PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN before joint session of Congress to deliver the State of the Union address. At left is Vice President Kamala Harris; at right it Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (C-SPAN photo).

President drops campaign, endorses his veep

The tumultuous week in which the Republican presidential candidate was wounded in an attempted assassination attempt continued on Sunday when President Joe Biden – who appeared to be the presumptive Democratic candidate – announced he was stepping down from the campaign.

In a social media post, Biden wrote: “It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president. And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus entirely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term.”

Shortly thereafter, he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate for president.

Attention has now turned to the process of officially choosing a nominee – decided by delegates elected to the national convention – and after that, a vice presidential nominee.

Biden has accrued more than enough delegates for himself, but he can release them and urge – but not compel – a vote for Harris.

Trump said that Harris was “crazy but not as crazy as Nancy Pelosi” and said the vice president would be easier to defeat in the Nov. 5 election than Biden.

Sports: Angels, Dodgers post wins

The Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers each posted memorable wins on Sunday with memorable milestones reached.

In the last game they’ll play at the Coliseum in Oakland – the A’s are moving to Sacramento before getting a new stadium and home in Las Vegas – the Halos rallied for five runs in the top of the eighth inning to defeat the Athletics 8-5.

The win snapped an eight-game losing streak in Oakland for the Angels and was the team’s 5,000th victory. The key hit was a two-run double by Kevin Pillar. With the win, the Angels are 42-57 and remain in fourth place in the American League West.

Next up for the Orange County team will be a trip to Seattle to start a three-game series with the Mariners.

In Chavez Ravine, Shohei Ohtani hit what might have been the longest homer in Dodger Stadium history when he slammed the ball 473 feet in the fifth inning as the Blue Crew beat the visiting Boston Red Sox 9-6. It was his 30th of the 2024 season. That was one of six round-trippers by the home team. Gavin Lux batted 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and a single and two RBIs.

James Paxton (8-3) lasted five innings, giving up four hits and three runs. He struck out four batters and walked three.

The Dodgers are 59-41 to remain in first in the National League West.  On Monday they’ll start a series hosting the San Francisco Giants.

Weather: Still in the mid-80s

Our West Orange County area will continue to enjoy days in the mid-80s and nights in the high 60s Monday through Thursday, according to forecasts. The high will be Wednesday at 86 during the day and 68 at night. The weather will cool a bit to 81 this coming Sunday.