The Washington Post
In one of the most telling dog-whistles of the third and last presidential debate, Donald Trump spoke of his immigration policy by probably using the first Spanish word he has uttered in any debate: “We have some bad hombres here, and we’re going to get them out.”
The Huffington Post
Donald Trump appears to be a maverick in his own campaign. He constantly talks about rampant voter fraud at his rallies. However, when his campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, is asked if she agrees, her answer is: “No, I do not believe that.” It will be fascinating to hear his take on the subject at tonight’s debate, especially if his campaign manager’s comments are also put forward by Chris Wallace.
Associated Press
Julian Assange, the top Wikileaks member, had his Internet connection at the Ecuadorian embassy in London restricted a few days ago. Ecuador has now admitted it is behind Assage’s Internet woes. The Ecuadorian foreign ministry said that it intervened because it “respects other nations’ sovereignty and doesn’t interfere or support any candidate in foreign election,” per the Associated Press.
Politico
Even before Donald Trump became the Republican nominee for president, Kelly Ayotte’s race to keep her New Hampshire Senate seat was going to be a tough one. Together with her well-established opponent, Gov. Maggie Hassan, the race in the state of 1.3 million people has almost reached a total ad spend of $100 million.
The New York Times
The anger toward the news media has turned toward the sinister as we approach the final weeks of a viciously partisan election. Some news organizations have gone so far as to hire security for their journalists covering Trump rallies. In an incredibly troubling development at a Trump rally in West Palm Beach, Florida, a sign was emblazoned with a swastika next to the word “media.”
ABC News
Over the weekend, a GOP field office in Orange Country, North Carolina, was firebombed, causing significant damage, but no injuries. The executive director of the N.C. GOP called the occurence “a horrific attack of political terrorism.” A nearby business was also vandalized, tagged with a swastika and the words “Nazi Republicans leave town or else.”
The New York Times
Amid rising rhetoric from the Trump campaign that the election is rigged against him, officials from both parties have started fighting back against those claims. “This election is absolutely being rigged by the dishonest and distorted media pushing Crooked Hillary -- but also at many polling places -- SAD,” Trump tweeted on Sunday. Jon Husted, Ohio’s secretary of state, explained that it is “wrong, and engaging in irresponsible rhetoric” when candidates question the fairness of elections without evidence.
Politico
The Republican Party is desperately trying to keep control of Congress. The Senate is up for grabs, and Democrats expect to make strong inroads into the conservative majority in the House. The Congressional Leadership Fund and American Action Network are spending a fresh $10 million on 15 House races that are particularly close.
The New York Times
Trump’s odds of winning the White House are slim, so he’s trying to turn away as many voters from Clinton as possible. His most recent approach sounds eerily similar to rhetoric used against the Jews in mid-century Europe. Trump said that Clinton was involved in guiding a “global power structure,” set on the destruction of the U.S. working class. “Whether intentionally or not, Donald Trump is evoking classic anti-Semitic themes that have historically been used against Jews and still reverberate today,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, who heads the Anti-Defamation League.
The Washington Post
Michelle Obama could end up being Hillary Clinton’s greatest asset in the final weeks before November 8. On Thursday, in New Hampshire, the First Lady gave one of the most poignant speeches about the revelations following the release of the “Access Hollywood” tape. “This is not normal. This is not politics as usual. Strong men don’t need to put down women to make themselves feel powerful,” she said.