IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

First Read's Morning Clips

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

OBAMA AGENDA: Protocol breach

"Some healthcare experts are bristling at the assertion by a top U.S. health official that a “protocol breach” caused a Dallas nurse to be infected with Ebola while caring for a dying patient, saying the case instead shows how far the nation’s hospitals are from adequately training staff to deal with the deadly virus," writes Reuters.

NIH head Francis Collins, to the Huffington Post: “Frankly, if we had not gone through our 10-year slide in research support, we probably would have had a vaccine in time for this that would've gone through clinical trials and would have been ready."

From the New York Times: "Turkey will allow American and coalition troops to use its bases, including a key installation within 100 miles of the Syrian border, for operations against Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq, Defense Department officials said Sunday."

Another headline that's starting to feel familiar, from the Wall Street Journal: "Islamic State Militants Advance Despite Airstrikes"

From the AP: "Having health insurance is no panacea for high medical costs. Overall, 1 in 4 privately insured U.S. adults say they don't have much confidence in their ability to pay for a major, unexpected medical expense."

OFF TO THE RACES: Three weeks to go

Progressive group Agenda Project Action Fund is circulating a 60-second ad blaming the Ebola crisis on budget cuts by Republican lawmakers. But a note of caution: the organization (which was also behind that 2011 video picture Paul Ryan throwing a grandmother off a cliff) says its "plan" is to place the ad in Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas and South Dakota "provided we complete the financing we need." (Translation: It doesn’t look like the group has purchased ad time yet.)

"Republican allies are pumping millions of dollars into a final swarm of television ads in the run-up to Election Day, hoping to blunt Democratic attacks and tip the Senate back to GOP control," reports the Washington Post. "But much of the advertising by outside groups is coming later — and at a much steeper cost — than many on the right had hoped, largely because top conservative donors were slow to open their checkbooks."

Chris Christie still hasn't won the hearts and minds of social conservatives. Michael Barbaro writes in the New York Times: "With the contretemps over lane closings on the George Washington Bridge on the back burner for now and Mr. Christie laying groundwork for a Republican presidential run, the persistent skepticism, unease and, in some cases, distrust that he faces from social and religious conservatives may be the biggest and least understood obstacle in his path."

The DSCC raised about $16 million in September, beating out its GOP counterpart.

ALASKA: The Alaska Dispatch News has a Q&A with Mark Begich, including some probing of his disagreements with President Obama on foreign policy issues.

ARIZONA: “Fred DuVal, the Democratic nominee running for governor, had his license suspended this year after he failed to pay a fine associated with a red-light ticket, his campaign consultant said Sunday,” the Arizona Republic writes.

CALIFORNIA: ICYMI, from CNN: Openly gay Republican candidate Carl DeMaio is facing allegations that threaten to derail his congressional hopes. "DeMaio's former campaign policy director is accusing the candidate of sexual harassment, even saying DeMaio masturbated in front of him. DeMaio vehemently denies the allegations, saying they're the cover story of a plagiarist and suspected criminal."

COLORADO: The Denver Post does a deep dive into must-win Jefferson County.

FLORIDA: The New York Times zooms in on Gwen Graham's effort to oust Rep. Steve Southerland in Florida.

GEORGIA: Michelle Nunn raised over $4 million in 3Q, writes the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

IOWA: A Des Moines Register poll finds the race between Joni Ernst and Bruce Braley at 47-46 percent.

KANSAS: The Kansas City Star endorses Greg Orman, saying he wants to "reduce the dysfunction and approve practical ways to deal with immigration reform, control costs of entitlement programs, pass transportation funding and make meaningful decisions on dozens of other high-profile matters."

KENTUCKY: Alison Lundergan Grimes and Mitch McConnell debate tonight on Kentucky Educational Television's "Kentucky Tonight" program.

MARYLAND: The Washington Post endorses Anthony Brown for governor, calling him "the more knowledgeable man and the more nimble politician."

NEW HAMPSHIRE: The Washington Post notes that plenty of GOP heavyweights are happy to come to the first primary state to aid struggling gubernatorial candidate Walt Havenstein.

The state Republican Party is calling on Jeanne Shaheen to denounce Wendy Davis' controversial anti-Greg Abbott ad.

NORTH CAROLINA: From the News & Observer: "U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, under fire from her opponent, Thom Tillis, for having one of the worse attendance records on the Senate Armed Services Committee — and for missing a classified briefing to attend a fundraiser — countered on Sunday with a statement from the former director of the Army National Guard."

SOUTH DAKOTA: Don't miss Steve Kornacki's interview with Larry Pressler over the weekend, including his explanation of questions about his residency.

TEXAS: The latest on that controversial Wendy Davis ad accusing Greg Abbott of working against victims of accidents despite winning a settlement for the one that caused his paralysis, from the Texas Tribune: "The pollster for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis defended her controversial TV ad Sunday, saying it’s working as intended despite widespread criticism that using the image of an empty wheelchair in an attack ad on a disabled candidate was mean-spirited and unfair."

PROGRAMMING NOTES.

*** Monday’s “The Daily Rundown” line-up: NBC’s Kristen Welker anchors from Washington and interviews NBC's Sarah Dallof, Kristen Dahlgren and Carrie Dann , Dr. Natalie Azar, msnbc's Trymaine Lee and Ronan Farrow, The Washington Post’s Dan Balz, Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA),The Atlantic’s Steve Clemons and KXAN Political Reporter Josh Hinkle

*** Monday’s “News Nation with Tamron Hall” line-up: Tamron Hall talks to Dr. Nina Radcliff about the newest Ebola case in the U.S., and Deborah Burger, President of the CA Nurses Association, about a survey that 80% of nurses say they have not been given adequate training on Ebola. Tamron also talks to Dr. Susan Lipkins, psychologist and hazing expert, on the hazing allegations involving a New Jersey high school football team, Medal of Honor Recipient and MSNBC Military Analyst Col. Jack Jacobs on ISIS, and in today’s Born it the U$A, Alan Doan, CEO of Missouri Star Quilt Company.

*** Monday’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” line-up: NBC’s Andrea Mitchell interviews Ebola Survivor Nancy Writebol, Dr. Anthony Fauci- Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at NIH, NBC News Senior Health Write Maggie Fox, MSNBC’s Trymaine Lee in Ferguson, Missouri, and The Trail with NBC’s Mark Murray, Carrie Dann and MSNBC’s Kasie Hunt.