As the Ebola chaos grows, no one knows how much the situation will influence politics in the USA. But there is no question it will have an impact. Some experts believe Ebola is suppressing the stock market and that will affect every American, as fear hurts the economy. A Fox News poll asked registered voters about the direction of the country. 36% described themselves as 'hopeful,' while 61% are 'not hopeful.' And 49% respondents say the country is 'worse off' since Barack Obama became president, while 39% say 'better off.' So the folks are blaming the president for much of the dissatisfaction. And President Obama is at fault. His leadership on many serious issues has been lacking. He made a tremendous mistake in the war on terror by pulling all U.S. troops out of Iraq. The administration has also underestimated the Muslim jihadists and has no effective strategy for containing their terror. The president has been outfoxed by Putin, Iran and China. Here at home, the most important indicator of economic well-being, take-home pay, has fallen under the president. Democrats can spin all they want, but the cold truth is working Americans have less money in their pockets than in the past. A combination of high taxes and mediocre wages has hammered the folks. It is difficult to see any great improvements under President Obama and it will take years to figure out the benefits, if any, of Obamacare. Now, on to Ebola. There is no question that the federal government is mishandling the situation, and again that will go right back to the White House. The point man on Ebola, CDC chief Dr. Thomas Frieden, is botching the situation big time. We've already pounded Dr. Frieden on his inexplicable opposition to suspending visa and passports from West Africa. And yesterday the man could not even explain how Ebola should be handled in public transportation. Talking Points will help him: If you are sitting on a bus and someone next to you has Ebola and sneezes on you, you can get it. Are you understanding that Dr. Frieden? So the federal government has to keep Ebola victims out of the public arena. That means no people from the epidemic area should be admitted to the USA, something Frieden opposes but is absolutely the correct thing to do. Not only flights, no admittance to any person holding passports from the Ebola epidemic areas. I have nothing personally against Dr. Frieden, but his performance has been awful and he has to go. The fact that the Obama administration continues to put this man in the spotlight will hurt the president of the United States."

Guests:James Carville & Andrea Tantaros
Democrat James Carville and Republican Andrea Tantaros reacted to the Talking Points Memo. "You say Frieden should step down," Tantaros objected, "and I understand your anger with him. But he is a doctor, he is not a crisis communications expert or a general. I don't think now is the time to switch horses. Move him out of the spotlight, but he does have valuable information. But I agree with you on the travel ban." Carville seconded Tantaros' contention that Frieden should not be fired right now. "He's well qualified, but he's not an expert in Ebola and he's not the most effective communicator. If people are worried about getting Ebola, they should worry about something else. The chances of a significant outbreak in this country is very remote."

Guest:Sara Nelson
For another perspective on the Ebola scare, The Factor welcomed Sara Nelson, head of a union that represents 42,000 flight attendants. "This is at the forefront of what flight attendants are thinking about as they are going to work," she said. "We're aviation's first responders, we are charged with the safety, health, and security of passengers in our care, and there is a risk that we could encounter the Ebola virus on board our aircraft. We know it's highly unlikely, but we need to look at every option to minimize the risk. We want to see universal precaution kits on every single flight." However, Nelson was non-committal when pressed about whether her union would endorse a travel ban from West African nations.

Guest:Ed Henry
Fox News White House correspondent Ed Henry reported on the president's stance toward CDC boss Dr. Tom Frieden. "The administration has been saying they have full confidence in Dr. Frieden," Henry began, "but in recent days they have gotten the signal, especially as we get closer to the mid-term elections. There is more pressure on the president to figure out who is really in charge, and the president has canceled all of his fundraising and campaign activity. They get it that this is a huge problem and his leadership is on the line." The Factor again called for a ban on travel from affected nations: "I have a spy in the White House who tells me that President Obama was furious yesterday in the Ebola meeting. The lack of a travel ban is absolutely the president's fault, you do what you can do to protect the public."

Guest:Bernie Goldberg
The Factor asked media analyst Bernie Goldberg to assess a new poll showing that most Americans feel coverage of the Ebola outbreak has been "appropriate." "The poll, like so many other things in our culture these days," Goldberg said, "has been infected with politics. If you're a fan of Barack Obama, I'm guessing that you are one of the people who say the coverage is 'sensationalized.' If you're not a fan of Barack Obama, you'll find the coverage 'appropriate.' Under this administration the CDC has been politicized - it is one of many American institutions that have been infected with politics under President Obama's administration. In a democracy like ours, certain institutions should be above politics."

Guest:Laura Ingraham
Radio talk show host Laura Ingraham tried to sort out the many conflicting accounts of the war against ISIS. "General Dempsey says we've been making gains and he maintains that we don't need boots on the ground," she reported. "However, we have a big problem right now in the town of Amiriyah Fallujah, which is 25 miles outside of Baghdad. It's reported that ISIS has besieged the town, and in Iraq the territory controlled by ISIS has not been diminished by American air strikes. So while there have been some gains in Syria, Iraq itself is very problematic." Ingraham contended that far too many government officials, even in the military, are evading or dissembling. "We need truth-tellers in Washington, we have enough political hacks. We need to hear people and think they are really working for the betterment of America and our security."

If you disagree with someone, hold your ground without getting angry, and always try to use a little humor to defuse any tension.

Brian Hutchens, Crescent City, CA: "Bill, I just emailed my Congressman demanding he support a travel ban. But he's a Democrat, so I might be wasting my time."

Dr. Christopher Passidomo, Stony Brook, NY: "Bill, I agree with you that Dr. Frieden is reciting talking points that have been given to him. If I gave the answer he gave on the travel ban, I would be told to consult a psychiatrist."