Dying in a Leadership Vacuum  —  Article  —  Covid-19 has created a crisis throughout the world.  This crisis has produced a test of leadership.  With no good options to combat a novel pathogen, countries were forced to make hard choices about how to respond.  Here in the United States, our leaders have failed that test.

Donald Trump Is Canceling TV Ads In Midwest States That Made Him President  —  President Donald Trump's reelection campaign is slashing television spending in the Midwest, canceling millions of dollars in advertising in states that carried him to victory in 2016.  —  He's been off the local airwaves completely in Iowa and Ohio.

White House Quietly Told Vets Group It Might Have Exposed Them to COVID  —  The first known White House warning to visitors about a coronavirus risk came the same day that the president acknowledged getting the virus. … On the same day President Trump acknowledged contracting the coronavirus …

‘Where are all of the arrests?’:  Trump demands Barr lock up his foes  —  Donald Trump mounted an overnight Twitter blitz demanding to jail his political enemies and call out allies he says are failing to arrest his rivals swiftly enough.  —  Trump twice amplified supporters' criticisms …

Fox News Poll: Biden gains ground over Trump  —  A 70 percent majority believes our democracy is “in danger” in this election  —  Fox News Flash top headlines for October 7  —  Democratic candidate Joe Biden leads President Donald Trump by a 53-43 percent margin, in a Fox News national survey …

DOJ Frees Federal Prosecutors to Take Steps That Could Interfere With Elections, Weakening Long-standing Policy … ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power.  Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they're published.  —  The Department of Justice …

South Carolina Senate Moves To Toss Up  —  There has been no more surprising race on the Senate map than South Carolina.  Even early this year, it looked like Sen. Lindsey Graham would cruise to re-election.  Instead, the Republican incumbent finds himself in a tied race in both public …

CDC chief's letter greenlighting Pence for debate draws criticism  —  Robert Redfield's missive prompts concern from experts inside and outside the health agency  —  A letter sent by the top public health official attesting to Vice President Pence's health and proclaiming him safe …

High court nominee served as ‘handmaid’ in religious group  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett served as a “handmaid,” the term then used for high-ranking female leaders in the People of Praise religious community, an old directory for the group's members shows.

Facebook Widens Ban on Political Ads as Alarm Rises Over Election  —  Political ads will be banned indefinitely after polls close on Nov. 3 and the company plans new steps to limit misinformation about the results.  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Over the past few weeks, Mark Zuckerberg …

BuzzFeed News Pulls Reporter From White House, Citing Virus Risk  —  She said she had “obvious concerns about working indoors during an outbreak.”  The White House Correspondents' Association pushed for more information on known infections.  —  BuzzFeed News has pulled a political correspondent …

Ex-N.J. Gov. Chris Christie remains hospitalized for COVID-19  —  THE LATEST: Chris Christie said he was ‘checking’ himself into the hospital after coronavirus test.  Here's how doctors say the system works.  —  Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie remains hospitalized at Morristown Medical Center …

Army Reserve investigating Cunningham after woman confirms affair, more texts emerge  —  RALEIGH, N.C. — A California woman on Tuesday confirmed to The Associated Press that she had a physical relationship with Cal Cunningham, North Carolina's Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.

Republicans: Ditch Trump, Save the Senate  —  “This is the time you have to make tough decisions,” former congressman Tom Davis, said of the party allocating its resources.  —  Increasingly convinced that President Donald Trump's election chances are grim, top Republican donors, lobbyists …

Wisconsin to open field hospital as COVID-19 surges  —  Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) announced on Wednesday that a field hospital will be opened at the state fairgrounds near Milwaukee to expand care for coronavirus patients after hospitalizations more than doubled in the past month.

Political sign theft leads to bizarre cover-up effort  —  Don't read all about it  —  A series of minor thefts in early September had Lakes Area store clerks scratching their heads.  Newspaper racks were empty.  Storefront vending boxes were cleaned out, and copies of the Sept. 2 Dickinson County News …

Keith Olbermann quits ESPN in order to ‘serve my country’ with anti-Trump commentary  —  Liberal commentator Keith Olbermann announced Tuesday he is leaving ESPN for a third time so that he can focus his efforts on political commentary ahead of the November election.

United States Seizes Domain Names Used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps  —  Seizure Documents Describe Iranian Government's Efforts to Use Domains as Part of Global Disinformation Campaign  —  The United States has seized 92 domain names that were unlawfully used …

McSally Flops in Only Arizona Senate Debate  —  The Republican incumbent, far behind her astronaut challenger in the polls, squandered a chance to turn things around.  —  Last night was the debate in Arizona between that state's two Senate candidates.  It proved to be a embarrassment for the incumbent …

Texas doctor, 28, dies of Covid: ‘She wore the same mask for weeks, if not months’ … @alastairgee Email  —  It took Carrie Wanamaker several days to connect the face she saw on GoFundMe with the young woman she had met a few years before.  —  According to the fundraising site …

White House physician says Trump has been “symptom-free for over 24 hours”  —  President Trump has been “symptom-free” from the coronavirus for over 24 hours, White House physician Dr. Sean Conley said in a Wednesday update.  —  The state of play: Conley's letter also says that Trump has not received …

The plexiglass barriers being used at tonight's debate are pretty useless, experts say.  —  A box fan, an air filter — and duct tape to attach them.  With four such devices cobbled together for a grand total of about $150, the vice-presidential debate on Wednesday night can be made much safer …

Exclusive: Taxpayers pick up tab for billionaire US ambassador's stay at Donald Trump's Scottish resort  —  The billionaire US ambassador to the UK ran up a bill to US taxpayers totalling more than £1,000 in a single day while staying at Donald Trump's flagship Scottish hotel and golf resort.

Vermont Governor Allows Marijuana Sales Legalization Bill To Take Effect Without His Signature  —  The governor of Vermont announced on Wednesday that he will allow a bill to legalize marijuana sales in the state to take effect without his signature.  He also signed separate legislation …

Wide-bodied 747 crowned Alaska's fattest bear  —  ANCHORAGE (Reuters) - In Alaska's annual battle of heavyweights, a salmon-chomping bruin named 747 - like the jetliner - has emerged as the most fabulously fat.  —  The bear, one of more than 2,200 brown bears roaming Alaska's Katmai National Park …

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate MJ Hegar voted against Obama twice  —  WASHINGTON — MJ Hegar, the former Air Force pilot running as a Democrat against U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, voted for Republican presidential nominees John McCain and Mitt Romney in 2008 and 2012, she told Hearst Newspapers on Tuesday.