The Note: Where Does Jeb Go From Here?
— -- NOTABLES
--JEB BUSH SAYS HIS CAMPAIGN IS 'NOT ON LIFE SUPPORT': After high hopes for a strong performance in Wednesday's debate, Jeb Bush allowed himself to be bested by his former protege, Sen. Marco Rubio. Thursday, in his first post-debate appearance, he maintained that his campaign is not on its last leg. "It's not on life support," he said of his campaign. "We have the most money, we have the greatest organization. We're doing fine," ABC's CANDACE SMITH reports. http://abcn.ws/1P0BB8T
--HOW MARCO RUBIO GRABBED THE SPOTLIGHT AND 6 OTHER TAKEAWAYS FROM THE DEBATE: The third Republican debate may have been the most consequential so far. With almost half of the candidates on stage at the tipping point between being a top contender or fading back into the pack, the stakes were high. ABC's RYAN STRUYK and SHUSHANNAH WALSHE have more: http://abcn.ws/1PTqAGr
--ANALYSIS -- ABC's RICK KLEIN: Jeb Bush's problem is not a flat attack on Marco Rubio, or even a news cycle or three obsessed with the question of whether his campaign can continue. It's not about his record, or even about stray quotes regarding "life support." Jeb Bush's problem from here is finding a plausible path to the nomination, out of the chaos of this field in this anti-establishment environment. Like everyone else, he was surprised by the surge of Donald Trump and Ben Carson. He was never going to play in the Ted Cruz/Mike Huckabee/Rick Santorum evangelical space, and Bushes are no tea party or libertarian darlings. But he's now finding his own wheelhouse crowded -- with John Kasich and Chris Christie plausible establishment alternatives. That's aside, of course, from Rubio -- symbolically and substantively the single biggest threat to the idea of a Bush nomination in 2016. The "joy" in Jeb's heart has to translate into something that comes through on the trail. Mostly, though, Bush needs to show he can win -- an unthinkable predicament for the best-funded candidate in the race.
--BILL DE BLASIO ENDORSES HILLARY: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, appearing today on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," said he's backing Hillary Clinton for president in 2016, ABC's VERONICA STRACQUALURSI reports. The former campaign manager for Clinton's 2000 bid for Senate said he believes she is the best candidate to fight income inequality. "I've seen her vision and platform develop over five months and I'm extremely pleased with what she's put on the table, and has a history of fighting issues," de Blasio said, adding he will "absolutely" campaign for her and do so "enthusiastically." http://abcn.ws/1NEMBpn
THIS WEEK on "THIS WEEK": The Powerhouse Roundtable debates the week in politics, with Republican Strategist and CNBC contributor Sara Fagen, CNN political commentator Van Jones, host of the "The Hugh Hewitt Show," Hugh Hewitt, and TIME political columnist Joe Klein, author of "Charlie Mike."
TODAY ON THE TRAIL with ABC's SHUSHANNAH WALSHE: Hillary Clinton is in the South speaking first this afternoon at the Ministers Luncheon of the 16th Annual Creating Opportunity Conference in Atlanta. Jeb Bush is also in the South stopping this evening at the Charlotte County Tailgate in Punta Gorga. It's a busy day in the first two voting states, but especially in Iowa where Carly Fiorina, Marco Rubio, Chris Christie, Rick Santorum, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, and even Martin O'Malley are all today. This evening there is a big Republican gathering in Orange City. Fiorina, Rubio, Christie, and Santorum will all attend the Northwest GOP rally tonight. Bernie Sanders and Lindsey Graham are in New Hampshire. This afternoon Sanders meets with seniors in Manchester followed by a stop at one of his field offices and phone banks in Nashua.
THE BUZZ
with ABC's VERONICA STRACQUALURSI and PAOLA CHAVEZ
HILLARY CLINTON ROLLS OUT NEXT PHASE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM PLAN. During a campaign stop in Atlanta today, Hillary Clinton will unveil more of her criminal justice agenda, which will include calling for an end to racial profiling and for fairer sentencing for crack cocaine use, according to an aide. The release of Clinton's plans comes just three weeks after Clinton held a closed-door meeting with Black Lives Matter activists in Washington, DC. During that meeting, the activists discussed policies that they wanted Clinton to incorporate into her agenda, including an end to private prisons and immigration detention centers. Today, during her remarks at a luncheon with Rev. Jesse Jackson and a subsequent campaign rally in downtown Atlanta, Clinton will lay out two initial parts of her broader plan, according to ABC's LIZ KREUTZ. She will call for eliminating the sentencing disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine use, and she will call for a federal, state, and local ban on racial profiling as a method of law enforcement.
BIDEN AND BERNIE MEET PRIVATELY. Vice President Joe Biden -- who recently said that he would not run in 2016 -- met privately with Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders Thursday. During a one hour conversation at the Vice President's residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington D.C., the two former colleagues discussed campaign finance reform and a free education plan. "I look forward to working with President Obama and Vice President Biden to tackle some of the major issues facing our country," Sanders said in a statement to ABC News. The two men decided to meet the day Biden announced he would not run in 2016, Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs said, ABC's ARLETTE SAENZ and MARYALICE PARKS report. Sanders did not ask Biden for his endorsement in the Democratic primary. Biden has not indicated whether he will or won't endorse during the primary, but he has said he won't stay silent during the campaign. http://abcn.ws/1M0qpmK
MARCO RUBIO TAKES THE HIGH ROAD AFTER GETTING THE BEST OF JEB BUSH IN DEBATE. The tension between Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio had been building up for weeks now, but when Bush finally came after his former protege at Wednesday night's GOP debate, the Florida senator was prepared. "The only reason you're [attacking me] now is because we're running for the same position," Rubio told the former Florida governor. "Someone convinced you attacking me is going to help you. Here's the bottom line: My campaign is going to be about the future of America. It's not going to be about attacking anyone else on this stage." ABC's INES DE LA CUETARA notes over the course of his campaign, Rubio has refused to bash other Republican candidates. http://abcn.ws/1XBY8KH
DONALD TRUMP SAYS HE THINKS OBAMA 'HATES ISRAEL'. Fresh off his third debate, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump took a shot at President Obama, saying that he thinks the commander in chief "hates Israel." Trump made the remarks yesterday before a crowd of 4,000 in Nevada --- his second trip to the state. A person in the crowd shouted "Israel" trying to get Trump's attention. "I heard the beautiful name of Israel," Trump said. He vowed to protect the country, adding "Israel is safe with this one," pointing to himself. But he took a swipe at the president on the issue, saying that the Iran deal "is so bad for Israel, so dangerous." ABC's JOHN SANTUCCI has more. http://abcn.ws/1OaXBh5
ON THE HILL:
--NEW HOUSE SPEAKER PAUL RYAN PLEDGES TO FIX 'BROKEN' HOUSE. New Speaker Paul Ryan pledged Thursday to fix the "broken" House of Representatives after winning the leadership election, promising to work with rank-and-file members, committee chairs and Democrats to legislate in the lower chamber, ABC'S BENJAMIN SIEGEL reports. "The House is broken," the Wisconsin Republican said. "We're not solving problems. We're adding to them." Ryan, a former chairman of the House Budget and Ways and Means Committees, said committees "should retake the lead" in drafting legislation, and encouraged all members to contribute. http://abcn.ws/1P0fYFR
--WHAT WE'LL MISS ABOUT JOHN BOEHNER. The 'Boehner Birthday Song' is just one of the things Congress will lose when House Speaker John Boehner retires. WATCH: http://abcn.ws/1M0TQVG
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
'HILLARY KITTEN' AND 'CARLY FELINEORINA' AVAILABLE FOR ON-DEMAND CUDDLE SESSIONS WEDNESDAY. Anyone waiting for the claws to come out between Hillary Clinton and Carly Fiorina in the presidential election needs to look no further than "Hillary Kitten" and "Carly Felineorina," two "pawlitician" copycats available for on demand "cuddle sessions" in Washington, D.C., Thursday through Uber's #UberKITTEN event. These D.C.-based kittens weren't up for election but, through their participation in Thursday's Uber event, they were up for adoption. ABC's JORDYN PHELPS has more. http://abcn.ws/1WllW2X
WHO'S TWEETING?
@BrendanBuck: Start your morning right with this short vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnDK3UgHDSI&feature=youtu.be ...
@amychozick: Must read by birthday girl @maggieNYT: Hillary Clinton Seeks to Recapture Spirit of 2000 Campaign http://nyti.ms/1OclftH
@JillDLawrence: GOP "disarray" on Hill & WH race looks like transition to new generation. Should Dems be nervous? New column @ajam http://bit.ly/1M0WoTZ
@washingtonpost: Bernie Sanders has a pretty revolutionary idea to change America's post offices http://wapo.st/1GOeATU
@markknoller: The House passed the budget bill Wed by 266-167. Senate voted final passage at 3am today 64-35. Trick or treat, depending on your view.
