In The Headlines: Four National Stories to Know This Week
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America Responds to the Israel-Hamas War
Early on Saturday, Oct. 7, Hamas — a militant group that has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2006 — launched a surprise terrorist attack on nearby Israeli towns, killing more than 1,300 soldiers and civilians, including at least 27 Americans. The horrific attack has sparked intense retaliation by Israel, with over a million people displaced and over 2,215 killed in Gaza as of Oct. 14.
The U.S. State Department announced on Oct. 12 that it is chartering evacuation flights to help Americans leave Israel – as the war with Hamas escalates and the death toll climbs.
Leaders in the U.S., including N.Y. state and local officials, have joined in support of Israel, denouncing Hamas as a terrorist organization and defending Israel's right to respond strongly to the weekend attacks. N.Y.’s congressmembers, Governor Kathy Hochul and other officials are working with the State Department to get New Yorkers stuck in Israel back to the U.S.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the U.S., led a bipartisan delegation to Israel to show “unwavering support” for the ally, according to a statement.
Congressman Pat Ryan (NY-18), who represents Poughkeepsie and much of the Hudson Valley, said in a statement: “The people of Israel are depending on us. China, Iran, and Russia are watching for signs of weakness. We must stand together as patriots and show the forces of evil around the world that there is no greater friend and no worse foe than the United States of America.”
According to a Marist Poll released on Oct. 13, nearly two in three Americans (65%) say the U.S. government should publicly support Israel in the war between Israel and Hamas. Most Americans (79%) are either concerned or very concerned that the war between Israel and Hamas will lead to a larger conflict in the Middle East.
House Speaker Battle Drags On Into Second Week
In a historic first, the U.S. House of Representatives voted on Oct. 3 to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy as a contingent of hard-right conservatives joined with all Democrats to strip the California Republican of his leadership position. The chamber is now in its second week without a speaker as the chaotic battle to replace him drags on.
Republicans first voted to nominate Steve Scalise (R-La.) last Wednesday, but after failing to get enough support to win the gavel, the Majority Leader abandoned his bid for speaker the following day.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Oh.), a founding member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, became the second Republican nominated to be House speaker after winning a closed-door vote last Friday.
There are serious questions about whether any Republican candidate can garner the 217 votes necessary to win the gavel. Recall that it took 15 rounds of voting for McCarthy to win the speakership in January.
Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) called Jordan "the chairman of the chaos caucus, a defender in a dangerous way of dysfunction, and an extremist extraordinaire,” urging Republicans to reject extremism and support a “bipartisan path forward so we can end the recklessness and get back to doing the business of the American people.”
Without a speaker, the House is at a standstill. While Congress has broad consensus for backing Israel in its war against Hamas, the House cannot pass any aid until it elects a speaker.
Higher Education: Tensions Mount on College Campuses Over Israel-Palestine Conflict
On campuses across the U.S., tensions are palpable as the war between Israel and Hamas sparks counterprotests, doxing and online threats.
With vigils and protests occurring at campuses nationwide, conflicting views on the long-divisive issue have led to direct confrontations between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups.
Harvard University garnered national attention after dozens of student groups signed onto a letter from the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC) on Oct. 7 — the day Hamas launched its attack on Israel — calling Israel "entirely responsible for all unfolding violence." According to NPR, the letter sparked widespread backlash from students, faculty, high-profile alumni, politicians and Harvard's president. A number of groups have since retracted their support of the letter, though some group members have been doxxed.
In New York, the president of NYU's Student Bar Association wrote in a letter that "Israel bears full responsibility for this tremendous loss of life” — a move that ignited online controversy and drew widespread condemnation.
As reported in the New York Daily News, the violence in Israel and Gaza has ignited tensions on NY’s CUNY campuses, with university administration trying to distance the college from student groups defending Hamas. Organizations across several of its NYC campuses have rallied behind the Palestinian militant group’s attacks on Israeli civilians, with at least nine CUNY groups officially endorsing pro-Palestine rallies this week in Times Square, outside the Israeli consulate or both.
2024 Election Watch: Marist Poll Finds Biden and Trump Head-to-Head
According to a recent Marist Poll, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are evenly matched (49% to 47%) among registered voters in a 2024 head-to-head contest, despite legal woes surrounding Trump.
Nearly two-thirds of voters (65%) do not want Biden to be president again. Six in ten (60%) say the same about Trump.
In the Republican primary race, Trump maintains his commanding lead. According to FiveThirtyEight averages, Trump is ahead at 58.4%, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 12.7%, Vivek Ramaswamy at 7.2% and Nikki Haley at 6.6%.
Anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced last week that he will drop his Democratic bid for president and run as an independent or third-party candidate, joining progressive activist Cornel West, who is running as an independent.