News with Norah Odonnell, reporting from the nations capital. Odonnell good evening, and thank you for joining us. We are going to begin with breaking news. The coronavirus outbreak that began in President Trumps inner circle is growing. Tonight, another white house staffer and a senior military leader who was with the president on sunday have been infected. And as we come on the air, nine fourstar officers, including all but one member of the pentagons top brass, the joint chiefs of staff, are under quarantine. Think about that. President trump, meantime, appears to be governing by tweet from the white house residence, where he is still being treated for coronavirus. Tonight, the president is ordering his treasury secretary and republican lawmakers to stop negotiating with democrats on a multitrilliondollar stimulus bill designed to help millions of americans who are out of work due to covid19. The president says hell return to the table if hes reelected. And he says hes ready to debate Vice President biden next week. Now, the president s doctor did not address if that would be possible or even safe, nor did he take questions about the president s condition today. Instead, he released what was a short statement saying that the president s vital signs remain stable and that the president reports having no symptoms. And tonight, the president appears anxious to convince the country on twitter and in videos produced by his staff that he is well and in charge. Theres a lot of new reporting to get to tonight. Our team of correspondents is standing by. Cbs ben tracy is going to lead off our coverage tonight from the white house. Good evening, ben. Reporter nora, good evening. So President Trump would like to give a live address to the nation. The white house is still exploring options for him to do that. But for now hes sending out messages on twitter. A lot of his staff here at the working from home. Either in quarantine or working from home. One staff member still left in the building today told me the west wing is eerily quiet. Tonight, President Trump is abruptly ending negotiations with democrats over a new covid stimulus bill, tweeting, i am rejecting their request, and immediately after i win we will pass a major stimulus bill. His own Federal Reserve chairman warned of tragic fallout. Too little support would lead ecovery, creatingy, creating unnecessary hardships for households and businesses. Reporter as crews in hazmat suits disinfect parts of the white house, the coronavirus outbreak in the president s inner circle grows, the virus now infecting his top staffers, communication aides and now, reportedly, one of his military aides. I dont want to go backwards. Reporter the president s doctors, who have not briefed reporters since the president left the hospital, sending out this foursentence update after meeting with him today, saying his vital signs are stable and that the president reported he has no symptoms. And now im better, and maybe im immune. I dont know. Reporter the president is acting as if hes fully recovered, wanting to return to the oval office and the campaign trail, even though hes still believed to be contagious and on powerful medications, including the steroid dexamethasone. Doctors say a patients energy level can dramatically crash once treatment ends. President trumps doctors have also not released the results of his chest xrays, which would reveal if he has lung damage or pneumonia. In a highly choreographed madefortv spectacle, President Trump returned to the white house monday. Despite still being infected he removed his mask, stood on the white house balcony, and told americans the virus is not that big of a deal in a video, he later tweeted out. Dont let it dominate you. Dont be afraid of it. Youre going to beat it. Reporter that brought a sharp rebuke from some families who have lost loved ones. Amanda kloots husband and broadway star, nick cordero, died of covid in july. Let it dominate your life . No ones letting it. Nick didnt let it. It wasnt a choice. Empathy to the peoplehe people who are who are suffering and grieving. Reporter with more than 210,000 americans killed by covid19, President Trump is again comparing it to the flu, tweeting today, we have learned to live with it, just like we are learning to live with covid. But in just seven months, covid 19 has killed more people in the u. S. Than flu has in the past five years combined. Twitter flagged the president s tweet for misleading information. Facebook took it down. First lady melania Trumps Office just released this memo saying that staffing in the white house residence has been reduced, and for those Staff Members that do remain, some of the butlers, the valets, the housekeepers, they will have to wear full p. P. E. When they come in contact with the president and the first lady. Norah. Odonnell extraordinary thing about white house staff having to suit up in order to work there. Ben tracy, thank you. Tonight, the other stunning news here in washington, the nations top general and other military leaders are in quarantine after possible exposure to the coronavirus, raising concerns about the implications for our national security. Cbs david martin reports tonight from the pentagon. Reporter virtually all are seniormost military officers in the pentagon are quarantined and working from home, starting with the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, general mark milley, and the vice chairman, general john hyten, who was in charge of the militarys response to the coronavirus. Nine fourstar officers, including the heads of the army, navy, and air force met last friday with the vice commandant of the coast guard, admiral charles ray, who tested positive on monday. It is not known where ray contracted the virus, but on the sunday after that rose garden announcement of President Trumps Supreme Court nominee, now considered a superspreader event, the admiral and some of the other nowquarantined officers attended this largely maskless white house ceremony honoring gold star families. Defense secretary esper was also there, but was not in any of the subsequent facetoface meetings subsequent facetoface meetings with admiral ray. Today at an arrival ceremony for g visiting defense minister, esper was wearing a mask, which is required for everyone entering the pentagon. The chain of command for military operations runs from the president to the secretary of defense to Combatant Commanders around the world. Even with the joint chiefs working from home, the pentagon insists there is no change to the operational readiness or Mission Capability of the u. S. Armed forces. The pentagon is conducting Contact Tracing of all the admirals, as well as any of their staff who met with admiral soy. So far, there are no positive tests, but the quarantine will remain in effect until next week. Norah. Odonnell as they remain extra carefu extra careful. David martin, thank you. And amid that news of the top military brass going into that quarantine and the growing outbreak thats happening at the white house, we want to bring in cbs ne cbs news chief medical correspondent dr. Jon lapook. All right, Contact Tracing, one of the most important things you can do to help slow an outbreak, but the white house has reportedly rejected the c. D. C. s help to do just that. What does that tell us . Reporter you know, Contact Tracing is the basic detective work that helps you figure out if somebody is infected without knowing it and potentially spreading the infection to other people. If you bring back that picture from David Martins piece. Take a look at it. It was nine days ago. We know that several people there subsequently tested positive for the virus. Look around. Not many people are Wearing Masks almost nobody. Its inside. And we now know that inside from the c. D. C. That the virus can spread not only six feet, but beyond six feet in these small droplets, these aerosols, and its a crowded room. We dont know if this is the site where others got infected infected but thats what Contact Tracing will tell you. Will help you figure out. Odonnell one of the concerns, definitely. I want to ask you about the president s condition. We learned just from a small statement that the doctor said the president s vitals are stable. Hes not reporting any symptoms. Does that mean hes in the clear . Reporter no. We know that, especially in the second week, you can have this socalled inflammatory phase. Thats where the bodys own immune system ends up attacking itself and doing more harm sometimes than the virus itself. And thats why hes on dexamethasone, which is a very powerful steroid, that can decrease inflammation. But there are some side effects and those including masking potentially important symptoms like fever and just not feeling well. It can elevate mood, and it can cause insomnia. So you know hes going to be looked at very, very closely. Odonnell dr. Jon lapook, thank you so much. The election is now exactly four weeks away, and there are two new National Polls that show joe biden is expanding his lead, and as we saw long lines in indiana with early voting starting today in the hoosier state. And a new report tonight shows more than 4. 5 million americans have already cast their ballot. Thats a record. Heres cbs ed okeefe. Reporter speaking at gettysburg, the site of the civil wars greatest battles and one of the nations greatest speeches at a time of deep national discord, joe biden called today for another truce. We have too bright a future to have it shipwrecked on the shoals of anger and hate and division. Division. Too Many Americans too Many Americans see our public life not as an arena for mediation of our differences, but, rather, they see it as an occasion for total, unrelenting partisan warfare. Reporter biden sought to reinforce an argument hes made since he began his campaign, that he can unify the country. Im running as a proud democrat, but i will govern as an american president. Reporter and while biden didnt mention the president s illness, he made reference to his approach to the coronavirus. Wearing a mask is not a political statement. Reporter the former Vice President s calls for unity came after a remarkable video message today from former first Lady Michelle obama, who once again urged americans to vote and ticized president d President Trump. Theyr trump. Theyre going to destroy the suburbs. Reporter faulting him and his supporters for stoking racial tensions. So what the president is doing is, once again, patently false. Its morally wrong. And, yes, it is racist. Reporter in a video recorded before the president announced his covid diagnosis, she criticized his handling of the pandemic. And our commander in chief, sadly, has been missing in action. Reporter the pandemic continues to reshape the campaign. Today, aides to Vice President pence said he doesnt want plexiglass to divide him from senator Kamala Harris at tomorrows v. P. Debate in utah. Debate organizers said they will use plexiglass for health and safety reasons but didnt specify where. Meanwhile, the president tweeted he expects to debate next thursday in miami. But will it happen in person . Theres talk of a potential virtual debate. Aides to harris say she will do whatever debate organizers decide to do, and that a fight over plexiglass tells you everything you need to know about why their Covid Response is a failure. Norah, those polls you mentioned show biden leading nationally by anywhere from 14 to 16 points with just 28 days to go. Odonnell ed okeefe, thank you. President trump is pushing hard for a vaccine before elect day, but tonight, the f. D. A. Says it says it still needs to put safety first. We get more on this from cbs meg oliver. Reporter tonight, new guidelines posted by the f. D. A. All but closed the door on a vaccine by election day. Companies hoping for approval now need two months of safety data first. The white house had initially pushed back on the new standard. We seek to create neutral regulators for a reason. We want certain decisions to be divorced from commercial or political considerations, and we still have a ways to go. Clinical trials have not read out yet. Reporter this as the coronavirus continues its spread across the country. Hundreds of schools in nine new york city zip codes closed today, less than a week after welcoming students back. We see a rise in cases in certain parts of our city, and we have to get ahead of this. Reporter and tonight, anger at the president s tweet not to be afraid of covid. This from new yorks governor dont be afraid of covid . No, be afraid of covid. It can kill you. Dont be cavalier. This is just more denial. Reporter in michigan, where cases are up 30 , the highest average in six months, outside detroit, covid hit the berg family especially hard. Seven out of eight family members contracted the virus. Parents barbara and norman berg died 24 hours apart in march. And that god took them together truly was a blessing, because they were two people so in love after 64 years that. Reporter its hard for you to talk about. Oh, every day i think of my parents, absolutely, yeah. Reporter norman and barbara berg would have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary tomorrow. Here in new york city, the governor is calling for further lockdown measures, including limiting houses of worship, shutting down nonessential business and telling restaurants delivery only. Norah. Odonnell meg oliver, thank you. Now to that monstrous storm threatening millions along the gulf coast. Hurricane delta exploded into a major category 4 hurricane overnight. Cbs lonnie quinn joins us now. So, lonnie, when do we think this could make landfall . Reporter for the yucatan wednesday, the gulf coast, looks looks like friday, late in the day. Right now you have 140mileper hour winds. Its a category 4 storm. Its 215 miles east of kazumel. This is going to move right over the yucatan and potentially with 155mileperhour winds, the strongest hurricane ever to make landfall in the yucatan. Then it will make the big curve once it gets into the gulf. Norah, watch this. Right towards the louisiana handling t coastline as a category 3 storm. Look at how the models are handling this. A lot of consensus here. We agree its going to be a louisiana storm. But, look, some of the models are putting it over by lake charles, the european models included. Lake charles was devastated by laurel earlier in the season. Buildings have been compromised and now this. And now youre putting equally as strong a storm on top of it. If it looks like louisiana has had a tough season, norah, this is the sixth time that a portion of the louisiana coastline has been in the cone of a major storm this season, its been very active there. Odonnell all right, loan, thank you. And there is still much more news ahead on tonights cbs evening news. Outrage after police shoot and kill a black man who was breaking up a fight. Why an officer is now charged with murder. Later, well remember Eddie Van Halen, who played some of the most unforgettable solos in rock n roll. Panama odonnell tonight, a Rookie Police officer in texas is facing murder charges after shooting and killing an unarmed black man. Witnesses say the victim had been trying to break up a fight. Heres cbs mireya villarreal. No justice no peace reporter protests in another place, chanting another name. Jonathan price reporter this time in the east texas town of wolfe city, where Jonathan Price was shot and killed by a Police Officer saturday night. Tonight, 22yearold shaun lucas is in custody, charged with murder. Hed only be on the job for six months and is being held on 1 million bail. Price was reportedly trying to break up a domestic dispute at a gas station. The Texas Rangers who are investigating the incident say lucas, upon arrival, encountered price who resisted arrest in a nonthreatening posture and attempted to walk away. Officers lucas then tased price, r. Fore shooting him. Mr. Price was unarmed. He was nonaggressive and he had his hands up. Multiple witnesses have said that. Reporter for his older sister, its a life taken away too soon. I close my eyes and i can just see him right there in my face, because when he left here saturday, if i had known it was going to be the last time i seen him, i might have held on a little tighter. Reporter mireya villarreal, cbs news, wolfe city, texas. Odonnell tough to hear that. Coming up next, he revolutionized rock with his lightningfast solos. Were going to remember Eddie Van Halen. Odonnell guitar legend Eddie Van Halen died of cancer today. Few could match his speed or his influence to an entire generation of guitarists. Heres cbs jamie yuccas. Reporter guitar hero Eddie Van Halen was one of the most innovative rock musicians ever. Best known for his finger taps, playing with both hands on the neck of the guitar while pumping out hits like hot for teacher, panama, and jump. Am jump, go ahead and jump beat it reporter he also lent out his talents thats his guitar solo on Michael Jacksons beat it. The band van halen was known as much for their 12 studio albums as they were for their rocky relationships with lead singers like David Lee Roth and sammy hagar. Van halen was inducted into the rock n roll hall of fame in 2007. His death was announced today on twitter by his band maid, wolf van halen, his son by his marriage to actress valerie bertinelli. My father lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning. He was the best father i could ever ask for. Eddie van halen is survived by son, wolf, and wife janie. He was 65 years old. Jamie yuccas, cbs news, los angeles. cheers and applause odonnell as Lenny Kravitz tweeted today, heaven will be electric tonight. Well be right back. Odonnell on tomorrows cbs evening news, a house divided. Half for trump, half for biden. What they can teach us all about getting along. And if you cant watch us live, dont forget to set your dvr so you can watch us later. That is tonights edition of the cbs evening news. Im Norah Odonnell in the nations capital. Thanks for watching. Well see you right back here tomorrow. This is the cbs overnight news. Im catherine in washington, thank you for staying with us. Trumps return to the white house on monday night is the latest in a series of recent events that up ended the election. In years past, the voters have come to expect the socalled october surprise, but this year, the surprises have come fast and furious and had they started in september. When President Trump announced early friday that he and the first lady had tested positive tofor covid19, it was one in a series of head spinning shocks in a already tumultuous campaign. The president does have mild symptoms. Thor dids contin s the doc continuing to monitor his health and the heth alth of the first lady. A ferocious debate stunned voters. Why did you not do it because you were not a president screwing things up. Its hard to get any word in with this clown. Before that, a breath taking report in the New York Times about President Trumps tax returns. This trump appears to have over 400 million in debt. To whom . That came on the heels of the passing of Justice Ruth Bader ginsburg and the lightning quick nomination of conservative judge Amy Coney Barrett to replace her. Theres a name for unexpected events that occur late in president ial campaigns. And have the potential to change the course of the election. They are called october surprises. Had this year, the they got an early start. All but the president s positive covid test happened in september. Its our october surprise early. Margaret karlsson who covered many president ial campaigns for time magazine, said some october surprises are carefully orchestrated, but others come out of the blue. Is it a man made or a woman made surprise or is it an event beyond anyones capacity to control. You know, a hurricane, the Financial Markets collapsing in 2008. Or is it something in an ongoing scandal. The term october surprise first appeared in our political lexicon in 1980, when republican ronald reaga