October surprise

Sidebar - A podcast by The Washington Post - Thursdays

This week, the crew breaks down how an "October surprise" can change the course of a presidential election in its final weeks – and some of the most consequential ones in American election history. And there are a few brand new ones – from special counsel Jack Smith's filing on former president Donald Trump's immunity in his Jan. 6 legal case, to Hurricane Helene and the escalating war in the Middle East. Later in the show, the crew breaks down the most interesting moments from Tuesday's vice-presidential debate – and which ones will stick in the public consciousness. Plus, the ongoing war on fact checking.