4 Takeaways From The VP Debate; ‘Debate Fly’ Swarms Social Media

Plus, how a hip-hop conspiracy theory sheds light on the cracks in American justice. by Korva Coleman and Jill Hudson First Up [Vice President Pence speaks during the vice presidential debate with Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Wednesday.]( Justin Sullivan/AP Here's what we're following today. Vice President Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris held their only debate of the election season on Wednesday night. They clashed over the Supreme Court, the U.S. economy, protests over police brutality and the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. [Here are four takeaways]( from the debate. President Trump said he won’t participate in a virtual debate shortly after the new format was announced. Trump told Fox Business that [the change in the debate style]( was "a waste of time." On Wednesday, the president [boasted of his improved health]( in a video posted to Twitter, calling his coronavirus diagnosis "a blessing from God." --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Elections 2020 [A compilation of screenshots of text messages sent by President Trump's campaign to Jennifer Stromer-Galley, a professor at Syracuse University.]( Jennifer Stromer-Galley At a time when the coronavirus has made traditional campaigning nearly impossible, texting is a cheap and easy way for candidates to get their message out. But a lot of [voters find it annoying](. The contest between Republican Sen. Susan Collins and her Democratic challenger, Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon, could determine [control of the U.S. Senate](. Less than a month before Election Day, key issues over voting rights are still cloudy, and [pending court decisions]( could affect how voting is conducted in certain states. --------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Listens [Morris Pearl, a former managing director at the investment giant BlackRock, is a member of Patriotic Millionaires, a group that advocates for a more equitable tax system.]( Elias WIlliams President Trump isn't the only wealthy person believed to pay little or no federal taxes. The U.S. tax code favors people who make money through investments like stocks and real estate, including a lot of people in finance, such as hedge fund titans and money managers. Retired investment manager Morris Pearl is living comfortably in the 1% but says his taxes aren’t high enough. [Click here to listen]( or [read the story](. [Killer Mike illustration by Dale Edwin Murray.]( Dale Edwin Murray for NPR NPR Music's new podcast [Louder Than A Riot]( traces the interconnected rise of hip-hop and mass incarceration in the U.S. [Episode 1]( unpacks how the justice system disproportionately affects Black America and what hip-hop, as America's most consumed music genre, has always done to push back. [Episode 2]( looks at how Louisiana's tough-on-crime policies affected an artist who has been fighting to clear his name for 20 years. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before You Go Eric Baradat - The large fly that landed on Vice President Pence’s head during [last night’s debate]( has its own [Twitter account](. - The Nobel Prize for literature was awarded to [American poet Louise Glück]( on Thursday. - A grand jury in Texas has indicted Netflix over the French film Cuties, which has become the target of intense online criticism since it began streaming on the platform in September. ([CNN]( - The inventor of the Rubik’s Cube has written a memoir about conceiving [the intricate puzzle]( and how it twisted and turned into imaginative popularity. - The main character of V.E. Schwab’s new book, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, makes a deal with the devil for immortality, but it comes with a price — [no one remembers her](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Daily News emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]