Trump calls Walz ‘moron’ as betting odds show him favored over Vance ahead of high stakes VP debate: Live

From the White House:

This morning, President Biden convened a meeting with Vice President Harris and their national security team to discuss Iranian plans to imminently launch a significant ballistic missile attack against Israel. They reviewed the status of US preparations to help Israel defend against these attacks and protect U.S. personnel in the region.

Republican organizers in battleground states are worried that the Trump campaign isn’t doing enough to drive GOP turnout, as Kamala Harris maintains a roughly three per cent lead in national polls and similar margins in battleground states.

GOP operatives told Politico that the Trump campaign’s tactics to reach voters, relying heavily on super PACs and an army of “Trump Force 47” volunteers to knock on doors and get out the vote, hasn’t made as much of a dent as they would’ve wished in key toss-up states like Michigan and Nevada.

“There’s really no organization,” a Republican operative in Nevada told the outlet. “He comes out, they scramble to do a rally … but after that, there’s just really nothing else.”

Josh Marcus reports.

Eric Garcia writes:

On Tuesday, Senator JD Vance and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will square off in New York for the only vice presidential debate of the election. Polling from Prolific exclusive to The Independent shows the debate has a chance to tip the scales.

But in truth, whoever wins the White House will not be able to do much if they do not control the Senate, which not only passes bills, but also ratifies treaties and most importantly confirms cabinet and judicial nominees.

That is why both Democrats and Republicans are pouring in money to determine Montana’s Senate race results.

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President Joe Biden will receive an interagency briefing on the Hurricane Helene response and recovery efforts at 2.30pm this afternoon in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.

Follow the latest on the hurricane here:

A number of prominent Republicans have signed an amicus brief today supporting the lawsuit filed by the Democratic National Committee and the Georgia Democratic Party challenging the State Election Board’s rule changes, mandating a hand count of ballots.

Among those who have signed the brief is former Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, a Republican supporter of Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.

Democrats have trolled JD Vance by projecting his past comments about Donald Trump directly onto Trump Tower ahead of the vice presidential debate on Tuesday evening.

The Democratic National Committee dug up historic remarks the Ohio senator has made about his running mate, including him branding the then-president an “idiot”.

James Liddell reports.

Jon Stewart has busted the myth around the “fictional” Donald Trump character that his MAGA supporters love – saying that his whole persona bears “little resemblance” to who the former president really is.

On Monday night’s show, The Daily Show host picked apart the man who Trump’s fans claim him to be.

“The qualities and policies that people profess to be what they admire and love about former President Trump don’t seem to be an accurate reflection of said former president,” Stewart said.

James Liddell has the story.

Eric Hoplin, CEO of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW), issued a statement this morning calling on President Joe Biden to take action to end the strike and reopen the ports:

“The East and Gulf Coast port strike is putting our economy and national security at risk. This strike isn’t just about disrupting a few shipments; it’s about stopping the supply chain and bringing the flow of critical goods to a standstill.

“The damage could reach $5 billion a day, with small and mid-sized businesses at risk due to missed deliveries and empty shelves. The Biden administration must use its authority now to stop the strike before the impact becomes irreversible. This is not just about pay or a shipping delays—it’s about our global competitiveness. The ILA’s demands to ban automation in ports will cripple our ability to compete internationally, while ports in Europe and Asia embrace automation and technology to stay ahead.

“The administration must act decisively—end this strike, reopen the ports, and ensure the US remains a leader in global trade.”

Here’s what you need to know about the strike: