With the Democratic National Convention set for next month,
security preparations are already underway and Chicago Police Superintendent Larry
Snelling is reassuring Chicagoans of the plans to keep the
event safe.
He said the Secret Service plays a huge role in
security for political conventions for both the RNC and the
DNC,
and his department is working closely with the agency to
prepare.
Up to 500 additional officers are expected in Chicago for
the convention to help,
and Snelling says changes to the plan could happen if
intelligence warrants it.
And all of the incidents that could occur,
we are accounting for those things and we're making sure
that we're training around those things.
What you saw that occurred in Pennsylvania was an outdoor
event and something
that obviously we had not been planning for,
for a year. One thing that we don't do here
is second guess what the secret services plans are.
Anything that we see here that we think are issues,
we will take that to them.
They're open for that information and the same thing when
they have concerns.
And that type of collaboration
gives me confidence that we're ready and prepared to deal
with whatever comes to our city.
The Democratic National Convention begins August 19th.
President Biden has directed the Secret Service to protect independent
presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Junior after the attempt on
Trump's life.
Kennedy is a long shot to win Electoral College votes,
much less the presidency, but his campaign events have drawn
large crowds of supporters.
The Secret Service is legally required to protect major party
presidential and vice presidential candidates and their families
120 days out from a general election.
But third party candidates are treated on an as needed
basis.
RFK juniors uncle President John F Kennedy and his father
Senator Robert F Kennedy were both assassinated.
I'm not the guy that said I want to be
a dictator on day one.
I'm not the guy that refused to accept the outcome
of the election.
I'm not the guy. President Biden sat down with NBC
News tonight reiterating that violence has no place in the
election.
But he says that Trump's divisive rhetoric cannot be ignored.
Biden has been trying to take the focus off his
devastating debate performance and prove to the country that he
is the best candidate to lead America for four more
years, despite his age. Sandra Mitchell is here now with
more on what President Biden had to say about the
assassination attempt on Trump and the election.
Sandy, we'll share, of course,
this interview and attempt to take some of the attention
away from the Republican National Convention.
It was planned weeks ago.
Still, much of the talk focused on the assassination attempt
of former President Trump.
There's there's no place at all for violence in politics
in America.
None 0 determined and defensive.
President Biden explaining his comment last week that it was
time to put Trump in a bullseye
was it was a mistake to use the word.
I didn't. I didn't say crosshairs.
I've been bullseye and focus on it,
focus on what he's doing,
focus on, on his policies.
Earlier today at the White House,
President Biden in a sit down exclusive interview with NBCS
Lester Holt.
Has this shooting changed the trajectory of this race?
I don't know, and you don't know either.
Biden working to bolster his presidential campaign after some in
his own party urged him to step aside.
The idea that I'm the old guy.
I am. I'm old, but I'm only three years older
than Trump,
number one. And #2 my mental acuity has been pretty
damn good.
I've got more done than any president has in a
long,
long time, in 3 1/2 years.
For almost 30 minutes, the president answered questions without a
teleprompter or notes Biden defiance,
saying he is not getting out of the race.
14 million people voted for me to be the nominee
in the Democratic Party. OK,
I listen to them. Despite sometimes rambling answers,
Biden insist his dismal debate performance last month does not
define his campaign.
Is there? Is there a sense of wanting to get
back on the horse?
I'm on the horse. Where were you banned?
I've done 22 major events
and thousands of people overwhelming crowds.
A lot happening.
I'm on the horse.
President Biden has arrived in Las Vegas tonight.
He will speak at the N double ACP convention tomorrow.
His first appearance before a large in person audience since
the assassination attempt.
Of course, security will be extreme.
Cher, Mike up back to you.
Sandra, thank you.