10 things you need to know today: November 3, 2012

Matt Romney speaks at an event in Tampa, Fla., on Aug. 29

(Image credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

last updated 8 January 2015

1. ECONOMY ADDS 171,000 JOBS IN OCTOBER

The Labor Department reported on Friday that the economy added a solid 171,000 jobs in October, beating most economists' forecasts. The unemployment rate, however, ticked up to 7.9 percent, as more people entered the labor force looking for work. The jobs report is the last before Election Day, and could provide a boost to President Obama as he seeks to convince voters that the economy is on the right track. In further good news for the president, the Labor Department upwardly revised its numbers for September and August, showing that the economy added 84,000 more jobs than initially reported. [The Week]

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In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced late Friday that the New York City marathon will not take place on Sunday as planned. The move comes after the mayor faced bitter criticism for attempting to go forward with the event to "stimulate the economy" despite the fact that many city residents lost their homes and businesses and have gone days without power and water. It remains unclear if the race will take place at another time — not encouraging news for the tens of thousands of runners who traveled to the city from across the country and abroad for the event. The marathon has taken place every year since 1970, including the race in 2001 held two months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. [New York Times]

President Obama, back on the campaign trail after a week of dealing with Hurricane Sandy, blasted Mitt Romney for running an ad in Ohio that falsely suggests that Chrysler, the bailed-out auto company, is sending Jeep jobs in America to China. "You don't scare hardworking Americans just to scare up some votes," Obama told a rally in Springfield, Ohio. "That’s not what being president's about." The ad has been debunked by Chrysler's executives and media outlets, but the Romney campaign has yet to pull it down, an indication that it sees the popularity of the auto bailout in Ohio as a major obstacle to overcoming Obama's slim but durable lead in the state. [Los Angeles Times]

Matt Romney, the second-eldest son of GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, traveled to Russia this week on a business trip, where he tried to deliver an indirect message to President Vladimir Putin that his father wanted friendly relations with Russia, according to The New York Times. Mitt Romney has described Russia as the U.S.'s top geopolitical foe, but his son reportedly told a Russian with access to Putin that, despite his bellicose rhetoric on the campaign trail, Romney actually wanted to build a relationship. The Romney campaign did not comment. [The New York Times]

As the Northeast continues to rebuild after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, meteorologists say a nor'easter could bring another round of wind, rain, and flooding to the area next week. While the storm won't be anywhere near as strong as Sandy, "even a weak storm could result in a significant set back for clean-up efforts and add to the misery of those reeling from Sandy's destruction," says James Samenow at The Washington Post. But on the bright side, "there's a legitimate chance the storm develops too far out to sea to be a problem." [Washington Post]

Republican Indiana Senate candidate and state treasurer Richard Mourdock is falling behind his opponent Democrat Joe Donnelly, according to a Howey/DePauw University Battleground Poll released Friday. Mourdock is at 36 percent while Donnelly leads at 47 percent. Mourdock recently came under fire for his response to a debate question about abortion. Mourdock opposes abortion even in cases of rape, and said that when pregnancy results from rape, it's what "God intended to happen." The Howey/DePauw survey put Donnelly 2 points ahead in September. [Huffington Post]

The state of Rhode Island has sued former MLB pitcher Curt Schilling for the $75 million loan guarantee that backed 38 Studios, Schilling's failed video game company. The lawsuit, filed in state Superior Court, names Schilling and 38 Studios' former chief executive and chief financial officers. In May, 38 Studios missed a $1 million loan payment, and defaulted on a government-backed loan. Schilling has already been sued by Citizen's Bank for $2.4 million. [Providence Journal]

Due to ongoing labor disputes, the National Hockey League has canceled its 2013 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium. The signature event, which was supposed to be held on Jan. 1, between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs, is the latest casualty of the labor dispute that has put the season on hold. Already 326 games have been canceled through Nov. 30. In its most recent proposal, the NHL offered the players' union a 50-50 split of hockey-related revenues, which exceeded $3 billion last season, but that offer was rejected. The players responded with three offers that were also rejected in turn. [Associated Press]

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