House floor opening, with now a fourth republican nominee for speaker. This time it is congressman mike johnson of louisiana. And he says he has the votes to win. Overseas, were following breaking developments out of israel. The u. N. Warning it may be forced to stop operating in gaza today as fuel runs out. Some World Leaders intensifying their calls for a ceasefire. Plus, forecasters warn of a, quote, Nightmare Scenario after a cat 5 Hurricane Slams into mexicos southern Pacific Coast overnight, near the popular resort city of acapulco. It went from a Tropical Storm to a cat 5 in just 12 hours. We begin this hour on capitol hill, where next hour lawmakers are expected to vote once again for a speaker of the house. Louisiana congressman mike johnson is now the fourth gop pick in three weeks. The second in just one day. After tom emmer dropped out yesterday when it became clear he could not secure enough votes. A visual reminder of how Congress Found themselves in leadership crisis. 22 days after his ousting, former speaker Kevin Mccarthys sign was removed overnight, leaving a blank wall. Joining us now, nbc news capitol hill Correspondent Ali Vitali and former republican congressman carlos curbelo, an msnbc political analyst. So, ali, just this morning, senator collins, Susan Collins was asked what it would be like to work with mike johnson on spending issues. She said she plans to google him. Who is mike johnson . Reporter i think there has been a lot of googling in this building, jose, as we and the rest of Congress Wait to see if there is going to be a new name on the wooden panel above the speakers office, because youre right, we finally saw mccarthys name taken off the wall, in anticipation of the fact that republicans at least right now feel good about the fact that when they go to the floor in less than an hour, they will be on the path to electing a new speaker. Now, nothing is for sure. Thats what this process has taught us time and time again, especially given yesterday. We started the day thinking that tom emmer was the man to beat and certainly at one point he was, but now that title goes to mike johnson, the fourterm congressman from louisiana, he represents sort of the northwest area of the state around shreveport. And he is someone who is really a conservative through and through. Maybe not as publicized or as talkative about the work hes doing on fox news as some of his colleagues, but he serves on some of the most important committees here and especially those that toss a fair amount of red meat at the republican base, specifically the judiciary committee, where they have been doing a lot of the investigations into President Joe Biden and his son hunter, but also the socalled weaponization of Government Committee that was created at the start of this congress. Thats something that is chaired by jim jordan, but johnson serves on both of those. And he is someone who, as people are googling, one of the key things were looking ahead to is how he dealt with the 2020 election. He voted to decertify the Election Results. But as a constitutional lawyer by trade, by background, hes also someone who created some of the early rational for why the false electors scheme could work. It is not constitutional. But many of his colleagues here in the Republican House relied on his thinking about that, when they themselves voted against certifying the 2020 Election Results when donald trump lost the white house. Those are some key things, but were also looking ahead to the ways that he might deal with some of the most impending crises that will face whoefr whoever comes next as speaker, how he might deal with an israel package, especially if thats paired with aid to ukraine. Hes someone who voted against the two past aid packages to ukraine, that might be instructive for the way he sees this issue as speaker. And also the way he might deal on the Government Funding and Government Shutdown front. Just a few weeks ago, we know that republicans and democrats alike voted to keep the government open, and in many ways that kicked off the trail of events that led us to this place of needing to elect a new speaker. Johnson was one of those who voted against that continuing resolution, which is to say he did not vote to keep the government open. Hes now put out to his colleagues a new piece of paper that kind of outlines his view of how they could move forward on the appropriations front. I think thats going to be really important as that November 17th Shutdown Deadline continues to loom, but, again, i think the way we have to think about mike johnson, hes someone who has a lot in common, policywise, and in terms of the ethos of the rest of this republican conference, people like jim jordan and steve scalise, but not on fox news talking about it as much. So, ali what are the chances he gets those 217 votes on the floor . Reporter it is the only question that we are trying to figure out the answer to, jose. I think all of us are going to learn the answer in real time once we see them get to the floor. We know what this Process Looks like because i think more people have paid attention to the way the floor works and the way the house elects a speaker both in january and now than ever before. We know that at noon theyll gavel in, we expect mike johnson to walk to the floor. So we will expect to try to at least ask him some questions, though i have to say last night when reporters tried to ask him key questions about the 2020 election and how he might vote and fare on ukraine aid, they were booed by other members of the conference and johnson himself said there should be no policy talk tonight. So, well see if we cant get a few policy questions to the man who wants to be in the president ial line of succession and who will be one of the key policy Leaders Within this republican conference. Of course, to get there he needs the votes, well see that play out in real time. I do think just by looking at tweets, talking to republican members, the view is that they are close, but close is not the ball game. Any four or five members can tank this thing. We just dont see any signs of those members at least not yet. So, carlos, The Speakership Fight has created such animosity within the Republican House members. If, first of all, just thinking your thoughts, do you think johnson is going to be able to do this. If he isnt, what happens Going Forward . Well, johnson does have the votes lined up just yet. But members believe that he certainly has a path. Because there is so much anger and frustration in the House Republican conference, it is actually a benefit or a good trait of mike johnson is a low key member. Someone who really hasnt raised his head too often, part of the leadership team, but as ali said, you dont see him constantly on television. He is a hardline conservative, but he hasnt voted against rules. He hasnt publicly attacked other members of the house gop leadership team. So, in a way, mike johnson is kind of vanilla in the House Republican conference, and that might be the reason why he has the clearest path yet to the speakership. Now, having said that, at the meeting where he got elected last night, there are about 20 members who are absent from that meeting, jose. A lot of these are centrist members who are concerned about what mike johnson might do with the appropriations process, what may happen on november 17th. These are members who dont want the government to shut down, so johnson still has some work to do to secure those commitments ahead of this exercise at noon today. And, you know, looming over much of this issue is former president trump. Yesterday, he was able to essentially sink emmers campaign, but his endorsement of jordan couldnt get him over the finish line. Do you see the trump influence here over the party at the Republican Party at the house, you know, hes got some victories and some losses. Yeah, thats right, jose. There is a paradox. Trump tried to elevate jim jordan. He tried to deliver some public pressure from the bully pulpit and it didnt work. There was a Strong Coalition that was dug in against jordan. Certainly trump has veto power. He can call five, six, ten members of the house and ask them to do something and those members will respond and, of course, we know that that many members can block a republican from getting elected speaker. But, again, mike johnson is someone who donald trump probably doesnt even know very well. So, we havent heard much from trump and certainly no one expects that hes going to try to tank johnson or hurt him in any way. Ali vitali and carlos curbelo, thank you both so very much. Good seeing you. And now to our other top big story this morning, the latest on the devastating conflict in the middle east. The United Nations aid agency for Palestinian Refugees says it will have to stop all operations in gaza as soon as today because its fuel tanks are running dry due to the israeli blockade. Aid trucks have been able to bring in food, water and medical supplies into the enclave, but no fuel. This comes as there could be movement in efforts to free more of the hostages who israel says are being held in gaza. The Prime Minister of qatar, which played a leading role in efforts to free the hostages, said today that there could be a breakthrough, quote, any moment in time. Nbc news chief Foreign CorrespondentRichard Engel joins us now from jerusalem. Richard, how dire is the situation in gaza . Reporter well, extremely dire. The u. N. Agency responsible for helping the people of gaza, which was established after the 1948 Israel War Of Independence and creation of a palestinian diaspora, refugee population, many of the people in gaza are refugees. They used to live in areas around there, areas now part of israel, ashkelon, ashdod, they moved into gaza. This agency was set up to look after them. And they have remained there ever since and had families and now two and a half, 2. 3 Million People who live in gaza. And throughout this war, governed by hamas now, and throughout this war, they have been under attack and also under siege. And some food and water and medicine has been getting in, each one heavily negotiated, each one complicated procedure. But israel is adamant that fuel cant go in because it is considering fuel like a military supply, concern it could get to hamas and be used to help hamas plan more attacks, keep its Military Campaign going. The u. N. Is saying this is part of a collective Punishment Campaign against israel. And a u. N. Official, unrwa official, spoke to us earlier today and said now theyre having to make life and death choices, that they are forced to make triage, what are they going to do with the little fuel they have left . Do they divert it to the hospitals . And keep the incubators and life support systems going . But that would mean cutting all of it off for the bakeries that are that need fuel to make bread. Do they cut it off the desalnization pumps. They mike these decisions now in real time because the reserves theyre already rationing are now at critically low levels. The power is flickering and fading in hospitals in gaza as medical Officials Say generators are on their last drops of fuel. The Health System run by hamas is at a state of collapse. Just as casualties are flooding in from hundreds of israeli air strikes a day. Israel says it is bombing hamas fighters and leaders, hiding in tunnels below apartment buildings, schools, and hospitals. Last night, our crew caught the immediate aftermath of what witnesses say was an israeli strike on a threestory building. First, you see a hand. Shes alive. Other children were not. We counted five children pulled from the building, three living, two appear to be dead. And this is khan younis in Southern Gaza where the Israeli Military again this morning urged palestinians to go for their safety. Our crew this morning visited another building in the city, hit overnight. The u. N. Secretarygeneral says what is needed now is clear, a ceasefire. Israel is objecting, and the United States is backing it, saying no ceasefire now with the pentagon saying small tactical pauses in air strikes can be useful for civilian protections. It is not the same as saying a ceasefire. Right now we believe a ceasefire benefits hamas. Reporter but without one, bodies continue to pile up. And the list of this War Escalating and drawing in the United States grows. Israel this morning accusing iran of helping hamas with money, training and logistics before the october 7th attack. Hamas militants crossed into israel and killed 1400 israelis and took more than 200 hostages including the elderly and babies. And one photograph this morning seemed ominous, the shadowy leader of hezbollah in lebanon meeting with top officials from hamas and islamic jihad. On top of the humanitarian crisis in gaza is this ongoing issue of hamas. Israel says that hamas has is using a network of tunnels and hamas does have hundreds of miles of tunnels underneath gaza and israel finds itself in this position, where it wants to attack hamas, but there are cities built on top of where hamas is living and operating. The fighters. So what is and there are no good answers here, jose. How do we get out of this crisis . So far nobody is offering any solutions. Absolutely. No good answers and war is always so horrible. It is so horrendous. Richard, you know, we have to also add in there there has been a delay in the ground part of israeli the idf going into gaza. It has something to do with american pressure, but also those 200 hostages that are still there. Reporter i think it has to do a lot with the hostages that are inside. It also has to do with hamas preparation. Israel was caught off guard by the hamas attack. And israel doesnt want to be caught off guard again. It doesnt it still wants to know more about what it could be going into before it sends its troops into battle. Again, hundreds of miles of tunnels underneath a Built Up Area that is still full of civilians. Where there are hostages being held in those tunnels according to hostages who have been released. It could be the worst possible Ground Fighting that the world has seen in decades. The most complicated. It takes time to prepare for an operation like that. And israel is angry right now. But just to go in angry could be a very bloody campaign. I apologize, right to breaking news. We have the president of the United States who is right now just speaking at the oval office. Lets listen in. Mr. Prime minister, welcome, welcome to the white house. Welcome to the oval office. It has been a long time coming. And let me apologize again for not being able to make my visit to australia. Things were a little bit in disarray here and required me to be home. Thats why i didnt, im delighted youre here. Together we Work Together to strengthen an alliance and it deepened. We moved in the direction that through our Historic Partnership with the United Kingdom and expanded economic involvement with one another, American Investment in australia being an all time high, under our administration. In may we strengthened our climate ties. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your move on climate. It is a big deal, including launching a new climate mineral, clean Energy Contract because you have great assets that we can all use to make sure that we move in the direction of clean energy. Today, were taking our Alliance Even further. Doubling down on cooperation of technology, science. This morning were going to discuss how all these efforts can help advance a free, open and secure endo pacific. I look forward to discussing how to address threats to the stability in the region, the economic stability as well, supporting ukraine in the face of russias bitter aggression, and to stand with israel in the wake of hamas appalling Terrorist Attacks. So, mr. Prime minister, thank you very much for being here. It is an honor to have you. Thank you for your leadership. Well, thank you very much, mr. President. It is a great honor for me to be here as australias Prime Minister. And our alliance, i believe, has never been more important. It is also never been stronger. We have had defense, and we had the economic relationship, defense through the economic relationship through our free trade agreement, but we added a third part of this alliance, front and center as well, through our clean Energy Critical minerals and Climate Change compact, taking action to protect the world, to lower emissions, to take advantage of the shift to cl