CBS News
Biden says he’d reconsider running if “some medical condition” emerged
Washington — President Biden said he would reevaluate running for reelection if a doctor told him that he had a serious medical condition.
In an interview with BET News’ Ed Gordon released Wednesday and airing the same night, Mr. Biden was asked whether there was anything that would make him reconsider staying in the race, a rematch against former President Donald Trump.
“If I had some medical condition that emerged, if somebody — if doctors came to me and said you got this problem, that problem,” Mr. Biden said, according to a video clip released by the network.
The president said at a news conference last week that none of his doctors have told him he has a medical condition, other than the issues that have already been disclosed to the public.
Mr. Biden’s debate flop last month against former President Donald Trump renewed scrutiny of his health and mental acuity, and led to a growing number of calls from his Democratic allies to withdraw from the race.
He said in the BET interview that he made a “serious mistake in the whole debate,” but remained defiant about requests to step aside. The 81-year-old president portrayed his age as a strength, while tacitly admitting that he had originally intended to serve only one term before passing the torch to a younger leader.
“When I originally ran, you may remember Ed, I said I was going to be a transitional candidate, and I thought that I would be able to move from this and pass it on to someone else,” the president said. “But I didn’t anticipate things getting so, so, so divided. And quite frankly, I think the only thing age brings is a little bit of wisdom.”
“I think I’ve demonstrated that I know how to get things done for the country in spite of the fact that we were told we couldn’t get it done,” he continued. “But there’s more to do, and I’m reluctant to walk away from that.”
At the press conference earlier this month, Mr. Biden said he would reconsider his decision to stay in the race if his staff told him, “There’s no way you can win.” But, he said, “no one is saying that.” In his first interview after the debate, Mr. Biden told ABC News he would consider ending his campaign “if the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me that.” He added, “the Lord Almighty is not coming down.”
In the BET interview, Mr. Biden also warned about what Trump’s reelection would mean for women’s reproductive rights. The president vowed to restore abortion protections after the Supreme Court’s decision in 2022 to overturn Roe v. Wade.
“How can you be assured that you’ll be able to do that?” Gordon asked.
“The Supreme Court did it. Trump appoints Supreme Court [justices] with expressed purpose of doing it,” Mr. Biden said, adding, “They’re going to probably be two more appointments to the court. There’s probably two people [who are] going to resign, or retire. Just imagine if he has two more appointments on that, what that means forever.”
Mr. Biden is currently considering proposals to reform the Supreme Court, including measures to establish term limits for justices and an enforceable ethics code.
CBS News
Tupperware files for bankruptcy amid slumping sales
Tupperware and some of its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the once-iconic food container maker said in a statement late Tuesday.
The company has suffered from dwindling sales following a surprise surge during the COVID-19 pandemic, when legions of people stuck at home tried their hands at cooking, which increased demand for Tupperware’s colorful plastic containers with flexible airtight seals.
A post-pandemic rise in costs of raw materials and shipping, along with higher wages, also hurt Tupperware’s bottom line.
Last year, it warned of “substantial doubt” about its ability to keep operating in light of its poor financial position.
“Over the last several years, the Company’s financial position has been severely impacted by the challenging macroeconomic environment,” president and CEO Laurie Ann Goldman said in a statement announcing the bankruptcy filing.
“As a result, we explored numerous strategic options and determined this is the best path forward,” Goldman said.
The company said it would seek court approval for a sale process for the business to protect its brand and “further advance Tupperware’s transformation into a digital-first, technology-led company.”
The Orlando, Florida-based firm said it would also seek approval to continue operating during the bankruptcy proceedings and would continue to pay its employees and suppliers.
“We plan to continue serving our valued customers with the high-quality products they love and trust throughout this process,” Goldman said.
The firm’s shares were trading at $0.5099 Monday, well down from $2.55 in December last year.
Tupperware said it had implemented a strategic plan to modernize its operations and drive efficiencies to ignite growth following the appointment of a new management team last year.
“The Company has made significant progress and intends to continue this important transformation work.”
In its filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, Tupperware listed assets of between $500 million and $1 billion and liabilities of between $1 billion and $10 billion.
The filing also said it had between 50,000 and 100,000 creditors.
Tupperware lost popularity with consumers in recent years and an initiative to gain distribution through big-box chain Target failed to reverse its fortunes.
The company’s roots date to 1946, when chemist Earl Tupper “had a spark of inspiration while creating molds at a plastics factory shortly after the Great Depression,” according to Tupperware’s website.
“If he could design an airtight seal for plastic storage containers, like those on a paint can, he could help war-weary families save money on costly food waste.”
Over time, Tupper’s containers became popular that many people referred to any plastic food container as Tupperware. And people even threw “Tupperware parties” in their homes to sell the containers to friends and neighbors.
CBS News
9/17: CBS Evening News – CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
CBS News
JD Vance echoes Trump, blames Democrats for apparent assassination attempt
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.