — THAT SECURED THE MOST SEATS IN THE FRENCH PARLIAMENT.

THE PARTY THAT JUST CAME TOGETHER LAST MONTH – PICKING UP 182 SEATS – BUT FAR SHORT OF THE 289 NEEDED TO SECURE A MAJORITY IN THE 577-SEAT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.

PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON AND HIS CENTRIST ENSEMBLE ALLIANCE WON 163 SEATS

AND THE FAR-RIGHT PARTY NATIONAL RALLY TRAILED BEHIND — WINNING 143.

THESE RESULTS CAME AS A SURPRISE — AS THE NATIONAL PARTY WAS EXPECTED TO BE THE BIG WINNER – AFTER A STRONG SHOWING IN THE FIRST ROUND LAST WEEK.

MACRON – WHO HAS SAID HE WILL REMAIN IN OFFICE UNTIL 20-27 – CALLED FOR THESE SNAP ELECTIONS IN HOPES OF GIVING FRANCE A QUOTE “MOMENT OF CLARITY.”

BUT MACRON NOW HAS HIS WORK CUT OUT FOR HIM  — HIS PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCING HIS RESIGNATION TODAY – BUT MACRON REFUSING TO ACCEPT IT — ASKING HIM TO STAY ON AS MACRON FACES A DEEPLY DIVIDED GOVERNMENT.

LATE SUNDAY NIGHT – BOEING AGREED TO PLEAD GUILTY TO A CRIMINAL FRAUD CONSPIRACY CHARGE IN CONNECTION TO TWO DEADLY PLANE CRASHES INVOLVING ITS 737 MAX JETS.

WITH THE GUILTY PLEA – BOEING WILL BE BRANDED A CRIMINAL FELON WHICH COULD JEOPARDIZE THE COMPANY’S ABILITY TO SECURE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.

AS PART OF THE PLEA AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE – BOEING WILL PAY AN ADDITIONAL 243 POINT 6 MILLION DOLLAR FINE – ON TOP OF A PREVIOUS 243 MILLION DOLLAR FINE THE COMPANY HAS ALREADY PAID.

AND BOEING HAS ALSO AGREED TO INVEST AT LEAST 455 MILLION DOLLARS IN SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE PROGRAMS.

THE PLEA DEAL FOLLOWS THE DOJ’S FINDINGS THAT BOEING BREACHED A 20-21 AGREEMENT TO MAKE SAFETY CHANGES FOLLOWING THE TWO CRASHES IN INDONESIA AND ETHIOPIA IN 20-18 AND 20-19 THAT KILLED 346 PEOPLE.

THE PLEA DEAL STILL REQUIRES A JUDGE’S APPROVAL.

FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS OF THOSE FATAL CRASHES SAY THEY WILL ASK THE JUDGE TO REJECT THE DEAL – AS THEY WANT BOEING TO FACE A TRIAL AND HARSHER PENALTIES.

[TAKE VO]

BERYL MAKES LANDFALL AS CATEGORY 1 HURRICANE

early this morning —

HURRICANE BERYL MADE LANDFALL SOUTH WEST OF HOUSTON TEXAS — AS A CATEGORY 1 STORM.

that’s aCCORDING TO THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER.

BERYL PACKED WINDS OF 80 MILEs PER HOUR, WITH GUSTS EVEN STRONGER.

MORE THAN 80-THOUSAND TEXANS hAVE ALREADY LOST POWER.

AS BERYL MOVES FURTHER INLAND ACROSS EASTERN TEXAS, IT’S BRINGING HEAVY RAIN, STORM SURGES, POSSIBLE TORNADOES, AND STRONG WINDS.

THE AREA COULD SEE RAINFALL BETWEEN 5 TO 10 INCHES, WITH SOME SPOTS POSSIBLY GETTING UP TO 15 INCHES.

BERYL IS EXPECTED TO QUICKLY DOWNGRADE TO A TROPICAL STORM AND WEAKEN FURTHER TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION BY THE TIME IT REACHES ARKANSAS ON TUESDAY MORNING.

AFTER MONTHS OF NEGOTIATIONS – PARAMOUNT GLOBAL AND SKYDANCE MEDIA HAVE ANNOUNCED A DEAL TO MERGE.

BEFORE BECOMING ONE COMPANY — SKYDANCE MEDIA WILL PAY 2 POINT 4 BILLION DOLLARS IN CASH TO ACQUIRE A CONTROLLING STAKE IN PARAMOUNT – THE HOME OF THE MOVIE STUDIO PARAMOUNT PICTURES – THE BROADCAST NETWORK CBS, AND CABLE NETWORKS LIKE MTV AND NICKELODEON.

THIS MARKS THE END OF an ERA FOR PARAMOUNT – THE MEDIA GIANT HAS BEEN RUNNing FOR DECADES.

SKYDANCE FOUNDER DAVID ELLISON —  THE SON OF ORACLE’S CO-FOUNDER LARRY ELLISION – WILL BECOME CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF THE NEW PARAMOUNT — WHICH IS VALUED AT 28 BILLION DOLLARS.

THE AGREEMENT INCLUDES A 45-DAY PERIOD THAT GIVES PARAMOUNT’S BOARD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEEK A BETTER DEAL IF POSSIBLE.

FINALLY THIS MORNING —

FOUR NASA VOLUNTEERS EMERGED FROM A YEAR-LONG MARS SIMULATION AT HOUSTON’S JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, TESTING LIFE ON THE RED PLANET WITHOUT EVER LEAVING EARTH.

INSIDE A 3D-PRINTED 1,7000 SQUARE-FOOT HABITAT FOR 378 DAYS, THE CREW TACKLED CHALLENGES LIKE ISOLATION, RESOURCE LIMITS AND EVEN CONDUCTED SIMULATED SPACEWALKS —  MIMICKING WHAT A REAL MARS MISSION WOULD FEEL LIKE.

NASA HAS ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR TWO MORE SIMULATED “MARS” MISSIONS — WITH THE NEXT SET TO BEGIN IN THE FIRST HALF OF 20-25.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS MONDAY.

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.

UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT DAY!