SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET:

SICKENING – FROM ABC:  LANCASTER, Calif. (KABC) -- A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department sergeant died after being shot during a deputy-involved shooting in Lancaster, authorities said.  The department identified him as Steve Owen, 53, a 29-year veteran of the department who had spent the last five years at the Lancaster Station.  Owen and another deputy had responded to a burglary call around noon in the 3200 block of West Avenue J7, sheriff's officials said. The area was contained and during the containment gunfire was heard in the back of the location.  The deputy at the front of the complex ran in the direction of the gunfire and found Owen suffering from a gunshot wound. The suspect then fled the area on foot, ran to the front of the home and attempted to steal Owen's patrol car, according to authorities.   The suspect put the car into reverse, ramming the second patrol car, which resulted in a second deputy-involved shooting, authorities said.  Authorities said the suspect then fled from the area on foot and ran into another home with two teens inside. Special Enforcement Bureau officers were able to get the teens safely out of the home before the suspect was taken into custody.  Let's see if Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton take note of the sergeant's sacrifice, and the heroism of the other officers involved in capturing the suspect.  Let's see if
Anderson Cooper, who will co-moderate this Sunday's presidential debate, bothers to mention the case.  I'm waiting.

OH, WHAT'S A LITTLE CHEATING? – FROM THE HILL:   Hillary Clinton was provided the exact questions she would be asked by daytime talk show host Steve Harvey, according to a report.  The Washington Free Beacon reports that according to a leaked memo it obtained, the Clinton campaign was sent all questions one week by the program before the interview between Clinton and Harvey on Feb. 17.  "Steve is known to be a host who goes out of his way to make his guests feel comfortable,” two of Clinton’s aides wrote Clinton one week before the taping. “We coordinated closely with the show’s producers on the script and format of the show.”  The memo was sent by campaign spokeswoman Karen Finney -- formerly an MSNBC host -- and communications staffer Betsaida Alcantara...The campaign and the Harvey's producers also coordinated on which parts of Clinton’s biography would be introduced and how..  “During this segment Steve will take a trip down memory lane with YOU to talk about the different  moments of YOUR life displayed in the photographs below,” the memo stated.  During the interview, Clinton acted surprised when the photos were placed on screen.  What a fraud.  Republicans should demand, in future presidential years, an independent journalism panel, representing different points of view, that would judge violations of press ethics.  This certainly is one, and a whopper.  Clinton, of course, had no problem with cheating.  No one ever claimed that "honesty" is her middle name.

AL QAEDA RESURGENT – FROM THE TIMES OF LONDON:   A resurgent al-Qaeda is plotting attacks against Britain with renewed vigour as Islamic State comes under pressure, sources said last night.  Sir Michael Fallon, the defence secretary, also told The Times that the terrorist network posed a “very direct threat” to the UK and Europe.  An offshoot in Syria — the Nusra Front, recently renamed the Fateh al-Sham Front — is regarded by the West as the most potent, with senior leaders believed to be on the ground actively working on attack plans. One figurehead of the group was reportedly killed in a US drone strike on Monday.  Please don't wake up Field Marshal Obama and tell him about this.  It might get him upset.

October 5, 2016