The Note: A Weekend Of Attacks On The Trail
— -- NOTABLES
-- HILLARY CLINTON CALLS OUT GOP CLIMATE CHANGE DENIERS: Hillary Clinton yesterday attacked the Republican presidential contenders who deny "the settled science of climate change" and laid out two renewable power goals in a new video that outlines part of her plan to tackle global warming, ABC's LIZ KREUTZ reports. "It's hard to believe there are people running for president who still refuse to accept the settled science of climate change, who would rather remind us they're not scientists than listen to those who are," Clinton narrates over a graphic that shows quotes from Republican presidential candidates, including Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, and Donald Trump. "You don't have to be scientist to take on this urgent challenge that threatens us all. You just have to be willing to act," she continues.
--DONALD TRUMP ON SCOTT WALKER: 'FINALLY, I CAN ATTACK': Donald Trump came under fire all week for questioning John McCain's status as a war hero and for giving out Lindsey Graham's personal cell phone number, but over the weekend he might have found a couple of safe targets for his attacks: GOP rival Scott Walker and the scandal swirling around Hillary Clinton and her email, ABC's JESSICA HOPPER notes. "I don't know how a person with that cloud over their head could be running for president," Trump said of Hillary Clinton, the Democratic frontrunner in the race for the White House. Moving onto Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. He said that the state of Wisconsin is doing "terribly" and accused Walker of being a flip-flopper: "He was totally in favor of Common Core," Trump said. "Scott Walker changed when he saw he was getting creamed." Trump said he was retaliating for nasty comments made by a Walker fundraiser. "I read this horrible statement from his fundraiser guy about Trump, and I say, 'Finally, I can attack. Finally,'" Trump said. http://abcn.ws/1JmHUQy
--ATTORNEY GENERAL FACES POTENTIAL MINEFIELD WITH HILLARY CLINTON EMAIL INVESTIGATION: The latest controversy over Hillary Clinton's use of a personal email system while secretary of state is not only a possible drag on her presidential campaign, but it also creates a potential headache for Attorney General Loretta Lynch, ABC's MIKE LEVINE and PIERRE THOMAS report. The inspectors general for the State Department and intelligence community on Friday disclosed that an internal review of Clinton's system concluded some emails contained classified information and that the inspectors general had sent a non-criminal "referral" to the Justice Department over the matter. Lynch and her department must now determine what to do next -- including whether to open a criminal investigation -- and whatever she decides will be under intense scrutiny, especially by Republicans on Capitol Hill. "We have recently received some referrals...as we receive referrals on any number of things," Lynch told ABC News' Pierre Thomas in an exclusive interview. "We review them and we'll determine what particular steps, if any, we need to take." http://abcn.ws/1KsgKta
--ANALYSIS -- ABC's RICK KLEIN: The demise of the Iowa straw poll robbed us of the main midsummer winnowing contest in the Republican race. But another has emerged -- setting up what could be the most exciting and chaotic 10-day stretch of the campaign this calendar year. The scramble to secure one of the 10 invitations to the first GOP presidential debate has Rand Paul torching the federal tax code, Lindsey Graham pulverizing flip phones, Rick Perry identifying a certain "cancer" in his party, and Chris Christie spending a quarter-million dollars in July. Getting noticed matters; it may even explain why Mike Huckabee is doubling down with his comment that the Iran deal is marching Israelis "to the door of the oven." Never before has registering in the top X in polling mattered as much as it will during this stretch. With the differences narrow -- literally dozens of poll respondents could win someone a ticket -- attempts to grab even a little attention will be noteworthy.
FIVETHIRTYEIGHT IN THE NOTE
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH RAND PAUL'S CAMPAIGN?" From FiveThirtyEight's HARRY ENTEN: "Something is awry at the Rand Paul campaign. The main super PAC supporting his presidential bid raised just $3.1 million in the first half of 2015, about $100 million less than Right to Rise, a super PAC backing Jeb Bush. Paul is also at his lowest point in the national polls in over two years. Paul's lost his footing not only because he's disappeared from the media coverage but also because GOP voters like him less. Both are fixable problems. But solving the first - finding favor with the press - won't be enough. Paul has to find favor with Republican voters, too." http://53eig.ht/1etfCHp
THE BUZZ
HUCKABEE: OBAMA MARCHING ISRAELIS TO 'DOOR OF THE OVEN'. Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee evoked imagery of Nazi death camps when discussing the deal over Iran's nuclear program Saturday, saying President Barack Obama "would take the Israelis and basically march them to the door of the oven," according to ABC's BEN GITTLESON. "This president's foreign policy is the most feckless in American history," Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas, told the Breitbart News Saturday show on SiriusXM Patriot. "He's so naive he would trust the Iranians and he would take the Israelis and basically march them to the door of the oven. This is the most idiot thing." http://abcn.ws/1JJuA4y
--WHAT THE DNC IS SAYING: Huckabee's comment elicited criticism over the weekend, including from Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, who on Sunday called for an apology. "This rhetoric, while commonplace in today's Republican presidential primary, has no place in American politics," Wasserman Schultz said in a statement. "Cavalier analogies to the Holocaust are unacceptable. Mike Huckabee must apologize to the Jewish community and to the American people for this grossly irresponsible statement." http://abcn.ws/1JJuA4y
TODAY ON THE TRAIL: Hillary Clinton is on the third day of a swing of Iowa and today she will further address her climate change policies she unveiled last night. At 11AM ET she will take a tour and speak at the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Central Station, which is LEED Platinum certified. At 12:15 PM she will address the Iowa State Education Association summer leadership conference in Altoona. 5 STORIES YOU'LL CARE ABOUT IN POLITICS THIS WEEK, courtesy of ABC's RICK KLEIN: http://abcn.ws/1D2Uao4
LINDSEY GRAHAM: DONALD TRUMP 'SELLING FEAR AND PREJUDICE'. Lindsey Graham might thank Donald Trump for getting him to finally buy a new phone, but the South Carolina senator said yesterday he still doesn't think the Republican Party should "hire" the real estate mogul as its presidential candidate, ABC's ALI DUKAKIS notes. Graham made national headlines last week when he destroyed his old-school cell phone after Trump read the number aloud on national TV, but Graham had more just jokes for his opponent in the race for GOP presidential nomination. Speaking exclusively with ABC's GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS on "This Week," the senator said he sees great dangers in continuing to support Trump, the current Republican frontrunner in the polls. "I would ask the Republican Party why most major companies are firing Mr. Trump, and I don't think we should hire him," Graham said. http://abcn.ws/1KrWGEm
NOTED: JOHN MCCAIN HITTING THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL WITH LINDSEY GRAHAM. This will be a moment to watch: Senate BFF's Lindsey Graham and John McCain together on the 2016 campaign trail for the first time. It all starts at a barbecue at a VFW hall in Littleton, N.H. on Saturday. From there, a Graham campaign aide confirms the pair are expected to campaign together in the Granite State throughout the weekend. The two Senate buddies have, of course, made Donald Trump a favorite punching bag after his disparaging comments. Graham labeling Trump a "jackass" and McCain calling him a "clown." McCain is the two-time winner of the New Hampshire primary (2000 and 2008) and still carries real sway in the Granite State. This isn't the first time McCain and Graham have formed a campaign trail tag team. In 2008, Graham hit the trail for McCain along with former Sen. Joe Lieberman -- the "three amigos," as they like to call themselves. Now with Graham taking his own shot at the White House, McCain is returning the favor.
PLANNED PARENTHOOD PRESIDENT SAYS ORGANIZATION HAS BROKEN NO LAWS. Following the release of two secretly recorded videos that appear to feature the discussion of the price of fetal tissue involving a Planned Parenthood employee, the organization's president today said it has done nothing illegal and criticized those responsible for the videos. "Planned Parenthood has broken no laws," Cecile Richards, the president of the non-profit, said on "This Week." "We have the highest standards. The care and health care and safety of our patients is our most important priority." http://abcn.ws/1CZw4Lr
WHO'S TWEETING?
@ZekeJMiller: CNN: Obama dives into GOP primary fight, slams Trump, Huckabee http://cnn.it/1HUzopO
@Schultz44: Democratic senator leaning toward supporting Iran deal http://bigstory.ap.org/article/b709c23b4fc3477b8ba20148d470fdf1/democratic-senator-leaning-toward-support-iran-deal ... via @AP
@jmartNYT: Almost like Obama welcomes Huck comments bc they make him, Obama, look like the voice of reason
@nycjim: Worth reading>>>> Exodus from Puerto Rico could upend Florida vote in 2016 presidential race. http://wapo.st/1VHV8wl
@nationaljournal: Is the "silent majority" ready to roar again? Donald Trump thinks so. http://buff.ly/1LMUfzA