Minutes with the President: President Trump in his interview with “60 Minutes” suggested that the future for Secy. of Defense James Mattis may be in doubt.

“I think he’s sort of a Democrat, if you want to know the truth,” Trump said. These days Trump speaks of Democrats as if they are fifth column infiltrators in what could otherwise be a stable single-party democracy. He went on,  “But General Mattis is a good guy. We get along very well. He may leave. I mean, at some point, everybody leaves. Everybody. People leave. That’s Washington.”

That’s also the Trump administration. Mattis and Trump have been reported to have a testy relationship. Bob Woodward wrote in his book “Fear” that Mattis once said Trump has the understanding of “a fifth- or sixth-grader.” Trump told Lesley Stahl that his relationship with Mattis is just fine.

He also said, “I’m changing things around, and I’m entitled to. I have people now on standby that will be phenomenal. They’ll come into the administration. They’ll be phenomenal.” They are always phenomenon until they resign or get fired.

Trump gave the interview after dodging “60 Minutes” for two years. Stahl said she thinks Trump agreed so he could get air time to support Republicans in the midterm elections.

Stahl asked whether Trump still believes climate change is a hoax. He replied,”I think SOMETHING’S happening. Something’s changing and it’ll change back again. I don’t think it’s a hoax, I think there’s probably a difference. But I don’t know that it’s manmade…”

Trump also said Washington is rougher than working in New York real estate. “This is the most deceptive vicious world. It is vicious. It is full of lies, deceit, and deception.”

And they say he doesn’t know truth from lies.

Counter Threat: Saudi Arabia threatened to retaliate if the US punishes the Kingdom for the disappearance and probable murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.”The Kingdom also affirms that if it receives any action, it will respond with greater action,” Saudi Arabia’s state-run news agency said yesterday, noting that the country plays “an influential and vital role in the global economy.”

Saudi Arabia denies knowing what happened to Khashoggieven though he entered their consulate in Istanbul and never came out.

Turnout: Voter interest in the midterm elections has surged, according to a

Washington Post-ABC News poll. Enthusiasm is up in particular among younger adults, nonwhite voters, and voters who say they favor Democrats for the House.

 At the same time, President Trump’s job approval rating has risen five points after tying a record low point in August.

  Seventy-seven percent of registered voters say they will vote next month or have already voted. Four years ago, midterm voter turnout was at its  lowest in more than 50 years

The Contenders: Former Vice President Joe Biden tops the popularity list of potential Democratic presidential candidates for 2020, according to a new CNN poll.

• Joe Biden: 33%
• Bernie Sanders: 13%
• Kamala Harris: 9%
• Elizabeth Warren: 8%
• Cory Booker: 5%
• John Kerry: 5%

The poll also found a statistical split on whether voters think president Trump will be re-elected in 2020; 46 percent say yes, 47 percent, no.

The Weather Report: The leaves are just reaching their peak color in the northern reaches of New York and New England, but it snowed over most of Colorado yesterday. As much as a foot fell on the eastern slopes of the Rockies.

The storm also covered northern New Mexico and spread northeast through Kansas and into Nebraska.

Touchdown: The New England Patriots beat the Kansas City Chiefs last night and Tom Brady became the first NFL quarterback to win 200 regular season games.

Bad Business: Sears Roebuck, the retailer that once supplied America with everything from clothing to shovels and kit-built houses has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Sears was the pioneer of the mail-order catalogue but now the company is $5.5 billion in debt.

Royal Addition: Britain’s Prince Harry and his American wife Meghan Markle, who married inly in May, announced they are expecting their first child. He’s 34 and she’s 37. Tick, tick, tick.

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