Biden is still leading in the polls, and voters say he won his first debate against Trump  — Democrat Joe Biden came into the first debate ahead of President Trump in the national polls.  — The first scientific polls to ask who won the debate Tuesday night show Biden coming out on top.

Internal document shows Trump officials were told to make comments sympathetic to Kyle Rittenhouse  —  WASHINGTON — Federal law enforcement officials were directed to make public comments sympathetic to Kyle Rittenhouse, the teenager charged with fatally shooting two protesters in Kenosha …

Revealed: Amy Coney Barrett supported group that said life begins at fertilization  —  Barrett signed newspaper ad in 2006 sponsored by St Joseph County Right to Life, an extreme anti-choice group  —  Amy Coney Barrett, the Trump administration's supreme court nominee …

Biden Lead Looks Firmer as Midwest Moves His Way  —  Dear Readers: Join us today at 2 p.m. eastern for our latest episode of Sabato's Crystal Ball: America Votes.  We'll be reacting to the first debate and going over the state of the race, including the many rating changes we made today (see below).

Trump requires food aid boxes to come with a letter from him  —  The Agriculture Department last week began mandating that millions of boxes of surplus food for needy families include a letter from President Donald Trump claiming credit for the program.  —  The USDA's $4 billion Farmers …

Trump's Ex-National Security Adviser on His Failure to Condemn White Supremacy  —  As the election nears, a parade of ex-administration officials and political advisers has come forward to denounce President Donald Trump and offer firsthand accounts of incompetence and venality running through his government.

Why Are There So Many Accused Domestic Abusers in Trumpworld?  You Know Damn Well Why.  —  Brad Parscale's arrest on domestic violence charges would have been an enormous scandal for a normal politician.  In Trumpland, it was just another Sunday.  —  BEAST INSIDE

Rebuffed by Vatican, Pompeo Assails China and Aligns With Pope's Critics  —  Pope Francis declined to see Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is demanding a harder Vatican line on China.  The Holy See said meeting just before a U.S. election would be inappropriate.

How Trump Voters View His Position on Pre-existing Conditions  —  He has pursued policies to weaken insurance protections, but that's not reflected in polling of Republicans.  —  When Pamela Jean Locke votes in November, one issue she'll be thinking about is protections for Americans with pre-existing health problems.

At White House's urging, Republicans launch anti-tech blitz ahead of election  —  Trump has allies in the Senate dialing up their offensive against Silicon Valley's liability protections  —  The Trump administration is pressuring Senate Republicans to ratchet up scrutiny of social media companies …

The Most Illuminating Moment of the Debate  —  The moments after your first child is born are humbling and overwhelming, the emotional equivalent of staring directly into the sun.  You realize that you are suddenly responsible for a human life that you helped create, a sliver of two souls smuggled …

Millions of Americans risk losing power and water as massive, unpaid utility bills pile up  —  More than 179 million people may be at risk for shut-offs as many state protections end  —  This Tuesday marked 67 days of darkness for Kenneth Parson.  He fell behind on his utility bills in the spring …

Hong Kong Is China, Like It or Not  —  After months of chaos in the city, something had to be done, and the Chinese government did it.  —  Ms. Ip is a legislator and a member of the Executive Council in Hong Kong.  —  HONG KONG — No amount of outcry, condemnation or sanctions …

Irish court rules Subway bread is not bread … The Irish Supreme court has ruled that the bread served at Subway - a US sandwich food chain with branches in more than 100 countries - cannot be defined as bread.  —  Under Ireland's Value-Added Tax Act of 1972 it cannot even be defined as a staple food …

Chris Wallace Calls Debate ‘a Terrible Missed Opportunity’  —  The veteran anchor conceded he was initially “reluctant” to step in during the Trump-Biden matchup.  “I've never been through anything like this,” he said.  —  “I'm just sad with the way last night turned out.”

Biden poised to launch in-person canvassing in key states  —  NEW YORK (AP) — After months of avoiding direct contact with voters because of the pandemic, Joe Biden's campaign is about to launch in-person canvassing efforts across several battleground states.

Trump administration cuts refugee cap to new record low  —  The Trump administration plans to only admit a maximum of 15,000 refugees this fiscal year, the State Department said in a release late Wednesday evening.  —  Why it matters: This is yet another record low refugee cap.

Fire Donald Trump  —  We have no illusions about Biden, but we need him to win.  —  This is the most important election in our lifetimes—and one of the most consequential in The Nation's 155-year history.  Accepting his party's nomination in 2016, Donald Trump promised to …

Biden outspent Trump $153 million to $57 million on ads in a single month  —  WASHINGTON — We've told you how Joe Biden passed President Trump in the money race.  Now let's show you how Biden is spending his money — and how Trump isn't, at least over the advertising airwaves.

“I Assert that Putin Was Behind the Crime”  —  Interview Conducted by Benjamin Bidder und Christian Esch  —  It's six o'clock in the morning on Wednesday when Alexei Navalny shows up at the Berlin editorial office of DER SPIEGEL for an interview.  The office is located a few hundred meters …

Kentucky attorney general says he never recommended murder charges in Breonna Taylor case  —  Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said Tuesday that he never recommended murder charges against police officers for Breonna Taylor's death.  The grand jury handed down no charges in connection with Taylor's death.

LeBron James recruits 10,000 poll volunteers to assist in Black districts  —  NBA star LeBron James has reportedly recruited 10,000 volunteers to help at polls in Black electoral districts in November.  —  The Los Angeles Lakers forward announced last month that his voting rights organization …

The definitive case for ending the filibuster  —  Every argument for the filibuster, considered and debunked.  —  If Joe Biden wins the White House, and Democrats take back the Senate, there is one decision that will loom over every other.  It is a question that dominated no debates …

Megyn Kelly's Tweets Make One Thing Clear: She's For Trump  —  In the nation-wide hangover from the first presidential debate of 2020 on Tuesday night, we emerged from a literal yelling matching learning nothing new: Viewers were left yearning for more concrete policies from both candidates …

Trump is a pit bull fighting for America  —  Quick!  Get out the smelling salts for all the faint hearts hyperventilating about President Trump's “lack of decorum” at Tuesday night's debate.  —  Did they really expect him to play by Marquess of Queensberry rules?

Exclusive: Russian operation masqueraded as right-wing news site to target U.S. voters - sources  —  LONDON (Reuters) - The Russian group accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. election has posed as an independent news outlet to target right-wing social media users ahead of this year's vote …

Ski, Party, Seed a Pandemic: The Travel Rules That Let Covid-19 Take Flight  —  The World Health Organization said open borders would help fight disease.  Experts, and a global treaty, emphatically agreed.  But the scientific evidence was never behind them.

Listen to What Trump 2016 Swing-State Voters Had to Say About the Debate  —  Nine women.  All from swing states.  All 2016 Trump voters.  And they have thoughts about Trump's debate meltdown.  —  On Wednesday night I checked back in with a focus group of female 2016 Trump voters …