The Rundown: Pence, Harris Face-Off

Wall Street Journal 10/8/2020

Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic nominee Senator Kamala Harris faced off last night in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the lone vice presidential debate, sitting distanced from each other by more than 12 feet and with plexiglass shields between them as precautions against the coronavirus. The first topic was the Trump administration's handling of the coronavirus, which Harris called "the greatest failure of any presidential administration," citing the toll of the dead and sick and the economic fallout. Pence, who heads the president’s coronavirus task force, defended the administration's handling of the pandemic, citing Trump's early ban on travel from China and what he described as the biggest mobilization since World War Two. 

Other issues they discussed included the economy and taxes, the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett, climate change, our relationship with China, foreign policy, and racial justice and policing. In a amusing moment that seemed to grab all of social media's attention, a fly landed on Pence's hair at one point, and remained there for more than two minutes, spurring all kinds of fly memes. 

These were some of the key moments from the first and only vice presidential debate of the campaign. https://t.co/0OPWXPs4TS #VPDebate pic.twitter.com/VY7M6rMZm4

— ABC News (@ABC) October 8, 2020

The fly that stole the show. #VPDebatehttps://t.co/SjrKADurnE pic.twitter.com/jqV6j6CEdk

— POLITICO (@politico) October 8, 2020

➤TRUMP SAYS EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENT HELPING RECOVERY, CALLS ILLNESS 'BLESSING IN DISGUISE': President Trump released a video yesterday in which he claimed that experimental drug treatment he's received is helping with his recovery from Covid-19 and said his illness could be a, quote, "blessing in disguise" in the fight against the pandemic. However, Trump is still not fully recovered and there's no way to know whether the treatment had an effect. Trump promised to get the experimental antibody treatment he received quickly approved for broader use and to distribute it for free, although he can't order that himself, as the drug from Regeneron has not yet been proven to be safe and effective. Trump also again downplayed the threat from the coronavirus, saying that people who are ill with it will, quote, "get better fast, just like I did." Trump's physician, Dr. Sean Conley, said in a memo yesterday that Trump had been symptom-free for over 24 hours and that his oxygen and respiratory rates were normal.

Trump's reelection campaign is already planning his return to the campaign trial as early as next week, according to ABC News, depending how he feels in the coming days. Trump is also insisting that he will show up in person for the second presidential debate against Joe Biden next Thursday (October 15th) in Miami, which is a town hall format. Biden plans to attend, but has said of Trump, "I think if he still has COVID, we shouldn't have a debate." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that people can end their quarantine 10 days after the start of symptoms. His doctors say Trump's symptoms began last Thursday.

➤WISCONSIN TO OPEN FIELD HOSPITAL BECAUSE OF SURGING CORONAVIRUS CASES: Wisconsin health officials said Wednesday that a field hospital will be opening next week at the state fairgrounds near Milwaukee because a surge in coronavirus cases is threatening to overwhelm hospitals. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the 530-bed field hospital in April, but it hadn't been needed until now. Wisconsin has become third in the nation over the past two weeks in new cases per capita. 

Weather.com graphic

➤HURRICANE DELTA MOVES INTO GULF AFTER HITTING MEXICO, HEADING FOR LOUISIANA: Hurricane Delta moved into the Gulf of Mexico yesterday (October 7th) after making landfall in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula just south of Cancun early in the morning with top winds of 110 miles per hour. There were no reports of any deaths or injuries. Delta had weakened to a Category 1 storm, but began strengthening in the Gulf and was expected to strengthen more before making landfall Friday or potentially Saturday morning in Louisiana, possibly as a Category 3 storm. The state is still recovering from Hurricane Laura, which hit as a Category 4 storm in August.

➤ADMINISTRATION FILES EMERGENCY SUPREME COURT APPEAL TO STOP CENSUS COUNT: The Trump administration filed an emergency appeal last night (October 8th) with the Supreme Court, asking it to stop an appeals court decision that extended the 2020 U.S. Census count to the end of the month because of obstacles caused by the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh had ordered the count to go through October, responding to plaintiffs' argument that it would reduce the risk of undercounting immigrants, minorities, and lower-income groups. The Trump administration set a target date of October 5th to stop the count anyway, which Koh said was a violation of her order. Extending the count would push back analysis of the data from the end of the year to next April 30th. The Trump administration has argued Census workers won't have enough time to analyze the data if counting extends to the end of the month.

➤EX-POLICE OFFICER CHARGED IN GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATH FREED ON $1 MILLION BAIL: The former Minneapolis police officer charged with murder for George Floyd's death, Derek Chauvin, was released from jail yesterday (October 7th) after posting $1 million bail. In Minnesota, someone who posts bond is required to pay 10 percent to the bail bond company, which would be $100,000 in this case. It wasn't immediately clear where Chauvin got the money. Chauvin, who kneeled on Floyd's neck for several minutes as Floyd said he couldn't breathe, is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. Three other officers are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter. Attorneys for Floyd's family said in a statement yesterday, "The system of due process worked for Chauvin and afforded him his freedom while he awaits trial. In contrast, George Floyd was denied due process, when his life was ended over a $20 bill. There was no charge, no arrest, no hearing, no bail. Just execution."

 Newsday 10/8/2020

➤BRITISH ISIS MEMBERS CHARGED IN KILLING OF U.S. HOSTAGES: Two British members of the Islamic State (ISIS) have been charged in U.S. federal court for their alleged role in the torture and killing of four American hostages: journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller. Alexander Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh appeared in court in Alexandria, Virginia, yesterday (October 7th) via video link from prison. They face charges of conspiracy, hostage taking resulting in death, and material support to a terrorist organization. They are accused of having a lead role in an ISIS cell in Syria that kidnapped, tortured and, in some cases, beheaded hostages.

➤NETFLIX FACING CRIMINAL CHARGES OVER CUTIES: Netflix has been indicted by Texas’ Tyler County grand jury over the film Cuties. According to docs obtained by E!, the streamer is facing a charge of "promotion of lewd visual material depicting child." The docs go onto state that Cuties is comprised of "visual material which depicts the lewd exhibition of the genitals or pubic area of a clothed or partially clothed child who was younger than 18 years of age at the time the visual material was created, which appeals to the prurient interest in sex and has no serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value." Netflix responded to the allegations in a statement to E! News. "Cuties is a social commentary against the sexualization of young children. This charge is without merit and we stand by the film."

BELLI ROBS TATIS! pic.twitter.com/V9l4YCL0M4

— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2020

⚾MLB PLAYOFFS: Results from Division Series yesterday:

• Atlanta Braves 2, Miami Marlins 0 -- Atlanta leads series 2 games to 0 (NL)
• Oakland A's 9, Houston Astros 7 -- Houston leads series 2 games to 1 (AL)
• Tampa Bay Rays 8, New York Yankees 4 -- Tampa Bay leads series 2 games to 1 (AL)
• L.A. Dodgers 6, San Diego Padres 5 -- Los Angeles leads 2 games to 0 (NL)

🏈NFL FINDS SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF TITANS BREAKING CORONAVIRUS PROTOCOLS: The NFL's investigation into the Tennessee Titans' coronavirus outbreak found several incidents of the Titans possibly breaking coronavirus protocols, AP reported yesterday citing an unnamed source with knowledge of the probe. That came as the Titans had two more players test positive yesterday, according to AP, bringing their total number of cases, including non-players, to 22. The Titans can't return to their facility before Saturday at the earliest, and the NFL has to decide if they'll play the Buffalo Bills as scheduled on Sunday.

➤PATRIOTS' GILMORE POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS: New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore has tested positive for the coronavirus, leading the team to cancel practice yesterday and today. Gilmore, the third player on the Patriots to test positive in five days, tweeted that he's asymptomatic. Quarterback Cam Newton has also tested positive, as has practice squad player Bill Murray. The Patriots are still scheduled to play the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

➤DOLPHINS TO KEEP FANS TO 13,000 IN STADIUM EVEN THOUGH ALLOWED FULL CAPACITY: The Miami Dolphins announced yesterday that they will continue to only have 13,000 fans at Hard Rock Stadium for games for the remainder of 2020, even though Florida Governor Ron DeSantis moved the state into Phase 3 of reopening from coronavirus restrictions, which allows them to have full capacity. Hard Rock Stadium can hold 65,000 people.