and tonight, linsey davis asking vice president pence what kind of message it sends, packed rallies, thousands without masks. how the vice president answers. >>> the powerful tribute to the late supreme court justice ruth bader ginsburg. 100 of her former clerks on the courthouse steps as her casket arrives. chief justice john roberts and his powerful words today. former president bill clinton, who appointed ginsburg, and secretary clinton, who has acknowledged in recent days in her role encouraging her husband to pick ginsburg, paying their respects. >>> the news out of california tonight. the governor issuing a new executive order, banning the sale of new gas-fueled cars in 15 years. >>> and we remember a hall of fame football star right here tonight. >>> good evening and it's great to have you with us here on a wednesday night. we have a lot to get to. that solemn tribute to justice ruth bader ginsburg. what the chief justice john roberts said today. and that tense exchange on capitol hill involving dr. anthony fauci. but we begin tonight with the fierce reaction in louisville at

here now, linsey davis. >> welcome back.s a contentious battle. frustration, interruptions and a lot of low blows. here to break it down is our powerhouse, chris emmanuel. it was raw, it was contentious. is this what was planned, and did this work ultimately for the president? >> it was not always planned. it was hotter than it was planned to be. i think that the advice was for the president to be aggressive, but it was hotter than it was planned to be. so, in that respect to answer that question, no. did it help the president? listen, i think we're going to have to see as time goes on. these people get different perspectives on things as they move a day or two away from this. i don't know what the perspective will be. as i said earlier tonight, i think the problems that the president had tonight can potentially be fixed, you know, potentially, you can turn that heat down a little bit. >> and rahm, question to you, president trump of course has been attacking joe biden for months, but this was the first time -- >> you notice

i'm linsey davis in for tom llamas. we begin tonight with protests in the streets and tensions boiling new video from portland, oregon, shows police firing pepper balls at demonstrators last night. 100 straight nights of unrest there. at the same time, self-proclaimed antifa activist michael reinoehl scene in newly released surveillance images stepping off the sidewalk moments before police say he fatally shot pro-trump supporter jay danielson as he went by. a neck tattoo reportedly helped identify reinoehl as he was killed thursday as marshals moved in.roches diel prude. handed and he ear-bl peared to lose overnight there, the scene grew chaotic with fireworks ignited and diners chased away from an outdoor restaurant. like portland, there were ashes. one driver appears to pepper spray some in the crowd. both cities now bracing for potentiallremoy violenc we begin in portland with abc news chief national woerpt correspondent matt gutman. >> reporter: portland is a city on edge tonight, bracing for a night of chaos and v

that's "nightline" for tonight, i'm linsey davis, goodnight. >> dicky: from hollywood, it's "jimmy kimmeln wilson. and now, here's brad paisley. ♪ well i love him but he left to fish jimmy took the summer off and now i'm at the desk ♪ ♪ and i don't miss him not one bit ♪ cause tonight, we've got a great show ♪ ♪ and some funny, funny [ bleep ] ♪ ♪ take a break from the mean tweets awkward beats and lame jokes ♪ ♪ about donald trump it's the brad paisley live show ♪ ♪ oh lookin there a ratings bump ♪ ♪ >> thank you! thank you five sweaty people in face shields. appreciate it. this is awesome. and it's freaking weird. because everything is freaking weird right now. but some parts of life are starting to get back to normal.

here's linsey davis. >> as you well know, yesterday was the grim milestone, marking 200,000 americans passing from covid-19. no other country has suffered as many deaths as we have. we account for 20% of the death toll but 4% of the world population. as head of the coronavirus task force, how do you explain that? >> it's a heartbreaking meal stone, and really, our thoughts are with all of the families that have lost loved ones in the course of this pandemic. but linsey, in all of my time working on the white house coronavirus task force, i'm convinced because of the actions of the president, the dedication of the health workers and sacrifices american people made that we saved hundreds of thousands of lives that could have been lost in the midst of this pandemic. >> i want to show you a picture. i don't know how well you can see that. this is a picture that president trump tweeted out. you've probably seen it at the rally last night in pennsylvania. thousands of people packed closely together, hardly any social distancing. as, again, head of the coronavirus task force, when your recom

. >> linsey davis with the vice president. let's get right to jon karl again tonight. you showethere,he id b one poi among likely voters. let's look at florida tonight, as well. where president trump leads joe biden among likely voters 51% to 47% and jon, florida is always a key battleground. >> reporter: florida, david, is a state that donald trump almost certainly must win if he's to get ree legged. that's why his campaign is spending more money in florida than any other state. joe biden could plausibly lose florida and still win the election, but that would mean a very close race and potentially a very long election night that could stretch on for days and days. >> yes. >> reporter: david? >> we are all we'reoi tsueme cot da forhee g as honorary pal bearers. her coffin carried inside, where chief justice john roberted praised her for moving our nation closer to equal justice under the law. former president bill clinton and secretary clinton. the former president nominating ginsburg, of course. and hillary clinton acknowledging in recent days her role in encouraging

here's abc's linsey davis. >> reporter: in her new book, "melania and me," stephanie winston wolkoff paints the first lady as confident, but calculating. >> a trump is a trump is a trump. you don't show any signs of weakness. >> reporter: but she says she saw melania trump begin to crack when that "access hollywood" tape threatened to derail her husband's campaign. >> when you're a star, they let you do it. you can do anything. >> she cracked, thinking that that was the only time that there was even a possibility that donald wouldn't win the election. i said to her, are you upset, though? you know? and doesn't it, honestly, doesn't this get you angry that donald would say something like this? she was angry, but she wasn't -- she knows who she married. he is who he is. she knew that. >> reporter: people have always said that they don't think melania wanted him to win. but you say otherwise? >> melania felt it was just as much a victory for her as it was for him. >> reporter: tonight, the white house is accusing winston wolkoff of trying to "profit off lies and mischaracterizations mea

. >> one thing that is getting a lot of notice, linsey davis, online, the president refused to condemn white supremacists. >> he said he would, when he was asked, sure, i will, and he gave a call to action, saying stand back and stand by. that was something that really got my attention. and i was -- i can't say i was surprised, but it was really a moment that i think that people especially in the black community heard loud and clear. >> got to take a quick break. we'll be right back. try nature's bounty hair, skin and nails gummies. the number one brand to support beautiful hair, glowing skin, and healthy nails. and try advanced, now with two times more biotin. >>> back now after this first presidential debate. want to go to sara fagan. you said there was -- that joe biden had a tougher job coming into the night. is that the way you feel coming out of it? >> i think this was a total food fight. i don't think either candidate won. there were moments where the president was setting up the choice in this election, but they just devolved and too quickly. and the challenge for the president