Subject: FW: Office of Vice President Biden Intelligence Briefing for Wednesday, October 3, 2018
From: "Kathy Chung" <[email-masked]>
To: "Ashley Blazer Biden" <[email-masked]>, "Hunter Biden" <[email-masked]>, "Jill Tracy Biden" <[email-masked]>, "Jimmy Biden" <[email-masked]>, "Valerie Biden Owens" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 03 Oct 2018 09:28:42 -0400

Office of Vice President Biden Intelligence Briefing

*From:* Bulletin Intelligence <[email-masked]>
*Sent:* Wednesday, October 3, 2018 7:56 AM
*To:* [email-masked]
*Subject:* Office of Vice President Biden Intelligence Briefing for
Wednesday, October 3, 2018

*Click to access
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=000-813&t=c>
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[image: Image removed by sender. Office of Vice President Biden
Intelligence Briefing]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=001-1df&t=c>

*To: Vice President Joe Biden*

*Wednesday, October 3, 2018 8:00 AM EDT*
Today's Table of Contents

*Biden in the News <#SECTION_1>*

• Biden Pens Tribute To Meghan McCain For Variety. <#S1>

• Biden Praises Kander For Revealing His Battle With PTSD. <#S2>

• Trump Hanging Nicknames On Biden, Other Potential 2020 Democratic Foes.
<#S3>

• Biden Backs Hayes In CT5 Contest. <#S4>

• Biden Endorses Brown In SC4 Race. <#S5>

*Leading the News <#SECTION_2>*

• Media Analyses: Trump “Mocked” Ford At Mississippi Rally. <#S6>

• McConnell Wants Kavanaugh Vote This Week, Says FBI Report Won’t Be Made
Public. <#S7>

*Foreign Policy <#SECTION_3>*

• US Ambassador To NATO Threatens Russia With War In Dispute Over Nuclear
Missiles. <#S8>

• Pompeo To Visit North Korea For Denuclearization Talks With Kim. <#S9>

• Cornyn Warns USMCA Ratification Not “Foregone Conclusion.” <#S10>

• France Ties Iran To Bomb Plot, Freezes Spy Agency Assets. <#S11>

• Iraqi Parliament Names Salih President; Shiite Independent Appointed
Premier. <#S12>

• At Least 13 Killed In ISIS Suicide Attack Targeting Afghan Campaign Event.
<#S13>

• Russia Completes Transfer Of Missiles To Syria. <#S14>

• US Bans Diplomatic Visas For Foreign Same-Sex Partners. <#S15>

*Domestic Policy <#SECTION_4>*

• In Philadelphia Speech, Trump Touts Economy, “Manufacturing Renaissance.”
<#S16>

• Envelopes Suspected Of Containing Ricin Sent To Trump, Mattis. <#S17>

• DHS IG: Administration Unprepared For “Zero Tolerance” Immigration. <#S18>

• White House, Trump Lawyer Denounce NYTimes Story On Trump’s Wealth. <#S19>

• Two Prosecutors Leave Mueller’s Team, Return To DOJ. <#S20>

• Four Arrested In Connection To Charlottesville Violence. <#S21>

• FEMA To Test “Presidential Alert” System Today. <#S22>

• Clinton Compares Russian Interference In 2016 To 9/11. <#S23>

*Cancer Research <#SECTION_5>*

• Cancer Patients’ Super PAC Seeks Lower Prescription Drug Prices. <#S24>

• Since 2013, Surge In Number Of Breast Cancer Diagnoses Given Over Phone.
<#S25>

*Editorials/Op-Eds <#SECTION_6>*

• New York Times. <#S26>

• Washington Post. <#S27>
Biden in the News
Biden Pens Tribute To Meghan McCain For Variety.

Variety
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=002-82d&t=c>
(10/2) reported, “For Variety’s latest issue, we asked Joe Biden to write a
tribute to Meghan McCain, one of 50 people to make our New Power of New
York list.” In his tribute, Biden praised the “courage” of McCain in giving
the eulogy of her father, saying that as she spoke, “I saw her strength
grow. And as sad as the occasion was, I felt a small smile cross my face.
And maybe it’s because I had spent so much time with John in the
Senate...that I said to myself, ‘There’s John. I’m watching and seeing and
hearing John from that podium. Honest, principled, unsparing – and more
than a little willing to make people uncomfortable with the truth.’”
The Washington
Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=003-2c4&t=c>
(10/2, Muñoz) also highlights Biden’s tribute to Meghan McCain.
Biden Praises Kander For Revealing His Battle With PTSD.

The Kansas City (MO) Star
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=004-07a&t=c>
(10/2, Adler) reports, “Only minutes after Jason Kander announced he was
dropping out of Kansas City’s mayoral race because of war-related PTSD and
depression, public reaction on social media was swift and sympathetic,
including a message from former Vice President Joe Biden,” who wrote in a
Tuesday tweet, “Jason – public service takes many forms, and bravely
stepping forward today is exactly that. By sharing your story, you are
saving lives. Others will get the help they need because of you.”
Trump Hanging Nicknames On Biden, Other Potential 2020 Democratic Foes.

Politico
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=005-881&t=c>
(10/2, Cadelago) reported that President Trump, “who humiliated his 2016
Republican opponents with sticky monikers like ‘Lyin Ted’ Cruz, ‘Lil Marco’
Rubio and ‘low energy’ Jeb Bush, is already salting the earth for Democrats
lining up to run in 2020.” Politico added, “In Trump’s parlance, Sen.
Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)...is ‘Crazy Bernie.’ Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)
is ‘Pocahontas,’ a reference to a decades-old claim she made to partial
Native-American heritage. And ‘One percent Biden’ refers to former Vice
President Joe Biden’s ill-fated bid for the 2008 Democratic presidential
nomination.”

        CQ Roll Call (DC)
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=006-9dc&t=c>
(10/2, Bennett) reported, “‘One Percent Biden’ and ‘Da Nang Blumenthal’
were introduced. ‘Pocahontas’ was dropped, as usual, to the delight of an
arena packed with ‘Make America Great Again’ merchandise-sporting
supporters.” Trump “trotted out some new nicknames Monday night at a rally
in Johnson City, Tennessee, mocking and criticizing several potential 2020
Democratic presidential nominees during another raucous campaign stop. ...
‘We call him ‘One Percent Biden,’’ Trump said mockingly of former Vice
President Joe Biden, mocking his failure to gain much traction in his
presidential bids. ‘Until Obama took him off the trash heap, he couldn’t do
anything.’”

        In his column for The Hill
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=007-944&t=c>
(10/3), Niall Stanage says that Trump’s “‘1 percent’ remark appears to be a
derisive reference to Biden’s showing in the 2008 Democratic presidential
primaries,” in which Biden dropped out “after the Iowa caucuses, where he
indeed scored just 1 percent support.” However, Stange adds, “it’s telling
that Trump targets Biden so fiercely. Biden backers rue that” he “stood
aside in 2016, since they believe he might have been able to maintain the
traditional Democratic ‘blue wall’ of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania
that crumbled with Hillary Clinton at the top of the ticket.”

        *The Week Columnist Argues Biden Shouldn’t Run For President In
2020. *In his column for The Week
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=008-913&t=c>
(10/3), Damon Linker argues that Biden “has no business pursuing the
presidency in 2020. For the good of the country, his party, and his own
reputation, Biden should bow out of the race long before the voting
starts.” As drawbacks of a potential Biden bid, Linker cites Biden’s age
and “his tendency to get a little handsy with women.” Of the latter, Linker
says that “when it’s combined with his decidedly chilly attitude toward
Anita Hill while chairing the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearings on
Clarence Thomas’ nomination to the Supreme Court back in 1991, we’re left
with a candidate quite likely to antagonize women in 2020.”
Biden Backs Hayes In CT5 Contest.

In an online article, WTNH-TV
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=009-cbf&t=c>
Hartford, CT (10/2) reported, “One day after getting an endorsement from
Barack Obama,” schoolteacher Jahana Hayes (D) – who is bidding to succeed
retiring Rep. Elizabeth Etsy (D) in the CT5 – on Tuesday was endorsed by
former Vice President Joe Biden. WTNH-TV added, “Of Hayes, Biden stated,
‘[Congress] need[s] someone who understands what it’s like to struggle to
make ends meet...Someone who knows America can and must be a place where if
you work hard, you can succeed. Jahana understands these American
principles, and I’m proud to lend her my support.’”
Biden Endorses Brown In SC4 Race.

The Spartanburg (SC) Herald-Journal
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=00a-149&t=c>
(10/2) reports that former Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday backed
businessman Brandon Brown’s (D) bid to succeed retiring Rep. Trey Gowdy (R)
in the SC4. The Herald-Journal says, “In 2006, Brown served as state deputy
political director for Biden’s presidential campaign.” Brown faces state
Sen. William Timmons (R) in the general election.
Leading the News
Media Analyses: Trump “Mocked” Ford At Mississippi Rally.

Coverage of President Trump’s rally in Southaven, Mississippi on behalf of
Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), who is in a close special election this fall,
is dominated by heavy and almost entirely negative reporting on Trump’s
remarks about Christine Blasey Ford. Virtually every major media source
says Trump “mocked” Ford, to laughter from the crowd. Trump tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=00b-b81&t=c>
a video link of the full event, writing, “Thank you Mississippi – I love
you!” He later tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=00c-7d4&t=c>,
“Thank you Mississippi – Together, we are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

        The AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=00d-bdf&t=c>
(10/2, Miller) reports that Trump “ignited [the] crowd...by mocking” Ford.
The AP says “the audience laughed as Trump ran through a list of what he
described as holes” in Ford’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary
Committee last week. Trump said, “How did you get home? ‘I don’t remember.’
How did you get there? ‘I don’t remember.’ Where is the place? ‘I don’t
remember.’ How many years ago was it? ‘I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t
know. ... But I had one beer – that’s the only thing I remember.’” The AP
calls it “the sharpest criticism by Trump of Ford since she came forward
publicly with the allegation last month. He had previously called Ford a
‘very credible witness.’”

        WATN-TV
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=00e-403&t=c>
Memphis, TN (10/2, 10:01 p.m. CT) reported, “In a loud and at times rowdy
rally,” Trump “touted his personal pick in the Mississippi special election
while also lashing out at critics of his Supreme Court nominee. … He
questioned the credibility of Kavanaugh’s multiple accusers, and slammed
Democrats for what he called ‘delay and destroy’ tactics.” The Daily
Memphian (TN)
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=00f-e9b&t=c>
(10/2, Yusuf) reports that Trump “said Democrats have been trying to
‘demolish, destroy and delay’” Kavanaugh, and he “mocked [Ford’s]
testimony.” The Memphis (TN) Commercial Appeal
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=010-65a&t=c>
(10/2) reports that Trump “used his strongest words yet to question women
coming forward to report abuse. ... Though he did not mention the #MeToo
movement directly by name, he went on to suggest that men like Kavanaugh
are under siege from accusations of assault.” Trump said, “It’s a damn sad
situation, okay? And we better start as a country getting smart, and
getting tough.” WATN-TV
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=011-fd6&t=c>
Memphis, TN (10/2, Broders) reports on its website that Trump “slammed
Democrats for what he called ‘delay and destroy’ tactics.” He said, “Guilty
until proven innocent, that’s very dangerous for our country.”

        USA Today
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=012-047&t=c>
(10/2, Fritze) reports that Trump “openly mocked” Ford, “remarking on her
difficulty remembering aspects of the alleged attack.” He “laid out a
scenario in which a man gets a job at General Motors but then is faced with
accusations of sexual assault from a woman.” Trump said, “This is a time
when your father, when your husband, when your brother, when your son could
do great. ‘Mom, a terrible thing just happened. What do I do, mom?’”
Trump’s remarks “came hours after he told reporters at the White House that
it was a ‘scary time for young men.’”

        The New York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=013-9a3&t=c>
(10/2, Haberman, Baker) reports under the headline “Trump Taunts Christine
Blasey Ford At Rally” that Trump “sharply mocked” Ford and “went further
than ever before in directly assailing” her. The Times says Trump’s “taunts
could inflame a struggle over power and sex that has consumed the capital
in recent weeks and risked alienating” Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa
Murkowski (R-AK), “whose votes will decide the fate of [Kavanaugh’s]
nomination.” The Times says Trump’s “advisers and his Republican allies in
the Senate have implored him to restrain himself” in discussing the
allegations. The Times’ Jeremy Peters tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=014-afa&t=c>,
“Trump’s aides had been uneasy about how controlled, restrained he was –
for him. Then came tonight when he couldn’t hold back anymore and mocked
Blasey Ford.”

        Under the headline “Trump Mocks Kavanaugh Accuser Christine Blasey
Ford,” the Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=015-a20&t=c>
(10/2, Dawsey, Sonmez) reports, “Trump, in a riff that has been dreaded by
White House and Senate aides, attacked the story of [Ford] at length –
drawing laughs from the crowd. The remarks were his strongest attacks yet
of her testimony.” Trump “said that Kavanaugh’s life was ‘in tatters’ and
urged the crowd to think about his family. And in an apparent swipe at all
of Kavanaugh’s accusers, he declared: ‘These are really evil people.’” The Los
Angeles Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=016-b7d&t=c>
(10/2, Wilkinson), under the similar headline “Trump Mocks Ford’s Claims
About Kavanaugh At Mississippi Rally,” reports, “Trump stoked what has
become a searingly divisive debate,” and “for an extended time, to his
audience’s laughter and applause, Trump feigned the voices of Ford and a
senator interrogating her. ... Ford has testified in detail to what she
alleges was Kavanaugh’s attempt to rape her and her fear that he would
suffocate her before she was able to escape.” The Washington Examiner
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=017-ce5&t=c>
(10/2, Donachie) reports that Trump “sarcastically questioned why Ford
could not recall key details.”

        WKRN-TV
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=018-3dd&t=c>
Nashville, TN (10/2, 10:09 p.m. CT) reported that Trump “mocked” Ford.
Politico
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=019-9ae&t=c>
(10/2, Forgey) calls it Trump’s “fiercest attack yet against Dr. Christine
Blasey Ford,” and CNBC
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=01a-b9e&t=c>
(10/3) reports on its website that “in an unscripted monologue,” Trump
“ridiculed” Ford’s account. Fox News
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=01b-368&t=c>
(10/2, Zwirz) reports on its website that Trump “claimed that Ford’s one
concrete recollection was, ‘I had one beer!’” Following the rally, Ford
attorney Michael Bromwich tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=01c-73e&t=c>,
“A vicious, vile and soulless attack on Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. Is it
any wonder that she was terrified to come forward, and that other sexual
assault survivors are as well? She is a remarkable profile in courage. He
is a profile in cowardice.”

        Some Democratic members of the House weighed in on Twitter. Rep.
Joyce Beatty (D-OH) tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=01d-62d&t=c>,
“Unbelievable.” Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=01e-a29&t=c>,
“As someone who demonstrated incredible courage to come forward about a
sexual assault, Dr. Ford doesn’t deserve to be mocked and attacked by the
President of the United States. Donald Trump defiled the Presidency
tonight, again.” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=01f-b74&t=c>,
“The President’s comments on Dr. Ford are as disgraceful as they are
unsurprising. This is a President who bragged about sexually assaulting
women and has been accused of it by more than a dozen.” Rep. Jim McGovern
(D-MA) tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=020-4db&t=c>,
“This is completely beyond the pale. Shame on you, Mr. President.” Rep.
Adam Schiff (D-CA) tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=021-a09&t=c>,
“Trump just mocked Dr. Ford, a victim of sexual assault. This shouldn’t
surprise us – he’s mocked Gold Star parents, the disabled, and prisoners of
war. But it should disgust us all the same.”

        NBC’s Jonathan Allen tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=022-4ef&t=c>,
“A couple folks I talked to tonight at Trump rally said Kavanaugh should be
confirmed even if he did assault Ford.” Alex Burns of the New York Times
tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=023-d18&t=c>
that Trump’s comments came “while campaigning for the first woman to
represent Mississippi in Congress, no less.” David Frum tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=024-126&t=c>,
“Trump mocks US POWs. ... Trump mocks Gold Star parents. ... Trump mocks
physically disabled reporter. ... Trump mocks woman who claimed sexual
assault. ... It’s worked so well, why quit now?” Washington Post
conservative blogger Jennifer Rubin tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=025-885&t=c>,
“[I]f Trump’s mocking of Dr. Ford angers you, go vote and get everyone you
know to vote.”

        Laurence Tribe tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=026-dd3&t=c>,
“At a Mississippi rally tonite Donald Trump actually *mocked* Dr. Christine
Blasey Ford’s poignant Senate testimony about Brett Kavanaugh’s alleged
attempt to rape her. Trump could hold his tongue no longer. We have to hope
Brett Kavanaugh would’ve found that display disgusting.” Matt Viser of the
Washington Post tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=027-9dc&t=c>,
“Dr. Ford five days ago emotionally recalled the most haunting memory of
the assault: Brett Kavanaugh, while pinning her down and groping her, was
uproariously laughing with his friend at her expense. Tonight the president
of the United States mocked her. And the crowd laughed.”

        Some local coverage focused more on Trump’s remarks about
Hyde-Smith than on the Kavanaugh matter. WXVT-TV[image: Image removed by
sender. Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=028-017&t=c>
Greenwood, MS (10/2, 10:01 p.m. CT) reported, “President Trump making his
way to Mississippi…for one of his Make America Great Again stops.”
WAPT-TV[image:
Image removed by sender. Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=029-405&t=c>
Jackson, MS (10/2, 10:02 p.m. CT) reported, “Trump spoke for more than an
hour, but it wasn’t until about 30 minutes into his remarks that the
President mentioned the person he was in Mississippi to rally support for.”
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=02a-d02&t=c>
(10/2, Bedillion) reports that Trump declared Hyde-Smith “a friend and an
ally of his agenda during a packed-house campaign stop,” offering her “a
full-throated endorsement.”

        WJTV-TV
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=02b-d94&t=c>
Jackson, MS (10/2, 10:01 p.m. CT) reported that Trump “touted [Smith], one
of four candidates in a contentious and close special election next month.”
Trump: “She’s always had my back, she’s always had your back, and a vote
for Cindy is a vote for me and Make America Great Again.” Hyde-Smith tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=02c-306&t=c>,
“Honored to have @realDonaldTrump’s COMPLETE and TOTAL endorsement in
Mississippi’s race for U.S. Senate. Make no mistake – a vote for me is a
vote for Donald Trump, and you can count me to help this President put
#AmericaFirst!”

        WAPT-TV
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=02d-002&t=c>
Jackson, MS (10/2) reports on its website that Trump, who “drew a packed
house,” urged “those in attendance to vote Republican.” WLOX-TV
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=02e-946&t=c>
Biloxi, MS (10/2) reports on its website that “thousands of people made
their way to the area” ahead of the rally. Bloomberg News
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=02f-ddd&t=c>
(10/3, Pettypiece) also reports on the event, while CNN
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=030-192&t=c>
(10/2, Ries) ran live blog coverage.

        *High School Student Says Secret Service Asked Her To Leave Over
BLM T-Shirt. *WHBQ-TV
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=031-512&t=c>
Memphis, TN (10/3) reports on its website that Alexis Cobbs, an
African-American student at the Southaven high school, “stood outside the
Landers Center for two hours in line only to be turned away by someone
wearing a Secret Service shirt when she got inside. ... Cobbs, who was
wearing a Black Lives Matter T-shirt, said she believes it’s the reason
Secret Service asked her to leave.” Cobbs said, “I didn’t realize wearing a
shirt could just disqualify you from listening to a sitting president
speak. I didn’t know only people who actively identify as Republicans were
the only ones able to come in here and listen.”

        *Trump: “Very Scary Time For Young Men,” Who May Now Be “Presumed
Guilty.” *Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=032-2c0&t=c>
(10/2, Cowan, Lambert) reports Trump also said yesterday that the
allegations against Kavanaugh “showed that ‘it’s a very scary time for
young men in America’ who now may be presumed guilty even when innocent.”
Trump is quoted as saying, “My whole life, I’ve heard you’re innocent until
proven guilty. But now, you’re guilty until proven innocent. That is a
very, very difficult standard.” The CBS Evening News[image: Image removed
by sender. Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=033-432&t=c>
(10/2, story 2, 0:40, Glor) showed Trump saying, “Well, I say it’s a very
scary time for young men in America when you can be guilty of something
that you may not be guilty of.”

        ABC World News Tonight
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=034-ca6&t=c>
(10/2, story 3, 1:05, Vega) reported that Trump added, “This is a very,
very – this is a very difficult time. Somebody could accuse you of
something, and you’re automatically guilty, but in this realm, you are
truly guilty until proven innocent. That’s one of the very, very bad things
that’s taking place right now.” ABC added that “before he walked away, he
offered his message to women, too. What message to young women, Mr.
President?” Said Trump, “Women are doing great.” NBC Nightly News[image:
Image removed by sender. Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=035-aef&t=c>
(10/2, lead story, 3:30, Holt) also ran footage of Trump’s comments.
The Washington
Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=036-5fa&t=c>
(10/2, Wagner) notes that “in response to the president’s remarks, NARAL
Pro-Choice America tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=037-df2&t=c>:
‘It’s a very scary time for young women in America, you know, because 1 in
6 of us have been the victim of rape or attempted rape. #BelieveSurvivors’”

        The New York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=038-660&t=c>
(10/2, Haberman, Baker) reports “Trump has expressed similar sentiments in
the past in response to sexual misconduct allegations against Bill
O’Reilly, the Fox News host who was forced out after multimillion-dollar
settlements of sexual harassment claims; Roy S. Moore, the Republican
candidate for Senate in Alabama who lost after being accused of child
molestation; and Rob Porter, his White House staff secretary who resigned
after two ex-wives accused him of abuse.” The Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=039-b47&t=c>
(10/2, Scott) says that “one of the factors in determining how different
groups reacted to Ford’s sexual-assault allegations against Kavanaugh was
whom they were most concerned about when considering the long-term
implications of the allegations.” The Post adds that “for many Republicans
and conservatives, it was the effect on men that was top of mind. ... As
liberal politicians, activists and trauma experts lead the charge to
vocalize the importance of believing women when they share their
experiences, others worry about the implications of unproved sexual
misconduct allegations on men in the future.”

        Along similar lines, The Hill
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=03a-ee5&t=c>
(10/2, Fabian) says “Trump’s comments are likely to fuel the firestorm
surrounding Kavanaugh’s nomination and renew questions about his attitude
toward the ‘Me Too’ movement,” and adds “nineteen women have accused the
president of sexual misconduct or said they’ve had an extramarital affair
with him.” Trump “has denied all of the allegations.” CQ Roll Call
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=03b-6cb&t=c>
(10/2, Bennett) also reports the President “has faced a number of sexual
misconduct charges, as well as weathered a political storm created by his
comments on the so-called ‘Access Hollywood’ tape on which he is heard
bragging about grabbing women by their genitals just because he was
famous.”

        Breitbart
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=03c-ce2&t=c>
(10/2, Spiering) recounts that Trump also said yesterday that “the
Kavanaugh hearings where more than just a Supreme Court nominee, but rather
a huge cultural moment in the United States.” Said Trump, “You could be
somebody that was perfect your entire life, and somebody could accuse you
of something, doesn’t necessarily have to be a woman.” The New York Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=03d-674&t=c>
(10/2, Fredericks) quotes Trump as saying, “I think that Judge Kavanaugh is
doing pretty well, it seems to me, over the last 24 hours. A lot is going
to depend on what comes back from the FBI in terms of their additional
number seven investigation.” Trump was “referring to six prior background
checks Kavanaugh underwent as he climbed the ladder in politics and
government.”

        *Former Boyfriend Contradicts Ford’s Testimony, Says She Helped
Friend Prepare For Polygraph. *Fox News
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=03e-206&t=c>
(10/2, Re) reports that in a letter released Tuesday, a former boyfriend of
Dr. Christine Blasey Ford “seemingly contradicts her testimony under oath
last week that she had never helped anyone prepare for a polygraph
examination.” He “said he saw Ford helping a woman he believed was her
‘life-long best friend’ prepare for a potential polygraph test. He added
that the woman had been interviewing for jobs with the FBI and US
Attorney’s office.” The boyfriend, whose name was not released, “also said
Ford neither mentioned Kavanaugh nor said she was a victim of sexual
misconduct during the time they were dating from about 1992 to 1998.” In
what Fox describes as a “pointed, no-holds-barred letter Tuesday evening,”
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Grassley “demanded that attorneys for
Ford turn over her therapist notes and other key materials, and suggested
she was intentionally less than truthful about her experience with
polygraph examinations during Thursday’s dramatic Senate hearing.” The
Washington
Examiner
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=03f-2e5&t=c>
(10/2, Caralle) reports that Grassley “says it is not only concerning that
Ford may have lied under oath, but also brings into question the
reliability of the results of her polygraph.”

        *Three People Interviewed By FBI Do Not Recall Party Ford
Described. *The Daily Caller
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=040-296&t=c>
(10/2, Fordham) reports that the FBI “interviewed four people in its probe
into Judge Brett Kavanaugh as of Monday afternoon, but the three witnesses
whom Christine Blasey Ford alleges were at the party in her testimony do
not recall the gathering, according to the Washington Post’s sources.” The
Bureau spoke to “alleged party guests Patrick J. Smyth, Mark Judge and
Leland Keyser and Kavanaugh’s Yale classmate Deborah Ramirez, who said that
Kavanaugh had exposed himself to her during their college years, according
to WaPo.” Sean Hannity said on Fox News’ Hannity[image: Image removed by
sender. Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=041-5d4&t=c>
(10/2), “A source is telling us here at Fox that those who were interviewed
continue to refute or deny any knowledge of Professor Ford’s claim.”

        *Thiessen: Prosecutor Mitchell Showed Inconsistencies In Ford’s
Case. *In his Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=042-6a5&t=c>
(10/2) column, Marc Thiessen writes that sex crimes prosecutor Rachel
Mitchell, who was selected by Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley to
question Christine Blasey Ford last week, showed that Ford’s accusations do
not rise to the level of proof. Thiessen writes that Mitchell showed
inconsistencies in Ford’s account, and that “without any corroboration,
senators cannot rely her imperfect memories alone – no matter how
sympathetic a witness she was.”

        *Swetnick Backs Away From Gang Rape Claims. *The New York Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=043-dc9&t=c>
(10/2, Eustachewich) reports that Kavanaugh accuser Julie Swetnick has
“backed away from some of her accusations against the Supreme Court hopeful
in a new interview.” Swetnick “last week that accused Kavanaugh and his pal
Mark Judge of ‘spiking’ the punch at parties and lining up outside rooms
where girls were being ‘gang raped.’” But on Monday, she told NBC News[image:
Image removed by sender. Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=044-6ef&t=c>,
“I saw him [Kavanaugh] giving red Solo cups to quite a few girls during
that time frame. ... I would not take one of those glasses from Mark
Kavanaugh — Brett Kavanaugh, excuse me.” She added, “I saw him around the
punch … I don’t know what he did, but I saw him by them, yes.”

        The Washington Free Beacon
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=045-6e9&t=c>
(10/2, Damron) reports that in a tweet Wednesday, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
said a “criminal referral should be sent to the FBI” after Swetnick
backtracked on the allegations. Swetnick’s attorney, Michael Avenatti,”
provided the Senate with her sworn statement in which she alleged Kavanaugh
was complicit in ‘gang rape’ parties in the 1980s,” but in the NBC
interview, Swetnick “appeared to backtrack on some of her initial claims.”
Cassidy tweeted
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=046-d74&t=c>,
“A criminal referral should be sent to the FBI/DOJ regarding the apparently
false affidavit signed by Julie Swetnick that was submitted to the Senate
by @MichaelAvenatti.”

        *Former Democratic Candidate Says Swetnick Has “Psychological”
Problems. *The Washington Examiner
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=047-dd4&t=c>
(10/2, Caralle) reports that Dennis Ketterer, a former Democratic
congressional candidate who had a relationship with Swetnick in the 1990s,
“has raised new questions” about her “credibility by saying she has
‘psychological’ problems.” In a signed statement to the Senate Judiciary
Committee Tuesday, Ketterer, a former weatherman for WJLA Channel 7 in
Washington, claimed “that Swetnick had psychological problems and liked to
engage in sexual intercourse with more than one male partner at the same
time.” Ketterer said, “Julie never said anything about being sexually
assaulted, raped, gang-raped or having sex against her will. ... She never
mentioned Brett Kavanaugh in any capacity.” The Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=048-203&t=c>
(10/2, Viebeck) describes Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans’ release
of Ketterer’s statement as “an unprecedented move.”

        *Grassley Rebukes Coons Over New Kavanaugh Allegation. *The Washington
Examiner
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=049-66a&t=c>
(10/2, Thompson) reports that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Grassley
“rebuked” Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) “after Coons submitted new allegations to
Grassley involving” Kavanaugh. According to Grassley, the allegations had
“all the makings of a tabloid headline” and deserved “unqualified
condemnation.” The accuser “claims to have hosted a party in the late
1980s, during a time when Kavanaugh would’ve been in his first year at
Yale.” According to the accuser, the party “had a local prostitute come and
perform a public sex act to a ‘semi-circle of cheering frat brothers.’”
Grassley said the accuser “freely admits” to not knowing whether Kavanaugh
attended the party. In a letter to Coons, Grassley wrote that the process
had reached “a new level of absurdity with this allegation” and “my
investigators have serious work to do.”

        *Poll: 60% Back Kavanaugh Confirmation If FBI Finds No
Corroborating Evidence. *The Federalist
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=04a-98c&t=c>
(10/2, Payton) reports that in to a new Harvard CAP/Harris poll
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=04b-6f5&t=c>,
60 percent of respondents support Kavanaugh’s confirmation “if the FBI
finds no other evidence to corroborate” Ford’s accusation. In addition, “an
overwhelming majority,” 75 percent, “say Sen. Dianne Feinstein should’ve
turned over the letter from Ford outlining the accusation against Kavanaugh
to the Senate Judiciary Committee when she received it in July, rather than
waiting until after Kavanaugh’s hearing,” and 69 percent “thought
Kavanaugh’s confirmation process has been a ‘national disgrace.’”

        *NYTimes Says “In Retrospect,” It Should Not Have Given Byline To
Kavanaugh Critic. *The AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=04c-d1c&t=c>
(10/2, Bauder) reports that the New York Times said yesterday that “it
should not have assigned a writer who criticized Brett Kavanaugh on social
media to its news story about the Supreme Court nominee’s alleged
involvement in a bar fight in 1985.” The Times nevertheless “said that it
stood by its story, published Monday, which said Kavanaugh was questioned
by police in New Haven, Connecticut, after he was accused of throwing ice
at another bar patron.” According to the AP, “The White House had
questioned the Times’ motivation in writing the story because one of its
authors, Emily Bazelon, criticized Kavanaugh in July after he was nominated
to the court by President Donald Trump.” Times spokeswoman Eileen Murphy
said, “In retrospect, editors should have used a newsroom reporter for that
assignment.”

        *NBC Under Fire For “Accuracy-Challenged” Reports On Kavanaugh. *The
Daily Caller
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=04d-de8&t=c>
(10/2, Hasson) reports that NBC News is facing criticism “after publishing
three different accuracy-challenged articles” on Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
According to the DC, an NBC story challenging Kavanaugh’s claim about when
he first learned of Deborah Ramirez’s accusation against him was
misleading, In addition, the DC says NBC was criticized for reporting on a
“letter allegedly from a woman who claimed to have heard that Kavanaugh
pushed his girlfriend ‘up against the wall very aggressively and sexually’
as they left a bar in 1998. The letter cited no evidence and provided the
names of zero witnesses.” NBC was also “criticized for publishing a Sept.
19 story that was based off a deleted social media post from a woman who
claimed to have heard rumors during high school about an alleged incident
between Kavanaugh and his first accuser, Christine Blasey Ford.”

        *NBC’s Welker: Kavanaugh Story “A Moment Of Learning” For Families.
*On NBC Nightly News
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=04e-9de&t=c>
(10/2, story 2, 1:30, Holt), Kristen Welker talked to parents about how the
sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh
are affecting them and their children. Welker said, “With the Kavanaugh
story front and center, sexual conduct is being talked about by families
across the country. ... Parents across the country [are] trying to turn
this flash point into a moment of learning.”

        *FBI Expected To Complete Kavanaugh Probe “As Early As Wednesday.” *The
New York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=04f-3db&t=c>
(10/2, Stolberg, Shear) reports that the FBI is “expected to complete its
investigation into allegations of sexual assault against...Kavanaugh and
deliver the results to the Senate as early as Wednesday, and Republican
leaders said Tuesday that they expect to vote on the nomination this week.”
The Wall Street Journal
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=050-068&t=c>
(10/2, Peterson, Gurman, Andrews) also reports that Republican aides on
Capitol Hill and a source familiar with the process expect the FBI
investigation to wrap up soon. The Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=051-dbf&t=c>
(10/2, Hamburger) says FBI leaders “are warily trying to navigate their way
through the politically charged background-check investigation” of
Kavanaugh “as the bureau seeks to protect itself now — and after the
midterm elections — from what could be fierce congressional criticism,
according to people familiar with the matter.” These people says that a
major “political consideration” is that if “Democrats win control of the
House, lawmakers could launch investigations into exactly what White House
and bureau officials said internally about the Kavanaugh matter.”

        *Ford, Ramirez Lawyers Say FBI Investigation Is Insufficient. *Cecilia
Vega reported on ABC World News Tonight[image: Image removed by sender.
Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=052-1d6&t=c>
(10/2, story 2, 2:15, Muir) that Kavanaugh’s second accuser, Deborah
Ramirez revealed Tuesday that “she was interviewed by investigators for
more than two hours on Sunday. Her attorneys say she provided the names and
contact information of more than 20 additional witnesses, and that ‘it was
a detailed and productive interview and the agents were clearly motivated
to investigate the matter in any way they were permitted.’”

        However, Bloomberg News
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=053-22b&t=c>
(10/2, Strohm, Litvan, Kapur) reports that lawyers for Ford and Ramirez
“said Tuesday the FBI isn’t doing a full enough investigation of their
claims, even as the bureau has been granted broader authority for its
probe.” Ford’s lawyers “said it’s ‘inconceivable’ that the FBI could do a
thorough investigation without interviewing her or witnesses she has
identified to support her assault claim.” They “said that although they
sent the FBI an offer to interview Ford, and sent information about
witnesses and evidence that may aid the investigation, they have received
no response.” Meanwhile, Ramirez’s attorney “said the FBI apparently hasn’t
contacted any of more than 20 witnesses to her claim that he exposed
himself to her at a drunken college party.” Politico
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=054-36d&t=c>
(10/2, Schor, Everett) says Ford’s attorneys “implored the FBI to interview
her and act on investigative leads they have provided.”

        Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) said on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360[image:
Image removed by sender. Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=055-5f7&t=c>
(10/2), “I’m told that sometimes they will interview the principles,
principle witnesses, after they have gone through the other people that
they’re interviewing. But, frankly, I do not know how extensive the FBI
investigation is. We would like it to be complete.”

        Fran Townsend, who served as Homeland Security Adviser to President
George W. Bush, told the CBS Evening News[image: Image removed by sender.
Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=056-ecd&t=c>
(10/2, story 3, 1:40, Glor) that the fact that the FBI has not yet spoken
to Ford “would make perfect investigative sense. If you waited to the end,
you want to interview a bunch of witnesses. You want to see if you gather
additional information, then you would interview Dr. Ford, Judge Kavanaugh,
and use any additional information you might have gleaned. It’s
inconceivable to me you would complete this phase of the background and not
talk to them at all because, after all, the FBI has never interviewed Dr.
Ford. Both Dr. Ford and judge Kavanaugh gave very detailed testimony before
the Senate Judiciary Committee but that’s quite different than sitting down
with the FBI.”

        *Judge Completes FBI Interview. *The Washington Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=057-9eb&t=c>
(10/2, Muñoz) reports Mark Judge’s lawyer has confirmed that her client
completed his interview with the FBI on Tuesday. Barbara “Biz” Van Gelder
“revealed on Monday that her client began talking with the FBI but their
interview was not completed.”

        *FBI Interviews Host Of Party Mentioned On Kavanaugh’s Calendar. *The
Washington Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=058-40e&t=c>
(10/2, LeBlanc, Richardson) cites a Washington Post report
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=059-6fc&t=c>
(10/2, Hamburger) which said that the FBI has interviewed Kavanaugh’s
Georgetown Prep classmate, Tim Gaudette, “who hosted a July 1, 1982 party
referenced on a calendar kept by Mr. Kavanaugh.” According to the Post
report, the party “has become the focus of lawmakers’ concerns.” Sen.
Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) suggested at last week’s the hearing “that the
gathering could have been the same one at which Christine Blasey Ford said
she was assaulted by Mr. Kavanaugh when they were teens, although others
have said the details don’t match her description.”
McConnell Wants Kavanaugh Vote This Week, Says FBI Report Won’t Be Made
Public.

The Washington Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=05a-6b7&t=c>
(10/2, Dinan) says Senate Majority Leader McConnell said the FBI’s report
on Kavanaugh “will only be available to senators.” The Hill
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=05b-5de&t=c>
(10/2, Carney) reports in its “Floor Action” blog that McConnell told
reporters, “We’ll get an FBI report soon. It will be made available to each
senator and only senators will be allowed to look at it. ... That’s the way
these reports are always handled.” The Wall Street Journal
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=05c-99e&t=c>
(10/2, Hughes, Peterson, Andrews) also reports on McConnell’s comments. NBC
Nightly News
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=05d-707&t=c>
(10/2, lead story, 3:30, Holt) reported in its lead story that McConnell is
“insisting a confirmation vote will take place this week,” and Nancy Cordes
reported in the lead story for the CBS Evening News[image: Image removed by
sender. Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=05e-cf9&t=c>
(10/2, lead story, 2:10, Glor) that McConnell “is vowing to hold the vote
this week.” Cordes: “How much time to you plan to give senators to read and
digest the FBI’s findings before you hold a vote?” McConnell: “It shouldn’t
take long.” Cordes: “Are you talking hours, a day?” McConnell: “They’ll
read it as quickly as they can. But that will not be used as another reason
for delay, I can tell you that.” The AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=05f-9a1&t=c>
(10/2, Fram, Tucker, Mascaro) reports that McConnell accused Democrats of
opening “the flood gates of mud and muck” against Kavanaugh.

        Politico
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=060-1fe&t=c>
(10/1, Bresnahan, Everett) says McConnell’s focus “is entirely on the
triumvirate of GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
and Jeff Flake of Arizona,” of whom he needs two in order to confirm
Kavanaugh. He is “walking a fine line in addressing their concerns while
continuing to press toward a final Senate vote,” and has “subtly tweaked
his language on the Kavanaugh nomination.” McConnell “is currently planning
a move to end debate on the nomination by midweek, forcing a critical
procedural vote as early as Friday, which would set up a final vote on
Kavanaugh early next week. But that timetable means the FBI investigation
must be complete by Wednesday.” If that deadline is missed, “McConnell and
Senate GOP leaders are likely to wait until the FBI report arrives before
moving to end debate and starting the countdown clock on Kavanaugh, if only
to avoid alienating the Collins-Murkowski-Flake group, according to GOP
senators.” Mara Liasson of NPR said on Fox News’ Special Report[image:
Image removed by sender. Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=061-a1c&t=c>
(10/2), “It doesn’t matter if Democrats are moving the goalposts back. What
matters is if Mitch McConnell can convince Flake, Collins, and Murkowski.
That it is his audience. He’s got an audience of three.”

        The Washington Examiner
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=062-afe&t=c>
(10/2, Ferrechio) says some Republicans fear Democrats “will selectively
leak parts of the FBI’s final report” in order to make Kavanaugh “look bad
just as the Senate prepares to vote on him.” Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) told
reporters, “I hope there is going to be some way for all of you to see
parts of it. ... Because I’m afraid it’s going to be selectively leaked out
and each side will use the piece that works best for them.” Similarly Sen.
John Kennedy (R-LA) argued that the report should be released so the public
can consider it in full instead of based on the interpretation of others.

        CNN
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=063-d30&t=c>
(10/1) reports that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) “has called for the FBI’s
Kavanaugh investigation to be released to the public once complete.” Graham
said, “I personally want it released to the public. I want you to know what
the FBI found and let the facts speak for themselves and I am ready to
vote,’ Graham said Tuesday.” Likewise, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said that
“there does need to be some sort of public statement – if not the (FBI)
reports themselves.”

        The Washington Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=064-95b&t=c>
(10/2, Dinan) says Republican Senate leaders dismissed demands from
Democrats “for a 24-hour delay between the production of a new FBI
background report and the vote.” The Wall Street Journal
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=065-b7b&t=c>
(10/2, Hughes, Peterson, Andrews) reports that Senate Minority Leader
Schumer urged the FBI to brief senators about their investigation at least
24 hours before they vote. Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) said on CNN’s Situation
Room
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=066-6ee&t=c>
(10/2), “I think we should have access to the work product, to the
investigatory summaries of FBI agents as well as a final report, not just a
brief or a redacted summary. And it could take several hours for senators
to review that material. I would think most senators would want much of a
day to reach a conclusion based on what’s in that material.”

        Sen. Angus King (I-ME) said on CNN’s Situation Room[image: Image
removed by sender. Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=067-aa7&t=c>
(10/2), “I have never understood, even before this process went on, why the
break-neck pace of trying to get this done while there are outstanding
issues. If I were Judge Kavanaugh and...I’m as innocent as he says he is, I
would want the most thorough FBI investigation in the history of the world
in order to exonerate. I don’t understand the resistance. It took Jeff
Flake and Chris Coons’ intervention to get this investigation done at all.
I would think that the White House and Judge Kavanaugh would want this
investigation to be thorough, even if it takes a couple of extra days.”

        Former Secretary of State John Kerry said on CNN’s The Lead[image:
Image removed by sender. Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=068-79c&t=c>
(10/2), “The problem I have and I think a lot of Americans have is that
people were saying there’s no corroborating evidence, before they had, in
fact, investigated and before there had been a chance to talk to a material
witness, the person in the room when the alleged incident happened. Now,
that’s why I said the fix is in. Why are you bum-rushing to a vote when you
haven’t yet fully investigated a serious allegation?”

        *Flake Chides Kavanaugh’s “Tone,” Says “We Can’t Have This On The
Court.” *Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=069-4ea&t=c>
(10/2, Cowan, Lambert) reports that Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) “raised fresh
concerns” Tuesday about Kavanaugh’s “‘partisan’ tone at the Judiciary
Committee hearing.” At an event in Washington hosted by The Atlantic, Flake
said, “I was very troubled by the tone of the remarks. ... The interaction
with the members was sharp and partisan, and that concerns me. ... I tell
myself, ‘You give a little leeway because of what he’s been through.’ But
on the other hand, we can’t have this on the court. We simply can’t.”

        *In 1983 Letter, Kavanaugh Said “We’re Loud, Obnoxious Drunks.” *The
New York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=06a-22f&t=c>
(10/2, Kelly, Enrich) reports that in a 1983 letter, Kavanaugh warned his
classmates “of the danger of eviction from an Ocean City, Md., condo. In a
neatly written postscript, he added: Whoever arrived first at the condo
should ‘warn the neighbors that we’re loud, obnoxious drunks with prolific
pukers among us.’”

        *In 2006, ABA Questioned Kavanaugh’s “Demeanor And Veracity.” *The New
York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=06b-63c&t=c>
(10/2, Liptak) reports that when Kavanaugh “was preparing for his second
confirmation hearing for a seat on a federal appeals court in 2006,” the
American Bar Association, “which had earlier given him its highest rating,
had reconsidered.” The group said the revision “was prompted by new
concerns about Mr. Kavanaugh’s demeanor and veracity.” The revision “was a
minor blemish on a glittering résumé,” but it “has received renewed
attention in light of recent questions about Judge Kavanaugh’s temperament
and truthfulness.”

        *Democratic Activist Files Ethics Complaints Against Kavanaugh. *The
Washington Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=06c-162&t=c>
(10/2, Swoyer) reports that Scott Dworkin, co-founder of The Democratic
Coalition, has filed ethics complaints against Kavanaugh “at the federal
circuit court where he currently sits, accusing him of perjury and engaging
in conduct unbecoming of a judge during his Supreme Court confirmation
battle.” In one, Dworkin “says the judge was wrong to label sexual assault
allegations against him ‘smears,’ and to sit for a television interview in
an attempt to undercut some of the women who have made the as-yet
uncorroborated accusations against him.” The other complaint “says Judge
Kavanaugh committed perjury by denying that he had received stolen
Democratic documents from a GOP operative while working in President George
W. Bush’s White House.”

        *Two Yale Law School Classmates Withdraw Support From Kavanaugh. *The
Huffington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=06d-f04&t=c>
(10/2, Bendery) reports, “Two former law school classmates of Brett
Kavanaugh’s who previously vouched for him” are now “withdrawing their
support for him because of ‘the nature’ of his recent testimony.” In a
letter to Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley and ranking member
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Mark Osler and Michael Proctor write, “Under
the current circumstances, we fear that partisanship has injected itself
into Judge Kavanaugh’s candidacy. That, and the lack of judicial
temperament displayed on September 27 hearing, cause us to withdraw our
support.” The two “were among 23 classmates of Kavanaugh’s at Yale Law
School who signed a letter in August pledging their support for his
confirmation. At the time, they cited his ‘exemplary judicial temperament’
as a reason for their support.”

        *Democrats Raise Concerns About Kavanaugh’s “Temperament And
Credibility.” *The AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=06e-0d5&t=c>
(10/2, Fram, Balsamo, Tucker) reports that Democrats are “raising questions
both about the truthfulness of Kavanaugh’s sworn testimony to the Senate
and whether he has the temperament for the lifetime appointment to the
Supreme Court.” Likewise, the Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=06f-877&t=c>
(10/2, Debonis) says that due to the “great uncertainty” about whether the
FBI investigation into the allegations against Kavanaugh “will unearth
anything conclusive by the end of the week,” Democrats are making an issue
of Kavanaugh’s “temperament and credibility,” and are “increasingly
pointing to his at times testy and emotional performance at last week’s
Senate hearing.” Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer “said last week’s
hearing...left him and others with great concerns about Kavanaugh’s
truthfulness.” Schumer said, “He has grossly mischaracterized his
relationship with alcohol,” and cast Kavanaugh as someone who “tiptoes
around the truth.”

        Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said on Fox News’ Hannity[image: Image
removed by sender. Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=070-169&t=c>
(10/2), “My beef is with the fact that they’ve done everything they can do
to destroy his life. If you don’t believe he’s a gang-rapist, if you don’t
believe he is a predator, if you don’t believe he is a stumbling drunk, how
about he doesn’t have the temperament? This is the one that bothers me the
most. He apologized to [Sen.] Amy Klobuchar [D-MN] for snapping at her.
What would you do if you were accused of all these things, had your life
ruined?”

        *Booker Says Kavanaugh’s Guilt Or Innocence Is Irrelevant. *The Daily
Caller
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=071-b0a&t=c>
(10/2, Morefield) reports that Sen. Corey Booker (D-NJ) told reporters
Thursday that Kavanaugh’s guilt or innocence concerning the allegations
against him is irrelevant to the question of whether the President should
withdraw his nomination and select someone else. Booker said, “So my hope
is that beyond the vicious partisan rancor that is going on, beyond the
accusation, we don’t lose sight of what this moral moment is about in this
country, and ultimately ask ourselves the question – Is this the right
person to sit on the highest court in the land for a lifetime appointment?”
Booker added, “And then ultimately, not whether he is ‘innocent or guilty’
– this is not a trial – but ultimately, have enough questions been raised
that we should not move on to another candidate.”

        *Protesters Arrested At Manchin’s Charleston Office. *The New York
Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=072-663&t=c>
(10/2, Stack) reports that nine protesters were arrested Tuesday at the
office of Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) in Charleston. The protesters staged “a
sit-in urging him to vote against” confirming Kavanaugh.

        *Police Escort GOP Senators Through Protesters. *CQ Roll Call
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=073-f21&t=c>
(10/2, Lesniewski) reports that a number of Republican senators, including
Judiciary Committee members Sens. John Kennedy and Lindsey Graham,
“received police escorts Tuesday afternoon to get them past demonstrators
gathered in the basement of the Russell Building near the terminus of the
Senate subway.” Along with “uniformed Capitol Police, Graham was
accompanied by the deputy sergeant at arms James Morhard.” Graham “told a
small group of reporters that he had never seen anything quite like what he
was now experiencing.”

        *Hatch: Kavanaugh Had A Right To Get Angry. *In a Wall Street
Journal
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=074-49e&t=c>
(10/2) op-ed, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), who sits on the Senate Judiciary
Committee, defends Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh against those who
argue that Kavanaugh’s anger during last week’s committee hearing should
disqualify him even if he is not guilty of the charges against him. Hatch
writes that it is unreasonable to expect a nominee to remain calm while
facing horrendous accusations in the public eye.

        *WPost Says Graham’s “Sycophancy” To Trump Is Not New. *In an
analysis headlined, “How Lindsey Graham Became Donald Trump’s Greatest Ally
In The Senate,” the Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=075-fda&t=c>
(10/2, Rieger) reports that during the 2016 campaign, Sen. Lindsey Graham
(R-SC) “called Trump a ‘race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot.’ In
January, Graham said those adjectives don’t apply anymore.” Graham “has
adopted many of Trump’s viewpoints and much of his terminology.” The Post
says this “sycophancy is nothing new” for Graham, who once “tried to oust
Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) from power. Now he says Republicans ‘were too
hard’ on Gingrich.” In 1998, Graham “said Congress would be ‘wiped out’ if
it impeached people ‘for being silly and doing inappropriate things.’ The
following year, he asserted that ‘impeachment is about cleansing the
office.’” The Post adds that Graham, in 2016, “worked with Republicans to
hold open a Supreme Court seat for more than a year. Now he is accusing
Democrats of delaying Kavanaugh’s nomination for political gain.”

        *Schumer: Democrats Could Move Vote Threshold For High Court
Nominees To 60. *The Washington Examiner
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=076-f77&t=c>
(10/2, Weaver) reports that Senate Minority Leader Schumer “indicated”
during his weekly press conference Tuesday that if Democrats retake the
Senate majority in November, they could “move the threshold for confirming
a Supreme Court justice back to 60 votes, instead of today’s simple
majority.” Asked about the possibility of such a change, Schumer said
Democrats would “have to look at that. ... The bottom line is that the
Republican leader moved it down...and the bottom line is that we’ll have to
look at that should we get back into the majority.”

        *Conway Says Sexual Assault Revelation Was Not Planned. *The Washington
Examiner
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=077-c9d&t=c>
(10/2, Lim) reports that White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said
Tuesday that her disclosure on CNN’s “State of the Union” that she is a
victim of sexual assault was not planned in advance. Speaking at the
Atlantic Festival in Washington, Conway said, “I didn’t make a decision to
reveal that, that just sort of happened. I think had I made a decision, I
would have articulated it better.” Conway also said that “her revelation
over the weekend was met with a cool response.” She said, “A lot of people
weren’t nice because they don’t want me or someone who works for Donald
Trump to have any part of humanity or humility, both of which I possess.
... I pray for those people because I have no idea what could possibly make
people so negative and acerbic toward a stranger because we disagree.”

        *AP: Blacks See Double Standard In Handling Of Kavanaugh
Allegations. *The AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=078-706&t=c>
(10/2, Holland) reports that “minorities and others” express “frustration
when they hear some of Brett Kavanaugh’s defenders say the sexual assault
and underage-drinking accusations against the Supreme Court nominee fall
under the category of ‘Boys will be boys.’ Some see a racial double
standard at work, complaining that when young blacks get into trouble,
their actions rarely are viewed as youthful folly in the way that the
misdeeds of privileged whites are.”

        *Hillary Clinton Laughs Off Kavanaugh’s Claim Of Democratic Plot. *The
Washington Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=079-cb8&t=c>
(10/2, Chasmar) reports that during an appearance at the Atlantic Festival
on Tuesday Hillary Clinton “burst into laughter” when she was asked about
Kavanaugh’s claim that the allegations against him are a plot by Democrats
seeking “revenge” for her loss in the 2016 presidential election. Asked
about the Kavanaugh’s statement, Clinton “erupted with laughter,” then
said, “Yes, it deserves a lot of laughter. ... I thought it was part of the
whole of his very defensive and unconvincing presentation. ... I told
someone later, ‘Boy, I tell you, they give us a lot of credit.’ ...
Thirty-six years ago, we started this against Kavanaugh.”

        *Residents Of Kentucky Town Post Bed Sheet Banners In Support Of
Ford. *The Cincinnati Enquirer
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=07a-9bb&t=c>
(10/2, Wartman) reports that dozens of homes in Covington, KY are
displaying banners made from bed sheets “with positive messages for women
and support for Christine Blasey Ford, who’s accused Supreme Court Justice
nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault.” After last week’s hearing, a
group of friends “moved by Ford’s testimony” decided to use bed sheets “as
a statement against the sheets with lewd and misogynistic messages that
have historically adorned some fraternity facades. ... Within 24 hours of
that conversation late Friday night, dozens of homes in Covington had bed
sheets billowing out their windows.”

        *Broaddrick Accuses Democrats Of Having Double Standard. *The
Washington
Examiner
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=07b-ff2&t=c>
(10/2, Correll) reports that Juanita Broaddrick, who says she was raped by
former President Bill Clinton raped in the 1970s, “blamed Democrats for
having a ‘double standard’ for how they responded to her allegations in
comparison to the allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court
nominee Brett Kavanaugh.” According to Fox News
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=07c-031&t=c>
(10/2), Broaddrick said, “It’s not politically advantageous for them to
circle around me and support me. ... These are the same people that refused
to read my deposition with Ken Starr back in 1999. Not one Democrat would
read it. [Chuck] Schumer, [Dianne] Feinstein, [Dick] Durbin — they
completely turned their backs on me.” Broaddrick also “renewed her calls
for an FBI investigation into her allegations.”

        *Fox News Led All Other Networks In Kavanaugh/Ford Testimony
Ratings. *MediaPost
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=07d-796&t=c>
(10/2, Friedman) reports that Fox News “posted the best TV viewing results
for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s hearing during his Thursday
testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee.” During the period from 10
a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, Fox News “posted a Nielsen 5.7 million total viewers.”
The three broadcast networks, which aired the testimony of both Kavanaugh
and Christine Blasey Ford live, were next, with ABC drawing 3.47 million
viewers, CBS 3.24 million, and NBC 3.19 million. MSNBC had 2.89 million
viewers, topping CNN’s 2.52 million.

        *Politico, WPost Highlight Trump, Kavanaugh Contrast On Beer
Drinking. *Politico
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=07e-435&t=c>
(10/2, Restuccia) reports that Trump, “a teetotaler who says he’s never
even had a beer, finds himself in the awkward position of fiercely
defending a Supreme Court nominee under harsh scrutiny for his past heavy
drinking. The more Trump embraces his embattled nominee and publicly
comments on accounts that Brett Kavanaugh drank to excess, the starker the
contrast becomes.” Politico added, “In booze-soaked Washington, where
senators, lobbyists and White House staffers regularly drink stiff
cocktails in wood-paneled downtown bars, Trump’s abstinence is a rarity –
and a quality his aides are acutely aware of.”

        Similarly, the Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=07f-afa&t=c>
(10/2, Rucker) reports that Kavanaugh “uttered the word ‘beer’ 29 times
before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week. ‘I liked beer,’ the
federal judge testified. ‘I still like beer.’ But one person who does not
like beer – and who does not admire Kavanaugh’s enthusiasm for the malt
beverage – is the man who nominated him for the high court: President
Trump.” Speaking on Tuesday with reporters, Trump said, “I don’t drink
beer. I’ve never had a beer. And I’m not saying good or bad, some people
like it. I just choose not to do that for a lot of reasons.” While Trump
“has been defending Kavanaugh in public, he has told confidants in recent
days that he does not like the focus on his nominee’s drinking habits,
according to advisers.”

        *Milbank: Kavanaugh Not Being Honest About His Drinking. *Dana
Milbank writes in the Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=080-96f&t=c>
(10/2) that while he and Kavanaugh were at Yale together for a year, he did
not know him, but “I’m chagrined to admit that I am extensively familiar
with the Yale drinking scene of the time, and from mutual friends and
acquaintances I have a good sense of the 1980s Kavanaugh and his alcohol
intake. This much is obvious: He’s not being honest.” Milbank adds that
“it’s just silly to dispute that he drank a lot.” Kavanaugh “clearly
calculated that any admission of blacking out, or anything less than 100
percent recall, would discredit his denial of the sexual misconduct
allegations. But admitting the obvious about his boozy college years would
at least have avoided this ludicrous litigation over a UB40 doppelganger at
Demery’s.”

        *Abernathy: Kavanaugh “Circus” Could Boost GOP Voter Turnout.
*Washington
Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=081-fea&t=c>
(10/2) columnist Gary Abernathy writes that “for people in Trump Country,”
the “confirmation circus” surrounding Kavanaugh “has morphed into complete
lunacy, while validating presumptions about the media and the D.C. swamp.
... If Trump Country was insufficiently motivated to turn out in the
midterms, the Kavanaugh accusations were just what the doctor ordered.”
Abernathy writes, “It is a sad period we are witnessing – sad for victims
who courageously come forward and do not deserve for their claims to be
tainted by suspicions of political motivations, sad for the accused when
they are innocent, and sad for young generations of Americans watching and
wondering if winning at any cost is what public service means.”
Foreign Policy
US Ambassador To NATO Threatens Russia With War In Dispute Over Nuclear
Missiles.

Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=082-4f6&t=c>
(10/2, Emmott) reports Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison said Tuesday
that Russia “must halt its covert development of a banned cruise missile
system or the United States will seek to destroy it before it becomes
operational.” According to Reuters, the US “believes Russia is developing a
ground-launched system in breach of a Cold War treaty that could allow
Russia to launch a nuclear strike on Europe at short notice, but Moscow has
consistently denied any such violation.” Hutchison said the Administration
“remained committed to a diplomatic solution but was prepared to consider a
military strike if development of the medium-range system continued.”
Hutchison added, “Counter measures would be to take out the missiles that
are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty. They are on
notice.”

        The Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=083-2ff&t=c>
(10/2, Sonne) says Hutchison “set off alarm bells” with comments that arms
control experts “said could be interpreted to mean a preemptive strike”
which “could lead to nuclear war.” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman
Maria Zakharova responded, “Who authorized this lady to make such
allegations? The American people? Do ordinary Americans know that they are
paying out of their pockets for so-called diplomats who behave so
aggressively and destructively?” Arms control expert Jeffrey Lewis
commented, “Welcome to NATO! You have one job: to not start nuclear war
with Russia. ... My default assumption was that she was badly mangling
pretty common talking points.”

        The New York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=084-2ea&t=c>
(10/2, Sanger) says the incident “nearly set off a diplomatic incident,”
prompting State Department officials “to minimize the import” of
Hutchison’s comments. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert “did not
speak directly about Ms. Hutchison’s threat to ‘take out’ the Russian
missiles and tried to return the policy to where it has been: pressure on
Russia to stop deploying the weapons.” The Times says that “behind the
scenes, officials in Washington pressed for Ms. Hutchison to backtrack on
her comments, especially after the Russians mocked her remarks, and then
suggested that it was the United States, not Russia, that was deploying
weapons in violation of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces treaty, which dates
to the Reagan administration.” Hutchison “was forced to issue a statement
saying she did not mean to suggest that Washington was considering a
pre-emptive strike against Russian missile sites,” but by that time, Russia
“had already seized on the remarks.”
Pompeo To Visit North Korea For Denuclearization Talks With Kim.

Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=085-cac&t=c>
(10/2, Wroughton) reports State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert on
Tuesday announced that Secretary of State Pompeo will visit Pyongyang “on
Saturday to try to further denuclearization talks with North Korean leader
Kim Jong Un.” Pompeo is also scheduled to visit “Japan, South Korea and
China from Oct. 6-8” to brief his counterparts on the North Korea talks.
Nauert told reporters, “I think it shows forward progress and momentum that
the secretary is making his fourth trip back in less than a year.” She
added, “Of course, we have quite a ways to go but we look forward to the
next steps in this conversation.”

        Fox News’ Special Report
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=086-a7e&t=c>’s
(10/2) John Roberts said Pompeo is expected to meet with Kim on Sunday,
according to Nauert. While in Pyongyang, the AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=087-4ec&t=c>
(10/2) reports, “Pompeo will be pushing for progress on achieving the goal
of denuclearization” that President Trump and Kim had “agreed to only in
vague terms at their summit in Singapore.” Pompeo “may also chart a
possible second meeting between” Trump and Kim.

        The Washington Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=088-6d1&t=c>
(10/2, Taylor) reports that Pompeo’s trip comes “even as Pyongyang hardens
its stance on denuclearization talks and South Korea’s government warned
that the Kim regime has as many as 60 nuclear weapons.” Analysts “say the
stakes for Mr. Pompeo’s trip couldn’t be higher – for good or ill.”
Meanwhile, Administration officials have hoped that Kim “would provide the
data in exchange for recognition by Washington of a formal peace
declaration between North and South Korea,” but Pyongyang “showed little
sign Tuesday of volunteering such sensitive details.” To the contrary, the
North Korean government “warned via state media that it might walk away
from nuclear talks if the U.S. doesn’t openly throw its support behind the
peace declaration, a move the Trump administration has resisted out of
concern that it could lead to calls for the removal of U.S. troops from
South Korea.” According to the Times, the matter “is likely to be front and
center when Mr. Pompeo visits Pyongyang Sunday.”

        Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=089-72d&t=c>
(10/2, Jeong) reports, North Korea is seeking additional benefits from the
US in the wake of Trump’s favorable rhetoric. The AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=08a-a8d&t=c>
(10/2, Talmadge) says that while Pyongyang “warned Washington through its
state media Tuesday that a declaration ending the Korean War shouldn’t be
seen as a bargaining chip in denuclearization talks,” it “suggested lifting
sanctions might be.” The commentary claimed that “Pyongyang has taken
significant measures to end hostile relations between the two countries but
said the U.S. is ‘trying to subdue’ it through sanctions, a not-so-subtle
call for Washington to lift sanctions if it wants further progress in their
stalled nuclear negotiations.” The commentary also “said a declaration
replacing a 65-year-old armistice to formally end the war ‘is not just a
gift from a man to another,’ and added, ‘it can never be a bargaining chip
for getting” North Korea denuclearized.

        Also ahead of Pompeo’s visit, the Washington Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=08b-e81&t=c>
(10/2, Taylor) reports, “Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of Mr. Kim’s
ruling Workers’ Party, ran a report Tuesday featuring a long list of
meetings Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho had with others on the sidelines of
the U.N. General Assembly – including with Chinese, Russian, Swiss, Kazakh,
Venezuelan and other officials.” According to South Korea’s Yonhap News
Agency, “the Rodong report neglected to point out Mr. Ri’s direct talks
with Mr. Pompeo on Sept. 26, after which the secretary of state revealed
that he had accepted an invitation to personally visit to Pyongyang in the
weeks ahead to plan for a second summit between President Trump and Mr.
Kim.”

        *WPost Analysis: Kim Charming Trump With Flattering Letters. *In an
analysis, the Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=08c-3c8&t=c>
(10/2, Gearan) says that Kim “may have found the key to President Trump’s
heart: a flowery letter full of flattery.” The Post details Trump’s warm
responses to letters that Kim sent in May and August, and adds that “Trump
carried the latest missive from Kim with him to meetings with world
leaders” last week at the United Nations General Assembly. Calling Kim’s
letter “a beautiful piece of art,” Trump told reporters: “We have a very
good relationship. He likes me. I like him. We get along.” While the White
House has not publicly disclosed “the exact contents of the letters,”
people briefed on the matter “said they did not contain substantive new
policy proposals or other breakthroughs.” Nonetheless, the Post says, Kim’s
letters “have had their desired affect: charming Trump.”

        *South Korean Official Says Pyongyang May Have As Many As 60
Nuclear Weapons. *The AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=08d-891&t=c>
(10/2, Press) reports a top South Korean official “told lawmakers that
North Korea is estimated to have up to 60 nuclear weapons, in Seoul’s first
public comment about the size of the North’s secrecy-clouded weapons
arsenal.” Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon “told parliament Monday the
estimates on the size of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal range from 20 bombs
to as many as 60.” Cho attributed the information to the South Korean
intelligence agencies. He was responding to a question by a lawmaker,
saying the information came from the intelligence authorities.

        Brian Todd reported on CNN’s Situation Room[image: Image removed by
sender. Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=08e-889&t=c>
(10/2) that US intelligence officials “declined to confirm or discuss” the
“jarring” claim with CNN, “but...former weapons inspectors say” the
estimate “rings true.”
Cornyn Warns USMCA Ratification Not “Foregone Conclusion.”

Bloomberg News
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=08f-509&t=c>
(10/2, Wasson) reports Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn said Tuesday that
the revised NAFTA “may not have enough support to win approval in the US
Senate.” Said Cornyn, “I know people are still going through the details
but it’s not a foregone conclusion that it will get confirmation by the
Senate.” According to Bloomberg, while Cornyn “said the earliest that the
Senate could pass the measure would be after the Nov. 6 vote, during the
so-called lame duck session,” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) “warned against
considering the pact during the lame duck session,” saying, “The last thing
that is needed right now...is ramming this through.”

        *Steelworkers’ Union: Revised Deal “Much Better Than Previous Trade
Agreements.” *Breitbart
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=090-626&t=c>
(10/2, Carney) reports that United Steelworkers (USW) International
President Leo W. Gerard said in a statement that the USMCA is “much better
than previous trade agreements in the area of workers rights.” Gerard is
quoted as saying, “In the area of workers’ rights, the draft text we have
seen includes significant improvements over the existing NAFTA and is
stronger than the rejected Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). It goes farther
than any prior trade agreement.” Breitbart notes that Gerard “praised the
efforts of the Trump trade team in building a better trade agreement in
cooperation with labor groups,” saying, “The USW and other labor groups
have worked closely with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer since
the United States initiated renegotiation of NAFTA.”

        *Trump Touts Agreement. *On Twitter
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=091-e3f&t=c>
Tuesday, President Trump hailed, “USMCA Wins Praise as a Victory for
American Industries and Workers.” In a second tweet
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=092-474&t=c>,
he said, “This is really an incredible time for our Nation – WE are
RESPECTED AGAIN!”

        *WPost A1: USMCA Delivers “Big Wins” To Drugmakers, Oil Companies
And Tech Firms. *The Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=093-e93&t=c>
(10/2, A1, Whalen) reports in a front-page story that a “handful of major
industries scored big wins in President Trump’s North American trade
agreement — at times at the expense of ordinary consumers in the United
States, Canada and Mexico.” The “winners,” according to the Post, “include
oil companies, technology firms and retailers, but chief among them are
pharmaceutical companies, which gained guarantees against competition from
cheaper generic drugs.” USMCA protects new biologic drugs from cheaper
generic competition for “at least ten years,” but critics “argued that by
setting a minimum of 10 years of protection, the trilateral pact shields
the pharmaceutical industry from future legislative attempts in the United
States to shorten biologic drug monopolies.”

        *CFR’s Haass: USMCA More Than Just “Rebranded” NAFTA. *Asked on MSNBC’s
Morning Joe
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=094-0a4&t=c>
(10/2), about the new NAFTA deal – known as USMCA – Council on Foreign
Relations President Richard Haass said, “It’s a good day for the United
States. The President found his own away to supporting trade. It’s not
quite as radically difference as he claims, but it’s progress. It’s a more
modern agreement. It deals with things like digital commerce. It protects
intellectual property. Dairy farmers will be happy. Automobile
manufacturers will be happy. We avoided a major trade war over car imports.
So, all in all, a good day.” Asked, “How different is it from NAFTA?” Haass
replied that the USMCA is more that just a “rebranded” NAFTA. According to
Haass, “It’s modernized, because NAFTA, 25 years ago, there wasn’t even
digital commerce. ... It’s a good 25% better,” and shows that “if the
President wants, he can go and expand trade agreements.”

        *Sierra Club: USMCA Does Not Protect Environment. *Sierra Club
Executive President Michael Brune writes in USA Today
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=095-dd6&t=c>
(10/2) that “NAFTA 2.0 would encourage further outsourcing of pollution and
jobs, give handouts to corporate polluters like Chevron and ExxonMobil, and
cement Trump’s polluting legacy for years after he has left office. It
fails to mention climate change and would actually prolong NAFTA’s
contribution to the climate crisis by promoting fossil fuel development.”
Brune argues that “our communities will suffer if this proposal, which was
hastily finalized to score political points, remains as is. We need a
replacement for NAFTA that prioritizes people and the planet.”

        *Kudlow: USMCA Makes Negotiating Deal With China Easier. *Asked on Fox
News’ America’s Newsroom
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=096-503&t=c>
(10/2) if, in the wake of the trade deal with Canada and Mexico, the US has
a stronger hand in negotiating a deal with China, NEC Director Larry Kudlow
said, “I think this makes the job easier. ... If you put all this together,
new fresh trade talks with the EU and Japan, newly completed USMCA in North
America, you have got pretty much a united front among the major allies.
I’ve always felt it would be a trade coalition of the willing to send a
message to China that they’ve got to shape up and start behaving like a
citizen in the new world of trading.” Kudlow added that the President
“inherited a trading mess. ... He is putting it back together piece by
piece. North America, Europe, Japan, elsewhere. He is doing exactly what he
said he would do, get rid of those trade barriers and non-tariff barriers
and what not. We’re sending China a message.”

        The AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=097-223&t=c>
(10/2, Wiseman), meanwhile, says the Administration “has muscled Canada
into joining a revamped North American trade deal, sealed a pact with South
Korea and coaxed a reluctant Japan into agreeing to one-on-one trade talks.
All in the past two weeks.” To President Trump and his allies, the results
“vindicate his drive to upend traditional trade policy and deploy import
taxes,” but critics “say the recent trade deals have produced few concrete
gains and offer scant reason for optimism about the administration’s
riskiest gamble of all: The trade war it’s ignited with China.”

        *US Manufacturer: Trump’s Tariffs Helping US Small, Mid-Sized
Businesses. *Mark Louchheim, president of California-based manufacturer
Bobrick Washroom Equipment Inc., writes in the Wall Street Journal
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=098-aa4&t=c>
(10/2) that while the Administration’s tariffs imposed on China may harm
major multinational manufacturing companies, they help small and
medium-size manufacturers in the US. The US economy, he argues, is growing
quickly and can absorb the short-term pain from China’s reciprocal tariffs.

        *Reuters: Kushner Played Key Role In Securing USMCA. *Under the
headline, “How Trump’s Son-In-Law Helped Salvage The North American Trade
Zone,” Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=099-e5f&t=c>
(10/2, Ljunggren, Holland) reports that while USTR Lighthizer “was the
public face of arduous, year-long talks to rework NAFTA,” on Monday, “as he
savored a successful conclusion in the White House Rose Garden,” Lighthizer
“singled out another man as the deal’s architect,” saying, “I’ve said
before, and I’ll say again, this agreement would not have happened if it
wasn’t for Jared.” Reuters adds, “The 70-year-old veteran negotiator was
referring to Jared Kushner, more than 30 years his junior and Donald
Trump’s son-in-law, whom the president had asked to help out on trade early
in the presidency, especially on Canada and Mexico.” According to Reuters,
“While Kushner’s time in the White House has been turbulent...his role in
keeping the North American Trade Agreement afloat was fundamental.”
France Ties Iran To Bomb Plot, Freezes Spy Agency Assets.

The New York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=09a-62a&t=c>
(10/2, Rubin) reports France on Tuesday publicly linked Iran’s intelligence
services to a foiled bomb plot that targeted a meeting near Paris of the
Iranian opposition group Mujahedin-e-Khalq in June, and announced it will
freeze the assets of the Iranian spy ministry. France’s ministers of
foreign affairs, interior and finance said in a joint statement that a plot
of “such extreme seriousness on French territory could not be let go
without a response.” They added, “France has taken preventive,
proportionate and targeted measures. In taking this decision France
reiterates its determination to fight terrorism, especially on its own
territory.” To the Times, the move was “particularly notable because it
suggested that France, unlike” the US, “believes that it is possible to
punish Iran for hostile actions at the same time that it tries to preserve
the Iran nuclear deal.”

        Bloomberg News
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=09b-ca2&t=c>
(10/2, Viscusi) reports that in the joint statement issued Tuesday, the
French ministries “named the individuals as Assadollah Asadi and Saeid
Hashemi Moghadam. The office was identified as the Direction of Internal
Security at Iran’s Intelligence Ministry.” The Wall Street Journal
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=09c-1bf&t=c>
(10/2, Dalton) reports the limited sanctions on the intelligence agency and
two officials show France was seeking to retaliate for the plot without
ending the negotiations to preserve the JCPOA.

        Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=09d-6fa&t=c>
(10/2, Irish, Lough) reports that a French diplomatic source said, “Behind
all this was a long, meticulous and detailed investigation by our
(intelligence) services that enabled us to reach the conclusion, without
any doubt, that responsibility fell on the Iranian intelligence ministry.”
Reuters says the rift complicates Iran’s effort to subvert US sanctions by
working with European signatories of the P5+1 nuclear deal.

        Meanwhile, AFP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=09e-a75&t=c>
(10/2) reports, the US “issued a fresh warning” to Iran after France’s
announcement. According to AFP, the NSC tweeted, “France taking strong
action against failed Iranian terrorist plot in Paris – Tehran needs to
know this outrageous behavior will not be tolerated.” In addition, State
Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters the incident
reinforced that Iran was “the world’s top sponsor of terrorism.”

        *IAEA Appears To Dismiss Netanyahu Claim Of Iranian “Secret Atomic
Warehouse.” *Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=09f-006&t=c>
(10/2, Murphy) reports the International Atomic Energy Agency said its
“independence is paramount and it does not take intelligence presented to
it at face value, in an apparent response to Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu’s description of a ‘secret atomic warehouse’ in Iran.”
Netanyahu, an opponent of the JCPOA, “made the statement in a speech to the
United Nations General Assembly last week,” and called on the IAEA to
inspect the Tehran site. A US State Department official “later seconded
that call.” In a statement, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano said, “The agency sends
inspectors to sites and locations only when needed. The agency uses all
safeguards relevant to information available to it but it does not take any
information at face value.”

        The Washington Free Beacon
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0a0-0b4&t=c>
(10/2, Kredo), the “disclosure sent shockwaves through the international
community and prompted the Trump administration to push for a renewed
investigation into the claims by the IAEA.” A senior State Department
official told the Free Beacon, “We look to the IAEA to continue to act in a
responsible and timely manner in pursuit of any credible information,
including the information presented by [Prime Minister] Netanyahu, that
could indicate Iran has fallen short of the nonproliferation obligations
the IAEA is charged with verifying.” The official “would not comment on the
veracity of Netanyahu’s information, telling the Free Beacon the
administration was ‘not a party to any planning to disclose it.’” The Wall
Street Journal
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0a1-733&t=c>
(10/2, Norman) reports Netanyahu last week called on the IAEA to inspect
the alleged atomic warehouse, which he said Iran was sanitizing.

        *Families Of Hostages With Western Ties In Iran Join Forces.
*The Washington
Free Beacon
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0a2-ccb&t=c>
(10/2, Crabtree) reports, “The families of American citizens and dual
nationals with strong Western ties held for years in Iran joined forces and
met for the first time last week” on the sidelines of the UN General
Assembly to “press international diplomats for their release.” Among those
at the meeting was Sarah Moriarty, daughter of former DEA and FBI agent
Robert Levinson, “the longest-held hostage in U.S. history.” Moriarty and
the other family members met with “several US officials” during the
meeting, and Secretary of State Pompeo and National Security Adviser
Bolton, “while at the U.N. summit, both repeated U.S. calls for Iran to
locate Robert Levinson and enable him to return to the United States.”

        *Kerry Defends Meeting With Iran’s Foreign Minister. *Former
Secretary of State John Kerry was asked on CNN’s The Lead[image: Image
removed by sender. Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0a3-177&t=c>
(10/2) about Secretary of State Pompeo’s criticism of his meeting with
Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif. Kerry said it is “not uncommon for
diplomats to stay in touch.” Kerry added, “I met with him before the
Administration made a decision to pull out of the agreement. And there’s
nothing abnormal about that. I have never talked with them since the
Administration pulled out of the agreement.” Kerry said he “informed
Secretary Pompeo of my point of view in a long telephone conversation we
had before making the decision to pull out and he was very cordial.” Asked
why the Administration attacked him, Kerry said, “It happened on the day
that Paul Manafort cut a deal with Bob Mueller so I think it was partly
changing the subject and sort of brush back and other things.”

        *Iranian Currency Rallies Unexpectedly. *The AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0a4-a0d&t=c>
(10/2, Karimi, Gambrell) reports the Iranian rial “unexpectedly rallied
Tuesday after weeks of depreciation following” the US withdrawal from the
JCPOA, “sending Iranians rushing to exchange shops to cash in.” In Tehran,
“money exchange shops offered 135,000 rials for one U.S. dollar. Only the
day before, the Iranian rial was selling 170,000 to $1, with prices
recently going as high as 190,000 to the dollar.”

        Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0a5-dd5&t=c>
(10/2, Sharafedin, Torchia) reports the rial “rose on Tuesday as
authorities in Tehran sold U.S. dollars and clamped down on unofficial
foreign exchange trade in a drive to rescue the currency from record lows
hit because of U.S. economic sanctions, traders said.” The traders said
“the central bank appeared to have released more dollars into the market in
the last several days in an effort to halt the rial’s slide, which is
disrupting Iran’s foreign trade and pushing up inflation.”

        Meanwhile, Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0a6-58d&t=c>
(10/2, Vizcaino) reports Iran is “developing a range of new financial
products, from Islamic bonds to warrants and insurance-linked securities,
in an effort to give local firms more funding options as sanctions put
pressure on the economy.” Despite the rial’s weakness, Iran’s financial
system “has been able to ride out past periods of sanctions, and officials
say they are working on new products to stimulate capital markets
activity.”

        *Iranian Oil Minister Blames Rising Oil Prices On Trump. *Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0a7-4bb&t=c>
(10/2, Sharafedin) reports Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh on Tuesday
blamed rising world oil prices on President Trump. In an interview on state
TV, Zanganeh said that OPEC lacked the production capacity to offset the
erosion in Iranian oil exports. The US goal is to reduce Iranian output as
close to zero as possible. Zanganeh said, “If Trump wants to bring
stability to the oil market, he should suspend sanctions on Tehran.”

        Meanwhile, Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0a8-08b&t=c>
(10/2, Resnick-Ault) reports oil prices “steadied on Tuesday, remaining
close to four-year highs on worries that global supplies will drop due to
Washington’s sanctions on Iran.”

        *Iran Says Syria Missile Strikes Killed 40 ISIS Leaders. *Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0a9-177&t=c>
(10/2, Sharafedin) reports Iran said the “missile attack it launched in
Syria on Monday had killed 40 ‘top leaders’ of Islamic State, and that
intelligence for the operation had been provided by its elite Quds Force.”
Iran fired “six missiles at targets in the Abu Kamal and Hajin regions in
eastern Syria, in retaliation for an attack on a military parade in Iran on
Sept. 22 that killed 25 people, nearly half of them members of its
Revolutionary Guards.”

        *Iran To Construct 400 Million Euro Power Plant In Syria. *Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0aa-850&t=c>
(10/2, Sharafedin) reports Iran has “struck a deal with Damascus to build a
400 million euro ($460 million) power plant in Syria’s coastal city of
Latakia, a potentially lucrative deal for Tehran to deepen its economic
role after years of fighting in the Syrian conflict.” Syria, isolated by
Western nations because of its civil war, has turned to “states such as
Iran, Russia and China to play a major role in rebuilding the country, as
the war heads toward its seventh year.”

        *Dozens Die From Poisonous Bootleg Liquor In Iran. *The New York
Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0ab-d6f&t=c>
(10/2, Mueller) reports the Iranian Health Ministry says “poisonous batches
of bootleg alcohol have killed at least 42 people, blinded more than a
dozen others and sent hundreds to the hospital across Iran in recent
weeks.” The deaths “come several years into a government effort to begin
acknowledging Iran’s drinking problem and to provide treatment for
addiction.”
Iraqi Parliament Names Salih President; Shiite Independent Appointed
Premier.

The Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0ac-54c&t=c>
(10/2, Salim, El-Ghobashy) reports that the Iraqi parliament “named veteran
Kurdish politician Barham Salih as president on Tuesday in a hotly
contested race that brought the assembly one step closer to naming the
nation’s next prime minister.” Salih was chosen for the “largely ceremonial
post” after “trouncing his Kurdish rival by a vote of 219 to 22, signaling
the overwhelming support among the legislature’s vast Arab majority for
Salih’s brand of conciliatory politics.” To the Post, the outcome of
Tuesday’s “vote showed how the sectarian loyalties within Iraq’s Kurdish,
Sunni Arab and Shiite Arab communities that prevailed since the U.S.
invasion in 2003 are now breaking down, giving way to more pragmatic
coalitions that cut across sectarian lines.” The vote did not, however,
result in a “clear winner in the ongoing tussle between Iran and the United
States to place their allies in Iraq’s key political posts as Washington
seeks to isolate Tehran economically and politically.”

        Also on Tuesday, the AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0ad-0f5&t=c>
(10/2, Salaheddin) reports, Salih “tasked veteran Shiite politician Adel
Abdul-Mahdi with forming a new government nearly five months after national
elections were held, state TV reported late Tuesday.” Abdul-Mahdi “is an
independent” who “is not allied with either of the two Shiite-led blocs
that each claim to have the most support after May’s elections, in which no
party won an outright majority.” He “previously served as vice president,
oil minister and finance minister” and was once “a member of the Supreme
Islamic Iraqi Council, a large Shiite party with close ties to Iran.”
At Least 13 Killed In ISIS Suicide Attack Targeting Afghan Campaign Event.

Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0ae-8d5&t=c>
(10/2, Sultan) reports that earlier today, “a suicide bomber blew himself
up at an election rally in Afghanistan’s eastern province of
Nangarhar...killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 30.” Reuters
adds that “campaigning for the Oct. 20 parliamentary election began on
Friday and security officials have warned of the danger of militant attacks
during the campaigning.” According to Reuters, Islamic State “claimed
responsibility for the attack,” and previously said it was responsible for
“a series of attacks this year that have killed scores of people in
Nangarhar, on the border with Pakistan.” The New York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0af-e74&t=c>
(10/2, Ghazi, Mashal) reports that the bombing targeted “a gathering of
about 300 supporters of the candidate Nasir Mohmand in Nangarhar’s Kama
district.” The Times adds, “Mr. Mohmand survived, but with more than two
weeks until Election Day, at least other seven candidates have already been
killed across Afghanistan.”
Russia Completes Transfer Of Missiles To Syria.

Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0b0-42e&t=c>
(10/2) reports that Russia “has delivered an S-300 surface-to-air missile
system to Syria...in defiance of Israeli and US concerns that the arms sale
would embolden Iran and escalate the Syrian war.” According to Reuters,
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin
“during a meeting broadcast by Rossiya 24 TV: ‘The work was finished a day
ago,’ adding that the system would improve the security of Russian military
personal in Syria.” Reuters notes that Russia said it would “to supply the
system after Moscow accused Israel of indirectly causing the downing of a
Russian military jet near Syria in September.”

        *Turkey Assures Militants That Russian Troops Will Not Patrol Idlib
DMZ. *Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0b1-4b2&t=c>
(10/2, Al-Khalidi) reports that militants “who have rejected plans for
joint Russian-Turkish patrols of a demilitarized zone” in Idlib said today
that the Turkish government has “assured them no Russian forces would
patrol the area.” Reuters notes that Russian President Vladimir Putin and
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan “agreed last month to set up the zone
between rebel and government fighters, staving off a government attack on
the area which the United Nations had warned could cause a humanitarian
catastrophe.” However, “The planned presence of Russian forces in the
neutral zone is one of several issues that anti-Assad factions say trouble
them over the agreement, which also requires the withdrawal of insurgents
deemed ‘radical’ by Turkey from the area by Oct. 15.” According to Reuters,
“The main jihadist group in the Idlib area, Tahrir al-Sham, has yet to say
whether it will comply with the agreement.”
US Bans Diplomatic Visas For Foreign Same-Sex Partners.

The New York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0b2-9cb&t=c>
(10/2, Wong, Schwirtz) reports State Department officials said Tuesday that
the Administration “will no longer issue family visas to same-sex domestic
partners of foreign diplomats or employees of international organizations
who work in the United States.” The move, which took effect Monday, “drew
sharp criticism from gay rights advocates, including those who work for the
United Nations and could be affected.” The policy shift also applies to
those for the World Bank, NATO and “other groups.” Same-sex domestic
partners of diplomats and workers “must submit proof of marriage by the end
of the year to qualify” for a visa renewal. State Department officials said
the rule change “affected about 105 families of foreign envoys and
employees in the United States.” USA Today
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0b3-1f1&t=c>
(10/2, Hjelmgaard) reports the Administration “said the new policy is more
consistent with the Supreme Court ruling in 2015 that legalized same-sex
marriage.” Critics of the move argued that “those who marry in the USA to
secure their visa status could face criminal proceedings once they return
to their home nations.”
Domestic Policy
In Philadelphia Speech, Trump Touts Economy, “Manufacturing Renaissance.”

President Trump’s appearance
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0b4-322&t=c>
in Philadelphia to address the National Electrical Contractors Association
(NECA) convention generated extensive, and mainly favorable local coverage,
most of which highlighted Trump’s celebration of the strong economy and his
prediction that his trade policies would further benefit US workers.

        The Philadelphia Inquirer
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0b5-5a1&t=c>
(10/2, Brennan, McGoldrick) reports that Trump “boasted of a booming
economy and a nation rebounding from decades of mistreatment at the hands
of trading partners around the world,” and that he “drew his largest
applause, mixed with cheers, when he said that tariffs he imposed on
Chinese goods will end ‘the abusive trading practices’ of the world’s
second largest economy.” Said Trump, “We will be fair to China [but] we
have to be fair to ourselves.” WCAU-TV[image: Image removed by sender.
Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0b6-a55&t=c>
Philadelphia (10/2, 5:03 p.m. EDT) said that Trump “emphasiz[ed] the
importance of rebuilding America after years of taking care of foreign
countries.” Trump “says we’re in the midst of a ‘manufacturing
renaissance,’ which means more jobs for electrical contractors, and his
administration is working on fixing trade deals that he says ‘stole the
country’s jobs, wealth and dignity.’” The AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0b7-b97&t=c>
(10/2, Miller) quotes Trump as saying, “We’re in the midst of a
manufacturing renaissance – something which nobody thought you’d hear.”
Trump also “said the strong economy ‘means more jobs for our great
electrical contractors.’”

        KYW-TV
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0b8-ae7&t=c>
Philadelphia (10/2, 5:01 p.m. EDT) reported Trump “was met with protesters
outside” the event but “was met with a much warmer response inside.” Trump
“was very bold at the very outset of his speech saying quote, ‘I have made
you a lot of money.’” KYW added that Trump’s remarks “focused heavily on
jobs and the overhaul of trade deals that he says have long been
unfavorable to the American worker.” Trump was shown saying, “Just remember
this: America’s economic revival would not be possible without the men and
women in this room. It would not be possible. I have built so much. I have
done so much business with you. I have watched the things you have done and
it is incredible.” The Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0b9-2d3&t=c>
(10/2, Brennan, McGoldrick) says “Trump is the first president to address
the trade group in its 117 year history.” NECA “describes itself as ‘the
voice of the $160 billion electrical construction industry’ with 119 local
chapters across the country.”

        WFMZ-TV
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0ba-85a&t=c>
Allentown, PA (10/2, 4:02 p.m. EDT) reported that Trump’s speech “included
praise for his new NAFTA deal, which is named the USMCA.” Trump was shown
saying, “USMCA is the most advanced, modern, and balanced trade agreement
ever negotiated. It is also the largest trade deal the United States has
ever made and we think it’s the largest trade deal ever made in the world.
$1.2 trillion in commerce a year.” WHP-TV[image: Image removed by sender.
Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0bb-489&t=c>
Harrisburg, PA (10/2, 5:07 p.m. EDT) noted Trump told the National Electric
Contractors Association that “the USMCA will bring more jobs and more
manufacturing back to the US.” Said Trump, “Now we have a great trade deal
and we have a deal that’s also good for Mexico and good for Canada. we have
a good partnership with the three. It worked out.”

        On its website, KYW-TV
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0bc-682&t=c>
Philadelphia (10/2, KYW-TV Philadelphia (PA)) reported that “the
Pennsylvania Democratic Party said in a statement that Trump’s ‘agenda has
been disastrous for the commonwealth.’” Said the Democrats, “Donald Trump
can come to Pennsylvania and bluster all he wants about his version of his
record – replete with half-truths and alternative facts – but
Pennsylvanians will not be fooled. We know he is robbing Medicare and
Social Security to pay for tax breaks for his millionaire pals. We
witnessed him try to cut health care for millions of Pennsylvanians. His
agenda has been disastrous for the commonwealth.”

        NJ News
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0bd-ddb&t=c>
(10/2, Hoover) reports “word of the president’s appearance wasn’t well
received by many Philadelphians,” and “around 1,000 people turned out for
‘dump Trump’ in Center City, while others took to social media to complain
about his visit.” The Philly (PA) Voice
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0be-32c&t=c>
(10/2, Herman) also reports that “like Trump’s previous visits to the city,
protests were plentiful,” and “among the throng of protesters, a common
symbol kept popping up: the Philadelphia Flyers new mascot and all-around
weirdo, Gritty. Yes, that Gritty.” The Voice adds “the mascot has gripped
sports fans and general zeitgeist consumers alike after being unveiled on
September 24, and now he’s somehow been rolled into residents’ protest
tactics, joining the hooded women from Hulu’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale.’” The
Voice also reports that “it seems like Gritty is having his ‘Welcome to The
Resistance’ moment.” Philadelphia Magazine
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0bf-fd5&t=c>
(10/2, Sasko) asks, “What else do you expect of a city completely obsessed
with our new, extremely bizarre, mascot, who is somewhat Trumpian himself?”

        *NYTimes: “At Least Some” In Audience Bothered By Trump’s “Embrace”
Of Kavanaugh. *In a story about Trump’s comments on the accusations against
Supreme Court Justice-designate Kavanaugh, the New York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0c0-cb7&t=c>
(10/2, Baker) recounts that Trump “hailed the newly sealed trade agreement
with Canada and Mexico and boasted about his economic policies” in
Philadelphia, “but left out the conflict over his Supreme Court nominee.”
The Times adds that while Trump “was welcomed warmly by the association
leadership and drew applause from the audience...at least some expressed
concern about inviting the president given his embrace of...Kavanaugh.” The
Times quotes Jonathan Ostrow, “president of an electrical company” in
Worcester, Massachusetts, as saying, “We don’t think that Trump’s racism
and misogyny should have been honored or condoned by his presence at our
national convention.”

        *Trump Ahead Of Philly Trip: “Only Reason” To Vote Democrat Is “If
You’re Tired Of Winning.” *Trump took to Twitter
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0c1-a87&t=c>
yesterday to write, “THE ONLY REASON TO VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT IS IF YOU’RE
TIRED OF WINNING!” The Hill
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0c2-dcd&t=c>
(10/2, Samuels) says “Trump issued the all-caps message shortly before
departing for” his “event in Philadelphia.”

        *Powell Hails Economy’s Strength, Says Tax Cuts Played Role In
Boosting Growth. *The AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0c3-c93&t=c>
(10/2, Crutsinger, Leblanc) reports that Fed Chair Jerome Powell said
yesterday that “the combination of steady, low inflation and very low
unemployment shows the country is going through ‘extraordinary times.’” The
AP says Powell “noted in his speech that the unemployment rate stands near
a 20-year low of 3.9 percent, while inflation has risen close to the Fed’s
2 percent target for annual increases in inflation.” Powell acknowledged
that the current data “runs counter to an economic theory known as the
‘Phillips curve,’ which argues that low unemployment forces employers to
push up wages to compete for scarce workers, triggering more inflation.”

        Nevertheless, Powell said, “This forecast is not too good to be
true,” according to Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0c4-bc4&t=c>
(10/2, Schneider, Spicer). Reuters adds that Powell said “it is a
view...based on how a changed economy is operating today, with businesses
and households immunized by strong central bank policy from the
inflationary psychology that caused unemployment, inflation and interest
rates to swing wildly in the 1960s and 1970s. ... ‘These developments
amount to a better world for households and businesses which no longer
experience or even fear the scourge of high and volatile inflation.’”
The Washington
Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0c5-712&t=c>
(10/2, Long) reports that while Trump “has taken credit for the strong US
economy, going as far as to call it the ‘greatest economy in the history of
our country,” Powell “has been careful not to wade into discussions of who
deserves credit for the economy.” However, the Post says Powell did say
last week that the tax cuts Trump backed “have played a role in boosting
growth.”

        The New York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0c6-afa&t=c>
(10/2, Appelbaum) reports that “while the Fed sees little slack in the
economy, Mr. Powell said he did not see wage growth as an indication that
the economy was beginning to overheat since wages were rising in line with
inflation and productivity.” The Times adds that “even if wage growth began
to outpace inflation and productivity, Mr. Powell said it still might not
foretell faster inflation, pointing to the example of the 1990s.”

        *Amazon Raises US Workers’ Minimum Wage To $15/hr. *The AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0c7-850&t=c>
(10/2, Pisani) reports that Amazon has announced a minimum wage of $15 an
hour for its US employees, which “could force other big companies to raise
their pay.” Amazon “also said it will push Congress to increase the federal
minimum wage, now at $7.25.” The AP calls Amazon’s announcement “a major
victory for the $15-an-hour movement, which has organized protests of
fast-food, gas station and other low-paid workers.” Linsey Davis said on ABC
World News Tonight
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0c8-8b1&t=c>
(10/2, story 7, 1:40, Muir), “Some analysts say the company, now worth a
trillion dollars, could offset the cost through the new $20 hike on Amazon
Prime memberships,” while NBC Nightly News[image: Image removed by sender.
Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0c9-fb7&t=c>
(10/2, story 5, 1:30, Kent) reported that “analysts do not expect the
higher pay to push prices up, at least for now.” The Wall Street Journal
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0ca-e07&t=c>
(10/2, Stevens) cites Amazon’s announcement as evidence that a strong job
market is driving businesses to increase wages for lower-skilled workers.
Similarly, the New York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0cb-f2c&t=c>
(10/2, Weise) says the decision is “a rare acknowledgment” from Amazon
“that it was feeling squeezed by political pressure and a tight labor
market.”
Envelopes Suspected Of Containing Ricin Sent To Trump, Mattis.

ABC World News Tonight
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0cc-586&t=c>
(10/2, lead story, 2:00, Muir) reported the Secret Service had “just”
announced they intercepted “a suspicious envelope sent to President Trump,
saying the mail never made it to the White House.” Moreover, “we have also
learned tonight of two other envelopes at the Pentagon that tested positive
for ricin, the potentially deadly poison.” The AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0cd-792&t=c>
(10/2, Burns) says “one envelope was addressed to Defense Secretary Jim
Mattis, who is traveling in Europe this week, and the other to the Navy’s
top officer, Adm. John Richardson, a defense official said.” The Washington
Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0ce-cd5&t=c>
(10/2, Ryan) says “no one was injured in the incident at the mail
facility,” and the CBS Evening News
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0cf-9af&t=c>
(10/2, story 4, 1:30, Martin) that the letter addressed to Mattis
“contained a 5x8 card with handwriting on it. We don’t know what it said,
but it will become an important clue to finding the person who sent these
letters both to the Pentagon and to...Trump.” The Hill
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0d0-589&t=c>
(10/2, Samuels) reports “the Secret Service confirmed to The Hill that the
suspicious envelope was not received at the White House, nor did it enter
the building.”

        The Washington Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0d1-7b4&t=c>
(10/2, Wolfgang), meanwhile, quotes Pentagon spokesman Col. Rob Manning as
saying in a statement, “On Monday, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency
detected a suspicious substance during mail screening at the Pentagon’s
remote screening facility. The envelopes were taken by the FBI this morning
for further analysis. ... All USPS mail received at the Pentagon mail
screening facility yesterday is currently under quarantine and poses no
threat to Pentagon personnel.” The Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0d2-873&t=c>
(10/2, Ryan) cites a “defense official” who said, “We are maintaining our
vigilance for all packages coming into not just the Pentagon but facilities
worldwide.” The Hill
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0d3-d0c&t=c>
(10/2, Mitchell), Politico
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0d4-d2e&t=c>
(10/2, Morgan) and Wall Street Journal
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0d5-884&t=c>
(10/2, Youssef), among other news outlets, also report the story. NBC
Nightly News
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0d6-ce2&t=c>
(10/2, story 3, 1:00, Williams) reported “law enforcement officials say
tonight they don’t consider any of these letters to be dangerous, and they
say they are following some promising leads [on] where is the letters may
have come from.”

        Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0d7-b12&t=c>
(10/2, Stewart) points out that “government building have sporadically
received packages with suspected ricin, including in 2013, when ricin-laced
letters were addressed to a US senator, the White House and a Mississippi
justice official.” The New York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0d8-cdd&t=c>
(10/2, Cooper) says that “in 2011, four Georgia men were arrested and later
sentenced to prison for plotting to spread the toxin simultaneously in five
American cities, targeting federal and state officials.” Also in 2011,
“American counterterrorism officials said they were increasingly tracking
the possibility that Al Qaeda would use ricin in attacks against the United
States.”

        *Cruz Campaign Also Receives “Powdery Substance.” *CQ Roll Call
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0d9-133&t=c>
(10/2, Bowman) reports “Sen. Ted Cruz’s campaign office in Houston received
a ‘powdery substance’ in the mail on Tuesday, prompting a fire department
investigation, the Texas Republican’s campaign confirmed Tuesday.” Cruz
spokeswoman Emily Miller “confirmed the incident and wrote in an email that
a piece of mail with a powdery substance was addressed to the campaign
headquarters.” The incident was first reported by the Weekly Standard
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0da-68e&t=c>
(10/2, Byrd). The New York Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0db-739&t=c>
(10/2, Eustachewich) indicates “the Houston Fire Department said the white
powder tested negative for hazardous substances.”
DHS IG: Administration Unprepared For “Zero Tolerance” Immigration.

The AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0dc-57a&t=c>
(10/2, Long) reports immigration officials “were not prepared this summer
to manage the consequences” of the Administration’s “zero tolerance” policy
at the Southwest border, DHS’ inspector general said in a report released
Tuesday. The “resulting confusion along the border led to misinformation
among separated parents who did not know why they had been taken from their
children or how to reach them, longer detention for children at border
facilities meant for short-term stays, and difficulty in identifying and
reuniting families,” the report found. DHS officials say the report
“illustrates how difficult it is to enforce broken and poorly written
immigration laws.” Reuters
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0dd-103&t=c>
(10/2, Torbati) notes the report “is the first official audit” of the
policy, while the New York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0de-e38&t=c>
(10/2, Nixon) says the audit also found that “a database said to be
developed jointly by the homeland security and health departments to track
the separated families did not exist.”

        *Inspectors Find Nooses, “Serious Violations” At ICE Detention
Center. *USA Today
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0df-2af&t=c>
(10/2, Gomez) reports federal inspectors conducted “an unannounced visit of
an immigration detention center in southern California and found ‘serious
violations’ throughout the facility, where guards improperly placed adult
inmates in disciplinary segregation and ignored more than a dozen ‘nooses’
fashioned out of bedsheets.” The inspection “also showed that medical staff
at the Adelanto, Calif., facility disregarded federal regulations governing
the treatment of inmates by doing only cursory checks of inmates and making
them wait months, sometimes years, to receive basic dental care, leading to
tooth loss and ‘unnecessary extractions.’”

        *WTimes: Fraud Soars As Illegal Immigrants Seek To Exploit “Family
Loophole.” *The Washington Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0e0-e49&t=c>
(10/2, Dinan) reports that “men now make up about 40 percent of illegal
immigrant parents trying to sneak children into the US, as they leap to
take advantage of the ‘family loophole’ that means illegal immigrants who
come with children get treated more leniently.” Fraud has also “soared,
with the Border Patrol identifying 150 cases from May to August of adults,
men or women, pretending to be families to take advantage of the loophole.”
According to the Times, “those 150 cases work out to an annual rate of 450
a year – or nearly 10 times the 46 cases recorded in all of 2017.” The
Times says the data “signal the growing shift in immigration patterns as
would-be migrants and the smugglers who shepherd them on their journey
north exploit the soft underbelly of US policy to gain a foothold here.”
White House, Trump Lawyer Denounce NYTimes Story On Trump’s Wealth.

In the wake of New York Times story which alleges that President Trump
“perpetrated various tax schemes and fraud during the 1990s to bolster the
inheritance he received from his parents,” Politico
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0e1-87a&t=c>
(10/2, Forgey, Lorenzo) reports that the White House “pushed back” with a
statement calling the report a “misleading attack” on Trump’s family. White
House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in the statement, “Fred Trump has
been gone for nearly twenty years and it’s sad to witness this misleading
attack against the Trump family by the failing New York Times.” Sanders
added, “Many decades ago the IRS reviewed and signed off on these
transactions.” Sanders said the Times “can rarely find anything positive
about the President and his tremendous record of success to report,” and
added, “Perhaps another apology from the New York Times, like the one they
had to issue after they got the 2016 election so embarrassingly wrong, is
in order.”

        The Washington Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0e2-0b8&t=c>
(10/2, Boyer) reports that Trump’s lawyer, Charles Harder, “refuted” the
allegations in the Times story. Kyra Philips said on ABC World News
Tonight[image:
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<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0e3-ac4&t=c>
(10/2, story 4, 3:20, Muir) that Harder said, “The New York Times
allegations of fraud and tax evasion are 100 percent false and highly
defamatory.”

        The nearly 14,000-word New York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0e4-327&t=c>
(10/2, Buettner) story said that Trump “received at least $413 million in
today’s dollars from his father’s real estate empire, much of it through
tax dodges in the 1990s.” According to the Times, Trump “participated in
dubious tax schemes during the 1990s, including instances of outright
fraud.” The Times says its allegations are “based on a vast trove of
confidential tax returns and financial records.” According to the Times,
Trump “set up a sham corporation to disguise millions of dollars in gifts
from their parents,” and “helped his father take improper tax deductions
worth millions more.” In addition, the Times alleges that Trump “helped
formulate a strategy to undervalue his parents’ real estate holdings by
hundreds of millions of dollars on tax returns, sharply reducing the tax
bill when those properties were transferred to him and his siblings.” The CBS
Evening News
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0e5-c41&t=c>
(10/2, story 5, 2:05, Glor) reported that the Times “says that article is
based on extensive reporting and more than 100,000 pages of other financial
documents.”

        A New York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0e6-2af&t=c>
(10/2, Board) editorial says that while Trump has long claimed that he
built his empire with only the help of a $1 million loan from his father,
the Times investigation has revealed that “like so much of what Mr. Trump
has been selling the American public in recent years,” his “origin story
was a sham — a version of reality so elaborately embellished that it
qualifies as fan fiction more than biography. Also, as we’ve come to expect
from Mr. Trump, the creation of this myth involved a big dose of ethically
sketchy, possibly even illegal activity.”

        The Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0e7-d1b&t=c>
(10/2, Rosenberg) reports that Tony Schwartz, co-author of “The Art of the
Deal,” said in an interview Tuesday that the Times story “obliterated for
good the idea Trump is a self-made man.” Schwartz told MSNBC The Beat[image:
Image removed by sender. Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0e8-9b6&t=c>,
“It goes far beyond even what I thought had happened. ... It’s like the
cover has been ripped off this man. Whatever myth there was, as you said
earlier, that he was a self-made man, or that he was even a legitimate
businessman, is gone forever.”

        CNN chief legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said on CNN’s Situation
Room[image:
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<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0e9-17b&t=c>
(10/2), “To paraphrase [late Texas Gov.] Ann Richards, Donald Trump was
born on third base and he thinks he hit a triple. I mean this is an
extraordinary story of inherited wealth, and inherited wealth multiplied
corruptly through abuse of the tax laws.” Toobin added that the story “is
not involved just on whistleblowers, it has the actual tax documents. So, I
mean it seems like an absolutely bullet-proof story to me.”

        CNN senior White House correspondent Jeff Zeleny said on CNN’s
Situation Room
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0ea-93e&t=c>
(10/2), “This has been one thing that President Trump has never wanted to
talk about, his finances. Any suggestion he is not actually as wealthy as
he is, suggests that he is, or how he got his money has always been
something that’s got under his skin.”

        CNN chief political correspondent Dana Bash said on CNN’s Situation
Room
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0eb-369&t=c>
(10/2), “It’s the New York Times, which certainly we all know does some
excellent, excellent reporting, but it is an easy target and a target that
the President has been setting up in rally after rally, tweet after tweet
for years as a foil of his, and of the Republican Party. So, the way this
plays out politically might not be how you would initially think, but maybe
this one is different.”

        *New York Regulators Investigating Allegations In NYTimes Report. *USA
Today
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0ec-798&t=c>
(10/2, Campbell) reports that the New York State Department of Taxation and
Finance is reviewing the “possibly fraudulent tax activities” detailed in
the Times report. Department spokesman James Gazzale “said the agency was
aware of the allegations and vowed to pursue any investigations necessary.”
Gazzale said in a statement, “The Tax Department is reviewing the
allegations in the NYT article and is vigorously pursuing all appropriate
avenues of investigation.”

        The Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0ed-b27&t=c>
(10/2, Fahrenthold) says “some Democrats renewed calls for Trump to release
his tax returns — which he has repeatedly declined to do, unlike his
predecessors.” Senate Minority Whip Durbin said, “I knew there had to be a
compelling reason why this president departed from previous presidents in
not disclosing his income tax returns.” Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) was asked
on CNN’s Situation Room
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0ee-611&t=c>
(10/2) if the allegations are something the House or Senate should look
into, Coons said, “The House may well take that up. As you know, in the
minority here in the Senate, we’re unable to get the issuance of subpoenas.
We’ve been unable to compel the disclosure of the President’s taxes. So,
that really would be dependent upon outcome of elections in five weeks.”

        Sen. Angus King (I-ME) said on CNN’s Situation Room[image: Image
removed by sender. Video]
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0ef-354&t=c>
(10/2), “There’s nothing wrong with inheriting money from your family. The
question is how did it get there and was it done in such a way as to avoid
tax laws in an illegal way, avoidance of taxes again is legal. But the
article raises serious questions about the methodology of how the money was
transferred.”

        *Trump Falls 138 Spots On Forbes’ Richest Americans List. *Politico
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0f0-5fd&t=c>
(10/2, Morin) reports that Trump “has dropped more than 100 spots on
Forbes’ list of the wealthiest people in the United States.” According to
Forbes, “Trump’s net worth has dropped from $4.5 billion in 2015 to $3.1
billion in the last two years,” which has knocked him “138 spots lower on
its latest Forbes 400 list, which will be released on Wednesday.” Trump
“was listed as the 248th richest American” in 2017.
Two Prosecutors Leave Mueller’s Team, Return To DOJ.

The AP
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0f1-ea9&t=c>
(10/2, Tucker, Day) reports two prosecutors detailed to Special Vounsel
Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation “are returning to their duties in
other parts of the Justice Department.” The AP says the move is a possible
signal that Mueller’s team is “wrapping up parts of his investigation and
focusing his efforts on only the most important remaining strands,
including an active grand jury probe of longtime Trump associate Roger
Stone.” Mueller spokesman Peter Carr says prosecutor Brandon Van Grack has
already returned to the Justice Department’s National Security Division,
and .prosecutor Kyle Freeny “will end her detail to the special counsel
later this month.” Politico
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0f2-eff&t=c>
(10/2, Samuelsohn) reports the two prosecutors were involved in the case
against Paul Manafort. According to Politico, their departures bring
Mueller’s team down to 13.

        *Trump Delays Rosenstein Meeting Until After Kavanaugh Process. *The
Hill
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(10/2, Chalfant) reports Trump said Tuesday that he will delay his meeting
with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein until after Supreme Court
nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation process. Trump told reporters at the
White House, “I don’t want to interrupt what’s happening with Judge
Kavanaugh.”
Four Arrested In Connection To Charlottesville Violence.

NBC Nightly News
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0f4-567&t=c>
(10/2, story 4, 0:20, Holt) reported that over a year since the violence in
Charlottesville, Virginia, four men have been arrested, accused of flying
from California to Virginia, intending “to incite a riot and commit
violence at the Unite the Right rally.” Prosecutors also say the men
“assaulted a black men, two women and a minister.” ABC World News
Tonight[image:
Image removed by sender. Video]
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(10/2, story 8, 0:15, Muir) reported, “Authorities say they are part of an
‘organized, militant, white supremacist group.’” Reuters
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(10/2, Lynch, Lambert) reports U.S. Attorney Thomas Cullen said Benjamin
Drake Daley, 25, Michael Paul Miselis, 29, Thomas Walter Gillen, 34, and
Cole Evan White, 24, were arrested in California. The criminal complaint
says the four were part of the “organized, militant white supremacist
group” called the “Rise Above Movement.” Cullen said, “This case should
serve as another example of the Department of Justice’s commitment to
protecting the life, liberty, and civil rights of all our citizens.”
FEMA To Test “Presidential Alert” System Today.

ABC World News Tonight
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0f7-433&t=c>
(10/2, story 11, 0:10, Muir) reported, “Millions of Americans will receive
a text alert from President Trump” on Wednesday as part of a “new warning
system being put to the test.” The test begins at 2:18 p.m. Eastern. The CBS
Evening News
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0f8-da3&t=c>
(10/2, story 10, 0:20, Glor) said the alert system “has been in the works
since 2006, intended to give Americans advanced warning of a national
crisis.” NBC Nightly News
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0f9-2ba&t=c>
(10/2, story 10, 1:30, Holt) reported DHS Secretary Nielsen said Tuesday
about the test, “My biggest concern is that we are not poised to anticipate
and defend against emerging threats.” Reuters
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(10/2, Shepardson) reports the message sent to “more than 200 million US
cellphones” will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency
Alert System. No action is needed.” A separate alert on TV and radios will
be issued at 2:20 p.m. USA Today
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0fb-a90&t=c>
(10/2, King) says the test is being held “in cooperation with the Federal
Communications Commission and the National Weather Service, and with the
participation of the communications industry.”

        In a tweet
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Tuesday, DHS wrote, “REMINDER: Tomorrow, 10/3 at 2:18 PM EDT, there will be
a nationwide test of the Wireless Emergency Alert system, in coordination
w/ @FCC. You’ll get a message on your phone with a tone & vibration. This
is not a text & your phone number is not shared with anyone.”
Clinton Compares Russian Interference In 2016 To 9/11.

The Washington Post
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(10/2, Sonmez) reports Hillary Clinton drew a comparison Tuesday between
the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and Russian efforts to influence the
2016 election, “saying that in both cases, a foreign power had attacked the
United States, but that in the latter, the president had ‘done nothing.’”
Clinton also said she thinks Russian interference and other factors
“certainly altered the outcome” of the election in several parts of the
country.
Cancer Research
Cancer Patients’ Super PAC Seeks Lower Prescription Drug Prices.

McClatchy
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0fe-2d5&t=c>
(10/2, Drusch) reports Patients for Affordable Drugs Action, a political
action committee founded by cancer patients that is pushing for lower
prescription drug prices, “launched $250,000 worth of digital and mail ads
criticizing Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, for accepting money from
pharmaceutical companies and voting against measures it says were aimed at
providing relief for people with expensive prescriptions.” The group is
targeting members of both parties for “rejecting solutions to offer
patients relief from high drug prices” and running ads in support of
“lawmakers it considers allies for its cause.”
Since 2013, Surge In Number Of Breast Cancer Diagnoses Given Over Phone.

HemOnc Today
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=0ff-7ae&t=c>
(10/2, McElroy) reports on a study
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=100-17f&t=c>
published in Support Care Cancer finding that “about two-thirds” of survey
respondents from 2013 to 2017 received a breast cancer “diagnosis over the
telephone,” compared to about 70 percent receiving the diagnosis in person
from 1967 to 2000. The survey included about 6,000 responses, with 2,896
having received a breast cancer diagnosis.
Editorials/Op-Eds
New York Times.

*“Donald Trump And The Self-Made Sham.”* A New York Times
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=101-b58&t=c>
(10/2, Board) editorial says that while President Trump has long claimed
that he built his empire with only the help of a $1 million loan from his
father, an investigation by the Times has revealed that “like so much of
what Mr. Trump has been selling the American public in recent years,” his
“origin story was a sham — a version of reality so elaborately embellished
that it qualifies as fan fiction more than biography. Also, as we’ve come
to expect from Mr. Trump, the creation of this myth involved a big dose of
ethically sketchy, possibly even illegal activity.”
Washington Post.

*“A Year After The Las Vegas Shooting, Congress Still Hasn’t Banned Bump
Stocks.”* The Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=102-0e3&t=c>
(10/2) editorializes that it has been a year since the Las Vegas shootings
“brought attention to the bump stocks the shooter used to effectively
convert his rifles into automatic weapons, enabling him to spray more than
1,000 rounds in 11 terrible minutes.” The Post notes that “there was
widespread agreement – including from congressional leaders – about the
need to ban these devices,” and yet “bump stocks are still legal and
available for sale in most of the country.” The Post argues, “The refusal
of the Republican-controlled Congress to take up a ban after the National
Rifle Association made clear it was opposed has caused some states to take
matters into their own hands,” but “state action also serves to highlight
the total abdication of Congress, even after so many legislators promised a
year ago to take at least some action.”

        *“The White House Daily Briefings Are Disappearing – As Are
Democratic Norms.” *The Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=103-d0b&t=c>
(10/2) laments the disappearance of daily, on-camera White House press
briefings, which the Post calls “an important window into the policies and
priorities of the government.” While Trump White House briefings “too
often” offered “no real answers, and worse, the lectern has been used to
disseminate misleading, even false, information,” they still held value in
that the Administration’s on-the-record statements could “be tested and
debated...a normal and essential part of the democratic process.” The Post
argues, “Americans are ill-served when their government refuses to answer
questions and provide information about its workings.”

        *“Everyone Is Suing Everyone Over Net Neutrality. Congress Should
Step In.” *In an editorial, the Washington Post
<http://mailview.bulletinintelligence.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018100301biden&r=email-7431&l=104-6d9&t=c>
(10/2) urges Congress to address net neutrality, as currently “everyone is
suing everyone else.” The Post adds that a single, national framework would
be better and “a patchwork of state regulations.” Such a federal law, the
Post argues, should bar unfair practices, give enforcement authority to the
FCC and FTC, and allow “providers room to manage congestion on their
zero-rating networks, while prohibiting paid prioritization that lets
industry leaders cut deals at the expense of consumers and smaller
competitors.” Additionally, the Post urges Congress to “tell providers to
explore ways for consumers to choose what data they want to prioritize,
rather than allow providers to choose for them.”

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