NEW … REPS. JIM HIMES (D-Conn.) and RUBEN GALLEGO (D-Ariz.) both gave the BIDEN VICTORY FUND $500,000 from their campaign accounts -- and they are encouraging their Democratic colleagues to follow suit. DRIVING TODAY: SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI will hold her weekly news conference at 10:45 a.m. Good Thursday morning. NEW: ANNA and JAKE will interview BILL GATES on TUESDAY at 4:15 p.m. to discuss his philanthropic efforts to contain the pandemic, develop a vaccine and improve testing, among other topics, in the latest virtual Playbook Interview. Register to watch 'DON'T LET THE VIRUS CONTROL YOUR LIFE' … ABC: "34 people connected to White House, more than previously known, infected by coronavirus: Internal FEMA memo," by Josh Margolin and Lucien Bruggeman … BLOOMBERG'S JENNIFER JACOBS: "White House Security Official Contracted Covid-19 in September" TRUMP: "I think this was a blessing from God that I caught it. This was a blessing in disguise. I caught it. I heard about this [Regeneron] drug. I said, 'Let me take it.' It was my suggestion. I said, 'Let me take it,' and it was incredible the way it worked. Incredible. I think if I didn't catch it, we'd be looking at that like a number of other drugs, but it really did a fantastic job." ICYMI: Wednesday's video message from the president THE RACE FOR TREATMENT … NYT: "Regeneron Asks F.D.A. for Emergency Approval for Drug That Trump Claimed Cured Him," by Katie Thomas: "The drug maker Regeneron said on Wednesday evening that it had submitted an application to the Food and Drug Administration for emergency approval of the experimental antibody cocktail that President Trump had praised just hours earlier without evidence as a 'cure' for the coronavirus. "The company said that at first, access to the treatment would be extremely limited, with only enough doses for 50,000 patients, a far cry from the 'hundreds of thousands' of doses that Mr. Trump said in a video released Wednesday he would soon be making available to Americans free of charge." NYT THIS IS CRAZY ... WSJ'S NATALIE ANDREWS: "In Colorado GOP Rep. Doug Lamborn's Washington office, two staffers have tested positive in recent days, with more test results expected soon, according to a person familiar with the office who said there is no contact tracing in place and the staffers were told to not disclose to roommates they may have been exposed. "Mr. Lamborn has told people that he doesn't plan on getting tested himself, according to the person, who said the lawmaker traveled back to Colorado on Friday. Mr. Lamborn's spokeswoman Cassandra Sebastian said that staff members were instructed to protect each other's medical privacy but weren't told to hide cases. She added that Mr. Lamborn hasn't been tested, citing advice from Congress's doctor. "'No one was ever instructed to conceal test results from housemates or anyone else,' she said. 'The Congressman continues to consult with the attending physician office of the house and will continue to follow their advice.'" NEW: "Trump asked Walter Reed doctors to sign non-disclosure agreements in 2019," by NBC's Carol Lee and Courtney Kube: "President Donald Trump required personnel at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to sign non-disclosure agreements last year before they could be involved with treating him, according to four people familiar with the process. "During a surprise trip to Walter Reed on Nov. 16, 2019, Trump mandated signed NDAs from both physicians and nonmedical staff, most of whom are active-duty military service members, these people said. At least two doctors at Walter Reed who refused to sign NDAs were subsequently not permitted to have any involvement in the president's care, two of the people said. "The reason for his trip last year remains shrouded in mystery. The four people familiar with the process did not know whether, during the president's most recent visit over the weekend, he had the same requirement for Walter Reed staff members who had not previously been involved in his care." ANDREW DESIDERIO emails us with an update on the DURHAM investigation: "The president's hours-long Twitter screed this week about the Russia probe and his allies' recent declassification blitzes don't appear to be coincidences. "U.S. ATTORNEY JOHN DURHAM -- tasked by Attorney General William Barr to review the 2016-era Russia investigation -- is not expected to release information related to the probe before Election Day, according to sources on and off the Hill. Senate Republicans running similar investigations were told of the intention within the last week -- and it's why they've been stepping up their releases of declassified documents. "BUT TRUMP AND HIS ALLIES were pushing for much more than that; they wanted DOJ to indict their Obama-era foes as they seek to rewrite the Russia investigation and turn it against Democrats. The president channeled his grievances by retweeting supporters demanding that Barr immediately arrest and jail Trump's political enemies like Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. Late Wednesday afternoon, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said his office 'has now provided almost 1,000 pages of materials to the Department of Justice in response to Mr. Durham's document requests.'" | 
