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Tonight, the landmark Supreme Court decision

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on Donald Trump and the power

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of the presidency. The historic 6-3

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ruling, finding that Mr. Trump has

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some immunity for official acts surrounding

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January 6th, but not for unofficial

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acts. The deep divide on the

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court, one dissenting justice saying

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the president is now, quote, king above

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the law. The Trump team hailing him

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as a major win. Is there any

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chance this goes to trial before the

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election? And Biden now speaking

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on it tonight. Also tonight,

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the first lady vowed, quote, we will

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continue to fight as pressure grows for

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President Biden to drop out of the

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2024 race after

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his much criticized debate performance.

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Our new reporting on the White House's strategy,

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terrifying moments aboard an air

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Europa flight, severe turbulence injuring

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30 passengers and forcing

0:51

an emergency landing. The image

0:53

is coming in right now

0:55

as Hurricane Beryl makes landfall

0:57

in the Caribbean an extremely

0:59

dangerous category four storm, the earliest

1:02

major hurricane ever recorded. The mistrial

1:04

in the Karen Reid case

1:06

accused of murdering her Boston

1:08

police officer boyfriend. She says

1:10

she was framed. Will the

1:12

prosecution try again? This

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is NBC nightly news with Lester

1:16

Holt. And

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good evening. I'm Tom Yamas in for

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Lester tonight. The race for president and

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the power of the presidency colliding in

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one Supreme Court decision. The

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court ruled today that a president has

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at least some immunity from prosecution. The

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landmark ruling involves the federal

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election interference case against former

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President Donald Trump brought by

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special prosecutor Jack Smith. On

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one hand, the court ruling that

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Mr. Trump cannot be prosecuted for

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official acts, but also saying he

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is not immune from prosecution for

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acts outside of scope as president.

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Today's six to three decision hailed by

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Mr. Trump as a quote, big win

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for our constitution and democracy. and

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President Biden speaking tonight on this very

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issue. But first, here's Laura Jarrett with

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more on today's pivotal decision. Tonight,

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a monumental win at the Supreme

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Court for former President Trump. The

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conservative majority finding the presumptive GOP

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nominee must receive sweeping immunity

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for any official acts taken during

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his presidency. The 6-3 ruling

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a defeat for special counsel Jack Smith,

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with the court bulldozing through the charges against

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Mr. Trump for his alleged criminal

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efforts to stay in power, making

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the completion of any trial before

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November virtually impossible. Chief Justice John

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Roberts laying out a new sliding

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scale of what can be prosecuted,

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saying, a president may not be

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prosecuted for exercising his core constitutional

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powers, that he has immunity from

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prosecution for all his official acts,

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but that a president has no

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immunity for private unofficial acts, while

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cautioning the president is not above

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the law. A federal grand jury

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indicted the former president for orchestrating

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a conspiracy to retake the White

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House. Prosecutors alleging he leaned on

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his DOJ, VP, and

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state officials to help him reverse

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the election results, mobilizing meetings of

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fake electors. It all culminating in

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the violent attack on the Capitol

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on January 6th. Mr.

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Trump has pleaded not guilty to

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all charges, and argued without immunity,

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every president could be prosecuted by

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political opponents. If you don't have

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immunity, you're not gonna do anything.

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You're gonna become a ceremonial president.

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You're not gonna take any of

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the risks. The majority

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today agreeing the commander in chief

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must be able to carry out

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his constitutional duties without risk of

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political prosecution, writing, without immunity, such

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types of prosecutions of ex-presidents could

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quickly become routine, and that would

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weaken the presidency, which is exactly

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what the framers intended to avoid.

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The special counsel had pushed to

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get the case to trial before

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November. My office will seek a

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speedy trial. The ruling now dramatically

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chipping away at parts of Smith's

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case. The justices finding Mr. Trump's

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urging the then Attorney General to

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investigate voter fraud now absolutely immune

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from prosecution. What remains in the

4:13

indictment, including his pressure on his

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former VP. Mike Pence is gonna have

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to come through for us. And local

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officials like this phone call to Georgia's

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former Secretary of State. I just wanna

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find 11,780 votes, which is one more that we

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have. Are

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now entitled to a presumption of

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immunity. The liberal justices with a

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blistering pushback, Justice Sotomayor writing when

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a president uses his official powers

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in any way under the majority's

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reasoning, he will now be insulated

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from criminal prosecution. Orders the Navy

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SEAL Team Six to assassinate a

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political rival, immune. Organizes a

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military coup to hold on to power,

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immune. Takes a bribe in exchange for

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a pardon, immune. Even if

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these nightmare scenarios never play out, the

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damage has been done. And

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Laura Jara joins us now live outside the

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Supreme Court tonight. Laura, what are official or

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unofficial actions by the president? Will be decided

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by a lower court and that's gonna push

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the timeline for another Trump trial? Yes,

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Tom, Judge Chukkin now has a heavy burden

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to try to figure out what, if anything,

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remains in this indictment. It's gonna take some

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time for her to even get the case,

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schedule a hearing, potentially bring in witnesses and

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evidence, all of which Mr. Trump may try

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to appeal. Tom. Laura Jarrett leading us

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off tonight. Laura, thank you for that. Halle

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Jackson is following the politics of all this.

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Halle, former President Trump is already out there

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declaring victory after this ruling. That's

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right, Tom, calling this a big win

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for the Constitution and democracy in his words,

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saying it should end what he describes

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as the witch hunts against him. That

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this ruling virtually assures his trial will

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get pushed until after election day and

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politically for him, that is a win.

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But the White House in a new

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statement says nobody is above the law and

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that the country needs law. leaders like

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President Biden who in their words, respect

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the justice system and don't tear it

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down. But his campaign already fundraising off

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this ruling, Tom. And Hallie, I know

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you have some reporting on longtime Trump

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ally Steve Bannon heading to prison to

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start his four month sentence. That's

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right. The former White House senior

6:17

adviser walking into that Connecticut prison telling reporters

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he is proud to serve time. You see

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it there. He was convicted on

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charges of contempt of Congress for defying a

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subpoena to testify before the January 6 committee.

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He said to be released the week before

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Election Day. Tom. All

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right, Hallie. Thank you for that. All of

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this, of course, comes as the Biden campaign

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struggles with calls from Democrats to drop out

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of the race after his poor debate performance.

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The president and first lady both pushing back tonight.

6:43

Kelly O'Donnell has more from the White House. A

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campaign pressure point as Democrats

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wrestle with whether to save

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or change their party's nominee.

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Today, with a new ad, the Biden

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campaign looking to calm a crisis over

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his halting debate performance that rattled many

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Democrats. I know I'm not a young

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man. I know

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how to do this job. First

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Lady Jill Biden on the cover of

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Vogue, where she says they will not

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let those 90 minutes to find the

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four years he's been president. We will

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continue to fight. The president

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has been at Camp David.

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Several sources say some family

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members expressed deep frustration with

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advisers over debate preparations, a

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criticism voiced today by some

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elected Democrats. I think he

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probably could get better advice in terms

7:32

of how to prepare and present himself

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to the American people. A source familiar

7:37

with the president's mood after the debate

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describes him as humiliated, lacking confidence and

7:41

painfully aware of the debate's impact. White

7:44

House officials said they expect to

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add interviews and public events to

7:48

increase the president's visibility. But

7:50

doubt and worry remain about risk to

7:53

other races. One House Democrat

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telling NBC News, I think everyone wants

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to see House swing district polling. and

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then make a decision. That has to

8:01

be the firewall. Biden campaign

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officials note that if the president

8:06

did step aside, control of his

8:08

campaign war chest and operation would

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go only to the vice president.

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Any other contenders would start at

8:15

zero. Tom. Kelly O'Donnell

8:17

with that new reporting from the White

8:19

House. We'll take a turn now to

8:21

a developing story, a terrifying moment on

8:23

a flight from Spain to Uruguay, forced

8:25

to make an emergency landing after severe

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turbulence left dozens injured. Tom Costello is

8:29

with us tonight. Tom, what exactly happened?

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Yeah, this was an Air Europa Boeing 787 with

8:35

345 people on board. It

8:37

hit severe turbulence over the Atlantic.

8:39

So severe, passengers were thrown into

8:41

the ceiling panels, which were severely

8:43

damaged. One passenger was actually thrown

8:45

into an overhead luggage bin. At

8:47

least 30 people injured, most of

8:49

those minor. Though witnesses say several

8:51

people suffered broken bones and head

8:53

injuries, at least one passenger seat

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was twisted and broken. The airline

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says the pilot diverted the plane

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to the top of Brazil, where

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15 ambulances were standing

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by on the runway. In May,

9:05

you may recall a Singapore Airlines

9:07

flight made an emergency landing in

9:09

Bangkok after hitting severe turbulence, dozens

9:12

injured. One man died of a

9:14

cardiac event. Researchers say turbulence is

9:16

becoming more severe as climate change

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heats up the planet, Tom. All

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right, Tom Costello with those wild

9:22

images tonight. Tom, we thank you

9:24

for that. In the Caribbean, Hurricane

9:26

Beryl remains a dangerous category four

9:28

storm, pounding grenades, St. Vincent and

9:30

Barbados, and causing widespread damage. It

9:32

made landfall this morning with winds

9:34

of 150 miles per hour. Dylan

9:37

Dreyer is here live for us tonight. Dylan, we've

9:40

never seen a hurricane this powerful, this early. No,

9:42

this is breaking records for sure. This is the

9:44

strongest hurricane we've seen this early in the season.

9:46

The storm now is about to move over the

9:48

water and it will continue to weaken, although winds

9:50

right now are still up to 150 miles per

9:53

hour, making it

9:55

a category four storm. It should weaken

9:57

as it passes south of Jamaica by.