The Note: The Anti-Trump Playbook

ByABC News
May 17, 2016, 8:53 AM

— -- NOTABLES

--TRUMP OPPONENTS RAMPING UP AD SPENDING: Opponents are ramping up their efforts to use Donald Trump's words about women, race and other topics against him. The real estate mogul's at-times controversial statements about women have already been featured in digital and television ads by candidates and outside groups, but now the money behind the efforts is being increased. ABCs MEGHAN KENEALLY and LIZ KREUTZ have more. One such group, Priorities USA, announced Monday it plans to spend additional millions of dollars in ad buys ahead of the next big multi-state primary day on June 7. http://abcn.ws/1Tdf8bP

--WHAT PRIORITIES IS SAYING: Donald Trump is a con-man: a divisive, dangerous, know-nothing who should never be President of the United States. His offensive, ignorant views of millions of Americans, especially women, would only further divide our country. His temperament and lack of judgment would put American lives at risk. Ultimately, Donald Trump is a cheat and a coward who won't prove his wealth and sense of fair play by releasing his taxes and will bankrupt all of us by wrecking our economy, Guy Cecil, Chief Strategist at Priorities USA, said in a statement along with the released of the new ads. WATCH the ads: https://youtu.be/JekzM26TF3Q and https://youtu.be/IkeLYDZdPSc

--ANALYSIS -- ABCs RICK KLEIN: Whats new in the anti-Trump playbook? Not much, at least so far as the first major wave of anti-Trump spending from Priorities USA, Hillary Clintons main super PAC. Two new ads, the start of a more than $100 million-promised blitz, use Trumps own words about women to attack him among, yes, women. The quotes in the ads are more familiar to those who paid attention to the long primary campaign than those who are just tuning in. But the fact of the ad push, while pro-Trump super PACs are still forming (and fighting for legitimacy), points to one Clinton advantage at this stage. Clinton allies have enough time, and are expecting enough resources, that they can try and fail a few times in efforts to define Trump. Trump forces cant do the same at least by traditional metrics. Trump, though, is already a master of this kind of asymmetrical warfare: He can use interviews, Tweets, and even facial expressions to push back as necessary.

 

YESTERDAY ON THE TRAIL with ABCs VERONICA STRACQUALURSI and PAOLA CHAVEZ

KASICH RULES OUT THIRD-PARTY RUN. Former GOP presidential candidate John Kasich said he would not run as a third-party candidate. "I just think running a third party doesn't feel right," he said in an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper that aired last night. ABCs CORINNE CATHCART reports, the Ohio governor said he had received a call asking him to consider a third-party run but that such a path would not be "constructive" or "appropriate." http://abcn.ws/1qovYXy

CLINTON SAYS NO BILL WONT SERVE IN HER CABINET. During a visit to the Lone Oak Little Castle diner in Paducah, Ky., Hillary Clinton was asked twice to expand on what Bill Clinton's role in the White House would be. ABCs LIZ KREUTZ reports, Clinton ignored it each time, but when asked if her husband would be in her Cabinet, she shook her head and mouthed, "No." When Clinton entered the diner, she told the crowded, smoky room that she had already told her husband (who, she said, would be the "first gentleman") that should she win in November, "I expect him to get to work." http://abcn.ws/1NvI24I

NOTED: CLINTON ACTS OUT A MOCK DEBATE WITH DONALD TRUMP. Clinton appeared to get pleasure in going after Trump on Monday as she mocked her likely future opponent for his debating skills while campaigning in Kentucky. "Lets just imagine Im on a debate stage with Donald Trump, the Democratic presidential candidate told a crowd of 400 in Bowling Green. "Now, personally, I am really looking forward to it, she added. Clinton then proceeded to re-enact how she imagines her debate with the reality TV star turned Republican presidential candidate would go down. ABCs LIZ KREUTZ has more. http://abcn.ws/1rQ28N3

5 OTHER FOREIGN LEADERS WHO HAVE SLAMMED DONALD TRUMP. The latest war of words between presumptive U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump and British Prime Minister David Cameron is not the first time the New York billionaire has been criticized by a foreign leader. ABCs MEGHAN KENEALLY notes some of the foreign leaders who couldnt hold their tongues. http://abcn.ws/1Ti50wy

NOTED: TRUMP ADVISER TO ATTEND FACEBOOK MEETING ON ALLEGED NEWS BIAS. Trump senior adviser Barry Bennett told ABC News that he will be representing Donald Trump at a meeting with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday with prominent conservative leaders in response to a recent report of Facebooks handling of conservative news stories, a campaign official said Monday. The meeting, scheduled to take place at Facebook headquarters, was convened by Zuckerberg in response to these allegations, ABCs KATHERINE FAULDERS reports. http://abcn.ws/1ZY7IaQ

SANDERS TAKES HIS ANTI-WALL STREET MESSAGE TO PUERTO RICO. Though he apologized repeatedly Monday morning for his lack of Spanish skills, Bernie Sanders told an audience in Puerto Rico, If elected president of the United States, you will have an ally in the Oval Office. During a packed day of campaigning on the island before the Democratic primary there in three weeks, Sanders barely mentioned his rival Hillary Clinton, ABCs MARYALICE PARKS notes. Instead, he tailored his core message about Wall Street greed to apply specifically to the debt crisis in the territory. Puerto Rico defaulted on millions in debt payments this month and will likely default on more unless Congress acts soon. Last year -- and again this month -- Puerto Rico missed a series of bond payments and has defaulted on previous debt obligations.

NOTED: WHY BERNIE SANDERS IS GOING ALL IN FOR NATIVE AMERICANS. From Minnesota to California, Sanders has met privately with Native American leaders from dozens of tribes in the past four months and spoken publicly, at each of his campaign stops, about the hardships their communities face. His effort has not gone unnoticed, especially in the remaining primary states out West, where Natives for Bernie has become a visible and vocal part of the senators coalition. http://abcn.ws/1TVWkKT

 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

TRUMP SON-IN-LAW EMERGES AS QUIET CAMPAIGN FORCE. Some of Donald Trumps children have worked openly in behalf of his Republican presidential campaign, but another key member of the clan has played a more behind-the-scenes role: son-in-law Jared Kushner. Kushner's name regularly comes up during Trump's campaign speeches, with Trumps praising daughter Ivankas husband as, among other things, "amazing" on Super Tuesday, "fantastic" during a CNN town hall in Wisconsin and "a very, very successful real estate man" in New Hampshire. But unlike Trumps sons wives, ABCs MEGHAN KENEALLY writes, Kushner, 35, appears to play a prominent role in helping Trump formulate policy positions and campaign strategy. http://abcn.ws/1R3ZHLs

 

WHOS TWEETING?

@SenScottBrown: Great read by @ColinTReed today in the #BostonHerald. http://bit.ly/1XwG1at

@eliseviebeck: NEW: Koch network pushes back against idea of retreat, plants to spend $42 million on Senate ads through Sept http://wpo.st/ypAa1 

@JakeSherman: important @ShaneGoldmacher story. Trump boasts of expanding party. It's not true. Most voted in previous gen elex http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/05/donald-trump-2016-polling-turnout-early-voting-data-213897 

@sabrinasingh24: A powerful piece from former PA GOP Gov @RidgeGlobal "Why I Won't Vote for Trump" http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2016-05-17/republican-tom-ridge-why-i-wont-vote-for-trump-or-clinton  cc @PatToomey

@CNNPolitics: Conservatives in a secretive group "slow walk" Trump support http://cnn.it/25ae6CV  via @jaketapper & @StCollinson