Welcome to October Surprise, the Daily Beast’s daily countdown to the biggest election of our lifetime. It’s only 15 days until Election Day and here’s what’s happening in the race to the White House between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.
THE DOWNLOAD
Former President Donald Trump has been sued for defamation by the Central Park Five, the group of men who were wrongfully convicted in a New York City rape case as teenagers, over false statements he made during last month’s presidential debate.
Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron Brown and Korey Wise claim Trump knowingly acted with “reckless disregard” when, during his September face-off against Vice President Kamala Harris, he stated they pled guilty to 1989 assault and rape of a woman in New York’s Central Park. The Republican nominee for president also falsely claimed the group killed someone—not only was that not true, it was never alleged.
“Trump’s statements were false and defamatory in numerous respects,” reads a statement of claim for the men, who are now in their 50s, filed in Philadelphia federal court. “Plaintiffs never pled guilty to the Central Park assaults. Plaintiffs all pled not guilty and maintained their innocence throughout their trial and incarceration, as well as after they were released from prison.”
One of Kamala Harris’ top Republican surrogates, “pro-life” former Rep. Liz Cheney, has had a remarkable change of heart—jumping on board with the Democratic presidential candidate’s plan to expand abortion rights.
“I think there are many of us around the country who have been pro-life, but who have watched what’s going on in our states since the Dobbs decision, and have watched state legislatures put in place laws that are resulting in women not getting the care they need,” Cheney said during a moderated conversation with Harris in Malvern, Pennsylvania, on Monday.
“This is not an issue that we’re seeing break down across party lines,” the one-time House Republican Conference chair said, adding that in places like Texas, where top law-enforcement officials are threatening to sue to gain access to women’s medical records, the situation is “not sustainable for us as a country. And it has to change.”
POLLS OBSESSED
The election is boiling down to a coin toss. A New Washington Post-Schar School poll conducted in the seven battleground states where the election will likely be decided shows Trump and Harris are tied. Among more than 5,000 registered voters, the survey finds 47 percent say they will definitely or probably support Harris while 47 percent say they will definitely or probably support Trump. Among likely voters, 49 percent support Harris and 48 percent back Trump.
Of note: Harris’s standing is 6 percentage points higher than the 41 percent support registered last spring for President Joe Biden when he was the Democratic presidential candidate.
ON THE MOVE
The battles are naturally playing out in the battleground states. Harris is campaigning late into the evening with one of her leading GOP supporters—former Rep. Liz Cheney—in Blue Wall states Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. Trump is all over North Carolina, including areas ravaged by the hurricane.
MONDAY MEMORIES
Mel Brooks stepped into the fraught 2020 election race on Oct. 21, with his first-ever political video. Perhaps unsurprisingly he endorsed Joe Biden, particularly because of what he said was Trump’s failure to deal with Covid. “Donald Trump’s not doing a damn thing about it. So many people have died. And when you’re dead, you can’t do much!” This time around he endorsed Harris much earlier in the race, using X to post his support in September, while wearing a “white dudes for Harris” hat. Read it here.
BEAST OF THE DAY
Arnold Palmer is having a posthumous moment in the spotlight, thanks to Donald Trump’s obsession with the late legendary golfer’s genitalia. At a MAGA rally Saturday in Palmer’s hometown of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Trump fawned over the “unbelievable” size of the former pro’s penis.
Turns out, it wasn’t the first time Trump has gushed about Palmer’s manhood.
In the introduction to her 2022 book on Trump, Confidence Man, New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman writes: “There were countless stories attesting to Trump’s prurience, indulging in gossip and obsessing over others’ looks. In one of the most memorable, as he prepared for a trip to Latrobe, Pennsylvania, for a rally in late 2020, Trump recounted for Oval Office guests the time he had seen hometown golf legend Arnold Palmer disrobed at the Latrobe Country Club, and the size of his genitalia.”
SHAMELESS PLUG
Elon Musk is determined to influence the election. So who better to turn to than veteran Elon-watcher Brian Merchant? He’s giving his insight to The New Abnormal co-hosts Danielle Moodie and Andy Levy in the latest episode which drops tonight. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon and Stitcher.
