memeorandum: U.S. CDC director tests positive for COVID-19, experiencing mild symptoms (Reuters)

4:35 PM ET, October 22, 2022

Top Items:

CNN:

Former Chinese leader Hu Jintao unexpectedly led out of room as Party Congress comes to a close — Video: ‘High drama’ as Xi's predecessor led out of the meeting Jake Tapper on the lessons from UK's recent political turmoil What Ukrainians learn from downed drones used by Russia A humpback whale got entangled in fishing gear.

Discussion: Washington Post, CBS News, NBC News, BBC, Washington Examiner, RedState, Fox News, Steve Bannon's War Room, The Daily Wire and The Hill

James Palmer / Foreign Policy:

What the Hell Just Happened to Hu Jintao? — Xi Jinping's predecessor was forcibly led away from the Party Congress. — China's 20th Party Congress concluded on Saturday with a rare and shocking piece of live drama. Hu Jintao, the leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 2002 to 2012 …

Discussion: CNN, The Daily Caller, Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality and Not the Bee

Reuters:

Hu Jintao escorted out of China party congress — Chinese former President Hu Jintao was unexpectedly escorted out of the closing ceremony of a congress of the ruling Communist Party on Saturday. — Hu, 79, Xi Jinping's immediate predecessor, was seated to the left of Xi.

Discussion: Bloomberg, National Review, Power Line and Japan Times

New York Times:

Hu Jintao's Departure Causes Stir as Xi Elevates Loyalists in Congress — A new lineup of the Communist Party elite will limit potential resistance to Mr. Xi's agenda of bolstering security and expanding state sway over the economy. — Poised to take a groundbreaking third term in power …

Discussion: Sinocism, Associated Press, New York Post, Bloomberg and Honolulu Star-Advertiser

BBC:
Hu Jintao: ex-president escorted out of China party congress

Discussion: Politico, CNN and Guido Fawkes

Nate Hochman / National Review:

Where Do Georgia Republicans Go to Get Their Apology? — When Georgia Republicans passed the Election Integrity Act of 2021 — signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp in March of last year — the commanding heights of institutional progressivism quickly set about laying the groundwork …

Associated Press:

GOP voters told to hold onto mail ballots until Election Day — Republican activists who believe the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump have crafted a plan that, in their telling, will thwart cheating in this year's midterm elections.

Discussion: The Connecticut Examiner, HotAir, The Nevada Independent and PoliticusUSA

Nick Corasaniti / New York Times:
Voters Stick to Pandemic-Era Habits, As Early Turnout Surges

Discussion: Daily Kos, New York Magazine, ABC11, Washington Times, Forbes and National Review

Daniel Dale / CNN:
A guide to the election deniers in midterm races

Discussion: Wall Street Journal and Twitchy

James Bickerton / Newsweek:
Election Deniers Are Predicted to Win 189 Midterms Races

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Raw Story, Daily Kos and The Guardian

David Wickert / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
After record-breaking week, early voting continues Saturday across Georgia

Discussion: Just The News and Albuquerque Journal

Jacqueline Keeler / San Francisco Chronicle:

Sacheen Littlefeather was a Native American icon. Her sisters say she was an ethnic fraud — The “Apache” actress and activist wasn't Native American, say her sisters. And that wasn't the only thing she lied about. — You might not know her name, but you've probably seen the video that made her famous.

Discussion: The Wrap, Deadline, Vanity Fair, Insider and IndieWire

Emma Bubola / New York Times:

Using Adoptions, Russia Turns Ukrainian Children Into Spoils of War — Thousands of Ukrainian children have been transferred to Russia. “I didn't want to go,” one girl told The New York Times from a foster home near Moscow. — As Russian forces laid siege to the Ukrainian city of Mariupol this spring …

New York Times:

The Times Endorses Kathy Hochul for Governor of New York — The editorial board is a group of opinion journalists whose views are informed by expertise, research, debate and certain longstanding values. It is separate from the newsroom. — The race for the governor of New York is unusually close this fall.

Politico:
New York governor's race takes sudden turn after Zeldin surge

Discussion: Instapundit, New York Post and Althouse

New York Post:
Lee Zeldin inches past Kathy Hochul in dead-heat governor's race, stunning new poll reveals

Discussion: HotAir, New York Times, RedState, Just The News, The Post Millennial, The Daily Wire, Breitbart and Wall Street Journal

Jon Levine / New York Post:

Cori Bush's debut book sells just 729 copies in first week — A new book by lefty Democratic Rep. Cori Bush (D-Missouri) debuted with a face-plant this month, selling just 729 copies in its first week, according to industry tracker NPD BookScan. — “The Forerunner: A Story of Pain …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, BizPac Review, The Gateway Pundit, Twitchy and OutKick

Chloe Folmar / The Hill:

Kinzinger campaigns for McMullin in Utah: 'I'm surrounded by cowards' in Congress — Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.) campaigned for Utah independent Senate candidate Evan McMullin Thursday, slamming GOP lawmakers for their actions following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Discussion: Salt Lake Tribune, Breitbart and Deseret News

Sam Metz / Associated Press:
Utah Senate race: Referendum on direction Trump has led GOP

Discussion: Salt Lake Tribune, Raw Story, Roll Call and National Review

Greg Farrell / Bloomberg:

Trump Firm's Tax Fraud Trial Promises Ex-CFO as Star Witness — One of Donald Trump's most loyal deputies is expected to testify against the Trump Organization, in a trial that threatens to reveal the inner workings of the real estate empire that set the former president on his path to the White House.

Discussion: Washington Post, Washington Examiner, Raw Story and USA Today

Laura Vozzella / Washington Post:

Virginia directs 60,000 voters to wrong polling place for midterms — RICHMOND — State elections officials directed more than 30,000 Northern Virginia voters to the wrong polling place in mailers sent ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm elections, an error they acknowledged Friday and blamed …

Washington Post:

In bloody battle for Bakhmut, Russian mercenaries eye a symbolic prize — BAKHMUT, Ukraine — The crash and roar of artillery rarely stops in this east Ukrainian city. In the cold and broken houses, residents huddle by candlelight and pray that they have safety in numbers.

Eliot A. Cohen / The Atlantic:

The Words About Ukraine That Americans Need to Hear — “Deeds, not words,” is the motto of the 22nd Infantry Regiment, a credo that befits a fighting unit that has seen service from the Civil War to Iraq. But wars are won by words as well as deeds, which is one of the reasons …

New York Times:

Trump Could Harness Unresolved Legal Issues to Resist Jan. 6 Panel's Subpoena — If the ex-president turns down the drama of testifying, his legal team could mount several constitutional and procedural arguments in court. — WASHINGTON — If former President Donald J. Trump decides to fight …

Discussion: Occupy Democrats, Raw Story, Althouse, Fox News, Election Law Blog, Breitbart, UPI, Metro.co.uk and Mercury News

Reuters:

U.S. appeals court temporarily blocks Biden's student loan forgiveness plan — A U.S. appeals court on Friday temporarily blocked President Joe Biden's plan to cancel billions of dollars in college student debt, one day after a judge dismissed a Republican-led lawsuit by six states challenging the loan-forgiveness program.

New York Times:
Appeals Court Temporarily Halts Biden's Student Debt Cancellation

Politico:

Biden's ‘worst performing message’ — Welcome to POLITICO's West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration. With help from Allie Bice. — It's an article of faith among Democrats that their party is deeply hampered by its inability or unwillingness to tout its own accomplishments.

Discussion: Fox News, RedState, Outside the Beltway and NBC News