Welcome to meet the press. Now, I'm Chuck Todd. So with 11 days to go until Election Day,

we would have loved to begin our show with the state of the race, who's campaigning where,

which races are tightening, and how will these final days of the campaign play out?

But that's not our lead story. Instead, we begin with the violent assault at the home of the most

powerful member of Congress, who also is second in line to the presidency. Police in San Francisco

say a man broke into the San Francisco home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi this morning and attacked

her husband, Paul, with a hammer.

Two sources tell NBC News that the suspect was searching the home for the House Speaker

shouting, where is Nancy before the attack? With a family member telling NBC News he was trying to tie

Paul Pelosi up until the House Speaker got home. That suspect, who authorities identified as 42-year-old David DePape, is now in custody.

Paul Pelosi was transported to the hospital as a result of the attack.

A family member tells us he's undergoing surgery right now after being hit in the head multiple

times in the attack.

This afternoon, San Francisco's police chief described part of the incident.

Our officers observed Mr. Pelosi and the suspect both holding a hammer.

The suspect pulled the hammer away from Ms. Pelosi and violently assaulted him with it.

Our officers immediately tackled the suspect, disarmed him, took him into custody,

requested emergency backup, and rendered medical aid. The motive for this attack is still being determined.

My colleague Tom Winter has some new reporting on motive that we're going to get to in just a minute,

as well as more information on the suspect's background.

Speaker Pelosi herself was actually here in Washington, D.C. at the time of the incident,

with her own protective detail. But a family member says she is now headed to San Francisco

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