The Note: Trump Whiplash

ByABC News
August 12, 2016, 9:00 AM

— -- NOTABLES

--TRUMP EXPLAINS CALLING OBAMA THE 'FOUNDER OF ISIS' AS SARCASM: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump tweeted early this morning that he was being sarcastic when he called President Obama the "founder of ISIS," despite standing by the original comments multiple times over the past two days. Ratings challenged @CNN reports so seriously that I call President Obama (and Clinton) the founder of ISIS, & MVP, he tweeted. THEY DON'T GET SARCASM? More from ABCs RYAN STRUYK: http://abcn.ws/2bmQllp

--FLASHBACK (TO YESTERDAY) -- TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON CLAIMS THAT OBAMA AND CLINTON ARE 'FOUNDERS' OF ISIS: But just yesterday Trump doubled down on his attack against President Obama and Hillary Clinton, accusing them of being the founders of ISIS. I call President Obama and Hillary Clinton the founders of ISIS. They are the founders, Trump said at a National Association of Home Builders event in Miami Thursday morning, writes ABCs VERONICA STRACQUALURSI and ADAM KELSEY. In fact, I think we will give Hillary Clinton, you know, if you're on a sports team, most valuable player, MVP, Trump said. http://abcn.ws/2aVS93K

--WHAT THE CLINTON CAMP IS SAYING: It goes without saying that this is a false claim from a presidential candidate with an aversion to the truth and an unprecedented lack of knowledge, Jake Sullivan, the Clinton campaigns senior policy adviser, said in a statement.

--ANALYSIS -- ABCs RICK KLEIN: In the course of a few short weeks, Mike Pence has gone from explainer and defender to attacker and parser? Pence has started to go after the media, using, for example, the scrutiny of Donald Trump saying President Obama was the founder of ISIS to declare, Theyre so busy parsing every word Donald Trump said in the last 30 minutes theyve been ignoring what the Clintons have been doing for the last 30 years. (Really? The Clintons have been ignored by the media for 30 years?) But Pence has a running mate who resists even friendly attempts to parse his statements. Witness Hugh Hewitts failed attempt to get Trump to acknowledge that Obama didnt actually found ISIS: I dont care. He was the founder, Trump said. Hours later, Trump said he was being sarcastic. Trump and Pence can both complain about media coverage and scrutiny. Or they can choose to be precise in their language over the next 90 days.

 

THIS WEEK ON THIS WEEK: The Powerhouse Roundtable debates the week in politics with ABC News contributor LZ Granderson, ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl, National Review editor Rich Lowry, and USA Today senior political reporter Heidi Przybyla.

 

YESTERDAY ON THE TRAIL with ADAM KELSEY and ABCs VERONICA STRACQUALURSI

CLINTON BLASTS 'OUTLANDISH TRUMPIAN IDEAS' IN ECONOMIC SPEECH. Hillary Clinton took aim at Donald Trump's economic plan during her own address Thursday on her plans for the U.S. economy. She slammed his "outlandish Trumpian ideas that even republicans reject" and compared several of the policies that he presented during his economic speech earlier this week with her own proposals, note ABCs LIZ KREUTZ and MEGHAN KENEALLY. "I just wish my opponent in this election saw the same Michigan I do," she said at an event in Warren, Michigan. http://abcn.ws/2aZnCPz FACT-CHECKING CLINTONS SPEECH, courtesy of ABCs JOHN KRUZEL and NOAH FITZGEREL: http://abcn.ws/2aRfGBh

TRUMP SOUNDS THE ALARM, CITING 'TREMENDOUS PROBLEM' IN DEEP RED UTAH. Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump raised questions about his campaign during a speech in Florida yesterday, admitting he needs help in traditionally red Utah and calling for reinforcement in other crucial swing states. As polls continue to show the New York billionaires numbers slipping, Trump asked a group of religious leaders for their assistance. "[We're] having a tremendous problem in Utah. ABCs JOHN SANTUCCI and ADAM KELSEY have more: http://abcn.ws/2b9oFwP

FORMER GOP STAFFERS URGE RNC TO DROP TRUMP SUPPORT OR RISK DEMOCRATIC LANDSLIDE. Frustrated former Republican elected officials and party staffers are urging the Republican National Committee to stop supporting Donald Trump and instead focus all available resources on winning down-ballot races. In a draft letter with more than 70 signatories that is expected to be formally sent next week, they warn of "the catastrophic impact" they predict Trump's campaign will have on other Republicans who are running this year, reports ABCs MARY BRUCE. http://abcn.ws/2bbmVXW

WHAT TRUMP SUPPORTERS THINK ABOUT CLINTON -- IN THEIR OWN WORDS. It was midday in August in Daytona Beach, Florida, but the burdensome heat did nothing to suffocate the enthusiasm of the crowd gathered to see Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Retired Gen. Michael Flynn had warmed up audience members by calling Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton the "enemy camp." Then, in what's become a tradition since the Republican National Convention, chants of "Lock her up" echoed through the Ocean Center, notes ABCs CANDACE SMITH. http://abcn.ws/2b04hhh

IOWA GOP CONGRESSMAN CALLS HILLARY CLINTON 'SOMEBODY I CAN WORK WITH.' Conservative Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said Thursday he'd be able to work with Hillary Clinton behind closed doors. "When youre working outside of staff and outside of the press she is somebody I can work with," the congressman said in a speech at the Iowa State Fair, according to the Des Moines Register, notes ABCs BENJAMIN SIEGEL. http://abcn.ws/2aOPGYt

 

BY THE NUMBERS -- WITH BERNIE SANDERS OUT, YOUNG ADULTS SEE THIRD-PARTY APPEAL. With Bernie Sanders out of the presidential race, Hillary Clinton has moved to consolidate her support in his broad base of young voters. But much of that backing is grudging, with turnout an open question and support for third-party candidates posing a potential risk to Clinton. She easily leads Donald Trump among 18- to 29-year-old registered voters in the latest ABC News - Washington Post poll, 57-31 percent, making them her single best age group, ABCs SOFI SINOZICH reports. http://abcn.ws/2aVg1nT

 

POWERHOUSE POLITICS PODCAST -- WHY EVAN MCMULLIN SAYS TRUMP IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN ISIS. As a former CIA operative, independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin believes Donald Trump is a major threat to Americas national security, even saying in a speech earlier this year that he poses a larger threat to our national security than ISIS itself. McMullin took aim at the Republican presidential nominee on this weeks episode of the Powerhouse Politics podcast, saying that Trumps dangerous rhetoric is hurting U.S. counterterrorism efforts, ABCs LIZ STARK has more: http://abcn.ws/2b0qYSk

 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

PELOSI BLASTS DONALD TRUMP'S 'BIZARRE' RHETORIC: 'VERBAL POO-POO.' House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi had strong words for Donald Trump at a Thursday press conference, blasting his bizarre rhetoric, which she said is reminiscent of demagogues who want to be in the press no matter what they have to say, writes ABCs LIZ STARK and JOHN PARKINSON. They make their verbal poo-poo anyplace to get attention. This is a tactic. This is not an accident. This is a tactic. And here we are talking about it, Pelosi added when asked about Trumps latest comments calling President Obama the founder and Hillary Clinton the co-founder of ISIS. http://abcn.ws/2bkNjzb