memeorandum: ‘FRIENDS’ STAR MATTHEW PERRY DEAD AT 54 ... After Apparent Drowning (Rip/TMZ.com)

2:35 PM ET, October 29, 2023

Top Items:

Rip / TMZ.com:

‘FRIENDS’ STAR MATTHEW PERRY DEAD AT 54 ... After Apparent Drowning — EXCLUSIVE — 842.3K … UPDATE — 6:02 PM PT — More details are surfacing about the circumstances surrounding Matthew Perry's death ... as sources tell us he actually died at his own house after some physical activity this morning.

Michael Hauser Tov / Haaretz:

After Fury, Netanyahu Deletes, Apologizes for Post Blaming Security Chiefs for Hamas Attack — In a post overnight Saturday, Netanyahu asserted that he never received forewarning about Hamas' deadly attack. He earlier said ‘After the war everyone will have to answer to hard questions...Right now, my task is to save the country’

Discussion: UPI, Fox News, NBC News, Israpundit, Politico, Breitbart, Washington Post, Political Wire, NPR and The Messenger

Associated Press:

A spiderweb of Hamas tunnels in Gaza Strip raises risks for an Israeli ground offensive — As an Israeli ground offensive in the Gaza Strip looms in its most devastating war yet with Hamas, one of the greatest threats to both its troops and the 2.3 million Palestinians trapped inside the seaside enclave is buried deep underground.

Discussion: The Messenger, BBC, Israpundit, KXTV, Exposing the role …, The Guardian and New York Times

New York Times:
Israel-Hamas War — Netanyahu Says Israeli Troops Have Pushed Into Gaza

Discussion: CBS News, RedState, Political Wire, Reuters, National Review, The Daily Caller, FDD, TASS, Politico, New York Post, Public Radio of Armenia and Press Herald, more at Techmeme »

Adam Nagourney / New York Times:

The Devil's Bargain Mike Pence Could Not Escape — The former vice president tied himself to Donald Trump in the 2016 campaign and it may have cost him a political future. — The decision by Mike Pence to end his presidential campaign on Saturday was a bow to what had finally become inevitable.

Discussion: The Guardian, Raw Story, Political Wire, The Messenger, NBC News and Insider

Jill Colvin / Associated Press:
Mike Pence drops out of 2024 presidential race: ‘No regrets’

New York Times:
Pence Bows Out of '24 Race His Former Boss Is Dominating

Discussion: Raw Story, New York Magazine, Rolling Stone, USA Today, Semafor and Lawyers, Guns & Money

New York Times:

Jenna Ellis Could Become a Star Witness Against Trump — When Jenna Ellis last week became the most recent lawyer to join in an accelerating series of guilty pleas in the Fulton County, Ga., prosecution of Donald Trump and his co-conspirators, she offered a powerful repudiation of the …

Discussion: Raw Story and The Federalist

Kelly Garrity / Politico:

National security adviser defends Israel's efforts to defeat Hamas — “We have taken the position that Israel has a right to defend itself against terrorist attacks,” Sullivan said. — U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan defended Israel's campaign against Hamas on Sunday …

Discussion: CBS News, Fox News, The Hill, Vanity Fair, Bloomberg, The Guardian, Reuters, CNN and ABC News

Associated Press:

Palestinian death toll has risen past 8,000, Gaza's Health Ministry says — Thousands of people broke into aid warehouses in Gaza to take flour and basic hygiene products, a U.N. agency said Sunday, in a mark of growing desperation and the breakdown of public order three weeks …

Discussion: Vox, The Daily Beast, NewsNation, The Forward, Politico, Associated Press, The Times of Israel, NPR, TASS, The Messenger, New York Post, Reuters, BBC and Twitchy

NBC News:

Halloween weekend shootings leave at least 3 dead, over 40 injured after multiple mass shootings — Mass shootings in Indianapolis, Tampa and Chicago are being investigated by authorities. — At least 3 people are dead and over 40 have been injured after multiple mass shootings across …

Discussion: ABC News, The Messenger, Fox News, New York Post and ABC13

Brakkton Booker / Politico:

Andy Kim is making a big bet on breaking New Jersey Democratic politics — The mild-mannered congressmember has early momentum that will test the party's established power structure. — Andy Kim is trying to do something rare in New Jersey politics: win by casting himself as a soft-spoken outsider.

Kelly Garrity / Politico:

‘This is not cancel culture’: DeSantis defends call to ban pro-Palestinian groups at Florida colleges — “You have a right to go out and demonstrate, but you can't provide material support to terrorism,” he said. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis defended his call to ban pro-Palestinian groups …

Discussion: NBC News, New York Post, Rolling Stone, National Review and The Messenger

Steve Contorno / CNN:

DeSantis allies earn big paychecks on the front lines of his culture fights — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently recounted blow by blow at an Iowa sports bar his takeover of a tiny liberal arts school, describing how he turned Sarasota's New College from a “Marxist commune” …

Discussion: Political Wire

Paul Kane / Washington Post:

Expel George Santos? Some fear terrible precedent despite his terrible record — The truth-averse Republican faces a vote later this week over expulsion, part of growing number of political ethics battles in the House — Congressional bureau chief — Let's stipulate up front …

David Corn / Mother Jones:

Mike Johnson Conducted Seminars Promoting the US as a “Christian Nation” — The new House speaker called for “Biblically-sanctioned government.” — Rep. Mike Johnson, the newly elected Republican House speaker, used to conduct a seminar in churches premised on the idea that the United States is a “Christian nation.”

Discussion: RedState, Yahoo News, Political Wire, Digby's Hullabaloo and New York Times

Washington Post:

How Mike Johnson went from little-known to House speaker in 24 hours — Just hours after securing the Republican nomination for House speaker, Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) walked into a conference meeting Tuesday evening and bluntly informed his colleagues that he knew how to count votes …

Discussion: Washington Times and Associated Press