Trump shocks with racist new ad days before midterms  —  (CNN)In the most racially charged national political ad in 30 years, President Donald Trump and the Republican Party accuse Democrats of plotting to help Central American invaders overrun the nation with cop killers.

Roger Stone Sold Himself to Trump's Campaign as a WikiLeaks Pipeline.  Was He?  —  WASHINGTON — When the WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, appeared on a video link from Europe a month before the 2016 presidential election and vaguely promised to release a flood of purloined documents related to the race …

Election Update: Democrats Need A Systematic Polling Error To Win The Senate  —  The divide between the House outlook and the Senate outlook continues to widen.  Democrats' chances of winning a majority remain at or near their all-time highs in our House forecast — ranging between 78 percent …

Saudi crown prince described slain journalist as a dangerous Islamist in call with White House  —  Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman described slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi as a dangerous Islamist days after his disappearance in a phone call with President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner …

Exclusive: Trump says supporters demand his red-hot rhetoric  —  President Trump, in an interview with Axios that will premiere Sunday on HBO, says railing against his enemies in the media helped him win — and that his supporters like him more when he cranks up the “enemy of the people” rhetoric.

EXCLUSIVE... Jacob Wohl, Jack Burkman: Woman Accusing Mueller of Rape is ‘Credible,’ ‘Vetted,’ Media Protecting Special Counsel (VIDEO)  —  **EDITORS NOTE** Jim Hoft is NOT responsible for the posting of the original story reporting the accusations against Mueller.  That was authored by Jacob Wohl himself.

The last statesman: Can Jon Huntsman Jr. keep the art of diplomacy alive in the time of President Trump?  —  In a Deseret News exclusive, reporter Jesse Hyde and photojournalist Ravell Call went to Moscow to meet with U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. In a series of conversations …

Poll: Majority blames both Trump and media for dividing country  —  A new POLITICO/Morning Consult poll conducted over the past fractious, violent week shows a majority of voters think that President Donald Trump has done more to divide the country than unite it since he took office last year …

Pro-Trump Activists Blame Charlie Kirk and Candace Owens for Losing Kanye West  —  ‘They really over-grifted that situation.’  —  Pro-Trump activists are fuming after Kanye West's announcement that he's “distancing” himself from politics, with the blame falling on two right-wing personalities …

Heather Nauert is Trump's top choice for UN ambassador  —  Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump has told advisers that Heather Nauert, the State Department spokeswoman, is his leading choice to become US ambassador to the United Nations and he could offer the post as soon as this week, two sources familiar with his pick told CNN.

North Dakota Democrats Promote Message Telling Hunters They May Lose Their Licenses if They Vote  —  A reader alerted me to this curious message on Facebook which tells voters they may lose their hunting licenses in other states if they vote:  —  Facebook keeps a searchable database of the political ads which run on their platform.

Donald Trump Jr. Says He's Worried Mueller Will ‘Totally Fabricate’ Charges Against Him  —  Donald Trump Jr. said he is unconcerned about anything he did surrounding a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting that special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating, but that he could see Mueller's team fabricating something to charge him.

Trump's Nationalism Is Breaking Point for Some Suburban Voters, Risking G.O.P. Coalition  —  HOUSTON — J. Mark Metts, a 60-year-old partner at one of this city's prestigious law firms, had never voted for a Democratic presidential candidate until 2016.  Now he and some of his neighbors …

Riddle Resolved: Who Dimed Out American Traitor and Super-Spy, Robert Hanssen?  —  For over two decades, students of the spy wars between Russia and America have pondered one of the great remaining mysteries of the Cold War: Who finally dimed out Robert Hanssen, the FBI turncoat …

Young Americans signal record turnout for midterm elections, reject Trump and the GOP: Poll  — A survey from Harvard Kennedy School's Institute of Politics shows a more politically mobilized crop of young Americans leaning away from Trump and the GOP in the midterms in near-equal proportions.

Populist Democrat Sherrod Brown might be a big threat to Trump in 2020 - but he has no ‘real interest’ in running  —  Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio holds an unusual distinction in the 2018 midterm campaign for Congress.  He is a Democrat seeking re-election in a state President Donald Trump carried easily two years ago.

President Trump's top economic adviser: ‘A federal minimum wage is a terrible idea.  A terrible idea.’  —  The White House's top economic adviser said Thursday that he opposes the federal minimum wage, arguing that the decades-old law is a “terrible idea” that drives up costs for small businesses across the country.

We're the Organizers of the Google Walkout.  Here Are Our Demands  —  Last week, the New York Times published an article about Google's history of harassment, discrimination, support for abusers, and the people whose lives and careers become collateral damage in the process.

Fortenberry complains about Facebook reaction to vandalized sign; UNL professor says he's bullying  —  Thumbing through his Facebook feed, Ari Kohen came across the now widely shared photo of a defaced campaign sign for Rep. Jeff Fortenberry.  —  Shared on the social media platform by Seeing Red Nebraska …

How Are The Early Voters Voting?  —  Yesterday we looked at who is voting early.  Today we can take it a step further and look at how those voters are voting.  For those not wanting to read, the takeaway is: Independents are breaking towards Democrats in the New York Times Upshot polls, and they are breaking heavily.

On a Tiny Finnish Island, a Helipad, 9 Piers — and the Russian Military?  —  SAKKILUOTO, Finland — Retired to a tiny island in an archipelago between Finland and Sweden, Leo Gastgivar awoke early one morning to visit the outhouse in his bathrobe, only to notice two black speedboats packed …

Trump and Aides Getting ‘Spooked’ About a Coming GOP Midterms ‘Slaughter’  —  Publicly, the talk is of retaining control of the House.  Privately, they're getting ready for Democratic-led investigations.  —  Asawin Suebsaeng By Asawin Suebsaeng  —  In recent months, President Trump has insisted that a …

Tree of Life rabbi says he saw a ‘warm and personal side’ to Trump that surprised him  —  Tree of Life Rabbi Jeffrey Myers said Thursday that he was “pleasantly surprised” to discover a “warm and personal side” to President Trump when he visited the Pittsburgh synagogue this week following the deadly shootings there over the weekend.

Eight simple steps to fix American democracy  —  Democrats may soon be handed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fix America's ailing democratic institutions.  Here's what they should do with it.  —  How democratic is the United States?  According to a poll released by the bipartisan Democracy Project …

CNN cools on hiring Trump alums  —  Network president Jeff Zucker has told people that he's not interested in hiring former officials he perceives as complicit in spreading falsehoods.  —  CNN is known for its big panels and endless parade of talking heads, but the network is signaling …

The global lost: 56,800 migrants dead and missing in 4 years  —  JOHANNESBURG (AP) — One by one, five to a grave, the coffins are buried in the red earth of this ill-kept corner of a South African cemetery.  The scrawl on the cheap wood attests to their anonymity: “Unknown B/Male.”

Republican Pilot Sully Lands in Middle of Midterm Politics by Slamming GOP … Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger landed in the middle of political news cycle by sending a message to voters on Monday urging them to vote in the upcoming midterm elections.  —  The “Miracle on the Hudson” pilot …

Oprah Winfrey campaigns for Democrat Stacey Abrams in Georgia's governor's race  —  “Georgia you've been on my mind!” billionaire icon Oprah Winfrey told a cheering crowd Thursday in Marietta, Georgia, as she brought her star power to help elect Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams.

The Star endorses the one clear choice for Kansas governor  —  BY THE KANSAS CITY STAR EDITORIAL BOARD  —  Kansas voters face a dramatic contrast in their choices for governor this year.  But in an election that's as consequential as any in decades, Democrat Laura Kelly offers the most promising path forward.

Father of Web says tech giants may have to be split up  —  LONDON (Reuters) - Silicon Valley technology giants such as Facebook and Google have grown so dominant they may need to be broken up, unless challengers or changes in taste reduce their clout, the inventor of the World Wide Web told Reuters.

Bolton says ‘excessive’ ethics checks discourage outsiders from joining government  —  Washington (CNN)A day after CNN reported that the Justice Department is investigating whether Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has broken the law by using his office to personally enrich himself …

Arron Banks faces Brexit referendum spending probe  —  The National Crime Agency is investigating Arron Banks and his Leave.EU campaign for alleged offences committed at the 2016 EU referendum.  —  Mr Banks and another senior campaign figure, Liz Bilney, were referred to the agency by the Electoral Commission.

Final Week Fundamentals  —  The last week of a campaign is the longest week.  Most of the polls have been completed.  The final ads have been placed.  The last lawn signs have been put into the ground (or pulled out by mischievous opponents).  Cable TV is filled with inane chatter.