The Note: Top Political Stories of the Day
— -- COUNTDOWN TO ELECTION DAY: 13 days
Trump Says He’ll Teach Military Expert ‘a Couple Things’ About Mosul. Donald Trump went on the offensive against military expert and former dean of the Army War College, Jeff McCausland, who said the GOP nominee’s comments this weekend about the battle to reclaim Mosul show he doesn’t have a firm grasp on military strategy. “You can tell your military expert that I'll sit down and I'll teach him a couple of things,” Trump told ABC’s GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS in an exclusive interview. On Sunday, Trump tweeted the ongoing offensive against the ISIS stronghold of Mosul is turning out to be a “total disaster.” Trump doubled down on his assertion that the element of surprise is an important military strategy. ABC’s NICKI ROSSOLL has more. http://abcn.ws/2dXXw3o
Trump Plans to Spend More on His Campaign in Final 2 Weeks. The GOP candidate is willing to pour millions of dollars more into his campaign, he told ABC’s GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS. Trump’s comments come amid reports that the campaign has stopped holding big-donor fundraisers and has no plans to hold new events between now and the election. "I mean, look, I'm going to be in for over $100 million," Trump said. ABC’s MEGHAN KENEALLY has more: http://abcn.ws/2dJ6naQ
Trump Slams Clinton for Taking Time Off for Adele Concert. Donald Trump today blasted his critics for complaining that he is tending to business matters rather than his presidential campaign, arguing that Hillary Clinton takes time off the trail for less important matters. “I built one of the great hotels of the world. What am I supposed to do, not show up? I'm taking one hour off. I'm going to North Carolina right after this…,” Trump said in an exclusive interview with ABC’s GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS from inside his new Washington, D.C., hotel. “I think it's so unfair because, you know, Hillary Clinton goes to see an Adele concert last night, and everybody says, ‘Oh, wasn't that nice. Isn't that wonderful?’” Trump said, ABC’s MEGHAN KENEALLY writes. http://abcn.ws/2eRT8AK
Trump Mixes Corporate With Campaign. Trump today blasted his critics for complaining that he is tending to business matters rather than his presidential campaign, arguing that Hillary Clinton takes time off the trail for less important matters. “I built one of the great hotels of the world. What am I supposed to do, not show up? I'm taking one hour off. I'm going to North Carolina right after this…,” Trump told STEPHANOPOULOS from inside his new Washington, D.C., hotel. “I think it's so unfair because, you know, Hillary Clinton goes to see an Adele concert last night, and everybody says, ‘Oh, wasn't that nice. Isn't that wonderful,’” Trump said. More from ABC’s MEGHAN KENEALLY: http://abcn.ws/2eRT8AK
TALES FROM THE TRAIL
ABC’s LIZ KREUTZ: The purpose of Clinton's rally in Tampa, Florida today: To troll Donald Trump. The Democratic nominee campaigned with Jose Andres -- the well-known chef who pulled out of a restaurant deal at Trump's DC hotel due to his differing political views with the GOP nominee. Andres, a Clinton supporter and immigrant from Spain who became a citizen three years ago, gave remarks ahead of Clinton where he talked about why he pulled out of Trump's hotel. "Today was a perfect time to have Jose be with us because, as I said, Donald Trump is taking time off the campaign trail to officially open the hotel. And yesterday here in Florida he took time out to invite the press to listen to his employees talk about what a great boss he is while he was watching and listening to them. And today in opening that hotel, I think it's important to note that he once again relied on undocumented workers. The same people he has been insulting and demonizing throughout this campaign.”
ABC’s CANDACE SMITH: At the grand opening of Trump International in Washington, DC, Trump commented publicly on the Megyn Kelly-Newt Gingrich feud from last night, in which Gingrich told Kelly she was obsessed with sex. “She wants to withdraw that statement so badly Newt,” Trump said (Gingrich was at the event). “By the way congratulations, Newt, on last night. That was an amazing interview….We don’t play games Newt, right we don’t play games.”
ABC’s JESSICA HOPPER: At a rally in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Tim Kaine had a sharp line hitting Donald Trump on his decision to visit his hotel this morning. "Last thing about Donald. He’s down today doing an opening of his new hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue and that’s going to be the only thing where he’s going to be able to stay on Pennsylvania Avenue. I’m gonna tell you that,” Kaine said. The trail seems to be getting the best of Kaine. His sore throat has gotten much worse but he made light of it. "You can hear how my voice is shot. I’ve been on this campaign for 95 days. Hillary has been on this campaign for darn near 2 years. She has got the stamina and the energy and the courage to do this job. And I can give firsthand testimony to that,” Kaine said.
ABC’s INES DE LA CUETARA: Mike Pence campaigning in Reno, Nevada touted the fact that Trump had finished his new DC hotel ahead of schedule and under budget. “He said to me, ‘Mike we finished that hotel in our nation’s capital on time--ahead of schedule and under budget actually.’ I said, ‘Well that’s probably the first time anything’s been built in Washington D.C. in 100 years that was under budget and ahead of schedule,’” Pence said. Pence also said Clinton may have the media, the money, and the special interest on her side but that Trump has a "secret weapon"-- "a basket of the American people who are ready for change."
AD ROUNDUP with ABC’s SHUSHANNAH WALSHE
Priorities and Emily’s List Digital Ad Features James Franco. The pro-Clinton super PAC, Priorities USA, and Emily’s List released a new digital ad today featuring actor James Franco. The funny ad is a take on the Dos Equis "Most Interesting Man in the World' series. At the end, Franco explains why Clinton is the “most interesting woman in the world” and says to “vote wisely.” They say it is a million dollar ad campaign targeting millennial voters in Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. It will run on Facebook, Instagram, Pandora, mobile and desktop pre-roll. WATCH: http://bit.ly/2eGlGAL
Clinton Campaign Launches Two ‘Closing Argument’ TV Ads. The Clinton campaign unveiled two new ads today -- one narrated by Morgan Freeman -- that they say show their "closing argument" of the campaign. The first titled “Families First” is Clinton talking about her passion for fighting for families and children. WATCH: http://bit.ly/2dXmBLO The second is a one minute ad titled “Example” and narrated by Morgan Freeman contrasts Clinton and Trump: WATCH: http://bit.ly/2dW02ac Both ads will air as part of an already existing ad buy in the states of Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania along with national cable.
RYAN’S POLLING ROUNDUP:
New polling today gives a broad spectrum of results in the presidential race, ABC’s RYAN STRUYK reports. A new Fox News poll shows Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump within the margin of error, 44 percent vs. 41 percent. Our new ABC News tracking poll shows Clinton with a 9-point lead. But a new poll from AP-GfK shows Clinton with a broad 14-point lead, 51 percent vs. 37 percent. New polls from CNN/ORC today show a tie at 45 percent in Nevada and Clinton leading by 9 points in New Hampshire. The two candidates are within the margin of error in Florida: Trump at 45 percent and Clinton at 43 percent in a Bloomberg Politics poll.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"I get asked on a regular basis, 'Boy, why aren't you running this year?' I ask myself that a lot too. But I did that once,” -- Mitt Romney during a speech at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC today. More on that speech from ABC’s MARGARET CHADBOURN: http://abcn.ws/2eH0DxT
HAPPENING TONIGHT (all times Eastern):
--7 PM - Donald Trump holds his second rally of the day in Kinston, North Carolina.
--8 PM - Independent candidate Gary Johnson holds a rally in Rapid City, South Dakota.
--9 PM - Mike Pence campaigns in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR TOMORROW:
Hillary Clinton is joined on the campaign trail by first lady Michelle Obama, who has been an effective surrogate the Clinton campaign. Donald Trump holds three rallies in the important battleground state of Ohio each three hours apart.
WHO’S TWEETING?
@ryanstruyk: At least 12,512,437 votes have been cast in the presidential election so far, per new @AP data out this afternoon.
@SopanDeb: !! Trump: "By the way, congratulations Newt, last night, that was an amazing interview."
@ABCLiz: Hillary Clinton will hold her Election Night party at the Javits Center in NYC, per @jmpalmieri. (The space, notably, has a glass ceiling!)
@joshbhaskell: Khzir Khan talks DNC "Would I do it all over again? A million times again again again again and until this political rhetoric is wiped away"
@CandaceSmith_: Trump turns again to old foe to hit HRC "Turns out she has less energy than @JebBush . The reason I bring him up he didn't sign the pledge"