Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell:
Coca-Cola The beverage maker reported adjusted quarterly earnings of 49 cents per share, beating Street forecasts by a penny a share. Revenue was also above estimates. Coke said it"s had 4 percent organic sales growth so far this year, and has also seen margins expand more than 50 basis points.
Comcast The NBCUniversal and CNBC parent reported quarterly profit of 92 cents per share, beating estimates by one cent a share. Revenue was above estimates, as well. Comcast said that the Rio Olympics were the most profitable in its history, and also reported upbeat result for cable and for video subscriptions.
Boeing Boeing beat estimates by 21 cents a share, with adjusted quarterly profit of $2.81 per share. Revenue also beat forecasts, and the aircraft maker raised its full-year revenue and profit forecast.
Northrop Grumman The defense contractor earned an adjusted $3.02 per share for the third quarter, above estimates of $2.81 a share. Revenue also beat Street forecasts and the company raised its full year 2016 earnings forecast above consensus estimates thanks to improved aerospace sales.
Southwest Airlines The airline came in five cents a share above Street estimates, with adjusted quarterly profit of 93 cents per share. Revenue was slightly shy of estimates, however. Southwest benefited from lower fuel prices and record traffic, but the shares were under pressure in premarket trading because of lower-than-expected growth in the key metric of revenue per available seat mile.
Garmin The maker of wearable fitness devices came in 21 cents a share above estimates, with adjusted earnings of 75 cents per share. Revenue was also well above estimates on strong growth in its fitness, outdoor, marine, and aviation categories.
Apple Apple reported quarterly profit of $1.67 per share, a penny a share above estimates. Revenue was in line with forecasts, but it did post its first year-over-year decline in profit and revenue since 2001. The company predicted a return to profit growth in the current quarter, helped by iPhone 7 sales.
Chipotle Mexican Grill The restaurant chain saw revenue fall shy of analysts" estimates for its latest quarter, with comparable sales falling a greater-than-expected 21.9 percent. Chipotle gave a somewhat optimistic current-quarter projection for comparable sales, however, saying they would come in down in the low single digits.
Panera Bread Panera beat estimates by three cents a share, with adjusted quarterly profit of $1.37 per share. The restaurant chain"s revenue also exceeded forecasts. Panera raised its profit forecast, as well, as it continues to enjoy the benefit of higher prices.
Generac The maker of commercial and residential generators beat estimates by five cents a share, with quarterly profit of 82 cents per share. Revenue was also above forecasts. Generac increased its fiscal 2016 outlook for residential sales, helped by an increase in power outages.
Edwards Lifesciences Edwards reported in-line adjusted quarterly profit of 68 cents per share, but the medical device maker"s revenue fell short of estimates. The company"s results were hurt by lower-than-expected international sales of its heart valve devices, among other factors.
Juniper Networks Juniper reported adjusted quarterly profit of 58 cents per share, six cents a share above estimates. The networking equipment maker"s revenue came in slightly above projections. The company also issued a current-quarter outlook that was slightly higher than Street forecasts.
Pandora Media Pandora lost seven cents per share for its latest quarter, one cent a share wider than anticipated. The music streaming service"s revenue also missed forecasts, as did its full-year forecast. Pandora"s active users totaled 77.9 million in the quarter, down from 78.1 million in the prior quarter.
Express Scripts Express Scripts matched estimates with quarterly profit of $1.74 per share, but narrowed its full-year guidance while raising the midpoint of that forecast. The pharmacy benefit manager is projecting profit of $1.84 to $1.90 per share, above consensus forecasts of $1.74 a share.
Akamai Akamai came in seven cents a share above estimates, with adjusted quarterly profit of 68 cents per share. Revenue also beat forecasts. The web services company gave strong current-quarter guidance on increasing demand for its cloud security products.
Toyota The automaker is recalling 5.8 million vehicles in Japan, Europe, and China in yet another round of recalls related to faulty Takata airbag inflators, including some that had been used as replacements in a prior recall six years ago.
Vodafone Vodafone was fined $5.6 million by British regulators for "serious and sustained" customer failures. Regulators say the mobile operator did not act quickly to deal with those issues, largely related to billing procedures.
Las Vegas Sands, Wynn Resorts These and other companies operating in Macau may benefit today from news that Macau casino operator Galaxy Entertainment saw profit rise 28 percent in the third quarter. It"s the latest sign that the long slump for Macau casino operations may have finally bottomed out.
Wal-Mart Stores Wal-Mart may reverse its decision to invest in Flipkart, India"s largest online retailer. The Economic Times reports that Wal-mart is having second thoughts about its potential $1 billion investment on suspicions that Flipkart may have been inflating its numbers. The report comes in the wake of Flipkart Chief Financial Officer Sanjay Baweja"s resignation this week.
Alphabet Google Fiber division is looking for a new leader following the resignation of chief Craig Barratt. Barratt will remain an advisor to the company.
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On the roster:Wither ObamaCare? - Clinton camp wanted to clean up Obama claim he didnt know about secret server - Pro-Trump outlet worked with liberal activist to sabotage Rubio -Newspaper claims Trump-backed PAC caught in Chinese donor sting-Thanks, Siri
WITHER OBAMACARE?ObamaCare is the most significant domestic policy overhaul of the past twenty years. And it looks increasingly like it will never be a central issue in even a single presidential campaign.
You could hardly call the announcement from the White House that ObamaCare premiums would skyrocket next year an October Surprise. On the state level, Republicans and Democrats alike have watched for months as the program came unwound. Faced with huge losses, insurance companies have simply opted out of the presidents signature plan.
But even so, the size of the forecast increases is pretty stunning. Double-digit premium hikes and a shrinking pool of providers has all the tell-tale signs of the much-discussed death spiral. Insurers are buckling under the weight of being forced to cover sick customers without offsetting profits from healthy patients who were supposed to be forced into the program by ObamaCare mandates.
It was exactly this kind of shock Democrats planned to avoid in 2012 by shoving the implementation of the most noisome parts of the law past the presidents re-election bid.
But just imagined what would have happened four years ago had this news fallen into the lap of Republican nominee Mitt Romney.
Now, Romney was certainly in a compromised position as it related to ObamaCare. When the president settled on his blueprint for the federal health law, he very intentionally chose one that had been once proposed by the conservative Heritage Foundation and implemented by Romney in Massachusetts.
When Obama made his choice for a consumer mandate in 2009, it was already clear that Romney was one of the frontrunners, if not the top contender, for the Republican nomination in 2012. Hanging the controversial, unpopular federal mandate on Romney was good short-term politics, but also a nice investment in Obamas re-election campaign.
But even a compromised Romney wouldve had no trouble wailing away on Obama for short-sighted planning, mismanagement and improvident expectations.
And it mightve really made a difference. Two weeks before the 2012 election, Romney trailed in an average of credible national polls by just a single point, as opposed to the current Republican nominees deficit of more than 6 points.
And in the RCP averages in the four dominant swing states, Romney led in Florida by 2 points and in North Carolina by 5 points. The former Massachusetts governor trailed in must-win Ohio by just over 2 points, and Democratic-leaning Pennsylvania was out of reach at a deficit of almost 6 points, but Romneys path to 270 was still certainly open with two weeks to go.
Compare that to Romneys successor as Republican nominee.
Donald Trumptrails Democratic opponentHillary Clinton in the RCP average for Florida by about 3 points and in North Carolina by 2 points. Trumps Pennsylvania deficit is about the same as Romneys and Trump is certainly doing better in Ohio, where he holds an advantage of about 1 point.
But if the election was held today, Clinton would already be above 300 electoral votes and potentially heading for the largest margin since 1996.
Trump and his campaign are trying to dive on the ObamaCare fumble to rally for a late touchdown drive. But they are starting on their own five yard line. Romney was in the red zone at this point in 2012, but couldnt figure out a way to punch through Obamas defenses.
The 2010 and 2014 midterm elections were largely litigated around ObamaCare, much to the chagrin of Democrats. The law has remained broadly unpopular, with nothing like the kind of buy-in that other major social welfare programs obtained.
The 2008 election did feature a major discussion on health care, at least in the Democratic primaries, but by the general election the septic financial system overshadowed any discussion about tax credits, or purchasing plans across state lines.
We cant be sure how much Trump will try to make out of ObamaCares unraveling, or if voters will really pay attention. Trumps dominant closing argument that he is not guilty of an alleged series of sexual assaults will certainly overshadow anything his policy shop might crank out on health care.
So in all likelihood, the most significant public policy change of the last generation will grind on into history without ever being the subject of a single presidential referendum.
THE RULEBOOK: PARDON TO ALL BUT YOUThe President is to be the commander-in-chief of the army and navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several States, when called into the actual service of the United States. He is to have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, EXCEPT IN CASES OF IMPEACHMENTAlexander Hamilton,Federalist No. 69
TIME OUT: PEACE, OFFICERSIs the message of Black Lives Matter actually backfiring?The American Interest: IfColin Kaepernicks protest strategy is working, it hasnt showed up yet in public opinion polling. Respect for local law enforcement soared over the last yearto its highest level since 1968,accordingto a new survey fromGallup: Interestingly, changing opinions among Democrats and independents drove most of the increase. Republican respect for police, already overwhelming, ticked up only slightly, from 82 to 86 percent. Meanwhile, Democratic support surgedfrom 54 to 68 percent; among independents, from 60 to 75.The uptick was more pronounced among nonwhites than whitesif the movement had been successfully selling the public on the argument that law enforcementinflicts gratuitous violence against minorities on a large scale, we probably wouldntexpect such a marked pro-police turn in the polls.
Flag on the play? -Email us atHALFTIMEREPORT@FOXNEWS.COMwith your tips, comments or questions
SCOREBOARDAverage of national head-to-head presidential polls:Clinton vs. Trump: Clinton +6.4 points[Polls included:IBD,ABC News,CNN,ARGandQuinnipiac University.]
Average of national four-way presidential polls:Clinton vs. Trump vs. Johnson vs. Stein: Clinton +6.2 points[Polls included:IBD,ABC News,CNN,Quinnipiac UniversityandFox News.]CLINTON CAMP WANTED TO CLEAN UP OBAMA CLAIM HE DIDN"T KNOW ABOUT SECRET SERVERWashEx: Hillary Clintons campaign expressed concerns overPresident Obamas statement to the press in March 2015 that he learned about Clintons private server from news reports, emails published by WikiLeaks on Tuesday show. Josh Schwerin, a campaign spokesman, sent an email to high-level staffers informing them of Obamas comments just a few days after the New York Times exposed Clintons private email use for the first time. POTUS just said he found out HRC was using her personal email when he saw it in the news, Schwerin wrote, using Clintons initials. Cheryl Mills, a board member at the Clinton Foundation, worried about the implications of Obamas claim in a subsequent email to John Podesta, Clintons campaign chair. [W]e need to clean this up - he has emails from her - they do not saystate.gov, Mills said. FBIagents revealed in notes from their closed investigative file that Obama communicated with Clinton on her private server using a pseudonym.
Pro-Trump outlet worked with liberal activist to sabotage Rubio - Politico: A liberal activist and organizer coordinated with reporters from the conservative news site Breitbart during the primaries to cover his disruptions of events for candidates such as Sen. Marco Rubio.Aaron Black,an associate with Democracy Partnersand a former Occupy Wall Street organizer, worked with the pro-Trump site Breitbart, tipping it off about his stunts, exchanging raw video and coordinating coverage, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. Black has resurfaced recently as one of the people featured in undercover video from the Project Veritas group. In the video, he claims to work for the Democratic National Committee.Newspaper claims Trump-backed PAC caught in Chinese donor sting -The Telegraph: Donald Trumps presidential campaign is facing a fundraising scandal after a Telegraph investigation exposed how key supporters were prepared to accept illicit donations from foreign backers.Senior figures involved with the Great America PAC, one of the leadingindependentgroups organising television advertisements and grassroots support for the Republican nominee, sought to channel $2 million from a Chinese donor into the campaign to elect the billionaire despite laws prohibiting donations from foreigners.In return, undercover reporters purporting to represent the fictitious donor were assured that he would obtain influenceif Mr.Trump made it to the White House.Test for Trump TV? Campaign unveils nightly fake newscast-Fox News: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump aired the first episode of a nightly news program on Facebook Live Monday amid speculation that the business mogul will start a media network after theNov. 8election."
AUDIBLE: NOT KIDDINGIf you look at her plans for Syria, these are the plans of a child.Donald Trump attacking Hillary Clinton at a rally in Tampa.
OK, honey. Then well win.Trump campaign managerKellyanne Conwayto CNN,quotingher candidates response to her chiding him for going off script to attack his sexual assault accusers in what was intended to be the speech framing the campaigns closing argument.PLAY-BY-PLAYPence to make late visit to Utah -Politico
Bernie prepared to be a liberal thorn in Hillarys side -WaPo
Early voting suggests tight races in key states -Fox News
How Fla. spun out of Trumps hands -Politico
More from WikiLeaks shows Clinton camp senior staff worried about diversity -Fox News
Reid promises to deploy nuclear option on Supreme Court if Dems take the Senate -The Hill
Poll shows Hillary widening lead in N.C. -NYT
Buuuut another survey shows the race still close -Monmouth University
Toomey focused on centrist record in debate -The Hill
Michigan GOP cancels election night party to put money into local races -Detroit NewsDavid Druckerexplains how Trump could hurt Calif. Republicans in House races -WashEx
Former top Pa. Dem sentenced to 23 months in prison -Philadelphia Inquirer
FROM THE BLEACHERSYou are too young to remember butnewspaper headlines [in the 1948 election] said Dewey Wins in a Landslide. When I look at history I cant find a President Dewey. David Lee, Hollister, Mo.
[Ed. note: Right you are Mr. Lee! The 1948 presidential election was the last time that public polling blew the call. And its kind of a fascinating story. Public opinion research was still in its relative infancy as the Gallup organization explored ways to measure voter sentiment. As they polled throughout the summer and into fall, RepublicanThomas Deweywas a prohibitive favorite over embattled incumbentHarry Truman. The race was so lopsided in fact that Gallup stopped polling weeks before the election.Trumans late surge went substantially unnoticed and shocked the nation. And believe me, since then, pollsters have learned their lesson and kept surveys in the field until the very end.]
Chris, You should be more careful in extolling the accuracy/ reliability of phone surveys versus online polling. Pew Research has done extensive research on the effect that interviewers have on sensitive or emotional questions. As an example, many phone respondents may be reluctant to admit they are likely to vote for Trump when being interviewed by a female or African American interviewer (which is most likely the vast majority of phone interviewers. The response is likely to be significantly more honest when answering an online poll, where there is no gasping at the respondents gross stupidity or racial hatred. Ive been in the opinion polling business for over forty years.Pete Booth, Atlanta
[Ed. note: You make an excellent point, Mr. Booth! One of the great appeals of online polling, as well as automated polling by telephone, is that it allows respondents to feel less social pressure from an interviewer. Certainly for market research and other functions, online polls have already proven their worth. But when it comes to accurately tracking or forecasting a presidential election, the disadvantages of online pollingtechnological barriers to participation for older and poor voters and suspicion of online solicitation among others -- means that good, old fashioned live interviewer telephone calls are still the best way to go.]
Trumps next book should be titled The Art of Snatching Defeat From theJaws of Victory. Ive never seen anyone do a better job of that not just once, but every time he managed to pull ahead! Peggie Hall, North Little Rock, Ark.
[Ed. note: Ms. Hall, you could have a future in marketing. But take it a little easier on Trump. He has never been ahead in an average of real polls, not since the day general election started in May. Thats not to say that it hasnt been much closer than its been in the closing weeks. And that"s certainly not to say that Trump didnt squander some opportunities. But Republicans start every election at a disadvantage because of the electoral map and the demographics of the electorate. The GOPs selection of such an unconventional candidate was hoped by some to ameliorate some of those deficiencies. But so far, thats not been the case.]
Share your color commentary:Email us atHALFTIMEREPORT@FOXNEWS.COMand please make sure to include your name and hometown.
THANKS, SIRIThe Denver Channel: According to ablogpost byChristoph Bartneck, an assistant professor at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, his recently published paper on Nuclear Physics was written entirely by iOSs autocorrect function. Bartneck says he was contacted by the International Conference on Atomic and Nuclear Physics and asked to submit a paper for publishing. Despite having no knowledge on the subject, he went to work writing. Bartneck opened the Notes app on his iPhone, and began by typing the word Atomic. Then, he completed the sentence only by using iOS autocorrects word suggestionsAfter lifting a diagram from the nuclear physics article on Wikipedia, Bartneck submitted his paper for publication. It was approved three hours later.AND NOW, A WORD FROM CHARLESWho ordered the duck is the big question which you would expect to hear at a dinner party, but not at the center of a national campaignCharles Krauthammeron Special Report withBret Baier.
Chris Stirewaltis digital politics editor for Fox News.Sally Personscontributed to this report. Want FOX News Halftime Report in your inbox every day? Sign uphere.
Chris Stirewalt joined Fox News Channel (FNC) in July of 2010 and serves as digital politics editor based in Washington, D.C. Additionally, he authors the daily "Fox News First" political news note and hosts "Power Play," a feature video series, on FoxNews.com. Stirewalt makes frequent appearances on the network, including "The Kelly File," "Special Report with Bret Baier," and "Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace." He also provides expert political analysis for Fox News coverage of state, congressional and presidential elections.
SR1293 – Newt Gingrich BLASTS Fox News" Megyn Kelly Over Her OBVIOUS BIAS Against Donald Trump
Fox News host Megyn Kelly grilled the Democratic National Committee"s interim chairwoman late Wednesday over allegations she leaked the text of a proposed question before a CNN/TV One town-hall event with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders earlier this year.
An email surfaced last week that contained the exact wording of a question that one of the town-hall moderators, TV One"s Roland Martin, sent to CNN producers before the event. It matched the language in an email Brazile apparently sent to the Clinton campaign one day earlier.
Brazile is thought to have leaked the question to the Clinton campaign, presumably to give her an edge over Sanders, who challenged her during the Democratic primary.
The email in question was part of the recent WikiLeaks release of Clinton campaign chair John Podesta"s leaked emails. In the email, sent to Clinton communications director Jennifer Palmieri, Brazile said she "gets questions in advance."
Kelly asked Brazile how she got that question.
"I did not receive any questions from CNN," Brazile said. "Let"s just be very clear."
Kelly again asked where Brazile got the question.
"You know, as a Christian woman, I understand persecution, but I will not sit here and be persecuted because your information is totally false," Brazile said.
Kelly responded that she was getting her information from Podesta"s emails.
"Well, Podesta"s emails were stolen," Brazile said. "You"re so interested in talking about stolen material, you"re like a thief that want to bring into the night the things that you found that was in the gutter."
Kelly then pointed to CNN host Jake Tapper saying it would be unethical for someone to provide Brazile with a town-hall question in advance. Brazile had at one point been a CNN contributor.
"This is Jake Tapper: "My understanding is that the email to Donna Brazile came from either [TV One"s] Roland Martin or someone around Roland Martin." He said, "This is very upsetting and very troubling,"" Kelly said. "That"s your own colleague at CNN. It"s not Megyn Kelly. Who gave you that question?"
Brazile responded: "Once again, I"ve said it on the record, and I"ll say it on the record, and I"ll keep saying it on the record. I am not going to try to validate falsified information. I have my documents. I have my files. Thank G*d I have not had my personal emails ripped off from me and stolen and given to some criminals to come back altered."
She again said she never received anything from CNN.
Observers have speculated that Russian hackers, whom US intelligence agencies have connected to the email leaks, might alter the contents of hacked materials, but it"s unclear whether that was the case here.
Kelly then focused on the wording in the email sent to Palmieri that said Brazile sometimes "gets questions in advance."
"CNN is saying Roland Martin gave them to you or someone at TV One," Kelly said. "And they were provided to Hillary before that town hall."
Brazile again dodged the question, addressing CNN without addressing TV One.
"Well, anybody who knows me, and there are a number of your colleagues as well, they know me very well, I know how I play it, I know what I do before every debate, I know what I do before every show, even this show, I do my homework, I communicate, I talk, but I can just once again let you know that as far as I know CNN has never provided any questions absolutely ever, nada," she said.
Kelly pressed her again.
"But when you said "from time to time I get the questions in advance," what were you referring to?" she asked.
Brazile responded: "My reference back to you, ma"am with all respect, and I respect you greatly the validity of those emails, if I can only tell you one thing, cause as you know, this whole episode is under criminal investigation, but I can just tell you one thing, a lot of those emails, I would not give them the time of the day. I"ve seen so many doctored emails, I"ve seen things that come from me at 2 in the morning that I don"t even send."
She continued: "There are several email addresses that I once used ... This has not been verified, this is under investigation. And let me just tell you something, if there is anything I have, I will share."
Klay Thompson scores NBA record 37 points in a quarter New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets
Despite Davis" double-double, Orlando Magic edged New Orleans Pelicans, 114-111
Despite Anthony Davis" double-double, the Orlando Magic edged out New Orleans Pelicans in an overtime thriller, 114-111.
Evan Fournier topped the scoring list for the Orlando Magic as he scored 24 points and shot 8-18 shooting from the field and 4-7 from the three-point line. He also had 3 rebounds and 4 steals. Supporting Fournier from the scoring load is Serge Ibaka, who made 18 points, grabbed 9 rebounds and dished out 3 assists, per ESPN.
Anthony Davis had 33 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists in 37 minutes of action. He shot 11-25 from the floor and 9-11 from the free-throw line. Terrence Jones came off the bench to score 24 points. Jones also has 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals.
With a win, the Orlando Magic is now 2-5 in preseason games while the New Orleans Pelicans dropped to 1-5.
Anthony outdueled Lin as New York Knicks knock off Brooklyn Nets, 116-111
Carmelo Anthony outdueled former teammate Jeremy Lin as New York Knicks survived a close contest to the Brooklyn Nets, 116-111.
Carmelo Anthony dropped 21 points on 8-18 from the field and 3-6 from threes. He also had 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Courtney Lee had a huge game as he supported Anthony"s production with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.
Jeremy Lin had 24 points on an efficient 6-9 shooting from the field and 10-13 from the free-throw line. He also had 10 assists and 2 steals but committed 8 turnovers. Joe Harris came off the bench for the Nets to score 15 points in just 18 minutes of playing time.
With a win, New York Knicks move to 4-2 and sitting at the 3rd place in the Eastern Conference in preseason games despite missing former NBA MVP Derrick Rose. And despite Jeremy Lin"s productive performances in preseason games, the Brooklyn Nets is at the bottom of the East at 15th place with a record of 1-5, per NBA.
Howard"s monster game carried Atlanta Hawks to a victory against Chicago Bulls, 97-81
Dwight Howard carried the Atlanta Hawks to another W against its rival Chicago Bulls, 97-81.
Howard revived his monstrous form as he registered 16 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block. He was also surprisingly good from the free-throw line as he shot 6-9. (Is Howard really a better free-throw shooter or just luck?). Kyle Korver also had 16 points and made 4 three-pointers. He also had 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 block.
Jimmy Butler once again led the offensive load for the Chicago Bulls as he had 18 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists. Dwyane Wade struggled from the field with 3-14 shooting.
But he contributed in other areas on the floor as he added 3 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals. Rajon Rondo only had 3 points but he had a good all-around game once again with 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals.
With a win, the Atlanta Hawks is now 5-2 in NBA preseason while the Chicago Bulls fall to 3-4.
2016 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Donald Trump speaks during an campaign event with employees at Trump National Doral, Tuesday in Miami. Evan Vucci/AP hide caption
toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP
Donald Trump speaks during an campaign event with employees at Trump National Doral, Tuesday in Miami.
Evan Vucci/AP
Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump seized on rising health insurance premiums Tuesday as evidence that "Obamacare is just blowing up."
But the general manager of a Trump golf course in Florida corrected his boss for suggesting that Trump"s own employees would be personally affected.
"All of my employees are having a tremendous problem with Obamacare," Trump told reporters during an appearance at the National Doral Golf Club in Miami. "What they"re going through with their health care is horrible because of Obamacare."
In fact, the club"s general manager David Feder said "more than 95 percent" of the club"s employees receive health insurance through the company, so they"re not affected by the sharp premium increases on government-run exchanges.
The Obama administration announced this week that premiums for 2017 on those exchanges will increase by an average of 22 percent nationwide.
Trump called that number an understatement.
"That is such a phony number," Trump said. "You"re talking about 60, 70, 80 percent in increases."
Customers in some states will see increases in that range, but the premiums vary widely from state to state. The benchmark plan in Arizona will cost 116 percent more next year. Premiums in Indiana and Massachusetts are actually going down by about 3 percent.
The average increase of 22 percent nationwide follows much smaller increases of 7.5 percent this year and 2 percent in 2015. When Obamacare began, many insurance companies priced their policies too low and ended up losing money. Today"s premiums are roughly in line with what government forecasters initially predicted.
The administration notes that most people who buy insurance on the government-run exchanges receive subsidies, which could offset some or all of the price increase.
But Trump, like other critics of the Affordable Care Act, is not impressed.
"Obamacare has to be repealed and replaced," Trump told reporters. "Otherwise, this country is in even bigger trouble than anybody thought."
Trump"s health care plan calls for an expansion of Health Savings Accounts, which allow consumers to buy insurance with pre-tax dollars. He would also allow insurance companies to market their policies across state lines.
That would not necessarily help many of the 20 million people who gained health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act, pushing the nation"s uninsured rate to an all-time low.
CHICAGO (CBS) Far removed from the frenzy of another celebration, Cubs catcher David Ross soaked in the moment with his wife and and young children.
When the World Series is over, the 39-year-old Ross will retire from baseball and become a full-time husband and father of three. On Saturday night, with the Cubs winning the National League pennant, he was savoring the latest victory.
Ross popped champagne with his baseball family, then joined his wife, Hyla, and three children, Landri, Cole and Harper, and his parents. They hugged, kissed and kept smiling deep into the night.
Weve always tried to make family first, Hyla said. Its really important that were all here.
For this Cubs team, Grandpa Ross is a father figure. The young group looks up to him. They all certainly respect him, and he enjoys their youthful energy.
With the way Ross has played behind the plate, perhaps president of baseball operations Theo Epstein can try to persuade him back for another season. But Ross is leaving baseball for the one thing he loves more his family. Hes eager to be there for Coles baseball games and Landris volleyball games. Harper just turned 2 and will grow up fast.
Ross is ready to move on.
Its a grueling lifestyle on a family, Ross said Saturday on the field, surrounded by his wife and kids. I miss a lot of important times with my wife and kids. Theyre here sticking by me and letting me live my dream. I cant thank them enough for all the support I get. Theyre an amazing group.
Prior to Game 2 of the NLDS, Ross was asked about becoming a fan favorite in such short time. Hes truly humbled about calls for his return in 2017, but family comes first. Ross wants to be there in his childrens formative years, so he can raise them with Hyla.
Families make sacrifices in the big league dream. Its not easy for the wives left to raise their children alone through most of the season or the kids missing their dads. FaceTime calls are invaluable on those long road trips away from family. This is why Ross is ready to retire.
I kind of feel like Ive lived my dream, Ross said. I gotten to live this lifestyle for way longer than I ever thought or deserved to live it and Ive gotten to do a lot of fun things and been very successful for the skill set I have and what I bring to the table. I feel like Ive had a very long major league career and have done things that I never thought I would be able to do. So at some point you got to be unselfish, right?
If being a dad is important to you and being a father and a husband and those things are important to you, and you want to influence your kids and teach them right from wrong, its hard to be gone for six, seven months and commit your life to baseball, because thats what this is.
Ross has enjoyed many memorable moments during his 15-year career, and this year-long retirement party has been something special. When Forever Young plays in Wrigley Field, fans rise to their feet for Ross. Hes relatable, and hes theirs. But through it all, his family remains back home in Tallahassee, Fla. watching. He used an off day in May to fly in and surprise his children in Tallahassee. Soon, h**l be back home to stay.
Now in the final days of his career, Ross is cherishing the Cubs chase of a championship with his family alongside for each step.
Its amazing, Hyla said. I really couldnt ask for anything better, for him to end his career this way and for us to be able to be with him.
Ross constantly refers to the Cubs as a family. Hes the grandpa for the tight-knit group. Fittingly, Anthony Rizzo got Ross a Fathers Day card this year, writing: Thank you for everything you have done for me. Love your son, Anthony.
Ross will be sorely missed by the Cubs when hes gone.
Once the Cubs journey is done and the major league dream comes to an end, Ross will return home to Tallahassee for Coles baseball games, Landris volleyball games and Harpers toddler years.
For now, Ross is after the World Series with his family joining the end of his journey.
Its amazing, Ross said. My family, thats what its all about.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicagos sports scene and more for CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670and like hisFacebookpage.
The New York Giants released placekicker Josh Brown on Tuesday, six days after police documents revealed Brown admitted to repeatedly abusing his former wife while they were married.
The move came shortly after the player issued a statement insisting that he never hit his wife during a six-year period when he admits spousal abuse.
Giants President John Mara says the teams beliefs, judgments and decisions were misguided in how it handled its relationship with Brown. He indicated the Giants did not know the full extent of Browns problem until last week.
It is not immediately clear whether Brown will receive the rest of his $1.26 million salary.
Brown was previously suspended for the opening game of the season for violating the leagues personal conduct policy after the NFL investigated his arrest in May 2015 for spousal abuse against his now ex-wife, Molly. Brown was accused of grabbing his wifes wrist as she tried to reach for a phone, causing a contusion and bruising. He was not charged by local authorities in the case in Washington state.
But documents released by the King County Sheriffs Office, including journals and emails, detailed a history of abuse far greater than Brown acknowledged when he spoke about being disciplined before the season started.
Namath issues apology Joe Namath backpedaled Tuesday on his criticism of New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith for not returning to the game Sunday after injuring his right knee and standing on the sideline for the second half of a 24-16 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.
Smith was hurt while being sacked in the second quarter. An MRI on Monday revealed that Smith has a torn anterior cruciate ligament, a season-ending injury.
My bad Geno, Namath wrote on Twitter to Smith. In the dark ages we players had the say. I hope you heal and play as long as you choose! Joe.
Smith started his first game since the 2014 season finale in place of the benched Ryan Fitzpatrick. He was four of eight for 95 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown to Quincy Enunwa, but was hurt when he scrambled to his left and held onto the ball rather than throw it away on a third-down play, and took the sack.
After being examined on the sideline for several minutes, Smith walked to the locker room for further evaluation. He watched the rest of the game in the second half from the sideline while wearing sweats.
Namath took to Twitter when he saw Smith.
If youve got a right knee injury keeping you out of the game, the Hall of Famer wrote, why are you standing on the sideline the entire 2nd half? How bad can it be?
After seeing Namaths comments later Sunday, Smith responded on Twitter : Somebody tell Joe that the doctors have the final say on whether you can or cannot get back into the game ... and also that I love him!
Fan dies after fall Authorities say a fan has died after falling 30 to 50 feet at the Denver Broncos stadium after Monday nights game.
The Denver medical examiners office said Tuesday the man was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead after the stadium fall. Investigators havent released his identity. A Denver police spokesman did not immediately provide details about the investigation.
The incident occurred following the Broncos 27-9 win over the Houston Texans.
Broncos make trade Denver traded a 2017 fifth-round pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for tight end A.J. Derby.
To make room, they released veteran safety Shiloh Keo for the second time this season.
Derby was a sixth-round draft pick out of Arkansas last year and has played in four games for the Patriots this season after spending his rookie season on IR.
Elsewhere The Jaguars will be without defensive tackle Roy Miller for the rest of the season because of a torn right Achilles tendon. A disruptive run-stopper, Miller was placed on injured reserve and will undergo surgery later in the week.
The Dolphins signed safety Bacarri Rambo to reinforce depth in the secondary following safety Reshad Jones season-ending shoulder injury. Rambo started eight games last season for the Buffalo Bills.
The Lions have traded linebacker Kyle Van Noy to the New England Patriots. The Lions also signed linebacker Josh Bynes on Tuesday.
The Falcons added insurance for injured running back Tevin Coleman by signing three running backs, including Stevan Ridley, who began his NFL career with New England and also played for the Jets.
Police are investigating a burglary at the home of Denver Broncos outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware that Ware reported when he returned home from Monday nights football game.
