Media News Daily: Top Stories for 10/08/2026

Don Lemon Says Presidential Run Is Increasingly Possible

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon says there is a “65, 70 percent” chance he will eventually run for president. Speaking on Spencer Macnaughton’s Uncloseted podcast, Lemon said people frequently ask whether he would seek office and that he would consider a campaign if he believed it was the best way to serve the public. He has not formally announced a candidacy, party affiliation, or election cycle and said journalism remains an important part of his current work. (Read More) (The Hill Rating)

Peter Doocy Questions Trump About Russian Plague Case

Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked President Donald Trump whether the mysterious death of a Russian laboratory worker could involve a biological weapon. Trump said the administration did not currently believe so but was seeking more information. The World Health Organization says Russia reported no recent confirmed plague case in the Irkutsk region, though it quarantined about 200 contacts and has requested additional laboratory and health information. The worker died after severe pneumonia at an institute that studies dangerous pathogens, and the cause remains under investigation. (Read More) (Mediaite Rating)

Judge Denies Stars and Stripes Ombudsman’s Reinstatement

A federal judge has denied former Stars and Stripes ombudsman Jacqueline Smith’s request for immediate reinstatement while allowing her First Amendment lawsuit against the Pentagon to continue. Smith was fired in April after criticizing Pentagon officials over the removal of comics from the military newspaper and alleges the decision was retaliatory. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that her speech in the ombudsman role was not clearly protected in the way required for immediate reinstatement, but he declined to dismiss the broader case and questioned whether the government’s position would leave Stars and Stripes journalists with meaningful First Amendment protections. (Read More) (Washington Sun Rating)