Inside Donald Trump’s Latest Meltdown

If you only read one thing: In the space of one hour Wednesday night, at least four news outlets brought to light new allegations of inappropriate touching against the Republican presidential nominee. Coming on the heels of the explosive 2005 video in which he bragged about such incidents, the first-person accounts of Trump’s alleged actions have sent his campaign reeling once more, after it briefly felt a shift in momentum amid the release of hacked Clinton campaign documents by Wikileaks. Trump’s team is bunkered down with the candidate as they try to combat the reports. Trump took to Twitter to try to discredit the accounts by arguing they were from so long ago, and his lawyers demanded a retraction and sent a legal threat to the New York Times, but the candidate never disputed the factual claims made by the women. And there’s no indication that the parade of allegations is going to stop.

Hillary Clinton’s campaign’s dirty laundry is being aired in the ongoing Wikileaks release, as emails from chairman John Podesta reveal some embarrassing details about how the Democratic campaign functions. A aide’s insulting jokes about Catholics, internal backbiting and strategic disagreements are hardly going to derail the campaign, but paint a picture of a campaign not nearly as well-oiled as polls suggest.

Inside Donald Trump’s meltdown. Trump plans to intensify his attacks on the Clintons. And which Republicans have stopped supporting Donald Trump.

Here are your must reads:

Must Reads

Inside Donald Trump’s Total Meltdown
Unshackled and unafraid [TIME]

Hillary Clinton Adviser Suggests Donald Trump Campaign Knew About Hacked Emails
Allegations of collusion [TIME]

Physically Attacked by Donald Trump
A PEOPLE Writer’s Own Harrowing Story

More Questionable Footage of Trump’s Comments on Women
1992 tape about 10-year-old girls draws scrutiny [CBS]

Trump Rampages Through Florida
He promised to jail Clinton and her lawyers, while getting to the bottom of Paul Ryan’s ‘sinister deal’ to foil him [Politico]

Trump to Intensify Attacks on Clinton Over Husband’s Accusers
Campaign says more women will soon come forward [Bloomberg]

Sound Off

“There’s a big Trump and a little Trump. The little Trump is frankly pathetic.” — Former Speaker of the House and Trump wannabe-veep Newt Gingrich on Fox Business Thursday

“She deleted the email. She has to go to jail.” — Donald Trump in Florida Wednesday

Bits and Bites

Maine Gov. Paul LePage: Barack Obama is a dictator [CNN]

MGM Says It Can’t Release Donald Trump’s Unaired Apprentice Tapes to the Public [Associated Press]

Third Presidential Debate Will Focus on Supreme Court, Immigration [TIME]

Ruth Bader Ginsburg Suggests Senate Should Confirm Merrick Garland in Lame-Duck Session [TIME]

Hillary Clinton Campaign Pushes Back on ‘Anti-Catholic’ Charge [TIME]

Which Republicans Have Stopped Supporting Donald Trump? [TIME]

Here’s the Photo That Contradicts Rudy Giuliani’s Criticism of Hillary Clinton [TIME]

Obama team gets first gifts from Cuba and Iran — but nothing from Russia [Yahoo]

Trump backers tweet #repealthe19th after polls show he’d win if only men voted [LA Times]

How One 19-Year-Old Illinois Man Is Distorting National Polling Averages [New York Times]

Pence tries to stem evangelical rebellion against Trump [Yahoo]