at this hour as in washington at this hour as several top democrats rally behind kamala harris afterjoe biden announces he is ending his election bid while endorsing her as the new democratic nominee for the 2024 us presidential election. in a post on twitter... a source has told the bbc that — following the endorsement — vice president harris has been making calls to key democratic officials, lawmakers and governors to secure support. this follows president biden�*s announcement on x, where he said...

the 81—year—old president — currently in isolation while recovering from covid — was under increasing criticism since a poor debate performance against his republican opponent donald trump in latejune. a number of democrats called for president biden to end his campaign. democratic donors also threatened to pull funding. former president trump reacted on truth social, saying...

let's go to our correspondent nomia iqbal. very good to see you, we see more endorsements trickling in for kamala harris including from some big figures including from some big figures in the democratic party who could have potentially been her arrival. tell us more about that. you have this group of governors that were suggested as potential contenders tojoe biden�*s throne. you had the governor of california gavin newsom who has backed kamala harris tonight. you have the governor of pennsylvania josh shapiro. you have the governor of michigan gretchen whitmer who has not explicitly endorsed kamala harris and then you have the kentucky derby and a andy beshear who has not

specifically endorsed her. we will have to wait and see what happens in the next few days and weeks, i think the democratic party will want to unify behind one candidate. there have been in such disarray over the past few weeks while republican parties are coalescing around donald trump and we saw that at the republican arsenal convention. what they will want to do is get back to focusing on the issues rather than the focus being on ifjoe biden is fit to run for the white house. they want the focus to be on is donald trump fit to run for it? you are there outside of the white house. can you give us a sense of what people they are saying? they are not necessarily voters can tourists from around the world but what is the upper spear there? —— the atmosphere. it is the upper spear there? -- the atmosphere.— the atmosphere. it is busy here. the atmosphere. it is busy here- it — the atmosphere. it is busy here. it awaited, - the atmosphere. it is busy here. it awaited, it - the atmosphere. it is busy here. it awaited, it is - the atmosphere. it is busy here. it awaited, it is the l here. it awaited, it is the summer and the weekend. you have so much media of cause and people were coming up to us and asking us what was happening and in shock thatjoe biden has

stood down. there were a group of people outside the white house that were saying thank you joe. he did the honourable thing. yesterday there had been a protest outside the white house from a group of voters who back the democratic party who back the democratic party who felt it was time forjoe biden to step aside. i spoke to one woman who is a donald trump supporter and she said that she thinks thatjoe biden has been pushed out. she believes that donald trump will be whichever democratic candidate that would board. ., ., ., ~ board. nomia iqbal, thank you so much- _ speaking of the former president... 0n speaking of the former president... on his partner has gotten reaction from donald trump in a phone conversation. in a phone conservation with cbs news' chief election and campaign correspondent robert costa, mr trump said...

we have been gomez with us, and i will get to that phone call. we are getting more reaction to kamala harris being endorsed by joe biden and other endorsements. i joe biden and other endorsements. , ., ., endorsements. i spoke to a senior house _ endorsements. i spoke to a senior house democrat - endorsements. i spoke to al senior house democrat who endorsements. i spoke to a - senior house democrat who was already endorsing kamala harris and that democrat told me in conversations with kamala harris the vice—president essentially said that she does not want to be a coronation in getting the nomination. some members of her party as a whole are planning a roll call vote as early as august one to determine who the nominee will be. from that of the session it

does seem to indicate that she may not want that and she may want a more traditional path to sicker enter nomination which will likely be something in late august.— will likely be something in late august. what could that look like? — late august. what could that look like? that _ late august. what could that look like? that is _ late august. what could that look like? that is present. look like? that is present significant if that is the case if kamala harris is saying it should not happen in this role call that would officially cement the nominee. it is essentially _ cement the nominee. it is essentially i _ cement the nominee. it is essentially i think - cement the nominee. it is| essentially i think because they feel her supporters and allies feel that there is such momentum for the vice—president now after the president stepped down. she can secure that and get that delicate support on her own prior to the convention and a proposed call. we her own prior to the convention and a proposed call.— and a proposed call. we have also heard — and a proposed call. we have also heard reporting - and a proposed call. we have also heard reporting that - also heard reporting that senatorjoe mansion is now considering reregistering as a democrat and throwing his hat in the ring. are you hearing about this?— about this? this is from a colleague _ about this? this is from a colleague reporting - about this? this is from a colleague reporting but . about this? this is from a i colleague reporting but the senator is an independent said

that this morning or on sunday morning that he does not plan to run. later in the day in a conversation with the senator, he did say he is being receiving multiple phone calls saying from those who have criticised kamala harris as the potential presumptive nominee and want a moderate and they believe he may be that person. however asking if he would support kamala harris, the independent senator from west virginia said he needs to see a change in policy platform for he did so but he was supportive and spoke highly of two of the most prominent governors we continue to hear about who may be potential running mates with kamala harris which is covered shapiro and the governor from kentucky. we shapiro and the governor from kentuc . ~ , ., . kentucky. we will see how much influence that _ kentucky. we will see how much influence that could _ kentucky. we will see how much influence that could actually - influence that could actually end up having in the end. adjusting the enough, the senior house democrat that i spoke to earlier said that when

i asked about manchin that he is not even a democrat anyway. that is what she said.— that is what she said. that's true, that is what she said. that's true. he _ that is what she said. that's true. he is _ that is what she said. that's true, he is an _ that is what she said. that's true, he is an independent. | that is what she said. that's| true, he is an independent. i want to come back to that phone call that cbs correspondent had with donald trump. what you think that tells us about his thinking and campaign thinking about facing kamala harris? i spoke to a campaign official before i came here and they told me that they are eager to face kamala harris. they are eager and happy preparing. we can report there have been amassing opposition research, a wave of advertisements and they started one the week of the now infamous debate in atlanta. they planted even to read that “p they planted even to read that up now. they wanted to face joe up now. they wanted to facejoe biden, up now. they wanted to face joe biden, they up now. they wanted to facejoe biden, they didn't up now. they wanted to face joe biden, they didn't believe he was the better candid for him to face but they feel strongly and confidently as you saw in the former presidents conversation that they can be

kamala harris. yes the dynamic has changed and the age issue has changed and the age issue has been flipped. there is now a big age difference between those two. therefore confident that they can beat kamala harris. i that they can beat kamala harris. ., ., ., harris. i want to how confident because we — harris. i want to how confident because we saw _ harris. i want to how confident because we saw donald - harris. i want to how confident because we saw donald trump| because we saw donald trump posting about the prospect of another debate. there was another debate. there was another one said to be hosted by abc news that would have sentjoe biden face donald trump again. it wasn't clear if that was going to happen. he wrote that he doesn't wanted to happen if it were to be kamala harris and he would prefer fox news. tell us more about that. he put it out on his social media saying that he does not, he would be cancelling the debate with abc news. in part thatis debate with abc news. in part that is a strategy, i believe that is a strategy, i believe that they would want leverage and they felt the two first debates set up earlier didn't really have that much leverage and there was sort of put into the corner because you have it happen so fast and i didn't want to look like the weak ones in essence becausejoe biden

had been teasing throughout the campaign trail but he was not willing to face them and then he was. now that the dynamic has changed they have leveraged in setting up and facing whoever the nominee will be which looks like it could be kamala harris. we which looks like it could be kamala harris.— which looks like it could be kamala harris. ~ . ~ ., kamala harris. we talked about the details _ kamala harris. we talked about the details and _ kamala harris. we talked about the details and let's _ kamala harris. we talked about the details and let's talk - the details and let's talk about big picture because both of us were at the convention in the walkie. we saw the incredible solidarity around donald trump. where does this leave the democrats a few weeks after the convention? it’s leave the democrats a few weeks after the convention?— after the convention? it's not in a prime — after the convention? it's not in a prime position. - after the convention? it's not in a prime position. it's- after the convention? it's not in a prime position. it's not i after the convention? it's not in a prime position. it's not a| in a prime position. it's not a good place to start. in speaking to democrats, just today, they feel they could see the same or similar type of unity especially as we have seen today as we start seeing momentum grow for kamala harris, that potentially by that start of the democratic national convention in chicago on august 19 but that same unity we saw in the republican

convention could happen in chicago. three months out the biggest election in my lifetime we are seeing two parties throwing out the rulebook and starting with a totally new playbook. 0ur starting with a new playbook and we will see how that goes. you could see that unity i believe in chicago. that unity i believe in chicago-— that unity i believe in chicano. ., ., chicago. really great to get our chicago. really great to get your reporting _ chicago. really great to get your reporting and - chicago. really great to get your reporting and insight l chicago. really great to get i your reporting and insight into all this and other to mulch was night in washington, thank you so much. the bbc has received a statement from the spokesperson for first ladyjoe biden. the committee has directed said this.

let's talk more about this with stephanie rollins, former baltimore man and president of the us conference. we been discussing the fact about the uncertainty in the party from democrats. this is an unprecedented moment, is this the right move from joe biden? i do think it was the right move forjoe biden. it was a hard decision and a decision where i actually had been there. i decided not to seek real action when i was serving as mayor of baltimore and a decision i weighed heavily is to i run or do i serve and i remember thinking to myself i raised my hand and took an oath to serve the people of baltimore and i needed to focus my energy on that and that is whatjoe biden did. he has always been a statesman, someone who i always had the

utmost respect for. with today's decision he took that respect to the next level because you showed us what it means to put country first. and i remain proud of his track record and i remain proud of his legacy. he record and i remain proud of his legacy-— his legacy. he is putting kamala _ his legacy. he is putting kamala harris _ his legacy. he is putting kamala harris on - his legacy. he is putting - kamala harris on centrestage now. that is what we are hearing from many democrats as well that they are endorsing her. is there enough time for kamala harris to garner enough support within the party and among delegates to get that broad support you would need? i think when our party put its mind to something and the democrats unite, we are able to do amazing things. we did that in defeating donald trump in 2020, i think we can do that again. i believed we could have done that with president biden, i believe we can do that with vice president kamala harris. i stand with her, she has an

outstanding record of service. what she brings to this ticket is unmatched and i think what you are seeing is democrats across our country standing up and saying that. as a former prosecutor and attorney general, they are bringing stark contrast to former president trumps lawlessness and someone that is bright and ambitious not for herself but for her country. that has been a hallmark of her political career. i'm excited to take her career. i'm excited to take her career to the next level.- career to the next level. what needs to _ career to the next level. what needs to happen _ career to the next level. what needs to happen in _ career to the next level. what needs to happen in the - career to the next level. what needs to happen in the next l needs to happen in the next month if she is indeed the nominee and get her message to voters? i nominee and get her message to voters? ~ , voters? i think she will get her message _ voters? i think she will get her message to _ voters? i think she will get her message to voters - voters? i think she will get - her message to voters because she is great. she is on the stump and she is amazing. she had the support of so many across this country. what you

will see is particularly women mobilise behind kamala harris because women know what is at stake. she will be able to talk about the work she has done supporting maternal health. she will be able to talk about the work she has done focusing on reproductive health and reproductive health and reproductive freedom and she is going to resonate with independent voters. she will resonate with suburban women who understand it is important to keep those rights available for themselves and for that family is. they will be able to speak very clearly about what is at stake when it comes to the supreme court moving forward. again, iam the supreme court moving forward. again, i am excited. the supreme court moving forward. again, iam excited. i was saddened to learn the president's decision but i understand his decision. i respect his decision. i am fired up and ready to get

behind vice—president kamala harris. behind vice-president kamala harris. �* , ., harris. and it will be hard struggle _ harris. and it will be hard struggle against - harris. and it will be hard struggle against donald l harris. and it will be hard - struggle against donald trump who was nominated in a show of massive unity of the republican convention. how hard will this be for kamala harris to face directly against donald trump? i think it is a tough race but it is a tough fight that is worth fighting for our country. our country is worth fighting for. if you watched any part of the rnc, what i saw was language that was taking us backwards. there was so much anger and so much, i guess, speech that was i don't want to say hate speech but it was so close to it. the toxic masculinity that we can not let pervade our country again. when you see those people wearing those maga hats it is not in

joy- those maga hats it is not in joy. it is that i think protest in a display of all the things they are against. not anything that they are for except for donald trump. kamala harris has an ability to unite people. they are never trumps supporters looking for a reason to vote for a democrat, kamala harris gives them that reason. there are people who are on the fence that were thinking about sitting this race out. i think kamala harris gives them a reason to get off the couch and get active and get ready for this in november. stephanie, former baltimore _ this in november. stephanie, former baltimore mayor- this in november. stephanie, former baltimore mayor and l former baltimore mayor and former baltimore mayor and former president of the us conference of mayors, always good to have you on bbc news. thank you so much.— the us secretary of state antony blinken says he is proud to have worked forjoe biden and vowed to work for him through the remainder of his term.

another high—level cabinet official lloyd austin did not endorse kamala harris but praised joe biden, sang as part of a statement... meanwhile we are hearing the us department of homeland security has ordered a 45 day independent review on the

attempt on donald trump's life. homeland security secretary named a bipartisan panel to before, during and after the rally where the former president was shot. the secret service has been under intense scrutiny after the assassination attempt on trump. secret service's director is to to testify on monday as part of the investigation into the security failures. let's talk to sabrina, national politics reporter at the wall streetjournal. thank you for joining us. we saw streetjournal. thank you for joining us. we sanoe biden�*s emotional statement earlier today. do we know when we will hear him address the nation as hear him address the nation as he said he will do? the expectation _ he said he will do? the expectation is - he said he will do? the expectation is joe - he said he will do? the| expectation is joe biden he said he will do? iie: expectation isjoe biden will address the nation some time this week. the white house has put out essentially a fairly blank public schedule for now

and some of this is still being sorted out but i expect we will probably hear from the president probably hearfrom the president sooner probably hear from the president sooner rather than later. when you look at the nature of how quickly the party is coalescing behind kamala harris. following the president's endorsement of her replacement at the top of the ticket. there is a great deal of interest and the party quickly uniting behind an alternative and moving on. there is israeli prime minister �*s visit to washington which is not a complicating factor but more of a scheduling matter but i thinkjoe biden will speak in the coming days. we i thinkjoe biden will speak in the coming days.— i thinkjoe biden will speak in the coming days. we have as you said been racing _ the coming days. we have as you said been racing ahead _ the coming days. we have as you said been racing ahead and - said been racing ahead and looking at these endorsements for kamala harris and the convention in a few weeks time but i want to take a step back also we know pressure was mounting onjoe biden but can you give us an idea and a sense of what led to these last few days? it was a few days ago that the president, we are still talking about the fact that he was standing in the race. i that he was standing in the race. ~' �* ,

race. i think it's extraordinary i race. i think it's l extraordinary how race. i think it's - extraordinary how this is race. i think it's _ extraordinary how this is all unfolding. when you take a step back as you point out, more than three weeks after the very challenging debate performance thatjoe biden had after against donald trump, we are talking about this very issue and his viability and you saw the drumbeat of democrats calling on him to step down. the list is only growing and there came a point when we were not a talk about rank—and—file democrats on capitol hill but also at least behind—the—scenes influential democrats essentially casting doubt on whetherjoe biden could win. the former house speaker nancy pelosi told the president she was concerned about the impact he might have on down ballot races and the democrats chances of winning back the house. the former president barack 0bama saying they had real doubts aboutjoe biden�*s viability at the top of the ticket. leaders chuck schumer and jefferies

have pushed to delay a boat on the nomination. when it was no longerjust a handful of longer just a handful of democrats longerjust a handful of democrats in congress but people who joe democrats in congress but people whojoe biden is known for a long time and influential leaders in the party. that taken together with the polling which showed how dramatic the impact of that debate had been. 0n impact of that debate had been. on his chances in november, it seemed they reached a tipping point that ultimately he came to the decision.— to the decision. especially some of— to the decision. especially some of the _ to the decision. especially some of the polling - to the decision. especially some of the polling from | to the decision. especially - some of the polling from some of the key swing states i think were so critical. there are, or they were democrats who said they were democrats who said they were democrats who said they were standing byjoe biden and wanted him to stay in the race. the question comes now to unity in the party and as you said, coalescing around kamala harris. that be difficult? with some people having wanted joe biden to stay and some wanting a different choice? in biden to stay and some wanting a different choice?— a different choice? in some wa si a different choice? in some ways i think _ a different choice? in some ways i think by _ a different choice? in some| ways i think by immediately

endorsing kamala harris what joe biden has done is he has freed up the party to unite behind her as his successor. not everyone will do that, there are of course democrats who are probably going to appearas who are probably going to appear as though they are neutral in case the party does set up some sort of process for there to be some kind of open primary but i don't think that they want to have a very bitter or contested fight within the party with just over three months to go trying to pick an alternative either. a lot of people were going to followjoe biden's lead and you mention some of those people who have come out in support of kamala harrisjust this come out in support of kamala harris just this evening. transportation secretary, the pennsylvania governor, the california governor, these are some people who were widely seen as other possible contenders for the nomination ifjoe biden were to step aside and they are saying they are behind kamala harris and will

work to help elect her. i think we don't yet know what the process will look like but essentially the signal is already being sent to delegates coming into the convention that kamala harris is the peak, let's move on from the drama and refocus efforts on defeating donald trump in november. that is the masses coming from joe biden himself and readers within the democratic party. we and readers within the democratic party. and readers within the democratic pa . ~ i, i, democratic party. we have about a minute left _ democratic party. we have about a minute left but _ democratic party. we have about a minute left but can _ democratic party. we have about a minute left but can you - democratic party. we have about a minute left but can you give - a minute left but can you give us an idea on what we can expect to see from kamala harris in the coming days as she obviously takes centre stage? i she obviously takes centre sta . e? ~ she obviously takes centre stare? ~ i, , , stage? i think that she is obviously _ stage? i think that she is obviously someone - stage? i think that she is obviously someone who l stage? i think that she is i obviously someone who has really been a key messenger on the campaign and her role as vice president. specifically on theissue vice president. specifically on the issue of reproductive rights, she has been the face of the administration's efforts to push back against republican efforts to crackdown on access to abortion. you will see an effort by her to reintroduce herself to the american public and also why she seems to be an

obvious peak is she is known nationally. she is the vice president so it is more about pivoting and her taking the reins now and being much more “p reins now and being much more up front and centre when it comes to the messaging against donald trump and republicans and you are starting to see her do that in the last few weeks. but instead of every auditioning for role she now finds herself most likely in the role itself. she wants to the role itself. she wants to the nomination so you can expect to see a lot of meetings and conversations that she will be having behind—the—scenes. we be having behind-the-scenes. we have to be having behind—the—scenes. we have to leave it there, always great to get your analysis and thank you so much.— great to get your analysis and thank you so much. and thank you for watching, we're back at the top of the next hour, stay with us. hello. it looks like the second half ofjuly will continue to be much more in tune with summer weather than the first half ofjuly. it's going to feel quite warmer out there when you get the sunshine — temperatures at or above average — but this week, a more typical week and there'll be

a bit of a mix around. some rain at times, particularly on monday and thursday, they're the greatest likelihood, but some longer drier spells, too. now one of the wetter spells said monday. it's these weather fronts pushing across the country, which gives a rather grey and misty, murky start to the day. patchy light rain or drizzle for many, but some heavier bursts across scotland and the far north of england first thing. many will brighten up, a scattering of showers will quickly rush across early afternoon southern areas before some longer, drier spells later. further north will also see sunshine develop. lots of cloud eastern scotland, best of sunshine in the west, but some slow moving showers, not much of a breeze here, and where those showers do form in scotland, northern ireland, northern england, there's an outside chance of the odd rumble of thunder. but look at the temperatures in the afternoon with some sunshine — 16—24 celsius. they're bang on target for this stage in the year. some of the heavier showers will last in eastern scotland into the first part of the night, but through monday night into tuesday, cloud and patchy rain will push from ireland into wales, central and southern england. and like monday morning, it will be a mild enough start today for many —

coolest with clearer skies in northern scotland. but for tuesday, a ridge of high pressure starts to build in. before it does, though, we've just got this little kink in the isobars, little trough linked to the weather front, which will bring cloud and occasional showery bursts of rain, especially during the morning across parts of southern wales, central, southern england. 0dd isolated shower elsewhere on tuesday, but for most it will be largely dry. best of the sunshine around northern and western coasts. we will see a bit of a breeze, so temperatures down a little bit on monday's values. a cooler night then to take us into wednesday, but with that ridge of high pressure, a bit more widespread, lighter winds, it will be a much more pleasant day. a few isolated showers can't be ruled out. a lot of dry and bright weather with some sunshine to begin with and then clouds spilling in from the west. longer spells of sunshine for the afternoon in eastern areas — just one or two inland showers. it will feel warmer again, temperatures more widely into the 20s. as we go through wednesday night into thursday, though, this will probably the wettest spell of the week, with these weather fronts pushing across. not completely wet, but there will be some patchy

rain or drizzle around again more widely on thursday, brighter on friday, and turning warmer and drier through the weekend.

in our top story, president joe biden has stepped down as the democratic

party nominee, endorsing vice president kamala harris instead. he says it is in the best interest for america and his party kamala harris says she is ready for the job. she win support from key democrats. but can she get enough of them united behind her? republican presidential nominee donald trump says presidential nominee donald trump sastoe biden was never fit to be president, and says he will fix the damage caused hunter biden to make america great again — he says. ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky thanks inform taking bold steps to support him in the war against russia. —— ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky thanks president biden for.