The Hill’s 12:30 Report

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The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Email suggests Brazile leaked debate Q to Clinton camp | FBI drama upends final week | Reid alleges FBI sitting on Trump-Russia info | Trump reportedly first offered Christie veep spot | Halloween specials

BREAKING — CLINTON MAY HAVE GOT A DEBATE QUESTION BEFOREHAND: Donna Brazile tipped off Hillary Clinton and her staff to a debate question last March. Keep in mind: Brazile was the DNC vice chair at the time. 

Details: In an email dated March 5, 2016 — the day before a Democratic presidential primary debate in Flint, Mich. — Brazile, now the DNC’s interim chairwoman, sent Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta and communications director Jennifer Palmieri an email with the subject line “One of the questions directed to HRC tomorrow is from a woman with a rash.” “Her family has lead poison and she will ask what, if anything, will Hillary do as president to help the ppl of Flint,” she wrote. Yikes. http://bit.ly/2eeMfvH

ANYONE HAVE A 10-FOOT POLE CNN CAN BORROW?: CNN is “completely uncomfortable” with a former contributor’s relationship with the Hillary Clinton campaign, a network spokesman said Monday. “CNN never gave Brazile access to any questions, prep material, attendee list, background information or meetings in advance of a town hall or debate. We are completely uncomfortable with what we have learned about her interactions with the Clinton campaign while she was a CNN contributor.” http://bit.ly/2f19QBj

Happy Halloween! Eight days. I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of what you missed this morning and what’s on tap for the rest of the day. Send comments, story ideas and pumpkin recipes to cmartel@digital-stage.thehill.com, @CateMartel and on Facebook.

WHAT THIS WEEKEND HAS FELT LIKE –> http://gph.is/2fvZOJ2: Via The Hill’s Niall Stanage, the presidential campaign is entering its final full week amid high drama and volatility as both sides grapple with the fallout from the FBI’s announcement that it is examining newly discovered emails. Dems are furious, and Republicans couldn’t be more thrilled. Keep in mind: There are no big opinion polls yet that were taken solely after the FBI’s Friday announcement. Here’s a quick primer on the political fallout so far: http://bit.ly/2ee72PX 

TRUMP REACTION: Donald Trump’s campaign manager early Monday said Hillary Clinton is “a serial liar” and called Hillary and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, an “ethical stain.” http://bit.ly/2dV7JiM

WHAT TO WATCH — I’M NUMB TO SURPRISES AT THIS POINT: WikiLeaks announced on Twitter that it would soon launch “phase three of [its] election coverage.” It did not provide information about what the third phase entails or if there are still more revelations to come. http://bit.ly/2eqHay1

{mosads}REID SAYS ‘OH HAAAYYYL NO’: Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) is alleging that the FBI has “explosive information” about a connection between Donald Trump and the Russian government, suggesting that federal investigators have unveiled damning new information about Trump. How it came out: In a letter dated Oct. 30 warning that FBI Director James Comey may have broken the law by detailing a new stage of the investigation into Hillary Clinton‘s emails, Reid also referenced information about Trump and Moscow. http://bit.ly/2f5eKuu

LOOKING FOR LOVE IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES, LOOKING FOR LOVE: Via The New York Post’s Aaron Short, Donald Trump initially offered the VP slot to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, but then withdrew it. In the finally week before the convention, Trump hadn’t decided between Christie, Mike Pence or Newt Gingrich. Advisers around him wanted Pence, but Christie saw Trump’s hesitancy as an opening.

“After Trump tentatively decided on Christie, [former campaign manager Paul] Manafort told Trump his plane had a mechanical problem, campaign sources said, forcing Trump to spend another night in the Hoosier State. Pence then made his case to be Trump’s No. 2 over dinner as Trump’s advisers argued that Christie’s Bridgegate troubles would sink the campaign.” http://nyp.st/2f4IGqN

FIRST COMMANDER-IN-OH-SNAP: Via The New York Times’s Julie Hirschfield Davis, President Obama is the first U.S. president to use Snapchat. “People, this is Barack Obama,” the president says, his head filling the screen, selfie-style. “If I can figure out how to Snapchat, you can figure out how to go vote.” http://nyti.ms/2eeN8Ev

TRENDING ON FACEBOOK — MALE BIRTH CONTROL MAY BE A REALITY: A new birth control injection for men is 96 percent effective, according to a new study. The formulation must still be tweaked before it’s available to the public. http://ti.me/2e5dsgX

‘TIS THE SEASON: The Republican Study Committee released Halloween-themed “ObamaCare Horror Story” graphics. The graphics are pretty entertaining. Examples: The Butchered Bailout, The Curse of the Co-ops and Dawn of the Death Spiral.

 

NOTABLE TWEETS:

IJ Review’s Joe Perticone
I made a Twitter moment of all the lame Halloween-themed Tweets from members of Congress today. http://bit.ly/2fwKb45

ACLU
Wonder the (retired) service dog is at the Supreme Court today! http://bit.ly/2f5nAbT

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) (Haha, these photos!)
Don’t be too old nor serious to have fun in life! http://bit.ly/2fx13b8

 

ON TAP:

Noon: Donald Trump holds a rally in Grand Rapids, Mich.

12:45 p.m. EDT: White House press secretary Josh Earnest gives the daily briefing.

2:45 p.m. EDT: Hillary Clinton campaigns in Cleveland.

3 p.m. EDT: Donald Trump holds a rally in Warren, Mich.

3:30 p.m. EDT: Mike Pence campaigns in Maitland, Fla.

3:30 p.m. EDT: Tim Kaine campaigns in Sanford, N.C.

4:35 p.m. EDT: President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama host local children and children of military families to trick or treat at the White House.

6 p.m. EDT: Mike Pence campaigns in Clearwater, Fla.

9 p.m. EDT: Gary Johnson joins a YouTube event in Los Angeles.

 

WHAT TO WATCH:

Tonight: Gary Johnson and Bill Weld record PBS’s “Final Presidential Forum” hosted by Tavis Smiley.

 

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF…:

Today is National Carmel Apple Day. And here are some Halloween deals for today: http://bit.ly/2eTVdN8

I. CAN’T. WAIT.: Via The New York Times’s Ashley Parker, a six-part fictional comedy based on the lives of campaign embeds is set to be released in January. “Five young reporters in way over their heads find themselves shaping the future of the country through raucous adventures in an unexpected world of sex, drugs and swing states on the presidential campaign trail,” as the show’s tag line puts it. http://nyti.ms/2dV34xb

IMPORTANT PIZZA NEWS: The next trend in food is “pizza cones.” They actually look amazing: http://bit.ly/2eroFK3

And because I kept you this long, here is the funniest reaction from a baby when her parents kiss. Hint: someone’s jeal-ous! http://bit.ly/2f5mz3p

 

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