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First Read's Morning Clips

A roundup of the most important political news stories of the day.

OBAMA AGENDA: Big day at the UN

Our team previews Obama's meeting with Vladimir Putin at the UN today.

The UN General Assembly will open with a focus on Syria, refugees and ISIS.

Writes the New York Times: "The pledges that countries are making to battle climate change would still allow the world to heat up by more than 6 degrees Fahrenheit, a new analysis shows, a level that scientists say is likely to produce catastrophes ranging from food shortages to widespread extinctions of plant and animal life."

The Pew Research Center says that Asians will be the largest foreign-born immigrant group in the United States by 2055.

CONGRESS: “False prophets”

In an interview on CBS, John Boehner slammed "false prophets" in the party who are "spreading noise about how much can get done."

He also said of his remaining time in Congress: "I might have a little more cooperation from some around town to try to get as much finished as possible."

The Washington Post delves into the bad relationship between Boehner and Cruz.

"Far from quelling dissent in the Republican ranks, the resignation of Speaker John A. Boehner is intensifying the divide that has emboldened hard-right lawmakers and insurgent presidential candidates, leaving a party that prides itself on orderly process in uncharacteristic disarray," writes the New York Times.

The Wall Street Journal on the early tests Kevin McCarthy would face in the top job. "Mr. McCarthy would take over a different institution than the one he joined in 2007. Roughly 60% of the members were elected after him, and many newer members came to Washington eager to upend its traditions. In fact, he recruited many of the members of the 2010 class who have transformed Congress and the GOP."

OFF TO THE RACES: Breaking down the GOP, Dem horseraces

Here's a wrap from one of us(!) on the horserace numbers in the new NBC/WSJ poll.

BUSH: His team is doing a fundraising call-a-thon to boost last-minute money numbers.

CARSON: A staffer cut off an interview with CNN after an extended back-and-forth on the tenets of Islam.

CLINTON: From NBC's Monica Alba, here's what Clinton told one of us(!) on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday.

She called the president of China "shameless" on women's rights.

The New York Times reports on Huma Abedin's inclusion on an email chain in 2012 about a joint initiative between the Rockefeller Foundation and the State Department. (Abedin replied that she must be removed from the exchange out of concern about conflict-of-interest issues.)

FIORINA: Today in every advance team's nightmares: A curtain fell across the stage where Carly Fiorina was speaking in San Antonio Sunday. (Everyone is ok.)

RUBIO: In an interview with NPR, he said that Russia has gained leverage in the Middle East because of the perception that the United States abandoned Iraq.

He also said he wants no part of Trump's "freak show."

TRUMP: In his tax plan today, he plans to boost taxes on the "very wealthy," he said in a 60 Minutes interview.

And around the country...

ILLINOIS: From the AP: "Sen. Mark Kirk's campaign has launched an unusual public attack on a Chicago Tribune reporter, accusing him of "bullying" former and current staff members with questions about allegations that the Illinois Republican has been physically and verbally abusive toward employees."