The shooting at a congressional baseball practice reminds us of something we too often forget: We are one country, and we’re all in this together. Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door. You can also get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.
1. Congressional shooting
President Donald Trump hasn’t been able to dismantle the Affordable Care Act through legislation, so he’s moving to undermine the health care law via other means. Trump plans to stop crucial Obamacare subsidies that help low-income enrollees pay for their health care. The dramatic move threatens the law’s future, because doing so could force insurance companies to raise rates or even leave the Obamacare exchanges altogether. Almost 6 million people, which is more than half of all Obamacare enrollees, qualify for the cost-sharing payments, which cost the feds about $7 billion this year.
2. Democratic National Committee
The wine country fires in Northern California are some of the deadliest in the state’s history. At least 31 people are dead and hundreds remain missing nearly a week after this disaster began. Homes searches are starting, and in some cases authorities are finding bodies burned beyond recognition. “Some of them are merely ashes and bones,” Sonoma County Sheriff Rob Giordano said. The biggest fires are far from being contained, and the weather won’t be ideal for fighting them this weekend, with winds predicted to be gusty through Saturday.
This change is significant because police originally thought Campos was shot as the attack was already underway. They had believed Paddock stopped shooting because Campos diverted his attention when he neared the gunman’s room. Now they don’t know what made Paddock stop shooting, an attack that left 58 people dead and hundreds injured.
3. The Weinstein effect
Russian efforts to meddle in American politics did not end at Facebook and Twitter. A CNN investigation of a Russian-linked account shows its tentacles extended to YouTube, Tumblr and even Pokémon Go.
An email exchange and talking points provided to CNN are the latest indication of how some of the meeting participants plan to make their case about why the meeting with Donald Trump Jr. did not amount to collusion between Russian officials and the Trump campaign. The new information stands in contrast with the initial email pitching the meeting to Trump Jr., which promised damaging information on Clinton.
5. Fried potatoes study
A family of five held captive by the Taliban for almost five years has been freed. An American woman, her Canadian husband and their three children were freed by the Pakistani army. The wife and husband – Caitlan Coleman and Joshua Boyle – were kidnapped in Afghanistan in 2012. Coleman was pregnant at the time. They had two more children while in captivity. Pakistan was able to free the family after their kidnappers moved them from Afghanistan over the border into Pakistan. It’s unclear when the family will head home; Boyle refuses to board a US military plane over fears he’ll be arrested. Boyle was previously married to the sister of Omar Khadhr, a Canadian who was imprisoned for 10 years at the US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and later sued the Canadian government.
5. Trump in Asia
The furor over the sex assault allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein is growing. Police in both New York and London are investigating him. And now he faces another public accusation of rape. Actress Rose McGowan, via several Twitter posts, accused Weinstein of raping her. She also alleged she told the head of Amazon Studios about the matter, but nothing came of it. Amazon did not respond to requests for comment from CNNMoney. Amazon and the Weinstein Co. are partners on two forthcoming streaming TV series.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.
Say aloha!
It doesn’t matter if you win or lose …
All the “Star Wars” craziness can officially begin again, now that the trailer for “The Last Jedi” has finally been released.
On the sidelines
ESPN has benched host Jemele Hill for a couple of weeks, after she put out another round of controversial tweets.
New ride
Iraq war vet Taylor Winston stole a truck to save lives during the Las Vegas shooting. Now a car dealership is giving him one all his own.
No lock required
You can just grab a bike lying around on the street and go, thanks to a new dockless bikeshare coming to some cities.
Nuking the deal
NUMBER OF THE DAY
30 seconds
That’s how long Walmart hopes it will take you to return items, thanks to a new system the retail giant is rolling out.
AND FINALLY …
Steam-roller vs. giant gummy bear
You’ll need cardboard. LOTS of cardboard
Need a Halloween costume idea? Here’s one: Make a giant Lego man from cardboard (because plastic is just too uncomfortable to wear). (Click to view)