Obama focuses his campaign outreach on young Black men. Sean “Diddy” Combs faces more allegations of sexual assault. And the World Series is set for another New York-Los Angeles rivalry.
Here’s what to know today.
Will Obama’s outreach to young Black men help Harris?Former President Barack Obama has been on the campaign trail for Kamala Harris, aiming to shore up her support among young Black men.
It’s not certain, though, that his target audience is listening.
Democrats have been unnerved by recent polls that show Harris’ numbers sagging among Black voters, particularly young men. One of Obama’s tasks leading up to Election Day is to persuade Black men that voting for Donald Trump would be a grievous mistake.
A younger generation of Black Americans may have seen little of Obama, possessing only a dim recollection of a presidency that ended nearly eight years ago. “He is resonating with a different culture,” said one University of Arizona student who hasn’t yet decided how he’ll vote. “They’re going to need a young guy to come and stand up who is Black. He’s not the young guy.”
In the remaining days before the election, the former president will be doing interviews with podcasters and various internet personalities who command a large Black following, an Obama aide said.
Follow NBC News’ live updates on the election here.
Read more on the election:
➡️ In an increasingly secular country, Harris and Trump are highlighting their personal faiths less than other recent candidates.
➡️ Harris reacted Sunday to Trump calling her a “s—“ vice president, telling the Rev. Al Sharpton on MSNBC that “the American people deserve so much better.”
➡️ Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban said while campaigning for Harris that he would campaign against her if he thought she would tax wealthy people’s “unrealized gains,” which is part of the tax plan she has endorsed.
➡️ Trump served up french fries Sunday at a Philadelphia-area McDonald’s, peppering in some jabs at Harris. Without evidence, Trump has accused Harris of lying about working at one of the fast-food chain’s restaurants.
U.S. investigates the apparent leak of ‘top secret’ documents about Israel
U.S. officials are investigating the apparent leak of two top-secret U.S. documents that show American spy agencies tracking possible Israeli preparations for conducting an attack on Iran, three U.S. officials said.
Two officials said that the leaked documents appear to be authentic. The damage to national security appears to be limited in scope though the assessment is still ongoing, according to a U.S. official.
The region has been on edge awaiting Israel’s response to an Iranian missile barrage launched on Oct. 1, which Iran said was in response to Israel’s invasion of Lebanon and the assassination of its allies. The text of the leaked documents says “we cannot definitively predict the scale and scope of a strike on Iran, and such a strike can occur with no further GEOINT warning.”
Trial kicks off for man accused in NYC subway chokehold death
Jury selection in the trial of Daniel Penny, the former Marine charged in the death of Jordan Neely in a New York City subway car, begins today.
The widely shared video of Penny wrapping his arms around Neely’s neck and restraining him in a chokehold until he died will play a key role. Both Penny’s attorneys and those prosecuting him plan to use the video to bolster their arguments in a case that became a flashpoint in the nation’s long-standing debate over racial justice.
Attorneys for Penny, who is white, say their client did not apply enough pressure for the hold to be deadly, while prosecutors argue he used excessive force to take the life of Neely, a 30-year-old Black man who worked as a Michael Jackson impersonator.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused of assault and rape in new lawsuits
Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing a wave of new sexual assault and rape accusations.
Five new civil lawsuits filed Sunday night, obtained by NBC News, include allegations Combs sexually assaulted or raped the plaintiffs in separate incidents from 2009 to 2022. Two of the plaintiffs are men and three are women, including a woman who alleged Combs raped her when she was 13 years old, according to the suits.
“We will let the allegations in the filed complaints speak for themselves, and will work to see that justice is done,” said Tony Buzbee, the Texas-based attorney who filed the lawsuits. “We expect to be filing cases weekly naming Mr. Combs and others as defendants as we continue to gather evidence and prepare the filings.”
Highlights from Week 7 of NFL
Russell Wilson led the Steelers to a win over the Jets in his Pittsburgh debut after a calf injury had sidelined him since the preseason. The Commanders’ win was marred by Jayden Daniels’ rib injury in the first quarter. NBC News sports editor Greg Rosenstein shares more highlights from Week 7 of the 2024 season.
🙌 Russell Wilson made his Steelers debut on “Sunday Night Football” and led Pittsburgh to a 35-17 win against the New York Jets. Wilson struggled early on but rebounded to throw for 264 yards and two touchdowns. Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, reunited with receiver Davonte Adams in a trade from the Raiders this week, passed for 276 yards, one score and two interceptions in defeat.
😮 The Minnesota Vikings suffered their first loss of the season, 31-29, to divisional rival Detroit Lions. Jake Bates’ 44-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter was the difference. Vikings QB Sam Darnold threw for 259 yards, one touchdown and one interception but was outdueled by Lions QB Jared Goff’s 280 yards passing with two scores and no turnovers.
👑 Speaking of undefeated teams, the Chiefs improved to 6-0 with a 28-18 win against the San Francisco 49ers. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes struggled — 154 yards passing with two interceptions and no touchdowns — but running back Kareem Hunt stepped up with two scores of his own. The 49ers (3-4) may have also lost star receiver Brandon Aiyuk for the season with a torn ACL, according to coach Kyle Shanahan.
🩹 The Commanders dominated the lowly Panthers 40-7 but Washington suffered a major loss as star rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels left midway through the first quarter with a rib injury. Though it does not appear serious, Commanders coach Dan Quinn said he had “no update” on Daniels after the game. Backup Marcus Mariota stepped in nicely, throwing for 205 yards and two touchdowns.
Read All About It
- The Dodgers will face the Yankees in the World Series for the 12th time after beating the Mets 10-5 Sunday night.
- The New York Liberty won their first WNBA championship, defeating the Minnesota Lynx in an overtime thriller.
- Hurricane Oscar made landfall Sunday evening on Cuba before weakening to a tropical storm as it moved across the island, while millions remained without power for a third consecutive day.
- Multiple people died as a helicopter struck a radio tower in Houston on Sunday night and sparked a large fire, authorities said.
- At least one person was killed and 10 others were wounded after a shooting broke out at a party of high school-age kids in Indiana, according to police.
Staff Pick: A vulnerable discussion about grief… with a Muppet
I know I was not alone in tearing up at Andrew Garfield’s touching discussion about grief with, of all people, Elmo. The actor, who lost his mother to pancreatic cancer in 2019, told the muppet that he was feeling sad, but “that sadness is kind of a gift. It’s kind of a lovely thing to feel, in a way, because it means you really loved somebody when you miss them.”
We can add this beautiful way of looking at loss to the list of lessons that millions of us have learned from Sesame Street.
— Annie Hill, platforms editor
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
The editors at NBC Select love a good Advent calendar, so they rounded up their must-have picks, packed with chocolates, mini skin care, tiny toys and more. And if you’re thinking it’s too early for the holiday treat, it’s not. They’re popular and can sell out fast. Plus, this tech reporter tested out the Apple HomePod, which turns your speaker into a home base for all your Apple and smart home devices.
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Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown. Today’s newsletter was curated for you by Josh Feldman.
