JOE BIDEN and DONALD TRUMP debated on Thursday (Shutterstock).

In the wake of President Joe Biden’s shaky performance in the CNN presidential debate on Thursday, there are calls from political allies and the news media for him to drop out of the race.

But so far, Biden is giving no sign that he intends to do so. At a rally in North Carolina on Friday, Biden gave a fiery fist-shaking speech. He conceded that he knows he can’t debate as well as he used to, “but I know how to tell the truth. I know how to do this job.”

Vice President Kamala Harris came to his defense, saying, “This race will not be decided by one night in June.”

The editorial board of The New York Times, considered a reliably liberal and influential newspaper, ran an editorial on Friday to say that if Biden were to drop his bid for a second term, it would be “the greatest public service [he] can now perform.”

Although he is not the official Democratic candidate, he has secured enough delegates to be nominated. However, those delegates are not required to vote for him if he dropped out of the race or “conscience” required it.”

Supreme Court limits Jan. 6 charges

U.S. SUPREME COURT building in Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Supreme Count on Friday ruled that federal prosecutors went too far in charging rioters in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol with obstruction.

On a 6-3 vote, the court said that prosecutors were too willing to add obstruction of the proceedings of Congress to other charges in order to increase sentences Some of those convicted in the attack on the Capitol are expected to seek a new trial to reduce their sentences.

The court’s split was unusual. The majority included liberal justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and the minority included conservative Amy Coney Barrett.

High court allows ticketing sleeping outside

SHOULD CITIES have the power to clear homeless encampments? The Supreme Court stays so.

The premise that ticketing homeless people for sleeping outside was “cruel and unusual punishment” was refused by the U.S. Supreme Court in a ruling on Friday. 

The court voted 6-3 to overturn a lower court ruling that bars police from breaking up encampments unless there is shelter for the homeless being displaced from their makeshift abodes.

The case came from Grants Pass, Oregon, which banned sleeping in public with “bedding,” such as sleeping bags or wadded-up clothing.

Violators received $295 fines and after two tickets a person could be ordered to stay away from a park for a month. Violations could mean 30 days in jail.

Bible requirement in Okla. controversial

An uproar has arisen in the wake of a ruling by Oklahoma State Schools Superintendent Ryan Walters that public schools in the state must immediately begin using the Bible in instruction for grades 5-12.

“It’s essential that our kids have an understanding of the Bible and its historical context,” he said.

Civil rights groups and others are challenging the requirement as a violation of separation of church and state. The  issue has been in the news recently, as the Oklahoma Supreme Court prevented an attempt to allow a publicly-funded religious charter school, and in Louisiana there’s a requirement to post The Ten Commandments in every public school classroom.

Sports: Angels/Tigers and Dodgers/Giants

The Los Angeles Angels are hosting the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are visiting the San Francisco Giants.

Weather: We’re in the 80s now

The skies may be partly cloudy in our West Orange County area, but warm weather remains well into the coming week. Saturday is expected to have a daytime high of 83 with an overnight low of 61.  Sunday will warm to 86 (65), followed by cooler weather on Monday – 83 (65) – and Tuesday – 81 (65).