NATIONAL

“Political campaign commercials are saturating the airwaves in TV markets across America. Now, thanks to an analysis of more than $1 billion in political TV spending on the midterm elections, we know who campaigns are targeting and how they’re trying to influence voters.” – Daily Signal

“As a rule, one should not panic at whatever crisis has momentarily fixed the attention of cable news producers. But the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which has migrated to both Europe and America, may be the exception that proves the rule. There are at least six reasons that a controlled, informed panic might be in order.” – Weekly Standard

“A nurse with Ebola may have shown symptoms of the virus as many as four days before authorities once indicated, meaning that she might have been contagious while flying on not just one, but two commercial flights, officials said Thursday.” – CNN

“It seems yet another health care worker has failed to observe Centers for Disease Control protocols and boarded public transportation after handling specimens from the Ebola ‘index patient’ Thomas Eric Duncan. The CDC was notified late Wednesday that an individual on board a Carnival cruise ship is in self-imposed isolation, and the boat she is on is adrift in the Caribbean Sea as its intended destination port in Belize is refusing to allow it to dock.” – Hot Air

“Earlier today, President Barack Obama announced that he would be appointing Ron Klain as an additional Ebola czar (he already had one before today). If Ron Klain sounds familiar to you, it’s because he has a long political pedigree. He has no medical, scientific, or federal agency administrative expertise, but he has a whole lot of political experience.” – The Federalist

“In the growing public debate about Ebola, both sides are basically right. The administration is right that we are not witnessing an outbreak of Ebola and that such an outbreak is unlikely in our highly developed public-health system. But the administration’s critics are right that we are witnessing serious failures of that system that should be cause for serious alarm and major improvement.” – Yuval Levin/National Review

“Something peculiar has happened. As I write, none of the Republican candidates for Senate has become a public embarrassment. On the contrary: For the first time in a decade, it is the Democratic candidates, not the Republican ones, who are fodder for late-night comics. That the Democrats are committing gaffes and causing scandals at a higher rate than Republicans not only may be decisive in the battle for the Senate. It could signal a change in our politics at large.” – Washington Free Beacon

“Dr. Thomas R. Frieden is the Director for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the past few weeks, the American people have seen him flail about spectacularly.” – RedState

“As the Ebola situation in West Africa continues to deteriorate, some U.S. officials are claiming that they would have been able to better deal with the public health threat if only they had more money.” – Mollie Hemingway/The Federalist

“Every party has a bad off-year sometimes; Republicans did in 2006. Sooner or later they recover. But in the crosstabs of polls and in party strategists’ moves I see evidence that one group Democrats have been counting on is moving away from them: Hispanics.” – Michael Barone/National Review

LOUISIANA

“Today, Congressman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) is urging President Obama to take immediate action to prevent further Ebola outbreaks. Dr. Cassidy is calling on the President to put forth a transparent plan that includes a commercial travel ban between the U.S. and all countries affected by Ebola and for health care providers from the U.S. and elsewhere to put protocols in place.” – National Journal

“The Obama administration is moving ahead with plans to sell offshore drilling rights in the central Gulf of Mexico.” – FuelFix

“As Bobby Jindal prepared for his 2008 inauguration as governor, state government workers numbered about 93,500. Today, that workforce hovers at 62,000 employees — fewer than it’s been in more than two decades. Spending on payroll has decreased by about $1 billion annually.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“Does Louisiana have a budget surplus? Everyone agrees the state has some extra money, but how much, where it came from and whether it can be spent isn’t at all clear.” – NOLA.com

“The cost to shut down the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant will mean a lower third-quarter profit for Entergy Corp. The New Orleans-based utility announced Friday it expects third quarter as-reported earnings of approximately $1.26 per share, compared with $1.34 per share a year ago.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“The field running for the 6th Congressional District is a big one. We’ve lost a couple of candidates along the way, but there are still 11 left, including several who have a legitimate shot at winning.” – NOLA.com

“Former President Bill Clinton will join Sen. Mary Landrieu in Baton Rouge on Monday to rally support for the senator a day before early voting begins in Louisiana.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“Actor Brad Pitt, who lists his address as Beverly Hills, though he and wife, the actress Angelina Jolie, maintain a residence in New Orleans, made two $2,600 donations to the Landrieu campaign in 2013.” – NOLA.com

“A bus passenger was arrested yesterday after cops discovered that his luggage contained 48 Most Sacred Heart of Jesus candles that had methamphetamine mixed in their wax, according to Louisiana cops.” – The Smoking Gun

“A woman told LSU police she was at the LSU lakes Oct. 7 when a group of men approached her and one of the men attacked and raped her while the others stood by and watched.” – Baton Rouge Advocate