memeorandum: Dem-leaning States Project group pours $4.5 million into Virginia legislative races (Shia Kapos/Politico)

9:45 AM ET, October 9, 2023

Top Items:

Noah Berlatsky / Public Notice:

Republicans respond to attack on Israel by demonstrating their unfitness — From Tim Scott to Trump, they couldn't resist smearing Biden with shameless lies. … During a Fox News hit Saturday, RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel reacted to Hamas's attack on Israel by calling it a “great opportunity” for Republican candidates.

Discussion: The Hill, CNN, CBS News, The Messenger and The Free Press

Joseph Menn / Washington Post:

As false war information spreads on X, Musk promotes unvetted accounts — Information researchers said that the new outbreak of violence between Israel and Hamas is an early test of how the revamped X conveys accurate data during a major crisis. — As false information …

Discussion: Insider, Today's Edition Newsletter, The Messenger and Breitbart

Charisma Madarang / Rolling Stone:

Elon Musk Deletes Tweet Telling People to Follow Antisemitic Account for War Updates — In the since-deleted tweet, Musk encouraged his nearly 160 million X followers to follow accounts known for spreading lies — AS VERIFIED ACCOUNTS on X, formerly Twitter, continue to spread misinformation …

Discussion: Mediaite, Twitchy, Breitbart and The Post Millennial

Wall Street Journal:

Iran Helped Plot Attack on Israel Over Several Weeks — The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps gave the final go-ahead last Monday in Beirut — DUBAI—Iranian security officials helped plan Hamas's Saturday surprise attack on Israel and gave the green light for the assault at a meeting …

The Daily Beast:

‘The Diciest Thing’ Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan Are Battling Over — Both men know getting into detail on spending strategy could be fatal for their House speakership bids. — For years, a rotating cast of House GOP leaders have shared a fatal flaw: an inclination to only address their most immediate problems.

Discussion: Raw Story

Sarah Fortinsky / The Hill:
Byron Donalds says he supports Jim Jordan for Speaker

Discussion: The Messenger, CBS News and USA Today

Washington Post:

Vietnam tried to hack U.S. officials, CNN with posts on X, probe finds — The attempts appear to have been unsuccessful, but came as the U.S. and Vietnam were negotiating an agreement that President Biden signed last month in Hanoi — Vietnamese government agents tried to plant spyware …

Discussion: The Messenger

Liel Leibovitz / Tablet Magazine:

Eyewitness Account of the Rave Massacre — Scenes of young women raped next to the dead bodies of their friends — I've spent the last 12 hours speaking to Israelis who were at the Supernova music festival. Their testimonies, as you would imagine, are very emotional.

Politico:

Tuberville won't bend on military blockade amid Israel crisis — After Hamas attacked Israel, Senate Democrats said it was past time for several top-level military nominees to be approved. — Sen. Tommy Tuberville is not relenting from his monthslong blockade of military nominations …

Discussion: Democrats

Sarah K. Burris / Raw Story:
There's not a chief of naval operations to help Israel due to Tommy Tuberville's protest: Retired Commander

Discussion: Associated Press, Mock Paper Scissors and Wall Street Journal

NBC News:
Sen. Tommy Tuberville won't lift his military blockade amid Israel-Hamas conflict

Discussion: al.com and Digby's Hullabaloo

Courtney Kube / NBC News:
U.S. plans to move ships and planes closer to Israel

Discussion: Raw Story, ZeroHedge News, New York Post, Breitbart and CBS News

Shia Kapos / Politico:

Dem-leaning States Project group pours $4.5 million into Virginia legislative races — Dem donors ignored state legislature races for a long time. Dobbs brought new attention. — Daniel Squadron, left, and Adam Pritzker photographed in Manhattan, New York, on Thursday, October 6, 2023.

Discussion: The Messenger

New York Times:

‘Everyone Was Surprised’: Palestinians in Gaza React to Conflict — 01:34-01:38 What forced us to flee was the intensity of the bombing, 01:38-01:39 which was unlike anything in the past. 01:39 The bombing did not spare any tree or home or person; it targeted all.

Discussion: Why Evolution Is True, Washington Post, Associated Press, Vox, DCReport.org, Al Jazeera, RedState, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Beast, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Political Wire

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

DeSantis to sit down with Morning Joe as part of media blitz — The Florida governor is hitting up more adversarial press in an effort to make a contrast with Donald Trump. — Ron DeSantis is embarking on a media swing that will take him into some uncharted, and more adversarial, territory.

Discussion: Raw Story

Ben Goggin / NBC News:

Verified accounts spread fake news release about a Biden $8 billion aid package to Israel — The edited White House press release has sparked false headlines that rose to the top of Google search results. — A doctored White House press release posted online falsely claimed …

Discussion: Task & Purpose

Kelly Garrity / Politico:

At least 2 members of Congress were in Israel during attack — Both Rep. Dan Goldman and Sen. Cory Booker have left the country, their offices say. — Both Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) were in Israel over the weekend while extremist group Hamas launched …

Discussion: USA Today, The Messenger, The Economist, Outside the Beltway, The Daily Caller, The Daily Beast, HuffPost, New York Post, The Hill, Insider, CBS News, Fox News, Washington Times, Washington Examiner and Bloomberg

Dean Obeidallah / The Dean's Report:

Liz Cheney is right about Jim Jordan's involvement in Trump's plot to overturn the 2020 election — Will the GOP reward Trump's co-conspirator? — Former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney—who was vice-chair the bipartisan House Jan 6 committee—is warning the nation about fellow Republican Jim Jordan …

Discussion: Mother Jones and Digby's Hullabaloo

BBC:

‘They were going tree by tree and shooting’ - Israeli partygoer describes festival attack — Gili Yoskovich was among hundreds of young people at a dance music festival in southern Israel, near the Gaza Strip, when gunmen opened fire in the early hours of Saturday morning …

Discussion: inews.co.uk, Daily Mail, NBC News, Breitbart, The Guardian and The Times of Israel