GOP narrowly wins North Carolina race, Antonio Brown accused of rape and some good news for America's vets: The Morning Rundown
The country marks the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks today.
The Tribute in Light rises above the Lower Manhattan skyline to mark the 18th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks on Tuesday. Mark Lennihan / AP
Sept. 11, 2019, 5:35 AM MDT
By Petra Cahill
Good morning, NBC News readers.
North Carolina's special election, John Bolton's White House exit and a rape accusation against NFL star Antonio Brown. Those are some of the stories we're watching today.
It is also the 18th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Hard to believe it's been that long. Thinking of everyone touched by the events of that tragic day and its aftermath.
GOP wins tight North Carolina Congressional race
Republican Dan Bishop narrowly won a special electionfor North Carolina's 9th Congressional District Tuesday, in a race seen as a litmus test for President Donald Trump's 2020 prospects.
With most votes counted, Bishop was ahead by two percentage points, with 50.7 percent of the vote to Democrat Dan McCready's 48.7 percent. (See full results here).
Bishop's victory, which came one day after Trump campaigned for him, shows the president's power to rally his base, but also his vulnerabilities among suburban voters.
McCready, who fought for the House seat twice over two years after the 2018 election was thrown out because of voter fraud, ran as a moderate who pledged to "put country over party."
"We were not successful tonight, but I want you to remember that victory postponed is not defeat," he said during his concession speech.
Dan Bishop praises and tries to call President Trump during victory speech
Sept. 10, 201902:09
Exclusive: As frustration with Bolton mounted, Trump reached out to ex-adviser McMaster
President Donald Trump unceremoniously fired national security adviser John Boltonon Twitter Tuesday after a string of disagreements.
Bolton's exit marks the departure of one of the most hawkish voices in Trump's inner circle on a number of issues, including Taliban negotiations, Iran, and China trade talks.
As the president began losing confidence in Bolton, he reached out to the man he had fired to give Bolton the job: retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster.
In phone calls to McMaster, Trump told his second national security adviser that he missed him and sought his advice on a variety of national security challenges.
Now, the big question is who will be the fourth person Trump will appoint to the key West Wing post?