An Ignoble Experiment: The 7: Jimmy Carter’s 100th birthday; JD Vance vs. Tim Walz; vanishing fireflies; and more

By Jamie Ross
with John Taylor

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Good morning. It's Tuesday, Oct. 1 — exactly five weeks from Election Day. The Campaign Moment newsletter is following every twist and turn — sign up here. And let's start there.

JD Vance and Tim Walz will clash in a vice-presidential debate tonight.

What to expect: Vance — one of the most unpopular running mates of modern times — will have to explain his controversial past comments. Walz will showcase "Minnesota nice."
How to watch: The Post will stream the CBS debate here. It starts at 9 p.m. Eastern.
Other campaign news: Donald Trump and Kamala Harris remain close in the key battleground of North Carolina, a Post poll found. See who's ahead in other swing states here.

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The death toll from Hurricane Helene topped 100 people across six states.

The latest: Search-and-rescue efforts continue in towns from Georgia to eastern Tennessee, but floods are complicating operations. The flooding caught North Carolina off guard.
What now? Major retailers are helping with the recovery effort — find out how you can help here. Meanwhile, forecasters are monitoring a new disturbance in the Caribbean.

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Israel sent ground troops into southern Lebanon.

Why? The "limited" incursion is aimed at pushing Hezbollah fighters away from Israel's border after 11 months of strikes, Israel's military said. Follow live updates here.
Why it matters: It's a significant escalation of Israel's offensive against Hezbollah. The U.S. is sending more troops to the Middle East as it aims to prevent a wider war.

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A state judge struck down Georgia's six-week abortion ban yesterday.

Why? It violated the state constitution, the judge ruled. The law, which took effect in 2022, banned abortions before many know they are pregnant.
What now? Abortions until 22 weeks of pregnancy are once again allowed. This map shows the law in each state.
In November: A surprising number of Republicans plan to vote for abortion rights. The issue is on the ballot in nearly a dozen states.

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Pete Rose, baseball's controversial all-time hits leader, died yesterday at 83.

Pete Rose tips his helmet to the crowd after extending his hit streak to 44 games in 1978. (Steve Helber/AP)

How we'll remember him: As Charlie Hustle, a popular, aggressive player who dived headfirst into bases, but tarnished his reputation by gambling on baseball.
What happened? Rose retired with a record 4,256 hits. He was banned from baseball in 1989 after betting on games while managing the Reds. And he was barred from the Hall of Fame.

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Fireflies are vanishing across the country.

The decline of the Bethany Beach firefly has been blamed on climate change, light pollution, coastal development and other threats. (Jason Davis/Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control)

One example: The Bethany Beach firefly, which twinkles along much of the East Coast. The U.S. government announced plans yesterday to declare it as threatened.
It's not alone: Nearly 1 in 3 firefly species in the U.S. and Canada may face extinction. Other insects — like butterflies and bees — are also disappearing around the world.