Biden not confident of peaceful 2024 election; Trump visits Georgia alongside Governor Brian Kemp: Live
President made surprise first appearance in White House briefing room to answer questions about today’s jobs report, November’s election, and prospects for Middle East peace
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Kamala Harris hammered Donald Trump’s labor record during a rally in Flint, Michigan, on Friday, trying to keep up the momentum after scoring high-profile endorsements from Liz Cheney and Bruce Springsteen.
“Donald Trump is no friend of labor,” the vice president told the crowd, arguing Trump didn’t do enough to help the auto industry or support United Auto Workers who went on strike, like Joe Biden did.
Biden, meanwhile, said today he did not know if November’s election would be “peaceful” given Trump’s “dangerous” rhetoric, in a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room.
Biden was also asked if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was delaying a diplomatic agreement regarding the Gaza conflict to influence the election. He said that no administration has helped Israel more than he has and Netanyahu should remember that.
On the campaign trail, Trump and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp surveyed damage from Hurricane Helene on Friday afternoon. The two have been estranged since the governor refused to help the former president find more voters in his state in the 2020 election.
Trump will be joined by tech billionaire Elon Musk at his Saturday rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the site of his attempted assassination on July 13.
Latest poll updates: Can Kamala Harris beat Donald Trump?
Let’s check in with Alicja Hagopian who has the latest poll numbers.
Can Kamala Harris beat Donald Trump? Latest poll updates from the 2024 election
Here’s what the latest polls say about the 2024 presidential election, from The Independent’s data correspondent
Watch: New Lincoln Project ad seeks to stoke Trump paranoia over Vance
US job growth blows past expectations
US job gains increased by the most in six months in September and the unemployment rate fell to 4.1%, pointing to a resilient economy that likely does not need the Federal Reserve to deliver large interest rate cuts for the rest of this year.
In addition to the better-than-expected increase in nonfarm payrolls reported by the Labor Department on Friday, wages rose at a solid pace last month. The closely watched employment report also showed the economy added 72,000 more jobs in July and August than previously estimated.
The report followed on the heels of annual benchmark revisions to national accounts data last week that showed the economy is in much better shape than previously estimated, with upgrades to growth, income, savings and corporate profits.
This improved economic backdrop was acknowledged by Fed Chair Jerome Powell this week when he pushed back against investors’ expectations for another half-percentage-point rate cut in November, saying “this is not a (policy-setting) committee that feels like it is in a hurry to cut rates quickly.”
Nonfarm payrolls increased by 254,000 jobs last month, the most since March, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics said. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast payrolls would rise by 140,000 positions after advancing by a previously reported 142,000 in August.
The initial payrolls count for August has typically been revised higher over the past decade. Estimates for September’s job gain ranged from 70,000 to 220,000. Job growth is now above the monthly average gain of 203,000 in the past 12 months.
But labor market could experience some brief turbulence after Hurricane Helene devastated large swathes of the US Southeast last week.
Trump says Harris has been ‘informed, legally’ that he has nothing to do with Project 2025
Donald Trump continues to insist that he has nothing to do with Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s manifesto for a second Trump term, that reads like the backstory to a dystopian novel.
Here’s what the former president wrote on Truth Social this morning:
Lyin’ Kamal Harris, who refuses to do interviews or press conferences because she has no idea how to answer the questions, and is now losing in the polls, continues to make a thing called Project 2025 the central theme of her campaign, advertising and all. Lyin’ Kamala has been informed, legally, that I have, and had, nothing to do with it, NEVER READ IT, NEVER SAW IT, but her ads continue, full blast. When you see them talking about Project 2025, remember, Kamala is lying, just like she lied about working at McDonalds (she didn’t!), or added 818,000 new jobs that didn’t exist (a fraud!), and sooo many other lies. Just like San Francisco and California, itself, she would, if given the chance, COMPLETELY DESTROY OUR COUNTRY!
Trump breaks silence over abortion rift with Melania
Donald Trump has broken his silence over his apparent rift with wife Melania Trump around abortion rights, insisting that he told her “I’m not going to tell you what to do.”
In her upcoming memoir, as well as a video posted on X this week, the former first lady has signaled her support for a woman’s right to choose – a stance that appears to put her at odds with her husband and the Republican party.
On Thursday, the former president – who admitted he hadn’t read his wife’s book at a campaign rally last month – was asked about their differences in opinion.
James Liddell reports.
Trump breaks silence over abortion rift with Melania
Former president revealed he’s ‘not going to tell’ his wife what to do after she announced her support of abortion rights
Harris to visit North Carolina
Per the White House, on Saturday, October 5, Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to North Carolina to survey the impacts of Hurricane Helene and receive an on-the-ground briefing about the continued recovery efforts that are occurring in communities across the state.
Harris has previously visited Augusta, Georgia, to see the damage there, as well as received a briefing at FEMA headquarters regarding the extent of the impact of the storm across the southeast of the US.
Watch: Springsteen endorses Harris
Bruce Springsteen claims Trump ‘most dangerous president candidate in a lifetime’
Bruce Springsteen endorsed Kamala Harris for president, claiming her rival Donald Trump is “the most dangerous candidate for president in my lifetime”. The Born in the USA singer is a longtime Democrat who previously backed Joe Biden and Barack Obama. Speaking in a video posted to his Instagram account on Thursday (3 October), the 75-year-old said: “Donald Trump is the most dangerous candidate for president in my lifetime. His disdain for the sanctity of our Constitution, the sanctity of democracy, the sanctity of the rule of law and the sanctity of the peaceful transfer of power should disqualify him from the office of president ever again.”
Trump to be joined at Butler rally by family of slain firefighter and who’s who of MAGA world
Donald Trump will return to Butler, Pennsylvania, for a rally this Saturday — the site of the first attempt on his life back on July 13.
The former president will be joined by a host of special guests including the family of Corey Comperatore, the firefighter who was killed by one of the eight shots that shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks fired that day. Two other people were critically injured.
In addition to the Comperatore family, Trump will be joined by members of his own family, Elon Musk, running mate JD Vance, a host of Republican lawmakers, local law enforcement officials, and musician Lee Greenwood.
Here’s the full list, per the Trump Vance campaign:
Helen Comperatore, Wife of Corey Comperatore
Allyson Comperatore, Daughter of Corey Comperatore
Kaylee Comperatore, Daughter of Corey Comperatore
Douglas Meeder, Husband of Kelly Meeder
Kelly Meeder, Sister of Corey Comperatore
Dawn Comperatore-Schaffer, Sister of Corey Comperatore
Dr. Jim Sweetland, 7/13 Butler Rally Attendee & Doctor who served as first responder on 7/13
David Dutch, 7/13 Butler Rally Attendee who was injured
Lou Shear, 7/13 Rally Volunteer & Wife of Ed Shear
Tom Natoli, 7/13 Rally Attendee
Rene White, 7/13 Butler Rally Attendee
Malphine Fogal, 7/13 Butler Rally Attendee & Mother of Russian Prisoner Marc Fogal
Ed Lenz, 7/13 Butler Rally Paramedic
Eric Trump, Son of President Donald J. Trump & Executive Vice President, Trump Organization
Lara Trump, Daughter-in-Law of President Donald J. Trump & Co-Chair, Republican National Committee
Elon Musk, Founder, CEO, and Chief Engineer of SpaceX
Sen. JD Vance, Vice Presidential Nominee & U.S. Senator (OH)
Sen. Eric Schmitt, U.S. Senator (MO)
Rep. Ronny Jackson, U.S. Congressman (TX-13)
Rep. Dan Meuser, U.S. Congressman (PA-09)
Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, U.S. Congressman (PA-14)
Rep. Glenn Thompson, U.S. Congressman (PA-15)
Rep. Mike Kelly, U.S. Congressman (PA-16)
Rep. Mike Waltz, U.S. Congressman (FL-06)
Rep. Cory Mills, U.S. Congressman (FL-07)
Comm’r. Sid Miller, Agriculture Commissioner of Texas
Mayor JD Longo, Mayor of Slippery Rock, PA
Sheriff Mike Slupe, Sheriff of Butler County, PA
Sheriff William McKenna, Sheriff of Montour County, PA
Sheriff Scott Neiswonger, Sheriff of Warren County, PA
Sheriff Frank Levindoski, Sheriff of Tioga County, PA
Sheriff Robert Fyock, Sheriff of Indiana County, PA
Sheriff William Carbaugh Jr., Sheriff of Forest County, PA
Sheriff Tony Guy, Sheriff of Beaver County, PA
Sheriff James Ott, Sheriff of Blair County, PA
Sheriff Shawn Zerfoss, Sheriff of Clarion County, PA
Sheriff Todd Caltagarone, Sheriff of Elk County, PA
Sheriff James Custer, Sheriff of Fayette County, PA
Sheriff Dave Powers, Sheriff of Crawford County, PA
Comm’r. Leslie Osche, Chair & Commissioner, Butler County
Comm’r. Kimberly Geyer, Vice Chair & Commissioner, Butler County
Comm’r. Ed Natali, Commissioner, Butler Township
Comm’r. Sam Zurzolo, Commissioner, Butler Township
Chairman Michael Whatley, Chairman, Republican National Committee
Christine Toretti, RNC National Committeewoman (PA)
Chairman Lawrence Tabas, Chairman, PAGOP
Vonne Andring, Senior Advisor, PAGOP
Dave McCormick, Candidate for U.S. Senate (PA)
Steve Witkoff, Founder, Witkoff Group
Jim Worthington, Campaign Bundler & Chairman, Pennsylvania RNC Delegation
Matt Coday, President & Founder, Oil and Gas Workers Association
Ranger Sean Parnell, Ranger, U.S. Army (RET.) & Best-Selling Author
Frog-X Parachute Team, Special Forces Sky Divers (RET.)
Lee Greenwood, American Musician
Scott Lobaido, Artist
Dan Newlin, Attorney, Dan Newlin Injury Attorneys and Donor to July 13 Victims
Rico Elmore, Captain, Trump Force 47, and 7/13 Rally Attendee and First Responder
Dr. Jim Sweetland, 7/13 Rally Attendee and First Responder
Ed Shear, 7/13 Rally Attendee and First Responder
Jim Jones, 7/13 Crane Owner
Surprising poll shows America’s millionaires back Harris over Trump
America’s wealthy classes are supporting Kamala Harris this November, according to new research, despite Donald Trump’s previous record of tax cuts for the rich.
The Arton Capital Affluence & Elections Survey polled 1,031 Americans with a net worth of at least $1m.
The survey found that 52 percent of millionaires will be voting for Harris next month, with just 42 percent for Trump.
Alicja Hagopian takes a closer look at the data.
Surprising poll shows America’s millionaires back Harris over Trump
A third of America’s most wealthy also say they are considering leaving the country, regardless of who wins in November
How Mark Zuckerberg went from liberal darling to calls with Trump
Elon isn’t the only Silicon Valley kingmaker taking the Republican ticket seriously.
Zuckerberg, the CEO, chairman and controlling shareholder of Facebook’s parent company Meta says he wants to be “non-partisan”.
But that’s not so easy when you’re a monarch in all but name, writes Io Dodds.
How Mark Zuckerberg went from liberal darling to phone calls with Trump
The CEO, chairman, and controlling shareholder of Facebook’s parent company Meta says he wants to be ‘non-partisan’. But that’s not so easy when you’re a monarch in all but name, reports Io Dodds
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