OBAMA AGENDA: White House vs. the governors on Ebola
The New York Times: "Facing fierce resistance from the White House and medical experts to a strict new mandatory quarantine policy, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said on Sunday night that medical workers who had contact with Ebola patients in West Africa but did not show symptoms of the disease would be allowed to remain at home and would receive compensation for lost income. Mr. Cuomo’s decision capped a frenzied weekend of behind-the-scenes pleas from administration officials, who urged him and Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey to reconsider the mandatory quarantine they had announced on Friday.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci of NIH said Sunday that the mandatory quarantines are "draconian" and could have "unintended consequences."
"Former homeland security secretary Janet Napolitano is supporting executive action by President Obama to change immigration policy if Congress fails to pass a broad overhaul, citing what she calls her successful 2012 push to delay deportations of many younger immigrants. 'If Congress refuses to act and perform its duties, then I think it’s appropriate for the executive to step in and use his authorities based on law . . . to take action in the immigration arena,’' Napolitano, a lawyer and former U.S. attorney in Arizona, said in an exclusive interview with The Washington Post."
Reuters: "A fleet of planes and helicopters airlifted the last U.S. and British forces from a key southern province in Afghanistan on Monday, a day after the international coalition closed a massive base and handed it over to the Afghan military."
OFF TO THE RACES: It’s close -- but GOP has the momentum
One of us(!) wrote over the weekend about the tight contests in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas and North Carolina.
And another one of us(!) looked at the GOP edge on congressional preference.
The New York Times writes of the Bush family's enthusiasm for a Jeb 2016 run, but adds: "None of that means Jeb Bush will run. He has said he will decide by the end of the year, and could simply be keeping the possibility open to enhance his influence on the political stage. To some who have spoken with him in recent months, he has not exhibited the same fire that his father and brother did at this stage."
The new Soccer Moms? The Wall Street Journal writes that campaigns are targeting "basement grads."
The Upshot writes that there are 11 gubernatorial races within 4 points and another half-dozen within single digits.
ALASKA: The AP follows a campaign worker to follow get-out-the-vote efforts in Alaska.
The Alaska Dispatch News: "A new third-party Republican group opposing the election of independent gubernatorial candidate Bill Walker is planning heavy spending for the last 10 days of the race. The group is spending $150,000 on advertisements on a single TV station, KTVA."
IOWA: The Des Moines Register endorsed Bruce Braley, saying that Ernst "has taken and defended positions that we do not believe are right for Iowa or the country."
In a profile piece out today, the paper talks about the "show-and-tell" style Braley brings to the campaign trail.
KANSAS: Greg Orman has given his campaign more than $1 million and has loaned it another $200,000, writes the Kansas City Star.
KENTUCKY: Alison Grimes won the endorsements of The Courier-Journal and the Lexington Herald-Leader.
MAINE: From last week: Gov. Paul LePage is leading Democrat Rep. Mike Michaud 45 to 35 percent, per the University of New Hampshire Survey Center.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: Martin O'Malley is campaigning with New Hampshire Democrats today.
NORTH CAROLINA: Writes The Atlantic: "Kay Hagan Has Run a 'Perfect' Campaign - She Could Lose Anyway"
SOUTH DAKOTA: In addition to our polling from over the weekend showing Mike Rounds up 14 points, a new Argus Leader/KELO poll puts him up nine.
PROGRAMMING NOTES.
*** Monday’s “News Nation with Tamron Hall” line-up: Tamron Hall talks to Patricia Murphy, editor of Citizen Jane Politics, about the midterms, Kaare Johnson, WGNO political commentator in New Orleans, about the Louisiana senate race, actor, producer and director Henry Winkler about his children’s book series, and in today’s Born in the U$A: Mark Winkelman, president of “Better Made” chips in Detroit
*** Monday’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” line-up: NBC’s Andrea Mitchell interviews Ebola survivor Nancy Writebol, Moderator of Meet the Press Chuck Todd on his Meet the Voters tour, Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza and Ruth Marcus, Reuters reporter David Rohde on ISIS hostages, The Financial Times Assistant Editor Gillian Tett and Jonathan Alter on the new season of “Alpha House”