Morning Must Reads October 2
President Barack Obamas emotional statement Thursday evening marked the 15th time the president addressed the nation in the aftermath of a mass shooting during his time in the White House. But Obama's message was markedly different from previous incidents, encouraging Americans to politicize the issue to reform the nation's gun laws. "This is something we should politicize," Obama said, warning the nation was growing "numb" to the "routine" shootings which don't occur with such frequency in any other advanced country. At one point, Obama encouraged gun owners to rethink their relationship with the powerful National Rifle Association. The call for new reforms remains a political pipe-dream, especially under Obama's tenure. But the president's comments reflected his "fourth quarter" mentality, in which he feels freed from the political limits of re-election that allow him to speak his mind. The dtente between Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio was always more of a media creation that a reality, but the gloves are now officially off, with the one-time mentor openly criticizing the younger, better-liked, freshman senator. On Thursday, Bush said only time would tell whether Rubio was prepared to be president, drawing a comparison to his sharing Obama's previous status as a first-term lawmaker. And he's criticized members of Congress for skipping votes, something Rubio does with proclivity as he travels the country running for president. Bush's super PAC was caught trying to "track" Rubio at a campaign event, a standard practice when it is looking for footage with which to attack the candidate. Democratic and Republican lawmakers announced an accord on high-profile criminal justice reform legislation Thursday which may be the only substantive legislation to move through the divided Congress in the coming months. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew informed Congress Thursday that the federal government will run out of "extraordinary measures" to work around the debt limit on Nov. 5, weeks earlier than previously predicted. Speaker of the House John Boehner tries to do some clean-up for his likely successor. And TIME gives you an exclusive first look at the official GOP nominating calendar. Here are your must-reads, Must Reads, TIME Guide to Official 2016 Republican Nomination Calendar What the next nine months will look like. Obama Says Mass Shootings Have Become Routine' in America "This is a political choice that we make to allow this to happen every few months in America" TIME, Why the U.S. Military Isn't Winning Half-hearted campaigns don't change much on the ground, TIME's Mark Thompson writes, Senate Introduces Gamechanger' Criminal Justice Reform Bill The comprehensive bill would significantly reduce mandatory minimum sentences for a bevy of drug crimes, TIME's Maya Rhodan and Alex Altman report, Bill Clinton's mission creep The ex-president is stepping up his campaign work for Hillary, right on schedule. But his role is expanding faster than expected. Politico, This Is What People Want to Know Most About the Presidential Candidates From Donald Trump's wealth to Hillary Clinton's age, the most Googled questions Associated Press, Sound Off, "This investigation has never been about former Secretary of State Clinton and never will be." Outgoing Speaker of the House John Boehner in a statement Thursday cleaning up comments by his likely successor that credited the House Benghazi probe with dinging Clinton's poll numbers. "The pope did not enter into the details of the situation of Mrs. Davis, and his meeting with her should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects." A Vatican spokesman on Pope Francis' meeting with Kentucky clerk Kim Davis, who was imprisoned for violating a court order to provide marriage licenses for same-sex couples. Bits and Bites, Transcript Read the Full Text of Obama's Statement on the Shooting in Oregon TIME, Rubio campaign boots Bush-backing tracker from Iowa event Politico, Jeb Bush's Remarks About Blacks Echo a Firestorm He Faced as Governor New York Times, Shifting on Islamic State, Donald Trump Welcomes Russia's Moves in Syria New York Times, Negotiators signal that they're close to final accord on Asia Pacific trade deal Washington Post, Rubio to host donors at Las Vegas strategy summit' next week Washington Post, Live From New York Hillary Clinton to Appear on Saturday Night Live' New York Times, Florida Town Balks at Providing Security for Hillary Clinton New York Times, Young Grape Picker Gives Sanders a Cash Boost Wall Street Journal, Marco Rubio calls out show vote' on Planned Parenthood he skipped Des Moines Register,