OBAMA AGENDA: Another Ebola case in the U.S.
Dominating headlines today: "Doctor Tests Positive for Ebola in New York City"
More from the AP: "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which will do a further test to confirm the initial results, has dispatched an Ebola response team to New York. President Barack Obama spoke to Cuomo and de Blasio on Thursday night and offered the federal government's support. He asked them to stay in close touch with Ron Klain, his "Ebola czar," and public health officials in Washington."
From The New York Times: "American security officials said Thursday that they were looking into a new report that Islamic State militants had used chlorine gas as a weapon against Iraqi police officers last month near Balad, north of Baghdad."
The Washington Post writes that government lawyers concluded that prosecutors "exercised poor judgment" when Monica Lewinsky was first confronted by Ken Starr's team.
OFF TO THE RACES: Real talk
Some realtalk from Cook Political Report's Amy Walter: "Talk to any voter out there this year, and they’ll tell you two things: 1) they hate the negative ads, and 2) they want Congress to work together to get something done. Sadly, voters are not going to get either of their wishes fulfilled anytime in the near future."
The Wall Street Journal writes on something we mentioned yesterday: Democrats are jumping on outsourcing as a major argument against GOP candidates.
Intrigue: The Weekly Standard writes that some Wisconsin Republicans are worried that RGA head and potential 2016 rival Chris Christie isn’t doing enough to help Scott Walker.
ALASKA: Gov. Sean Parnell is having trouble reserving airtime because of the uber-competitive Senate race in the state, National Journal reports.
Sarah Palin endorsed -- not the Republican? Palin is instead backing gubernatorial candidate Bill Walker, citing energy issues.
COLORADO: From one of us(!): "Is it possible that pollsters are underestimating the size and composition of Colorado's electorate in the upcoming Nov. 4 -- given that the state now mails ballots to its voters? Democrats seeing incumbent Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., trailing in most public polls to Republican Cory Gardner certainly hope that's the case. And now they have data backing it up, according to a new poll of 400 Coloradoans who voted in the 2012 presidential contest but not the 2010 midterms, plus those who were recently registered."
A new Quinnipiac poll finds Cory Gardner up 46-41 over Mark Udall -- virtually unchanged from October 16.
Football icon John Elway is backing Cory Gardner, writes the Washington Times.
GEORGIA: A New CNN/ORC International poll finds Michelle Nunn with an edge over David Perdue, 47 percent to 44 percent.
Republicans pounced on this soundbite from Barack Obama yesterday: "If Michelle Nunn wins, that means that Democrats keep control of the Senate, and that means we can keep on doing some good work. So it is critically important to make sure that folks vote."
Rand Paul campaigns with David Perdue today; Ted Cruz is in town for him tomorrow.
IOWA: From one of us(!): It really is thisclose; 'Iowa Nice' still matters; and it's going to come down to independent women and casual voters. Our takeaways from the Iowa Senate race.
Joni Ernst skipped a sit-down with the Des Moines Register editorial board Thursday, earning ire from the paper and criticism from Democrats who say she's avoiding tough questions.
MASSACHUSETTS: A Boston Globe poll finds Martha Coakley trailing 36 percent to 45 percent. Rut-roh for Dems…
SOUTH DAKOTA: Some lofty words from Larry Pressler in a Senate debate last night: ""I'm like the biblical David, and I have at least two Goliaths coming after me/ I am armed with a slingshot of idealism."
PROGRAMMING NOTES.
*** Friday’s “News Nation with Tamron Hall” line-up: Tamron Hall talks to Arthur Caplan, Director of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Langone Medical Center, and National Nurses United Co-president Jean Ross about the new case of ebola in New York City. Tamron also talks to “Kids 4 Cash” director Robert May and student Hillary Transue, about the documentary on the 2009 scandal that rocked the nation about a judge receiving millions in payouts for putting kids behind bars.
*** Friday’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” line-up: NBC’s Andrea Mitchell interviews Diane and John Foley, the parents of James Foley, the journalist killed by ISIS, Canadian Parliament member Chrystia Freeland, The Globe and Mail Parliamentary reporter Josh Wingrove, NBC’s Kristen Dahlgren, NBC Health Editor Maggie Fox, “Meet the Press” Moderator Chuck Todd, Dr. Natalie Azar and Photojournalist and author Diana Walker.