October 8, 2026
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Michael's Daily Memo
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I’ll never forget where I was on the night of May 1, 2011. I’ll bet you remember too, once I remind you: that’s the night President Obama told us a team of Navy SEALs had killed Osama bin Laden. Crowds, many of them college students, gathered outside the White House chanting “USA.” I was euphoric too. The nation received some much-needed closure.
Outside of family milestones, September 11 is the seminal event of my life. Nothing has consumed more of my broadcast bandwidth over the last 25 years than the murder of nearly 3,000 Americans that day. I’d just about given up hope that we’d ever get bin Laden or Ayman al-Zawahiri (who would be taken out 11 years later).
The next day on the radio, I said I hoped I’d someday get to buy a beer for anyone on that mission. Callers told me it would never happen, not least because we’d never learn who they were. We have since learned that Rob O’Neill fired the fatal shot.
Rob grew up in Butte, Montana, and at 19, on something close to a whim, he walked into a Navy recruiter’s office and set his sights on becoming a SEAL. He made it, then pushed through the even tougher selection for SEAL Team Six. Over a career that spanned more than a dozen deployments and 400-plus combat missions, he earned two Silver Stars and four Bronze Stars with Valor. Before Abbottabad, he was part of the missions to rescue “Lone Survivor” Marcus Luttrell and Captain Richard Phillips, who had been taken hostage by Somali pirates. Since coming home, he has co-founded Your Grateful Nation, which helps special operations veterans launch new careers.
When he told his story in The Operator, I was glad to interview him. Now about that beer...
Wednesday, November 11 is Veterans Day. My friends at Parx Casino are hosting a tribute to all veterans featuring Rob O’Neill, and I’ve agreed to join him in conversation. Come be there with me as we raise a glass to all veterans.
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DAILY POLL
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Do you agree with Mark Halperin that as the media has gotten more diverse, the bias of the “Dominant Media” against Trump has worsened?
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TOP STORY
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President Trump’s San Antonio rally for Senate candidate Ken Paxton was repeatedly disrupted by hecklers, prompting confrontations with supporters and police removals, as Trump accused protesters of being paid by America’s enemies while loyal supporters chanted, “We love you, Daddy Trump!”
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TODAY'S YOUTUBE
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SPONSORED BY PARX CASINO
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IN OTHER NEWS
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Tennessee death row inmate Christa Pike is awake and speaking after surviving a failed lethal injection, though her medical prognosis remains uncertain, as attorneys question the drug’s administration, a judge orders evidence preserved, and gubernatorial candidates debate the death penalty.
President Trump approved the firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan, convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009, potentially marking the military’s first execution since 1961, as experts question the timing following Tennessee’s botched lethal injection.
The Pentagon has ordered preparations for potential renewed strikes against Iran, targeting nuclear facilities, energy and infrastructure, as President Trump weighs military action before or after the midterm elections amid stalled diplomatic negotiations and coordination with Israel.
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A MESSAGE FROM COMCAST
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Russia insists there is no epidemic risk following a laboratory worker’s death at a Siberian anti-plague institute, citing thousands of negative tests, while the World Health Organization and U.S. officials demand greater transparency to determine the cause and assess potential public health threats.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced bipartisan criticism after his October 7 anniversary statement condemned Hamas’ 2023 attack but focused largely on accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, drawing objections from Jewish leaders, Democratic officials and conservatives over its timing and message.
Three years after the Hamas attack, the Israeli series 'Fauda' devotes two episodes of its fifth season to re-creating the day in granular detail, cutting through the layers of political abstraction to recover an elemental feeling of helplessness.
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CARTOONS
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by Steve Breen
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MORE NEWS
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Newly reviewed Cornell University hearing transcripts reveal conflicting accounts of an alleged 2024 fraternity gang rape, with the accuser describing coercion and assault while seven accused men deny wrongdoing, as renewed criminal scrutiny follows the university’s decision to expel or suspend four students.
Michigan-based Meijer topped the 2026 American Customer Satisfaction Index convenience store rankings with a score of 82, surpassing Buc-ee’s, while QuikTrip, Sheetz and Wawa tied for second nationally, as customers praised convenience and food options but expressed concerns about cleanliness and mobile apps.
The documentary No One Died: The Wing Bowl Story earns enthusiastic praise for its archival footage, colorful personalities and emotional storytelling, tracing how Philadelphia’s outrageous eating competition evolved from a radio promotion into a cultural phenomenon that shaped friendships, identities and local sports history.
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For the Left
Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Western nations during a speech in Athens to embrace ancient Greek values of courage, competition and nationalism, arguing that rebuilding industry, military strength and technological leadership is essential to restoring Western power while prioritizing American interests.
For the Right
Republicans are targeting competitive House districts ahead of November’s midterms, relying on redistricting, immigration messaging and substantial campaign funding to challenge Democratic incumbents in states including Ohio, New Mexico and Nevada, while Democrats maintain confidence in their prospects of reclaiming the House majority.
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