The Note: Top Political Stories of the Day

— -- COUNTDOWN TO ELECTION DAY: 26 days

Trump Calls Sexual Assault Allegations 'Outright Lies.' At a campaign event in West Palm Beach, Florida.Trump emphatically denied allegations today that he sexually assaulted women, calling the claims “preposterous, ludicrous and defy truth, common sense and logic.” Trump said he has “substantial evidence to dispute these lies” and said he would make them “public in an appropriate way and at an appropriate time, very soon.” ABC’s VERONICA STRACQUALURSI and ADAM KELSEY have more: http://abcn.ws/2eb2tmz

New York Times Responds to Trump's Threat of Lawsuit. The Times is refusing to concede to the demands from Trump’s lawyers to take down an article in which two women claim to have been inappropriately touched by Trump.” Nothing in our article has had the slightest effect on the reputation that Mr. Trump, through his own words and actions, has already created for himself," the letter reads.” ABC’s MEGHAN KENEALLY reports on how the news organization is responding: http://abcn.ws/2e14sO6

Michelle Obama Slams Trump's Treatment of Women. Stumping for Hillary Clinton today in New Hampshire, first lady Michelle Obama said the revelations over the last week about Trump’s treatment of women have “shaken me to my core.” “This is not something that we can ignore. It’s not something we can just sweep under the rug as just another disturbing footnote in a sad election season, because this was not just a lewd conversation,” Obama said. “This wasn’t locker room banter.” ABC’s JORDYN PHELPS has more on Obama’s rally in New Hampshire: http://abcn.ws/2ebGRI2

Ivanka Trump Ignores Sexual Assault Claims Against Her Father on Campaign Trail. At two consecutive campaign stops in Pennsylvania today, Ivanka Trump, the daughter of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, kept the focus on her view of her father as a “mentor,” declining to address the sexual assault allegations made against him in the past 24 hours. ABC’s ADAM KELSEY and MARYALICE PARKS have more: http://abcn.ws/2ewogcQ

TALES FROM THE TRAIL

ABC’s JESSICA HOPPER: In an appearance on ABC’s “The View,” Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine discussed the accusations by a growing number of women alleging that Trump inappropriately touched or kissed them, calling the accusations “shocking,” but not surprising. While dishing with the ladies of “The View,” Kaine was also asked about his reaction to Trump using Bill Clinton’s past infidelity as an issue in the 2016 election. "Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are the two on the ballot. I mean, that's the relevant comparison,” Kaine said. http://abcn.ws/2ebs6Un

ABC’s SERENA MARSHALL: A relaxed Joe Biden with his coat off and sleeves rolled up told a campaign rally in Las Vegas to make sure they vote this election, “even though we know this guy so shot himself in the foot.” Campaigning for Hillary Clinton and U.S. Senate candidate Catherine Cortez Masto, Biden told the audience he’s seen elections decided by “a handful of votes” and that “we have underestimated every step of the way this guy.” Biden called abuse of power reprehensible and that he’s “tired of new politicians who want to go to Washington to demean women. I really mean it. I mean it sincerely.” “No one doubts what I say. The problem is I sometimes say all that I mean,” he added. “(that’s the) Textbook definition of sexual assault…talking about trump obviously...”

ABC’s MATTHEW CLAIBORNE: President Clinton gave a shout out to Bob Dylan for his Nobel Prize and used it as a way to promote his message of “answers over anger”. The former president quite bluntly stated, “If you want to make this about dividing and distracting then you can vote for that other campaign.” “This candidate- this election is simple. You think anger is better than answers? Then she’s not your candidate,” said Clinton. He also mentioned Hillary Clinton’s debate performances and said she did well “in the middle of so much muck and mire” saying that the Trump campaign is in the business of demonizing, dividing and distracting. He urged the crowd, “Don’t you give up on America. And don’t get dragged into the negativity of this race.”

AD ROUNDUP with ABC’s SHUSHANNAH WALSHE and BENJAMIN SIEGEL

Dems in House Races Use Trump in Ads. The first ads are up from Democrats tying Republicans to Trump's hot-mic comments over the weekend. "Mike Gallagher still says we have to support Donald Trump. No, we don't. We don't have to support Mike Gallagher either," says the narrator in Tom Nelson's new ad in Wisconsin against Mike Gallagher, a former Marine and Senate aide running for an open seat. The spot, which is running in Green Bay, features prominently features Trump's 2005 audio/video. Following that ad, Democrats have launched ads in Minnesota, Pennsylvania and California. Three of those four races are against GOP incumbents, the kind of members who could lose their seats in a wave election. Democrats need four seats to win the Senate if Clinton wins, and 30 seats in the House to take back the lower chamber -- which Republicans now worry could be in play.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"It makes you want to unplug the internet or just look at cat gifs. Believe me I get it. In the last few weeks I’ve watched a lot of cats do a lot of weird and interesting things." - Hillary Clinton at a fundraiser in San Francisco speaking about Donald Trump’s rhetoric

HAPPENING TONIGHT (all times Eastern):

--7:00 PM - ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl will moderate a U.S. Senate debate in the battleground state of North Carolina critical in the fight for control of the Senate. Tonight, Richard Burr (R) will debate Deborah Ross (D) at UNC-TV, North Carolina Public Media studios in Durham, sponsored by the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Educational Foundation. The hour-long debate will air at 7:00 p.m. ET on ABC affiliates throughout North Carolina, UNC-TV and other local television and radio stations. ABC News will live stream the debates live at www.abcnews.com/live

--7:00 PM - Mike Pence speaks at a Northhampton County GOP event in Bethlehem, PA

--7:15 PM - Bill Clinton hosts an early vote event in Davenport, Iowa.

--7:30 PM - Trump campaigns in Cincinnati, Ohio, a key battleground state.

--7: 45 PM - President Obama campaigns for Hillary Clinton in Columbus, Ohio.

WHO’S TWEETING?