Pence, Harris face off in VP debate, fly steals the show

Thursday, October 8, 2020 Good morning, NBC News readers.    The two vice presidential candidates took to the debate mat last night in a decidedly more civil exchange than their bosses' matchup last week. President Donald Trump called getting Covid-19 a "blessing from God." And one pro surfer's very close call with a great white shark.    Here's what we're watching this Thursday morning.  Pence, Harris spar over Trump's coronavirus response   Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris wrangled Wednesday night over the federal response to the coronavirus, offering differing views about how the men at the top of their tickets would move the nation forward.   President Trump's Covid-19 diagnosis last week cemented the administration's response to the pandemic as the primary focus of the campaign — and as head of the coronavirus task force, it was Pence's job to defend it.   The pair clashed over the Supreme Court, Breonna Taylor and the fate of the Affordable Care Act, but what was most notable was the different tenor of the debate compared to the combative clash between the presidential candidates last week.   Oh, and the fly that landed on Pence's head ... and stayed put for about two minutes got Twitter abuzz. (Even comedian Julia Louis-Dreyfus lamented that they'd never thought that one up for her HBO show Veep).    The gloves stayed on: Check out four key takeaways from the one and only VP debate.    Fact check: Who told the truth and who shared a whopper? NBC News breaks down the claims by Harris and Pence in detail. So, who won? Communications experts give their verdict.  Watch highlights from the VP debate mostly about Trump 'I feel, like, perfect': Trump returns to the Oval Office, declares himself cured of Covid-19 Despite testing positive for the coronavirus less than a week ago, Trump returned to the Oval Office on Wednesday afternoon and released a video where he declared himself cured as a result of the experimental antibody drug cocktail he'd been administered.    Calling his experience a "blessing from God," Trump for the first time acknowledged that the care he received was different from the care received by the general public, but promised to bring it to all Americans soon.    "I want to get for you what I got. And I'm going to make it free," he said in the nearly five-minute video that at times sounded like a pharmaceutical ad.    The trip to the Oval Office was notable since Trump was just diagnosed with Covid-19 last Thursday, which means he's still considered contagious under his administration's own guidelines.   Meantime, NBC News has learned that Trump required personnel at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to sign non-disclosure agreements last year before they could be involved with treating him, according to four people familiar with the process.   During a surprise trip to Walter Reed on Nov. 16, 2019, Trump mandated signed NDAs from both physicians and nonmedical staff, most of whom are active-duty military service members, these people said. At least two doctors at Walter Reed who refused to sign NDAs were subsequently not permitted to have any involvement in the president's care, two of the people said.   In other news, The New England Journal of Medicine broke with a nearly two-century tradition of avoiding politics to lambast U.S. politicians for their handling of the coronavirus pandemic.    Without naming names, the prestigious medical journal called for Americans to vote out the "dangerously incompetent" political leaders who have not done enough to address the pandemic.   In the latest episode of our Into America podcast, host Trymaine Lee digs into the chaos, confusion, and conspiracy theories surrounding Trump's coronavirus diagnosis. Video: Trump returns to Oval Office despite ongoing Covid treatment Hurricane Delta heads into Gulf on path for U.S. after hitting Mexico A hurricane warning was issued for a stretch of Louisiana on Wednesday night as Hurricane Delta, which has now strengthened to a Category 2, churned in the Gulf of Mexico after hitting the Yucatan Peninsula, forecasters said.    Delta is expected to strengthen and become a "major hurricane" as it moves over warm Gulf waters. It's forecast to make landfall Friday — but some weakening is expected as it approaches the U.S. coast.   "Now is the time to prepare," Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards tweeted Wednesday evening. A lifeguard cabin was tossed onto the beach by Hurricane Delta when it passed through Cancun, Mexico, on Wednesday. (Photo: Pedro Pardo/AFP - Getty Images) Want to receive the Morning Rundown in your inbox? Sign up here. Plus  Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged in the killing of George Floyd, was released on a $1 million bond Wednesday. Country singer Morgan Wallen was pulled as the "Saturday Night Live" musical performer this weekend after breaking Covid-19 protocols. It's been a banner week for Americans in Stockholm. American Louise Glück was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature on Thursday, the world's preeminent literary accolade.  Video: Dr. Jennifer Doudna, another American Nobel winner, has advice for young scientists: 'Go for it' THINK about it  Covid tests alone can't keep us safe. Trump's superspreader White House proves it, Dr. Megan Ranney writes in an opinion piece.  Live BETTER  Embrace the season! 15 fall desserts that will make your house smell amazing.  Shopping Beats by Dre headphones: Here's what to know before shopping. One close call  A great white shark circled to within inches of pro surfer Matt Wilkinson's board before darting away in a chilling encounter captured by a drone that is part of an Australian shark warning system.   "I heard, like, the sound of its tail and I kind of looked back and I was like, 'No, there's nothing there,'" Wilkinson, recounted. "I had some weird vibes and just convinced myself that it was all good, as you always do when you're out in the surf."    But he said when he saw the drone footage, he was like "whoa, that's really close."   It's unclear why the 5-foot shark moved on, but the 32-year-old surfer from Sydney is sure glad he did.    "I'm pretty grateful that thing changed its mind at the last second, for sure." Video: Great white shark circles pro surfer off Australia Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown.    If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — send me an email at: petra@nbcuni.com   If you're a fan, please forward it to your family and friends. They can sign-up here.    Thanks, Petra Cahill Download the NBC News Mobile App Follow NBC News Privacy Unsubscribe