Trump backs Senate hopeful in Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. — President Donald Trump implored voters on Thursday to reject Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill and to instead install a Republican in her seat who would fully back his agenda.
Mr. Trump appeared at a campaign rally in Columbia, home of the state’s largest university, in an airline hangar. It was his second rally in an 11-stop, eight-state tour designed to boost Republican turnout ahead of Tuesday’s crucial midterm elections.
The president, accompanied by Ms. McCaskill’s Republican challenger, Josh Hawley, declared that Mr. Hawley “will be a star.”
Ms. McCaskill is among a number of vulnerable Democrats running in red states. She is a top target for Republicans seeking to expand the party’s slim 5149 edge in the U.S. Senate.
Ms. McCaskill is pitching herself as a moderate as she seeks to hold on to her seat.
Mr. Trump said Republican momentum in the midterm elections had been blunted in recent days by “two maniacs” — a reference to a mail bomb scare and the mass shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue.
Bizarre news conference
A pro-Trump Twitter troll held a bizarre news conference Thursday during which he denied trying to bribe women into accusing Robert Mueller of sexual misconduct — though documentation obtained by The New York Daily News contradicts his claims.
Disgraced 20-year-old financier turned far-rightwing theorist Jacob Wohl — appearing alongside right-wing conspiracy theorist Jack Burkman — claimed a woman named Carolyne Cass had accused the special counsel of raping her in New York City several years ago but was too scared to come forward.
Mr. Wohl, speaking in Rosslyn, Va., then claimed he had not offered anyone cash to smear Mr. Mueller — but the Daily News has obtained emails that dispute that.
Surefire Intelligence — a self-professed “private intel agency” that Mr. Wohl has admitted to running — sent an email to Vermont Law School professor and author Jennifer Taub on Oct. 22, in which an employee identified as Simon Frick offered to “compensate” Ms. Taub “at whatever rate you see fit” to discuss her “past encounters” with Mr. Mueller.
Roker defends costume
In the wake of the controversy at NBC over Megyn Kelly’s black face comments, another network star found himself in a racial brouhaha.
“Today” show meteorologist and co-host Al Roker took to social media after complaints about his dressing as a white character for Halloween.
On Wednesday Mr. Roker and the rest of the “Today” team dressed in 1980s-inspired costumes.
He appeared as “Back to the Future’s” Doc Brown, a character played by white actor Christopher Lloyd in the 1985 film.
Mr. Roker did not appear in white face and defended his costume choice on Twitter.
“I’m going to say this one last time, but the folks who get it, understand and the ones who DON’T, won’t,” he tweeted. “I can be Doc Brown, and I wear the outfit and wig and not change my skin color if you’re white, you can be President Obama if you want. Just don’t color your skin!”