The Note: Top Political Stories of the Day
— -- COUNTDOWN TO ELECTION DAY: 12 days
Clinton Campaigns With Michelle Obama. Michelle Obama in her first joint campaign appearance with Hillary Clinton began on a personal note. "I just want to take this moment publicly to thank Hillary," Obama said after giving Clinton a hug on stage at a rally in North Carolina to encourage early voting. "It takes a level of generosity of spirit to do what Hillary has done in her career and her life for our family, for this nation," Obama told the crowd of more than 11,000 at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem. In her speech today, Obama ripped what she called Trump's "vision that's grounded in hopelessness and despair ... This candidate calls on us to turn against each other, to build walls, to be afraid. And then there's Hillary's vision for this country." ABC’s ARLETTE SAENZ, JOSH HASKELL and LIZ KREUTZ have more. http://abcn.ws/2dLFJxW
Trump Dismisses Michelle Obama’s Barbs as Part of ‘the Game.’ Michelle Obama continued her criticisms of Donald Trump today in her first joint campaign appearance with Hillary Clinton, but the Republican presidential nominee appears to be unfazed by such attacks. "Look, what is she going to say? Is she going to say I'm fantastic?" Trump said in an interview with ABC’s GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS. "Look, she's the first lady. She's got to say what she's got to say. I mean, I understand that. That's the game.” http://abcn.ws/2fk0cdE
Aide Said He Was Running 'Bill Clinton, Inc.' in New WikiLeaks Dump. A 12-page memo written by a former aide to President Bill Clinton illustrates how he and other advisers raised millions of dollars for the Clinton Foundation and the Clintons after they left the White House, according to a new batch of emails released by WikiLeaks. The purported memo from Doug Band details how he and his team locked in lucrative speaking deals for Bill Clinton and how Band leveraged his work at his global consulting firm, Teneo Strategies, to persuade clients to contribute to the Clinton Foundation. Band described his work as running "Bill Clinton Inc." "We also have solicited and obtained, as appropriate, in-kind services for the president and his family - for personal travel, hospitality, vacation and the like," Band allegedly said in the document. ABC News has not determined the authenticity of the emails published by WikiLeaks. ABC’s MARYALICE PARKS and RYAN STRUYK have more. http://abcn.ws/2faZvUF
TALES FROM THE TRAIL
ABC’s JOHN SANTUCCI and CANDACE SMITH: In his second rally of the day, Donald Trump, after being an hour and a half late, had some fun with his audience, joking throughout his remarks. Trump questioned why an election was even being held, saying that Hillary Clinton’s policies are “so bad.” "In just thinking to myself right now, we should just cancel the election and just give it to Trump right?" Trump said. "Why are we even having it for? What are we having it for? Her policies are so bad, boy do we have a big difference.” http://abcn.ws/2eAK6evABC’s INES DE LA CUETARA: Mike Pence’s plane was grounded for an hour in Ft Dodge Regional Airport by air traffic control at LaGuardia Airport so Pence and his team killed 20 minutes by tossing a football on the tarmac. WATCH: http://bit.ly/2eKBWhm
ABC’s JESSICA HOPPER: At a rally in a high school gym in Lorain, Ohio, Sen. Tim Kaine used the words of Ohio’s governor to blast Trump’s rigged election claims. "And Donald Trump is just trashing that notion, how going around just saying that the election will be rigged right. John Kasich said that's a big fat lie. I quote your governor, “That's a big fat lie,” Kaine said. Kaine also brought up Trump’s use of Chinese Steel and tailored it to his audience. "He's building his hotels, he could buy steel from Ohio or Pennsylvania but he is buying steel and aluminum from China.”
ABC’s BENJAMIN SIEGEL: In what appears to be a first, House Republicans' official campaign committee has cut an ad touting a member's opposition to the Republican Party's presidential nominee. National Review reports that the National Republican Congressional Committee has released an ad for Rep. Bob Dold, R-Illinois, calling him an "independent voice who stood up to Donald Trump months ago," while knocking his opponent for voting along party lines. Dold's Chicagoland district votes Democratic every other cycle, so he's almost certain to lose to former Rep. Brad Schneider. WATCH: http://bit.ly/2egdvHS
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Seriously, is there anyone more inspiring than Michelle Obama? And maybe it's especially meaningful to me because I do know something about being first lady of the United States.” –Hillary Clinton campaigning with Michelle Obama
HAPPENING TONIGHT (all times Eastern):
--7 PM - Donald Trump campaigns in Geneva, Ohio, his third and final stop for today. Trump was running late to his second event in Toledo that wrapped around 6 p.m., so he may be behind schedule.
--7 PM - Independent candidate Gary Johnson holds a rally in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
WHO’S TWEETING?
@JTSantucci: Trump says at first he did not like the phrase #DrainTheSwamp - he said now he does calling it a "really hot" phrase
@ABCLiz: For two people who have been rumored not to get along, HRC & FLOTUS did not show it. Both spent their entire speeches gushing abt each other
@Evan_McMullin: I'm disappointed by Utah Reps. Chaffetz & Stewart's Trump support after they claimed to be so appalled by his abuse of women two weeks ago.
@KellyannePolls: Sure, the Clinton Foundation has done good work. But it's best work seemed to be for Bill Clinton. $$$$$$
@dmartosko: In Toledo, Trump detoured into more urban policy talk, and said: "We're going to work on our ghettos." I've never heard him use that word.