The Trail 2016: Miss Universe crashes campaign

by Jonathan Easley - 09/28/16 5:46 PM ET

Welcome to THE TRAIL 2016, your daily rundown from The Hill on all the latest news in the White House, Senate and House races.

The latest crazy twist in the unpredictable cycle has been the emergence of Alicia Machado – the former Miss Universe who Hillary Clinton spotlighted at Monday’s debate to attack Donald Trump as sexist, misogynist and racist.

Machado claims she had no idea Clinton would mention her. But the Clinton campaign was ready to capitalize on the moment and Machado stood ready to step back into the spotlight.

Since the debate — and since Trump’s inflammatory response in a Fox News interview on Tuesday morning — Machado has been everywhere, cutting English and Spanish-language ads, sitting for magazine profiles and cable interviews, and holding conference calls with reporters.

The Latino press is hammering Trump for his disparaging remarks about Machado, and Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) is demanding Trump have a daily weigh-in.

The Trump campaign is digging in, casting Machado as a liar and an opportunist. His allies have pointed to stories about Machado’s past — including allegations she was the getaway driver in an attempted murder — to cast doubt on her claims.

And if there was any doubt over whether Trump would raise Bill Clinton’s past marital infidelities at the next debate, those questions can be put to bed. Surrogates like Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) are already on it.

Stay with The Hill all night for breaking developments on this and everything related to 2016.

RACE TO 1600 PENN

PRESSURE: The Hill’s Amie Parnes reports: Hillary Clinton is feeling the weight of expectations even after a strong debate performance.

NO SWEAT: The Hill’s Niall Stanage reports: Donald Trump’s aides and supporters are defending his debate performance, arguing the GOP presidential nominee made a damaging case against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the first half-hour while beating expectations.

THIRD PARTY THREAT: The Hill’s Jonathan Easley and Ben Kamisar report: Democrats panicked by third-party candidates drawing support away from Hillary Clinton are ramping up their attacks against Gary Johnson. President Obama joined the fray on Wednesday, warning that a vote for Johnson or Green Party candidate Jill Stein is a vote for Donald Trump. So did Bernie Sanders.

DEBATE BOUNTY: The Hill’s Ben Kamisar reports: Clinton allies are looking to make hay over Trump’s boast at Monday’s debate that it’s “smart” to pay as little taxes as possible.

NO COMMENT: The Hill’s Katie Bo Williams reports: FBI Director James B. Comey on Wednesday refused to provide the House Judiciary Committee with any clue about whether the bureau will comply with a request that it investigate Hillary Clinton for perjury.

ODDS AND ENDS

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT: The Hill’s Jordan Fabian reports: President Obama is blasting Trump for his disparaging comments this week about a former Miss Universe.

A MESSAGE FROM THE FIRST LADY: The Hill’s Jordan Fabian reports: Michelle Obama teed off on Donald Trump for spearheading the “birther” theories that questioned whether her husband was born in the U.S.

CHELSEA IN THE CROSSHAIRS: The Hill’s Nikita Vladimirov reports: Juanita Broaddrick, who alleges that former President Bill Clinton raped her in in 1978, tweeted at Chelsea Clinton that her parents have brought decades of public attacks on themselves.

IRAQ DISPUTE: The Hill’s Mark Hensch reports: Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto says his 2003 interview with Donald Trump does not show the billionaire clearly opposing the Iraq War.

POLL POSITION

RESULTS ARE IN: The Hill’s Jessie Hellmann reports: Hillary Clinton has gotten a modest bump in a new national survey conducted after the first debate.

INTERNET POLLS: The Hill’s Jessie Hellmann reports: Donald Trump for a second day after his debate with Hillary Clinton is bragging about winning online polls that are unscientific and unrepresentative.

SHOCK POLL: The Hill’s Rebecca Savransky reports: Hillary Clinton leads Donald Trump among fans of the Broadway musical “Hamilton” and “Morning Joe” watchers.

COULD STILL GET WORSE: The Hill’s Rebecca Savransky reports:Seventy percent of American voters think the presidential campaign has brought out the worst in people, a new poll finds.

THE DAILY TRUMP

GUTTER SNIPE: The Hill’s Rebecca Savransky reports: Donald Trump’s campaign is criticizing Howard Dean for his comments appearing to question whether the Republican presidential nominee’s debate-night sniffles may be related to cocaine use.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I think that took a lot of courage.”

— Donald Trump’s son Eric Trump praising his father for not bringing up Bill Clinton’s marital indiscretions at Monday’s debate.

CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS

DOWN TO THE WIRE: The Hill’s Naomi Jagada reports: House Speaker Paul Ryan says he’s feeling optimistic that Republicans will keep control of the Senate and maintain their strong majority in the House.

MONEY WATCH

KOCHS FOR VETS: The Hill’s Lisa Hagen reports: A conservative group with ties to the Koch network is launching a digital ad campaign in three Senate battleground states, highlighting Republican candidates’ support for veterans issues.

WHAT WE ARE WATCHING FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW

(All times Eastern)

Donald Trump will hold a rally in Waukesha County, Wis., at 7 p.m. today. On Thursday, Trump will hold a rally in Bedford, N.H,. at 3 p.m.

Mike Pence will hold a rally in Leetonia, Ohio at 6 p.m. today, and a rally in York, Pa., at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Hillary Clinton will hold a get-out-the-vote event in Des Moines, Iowa, at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Tim Kaine will hold a rally in St. Paul, Minn. at 8 p.m. on Thursday. Kaine’s wife Anne Holton will hold early-voting events in Milwaukee, Wis., at 11:15 a.m. and in Kenosha, Wis., at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Chris Matthews’s Hardball College Tour features Gary Johnson and Bill Weld live from The University of New Hampshire at 7 p.m. on MSNBC today.

Early voting begins in Illinois on Thursday, which is also the first day absentee ballots will be ready in Iowa.

TWEET OF THE DAY

The D women Senators have talked & we’re concerned about Donald’s weight. Campaign stress? We think a public daily weigh-in is called for.

— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) September 28, 2016