Thursday News: “Mass media has utterly failed to convey the policy stakes in the election”; “Trump Is an Existential Threat”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, November 3. Also check out Eric Byler’s report from the Trump campaign front lines. It’s not pretty.

• The only way Trump can win (“The Republican nominee is counting on voters forgetting his track record.” And it’s a hideous, horrible track record that should disqualify this sociopath for dog catcher, let alone president…)
• British court delivers blow to E.U. exit plan, insists Parliament has a say
• Donald Trump is a phony outsider
• Trump Is an Existential Threat (“If you are voting for Trump, you are voting for coarseness, corruption and moral corrosion. Period. And if you are not actively voting against him, you are abetting his attempt to hijack American greatness and sink it with his egotism.”)
• Breaking silence, Obama is critical of Comey decision: ‘We don’t operate on innuendo’ (We absolutely shouldn’t, as Comey did so egregiously in this case.)
• In a tightened race, Clinton and Trump make urgent push to get out the vote
• Bill Clinton, Tim Kaine Cancel Iowa Event After Police Shooting
• Tim Kaine holds campaign rally in Dubuque
• Tim Kaine to hold rally in St. Petersburg with Jon Bon Jovi
• Va. Rep. Bobby Scott walks fine line toward Tim Kaine’s Senate seat
• Dear Donald Trump: I want my $49 back (“Add me to the long list of people the GOP nominee has ripped off.”)
• Republican VP Nominee Mike Pence Praises Rush Limbaugh: “No One’s Covered The Clintons As Thoroughly As You Have” (My god…)
• Swing state poll: the FBI letter totally changed the race — but just for one day
• It looks like Hillary Clinton’s swing state firewall is still holding
• Mass media has utterly failed to convey the policy stakes in the election (Yep, total #FAIL)
• Media Figures Praise Trump’s Health Care “Policy” Speech, Ignoring His Total Lack Of Specifics Or Viable Policy Proposals (The media is basically a substance-free and policy-free zone. Reporters simply don’t know that stuff or have any interest in learning.)
• Without a modernized Voting Rights Act, there’s no such thing as an honest election
• Xenophobes turn their hatred toward . . . Greek yogurt (Deplorables strike again.)
• Clinton leads Trump by 6 points, same as before FBI announcement: Reuters/Ipsos
• Clinton makes bid for Arizona, Trump tries to keep focus
• Trump teen rape accuser abruptly calls off news conference
• Poll: ‘Shy Trump’ voters are a mirage (“A new study suggests an army of hidden Trump supporters is unlikely to materialize on Election Day.”)
• Police pepper-spray black students peacefully protesting David Duke (I watched a few minutes of the Louisiana U.S. Senate debate last night, and Duke sounded like he was basically reading the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion.” Just incredible in the USA in the year 2016.)
• FBI takes a page from Breitbart: Far-right “Clinton Cash” book used in Foundation investigation
• “Vote Trump” spray-painted on black Mississippi church set ablaze in act of voter intimidation (“This kind of attack happened in the 1950s, and 1960s, but it shouldn’t happen in 2016″)
• Trump’s Server, Revisited (“Sorting through the new evidence, and competing theories, about the Trump server that appeared to be communicating with a Russian bank.”)
• Heated race for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District
• Garrett’s plan turns student loan problems into retirement problems
• Candidates for the House of representatives discuss issues and values (Kai Degner and Bob BADlatte.)
• Deliberations to continue Thursday in Rolling Stone trial
• Governor’s office to universities: Expect 7.5 percent funding decrease
• Our view: The pipeline approval system is rigged (“Here’s the problem faced by opponents of the natural gas pipelines proposed for this part of Virginia: The system is rigged against them.” Big time.)
• FERC session elicits criticism of pipeline environmental impact statement
• Bobby Scott is seeking re-election … and then the Senate? (Ya think? LOL)
• Virginia voter registration soars with October rush (As is often the case, we reported this here first.)
• Higher education asked to share budget pain with Virginia state agencies (Better option: raise revenues, accept federal Medicaid money.)
• The federal government has enough problems without taking over Metro
• Federal takeover of Metro? Board chairman’s proposal triggers debate but has some support
• Someone tampered with a road sign so they could call Hillary Clinton a b – – – – (The misogynist people strike again.)
• Jon Baliles says he’s dropping out of Richmond mayoral contest in effort to block Morrissey (Too late? Let’s hope not. Richmond needs to elect either Jack Berry or Levar Stoney — NOT Joe Morrissey!))
• Democratic Party to take legal action against Morrissey over claim he is party’s mayoral candidate
• President Obama grants Virginia federal disaster declaration in wake of Hurricane Matthew
• “I will never again live near water”: Weeks after hurricane, Chesapeake residents still seeking help
• Virginian-Pilot editorial: There’s a widening effort to cover-up causes in Jamycheal Mitchell’s death (“It is clear that the apparatus meant to investigate issues such as this is broken, and it will fall to lawmakers, beginning in January when the legislature convenes, to fix it”)
• Finally, Cubs win World Series — but not without drama
• Near record-warmth and some showers today; fall returns Friday