(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Hillary Clinton offered President Joe Biden some advice ahead of Thursday’s CNN debate, warning him that fact checking former President Donald Trump is a “waste of time.”

Clinton penned an op-ed for The New York Times, published on Tuesday, in which she drew on her own experience debating Trump to offer words of wisdom to Biden. Clinton claimed Trump only offers “nonsense” and “blather” on a debate stage. Thursday’s debate will run for 90 minutes and there will be no audience.

“In our three debates in 2016, he unleashed a blizzard of interruptions, insults and lies that overwhelmed the moderators and did a disservice to the voters who tuned in to learn about our visions for the country — including a record 84 million viewers for our first debate,” Clinton wrote about her experience debating Trump.

She claimed that the former president is the one with a low expectation bar on Thursday, declaring he’ll be praised as “presidential” by supporters even if all he manages to do is not set himself on fire.

“Expectations for him are so low that if he doesn’t literally light himself on fire on Thursday evening, some will say he was downright presidential,” she wrote.

According to Clinton, it’s a “waste of time” to directly respond to Trump’s attacks, saying the former president simply “interrupts” and “bullies.”

“It is a waste of time to try to refute Mr. Trump’s arguments like in a normal debate,” she wrote. “It’s nearly impossible to identify what his arguments even are. He starts with nonsense and then digresses into blather. This has gotten only worse in the years since we debated.”

Clinton argued Trump has only gotten “angrier” and more “unhinged” in the years since their face-offs. Clinton told Biden to be “direct and forceful” as he was in his State of the Union address.

“This election is between a convicted criminal out for revenge and a president who delivers results for the American people,” she wrote. “No matter what happens in the debate, that’s an easy choice.”

There are a million apps and services out there that will let you pay bills and move money around, but you still need a bank account. Yes, banks can be kind of crappy, but there’s a reason less than 5% of the population is unbanked: It makes everything more costly, and more difficult.

But despite the crucial importance of a bank account, you don’t actually have a right to one. Banks can refuse to let you open an account in the first place, refuse to accept a check for deposit at their discretion, and can close out your accounts and send you—and your money—packing any time they want, for a wide variety of reasons. And they do just that, all the time, usually without any explanation. Add in the prevalence of bank fraud and the real possibility that you won’t get your money back even if it was clearly stolen and you did nothing wrong, and it's clear that while not having an account isn't an option, having one can be a nightmare.

Instead of trying to live a cash-only life or moving to the wilderness to live off of berries, there’s one thing you can do to protect yourself: Have a backup bank.

How you bank can screw you over

It’s a nightmarish scenario: You have a checking account with Bank A, where your paychecks are directly deposited and from which you pay all of your bills. One morning you wake up to a long list of bounced checks, failed debits, and late fees—and a note from Bank A that your account has been closed due to “suspicious activity,” or some other vague reason.

The bank is required to return any funds still in the account to you, but this is often in the form of a check that can take some time to reach you. In the meantime, you don’t have access to your funds and you can’t pay your bills easily—and your job has nowhere to send your paychecks. Once you get that check you can open up a new account at Bank B, of course, then switch everything over there. But in the meantime, it’s chaos.

The benefits of a backup bank account

But if you already have an account at Bank B, you can jump straight to redirecting all of your debits and deposits (including your paycheck) to that account. Suddenly, the surprise closing of your account at Bank A is just an inconvenience instead of a financial crisis. If you’re someone who has almost all of their bills paid via a points-earning credit card, you might need to visit just two websites to get your finances back on track in the wake of an account closure—your credit card and your job’s HR department.

A backup bank account can also act as quasi-emergency fund. A checking account at Bank B likely won’t be earning much interest, but it will also likely sit undisturbed, and since it’s not directly connected to your daily spending, you won’t be regularly tempted to dip into it.

Additionally, money in bank accounts is federally insured up to $250,000—but that limit applies to banks, not your overall net worth, so if you have substantial savings, having money in separate accounts allows you to have more funds protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

Finally, if you choose to have your backup account at a local bank as opposed to an online behemoth, you might enjoy better customer service and perks like the ability to easily cash checks or talk to an actual human being, in person, if you have problems or questions.

The downside of using a backup bank

On the other hand, having multiple bank accounts increases the amount of work you have to do to keep track of everything. If you’re not careful, your second account could end up costing you in terms of fees if you don’t maintain a required minimum balance, and for maximum efficiency you’ll need to make a note of all the account information so you can quickly switch payments and deposits to the backup bank should anything go wrong with your primary bank.

I've been covering Blink deals on Amazon for some time now, and have seen some good bundle deals before, but none compare to this one.

Right now, you can get a Blink Video Doorbell ($59.99 when bought by itself), a Blink Outdoor 4 camera ($99.99 purchased separately), and a Sync Module 2 ($49.99 purchased separately) for $59.99 with this Blink bundle. This is the lowest price the package deal has reached—by a long shot—according to price-checking tools.

Video Doorbell, one Outdoor 4 camera, one Sync Module 2, 4 AA lithium batteries, two mounting kits.

Blink Bundle with 1 Blink Outdoor 4

$159.98 at Amazon

Get Deal

Get Deal

$159.98 at Amazon

Video Doorbell, two Outdoor 4 cameras, one Sync Module 2, six AA lithium batteries, 3 mounting kits.

Blink Bundle with 2 Blink Outdoor 4

$94.99 at Amazon

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Get Deal

$94.99 at Amazon

$239.98 Save $144.99

Video Doorbell, three Outdoor 4 cameras, one Sync Module 2, eight AA lithium batteries.

Blink Bundle with 3 Blink Outdoor 4

$119.99 at Amazon

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$119.99 at Amazon

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SEE 0 MORE

You can also expand your coverage by adding two or three Blink Outdoor 4 cameras and still get a very good discount. This sale is part of Amazon's official early Prime Day deals, according to its press release, which also served as the official announcement that Prime Day 2024 will take place July 16-17.

This bundle has all the basics you need to set up your Blink security system. The Blink Video Doorbell has two-way audio so that you can communicate with guests from your phone, 1080p resolution, and infrared night vision. The Blink Outdoor 4 is the latest Blink outdoor camera and a great budget option that competes well with other outdoor cameras. The Sync Module 2 lets you use local storage for your video files instead of paying for cloud storage.

Note that you will need a Blink subscription to use all of this bundle's features. The Blink subscription plan starts at $30 a year for Blink Basic. For $100/year, you can get Blink Plus, which offers more features, including support for an unlimited number of devices.

Director of the White House Gender Policy Council Jennifer Klein smacked down false claims from ex-President Donald Trump about President Joe Biden’s positions on abortion rights.

Trump and other Republicans have spent years telling the lie that Democrats favor the legalized killings of infants after they’re born, loosely based on then-Gov. Ralph Northam’s (D-VA) comments about medical decisions in catastrophic cases. They’ve also claimed Democrats support abortion right up until the “moment of birth.”

At a Zoom briefing on the anniversary of the Dobbs decision — and days before the earliest general election presidential debate ever — Mediaite asked Klein how President Biden will respond to those attacks:

TOMMY CHRISTOPHER – MEDIAITE: Yeah, I have a question. It’s sort of a dual question. There have been a pair of false attacks on abortion that I’d like you to respond to.

The one, first one is the one that Donald Trump keeps saying that Democrats believe in, aborting the child after birth — murdering children after they’re born. Based on something Ralph Northam said a few years ago.

And then there’s another one where they say Democrats support abortion up to, the ninth month because there’s no specific number of weeks in the viability framework.

So I’m wondering how the president can respond to simply and clearly to both of those attacks.

JENNIFER KLEIN: Thank you. First and foremost, the president and the vice president do not support abortion up until the time of birth.

Nor do they support abortion after birth. In fact, that’s not abortion!

Second of all, you know, both the president, the vice president, this entire administration has been quite clear and unequivocal that we support restoring the protections of Roe in federal law, and we’re not proposing something new.

Roe protected women’s health and safety for nearly 50 years. And again, the president has been quite clear that a federal law is the only way to ensure reproductive rights for every woman, woman in every state.

And I think the rhetoric that you pointed to is really a blatant effort to distract from the extremist agenda and the ultimate goal of enacting a national abortion ban.

And again, the president and vice president have been clear and unequivocal that what they support is restoring the protections of Roe in federal law.

Watch above via Mediaite.

If you carry a balance on your credit card, you're paying interest charges. First things first: Figure out how to avoid being charged that interest in the first place. Otherwise, the easiest way to reduce your credit card interest payments is surprisingly simple: just ask. Many cardholders overlook this straightforward approach, potentially leaving money on the table. Here's how to go about lowering your interest rate, so you have a better shot of getting on top of your credit card debt.

Evaluate your current situation

Before making any moves, it's important to understand your current financial position. Start by reviewing your credit score and payment history, as these factors significantly influence your negotiating power. Next, compare your current interest rate to what's available in the market for similar credit profiles. This research will give you a realistic idea of what you might qualify for. Finally, calculate how much you could potentially save with a lower rate. This figure will not only motivate you but also provide a concrete goal for your negotiations.

Prepare before calling

Preparation is key to any successful negotiation. Begin by gathering information on competitor offers, especially those you've recently received in the mail or online. These can serve as leverage during your conversation. Make a mental note of your positive account history, including how long you've been a customer and your record of on-time payments. Be ready to discuss your loyalty as a customer, highlighting any other accounts or services you have with the same institution.

Making the call

When you're ready to negotiate, contact your card issuer's customer service line. Ask to speak with a representative specifically about lowering your interest rate. Remember to be polite but firm in your request. Your demeanor can significantly impact the outcome of the conversation. Approach the call with confidence, knowing you've done your homework and have a strong case for a rate reduction.

What to say on the phone

During the conversation, focus on highlighting your good payment history and loyalty to the company. Mention any better offers you've received from competitors, using them as a point of comparison. Be specific about the rate you're seeking, based on your research of current market offers. Remember, the representative may not agree to your first request, so be prepared to negotiate.

If they don't agree

If the representative doesn't agree to lower your rate, don't give up. Ask to speak with a supervisor who may have more authority to adjust rates. Inquire about temporary promotional rates that could provide short-term relief. If all else fails, consider a balance transfer to a card with a lower rate, but be sure to factor in any balance transfer fees when calculating potential savings. Remember, even if you don't succeed on your first attempt, you can always try again in a few months, especially if your credit score improves or your financial situation changes.

How much you can save

There are no guarantees your credit card company will approve a decreased interest rate, but the potential savings make it worth trying. According to LendingTree, the average reduction that people receive is 6.3 percentage points. Not only that, but more than three in every four cardholders who asked for a lower interest rate on one of their credit cards got one, according to that same 2023 survey.

Depending on your circumstances, that type of decrease could save you $500 or more in interest. Let's say a cardholder has $5,000 credit card balance and pays $250 per month.

• A 6.3-percentage point reduction from 23.84% to 17.54% saves $478 and two months worth of payments. That adds up to $1,436 over 26 months (versus $958 over 24 months).

• A 6.3-percentage-point reduction from 27.00% to 20.70% saves $532 and two months worth of payments. That adds up to $1,717 over 26 months (versus $1,185 over 24 months).

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) went on a rant slamming the American Israel Public Affairs Committee during a Get Out The Vote rally on Saturday.

The New York lawmaker joined other progressive colleagues, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), at a rally in South Bronx to speak out against American policy towards supporting Israel amid in the current war with Hamas in Gaza.

Recently, AIPAC has a launched a $14 million campaign into defeating Bowman this November, the most any interest group has ever spent on a single House race. Later at the rally, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) endorsed Bowman — telling the audience they must vote “against oligarchy.”

“We are gonna show f*cking AIPAC the power of the motherf*cking South Bronx!” Bowman screamed into a microphone during his speech. He claimed that U.S. money is being used to kill innocent civilians in Gaza, which has been a common criticism levied at the Biden administration in recent months.

“We are not gonna stay silent while the U.S. tax dollar kills babies and women and children. My opponent supports genocide. My opponent and AIPAC are the ones destroying our democracy,” he added.

Bowman continued “And it is on us, it is on all of us to save our democracy and save our collective humanity. Because this race is about our collective humanity.”

Westchester County Executive George Latimer, a moderate Democrat, is attempting to unseat the progressive lawmaker in one of the expensive House primary races. Recent polling from New York’s Pix11 indicates that Latimer is leading Bowman ahead of the June 25 primary election.

Watch the clip above via Forbes.

@merissahamilton/X

A Republican elections official was showered with boos for saying he does not believe the 2020 presidential was rigged against former President Donald Trump.

Trump narrowly lost Arizona and ultimately the election, which he has falsely claimed was stolen. In the weeks after losing the contest, Trump tried to pressure Republican officials in states he lost to overturn the results. The former president is under criminal indictment in two jurisdictions due to these efforts.

Maricopa County Election Recorder Stephen Richer, who oversees elections in Arizona’s most populous county, has been critical of Trump’s election lies and has repeatedly said so on cable news.

On Saturday, Richer attended a gathering of the Sun City West Republican Club, where he was asked about the 2020 election and the integrity of the upcoming election in the county.

“There are many who believe the 2020 election was stolen,” an event host told him, appearing to relay a question from the crowd. “Do you believe that and what will you do to ensure future elections are safe, secure, and accurately reflect the vote of the people who are legitimately registered voters?”

“I do not believe the 2020 election was stolen,” Richer replied.

The attendees – consisting mainly of older White people – booed loudly, according to a video posted on social media by Merissa Hamilton.

“Booooooooo!”

MARICOPA COUNTY RECORDER RACE UPDATE

In the 2nd forum with all three candidates, Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer gets booed AGAIN at the Sun City West Republicans event by a crowd of about 500 active Republican voters

Stephen Richer:

“I do not believe the 2020… pic.twitter.com/X1egQAzvaK

— Merissa Hamilton (@merissahamilton) June 22, 2024

President Joe Biden won Arizona by just over 10,000 votes in 2020. Weeks later, when Republican Governor Doug Ducey certified his state’s results, Trump put him on blast.

“Why is he rushing to put a Democrat in office, especially when so many horrible things concerning voter fraud are being revealed at the hearing going on right now,” he tweeted at the time. “Republicans will long remember!”