The Hill’s 12:30 Report

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The Hill’s 12:30 Report: What Trump needs to do in Sunday’s debate | Kerry seeks Syria war crimes probe | GOP senator’s Iowa trip fuels 2020 talk | State Dept. releasing Clinton emails today | Obama gives ex-NBA star bunny ears

BREAKING — KERRY CALLS FOR WAR CRIMES INVESTIGATION IN SYRIA: Via The Hill’s Kristina Wong, Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday called for a war crimes investigation of Russia and Syria for attacks in Aleppo, Syria. Why: Kerry said Syrian forces killed 20 and wounded 100 when they struck a hospital Thursday night, adding that the world is owed “more than an explanation” for Russia and Syria’s actions. Keep in mind: The call comes after Kerry officially suspended negotiations with Russia over coordinating military operations in Syria on Monday. http://bit.ly/2cZyoFE

Happy Friday!! 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 weekend plans to cmartel@digital-stage.thehill.com, @CateMartel and on Facebook.

LET’S DO THIS — PART II: After Mike Pence’s winning performance on Tuesday, Donald Trump’s campaign has stopped the bleeding after a difficult stretch. They need to solidify that momentum in Sunday night’s debate. Here are five things Trump can do to improve — and possibly win this thing — from The Hill’s Ben Kamisar: http://bit.ly/2dAGM1N

The gist –> http://bit.ly/2dXsM0Y 😉

Learn from Pence.
Be prepared.
Keep the fight on favorable ground.
Connect personally.
Watch out for interruptions and unforced errors.

AND A SHOT AT HILLARY WHILE HE WAS AT IT: Trump accused Hillary Clinton of being off the campaign to rest, not to practice. “We are just here because we just wanted to be here, [not for practice]. And you know Hillary frankly — they talk about debate prep — that’s not debate prep, she is resting. … And I want to be with the American people, I want to be with the people from Hew Hampshire and she wants to rest.” http://bit.ly/2dzZrKD

BREAKING THIS MORNING — FIRST U.S. DEATH FROM HURRICANE MATTHEW: A 58-year-old woman in St. Lucie County, Fla., suffered a cardiac arrest during Hurricane Matthew. The death is considered a result of the storm because emergency services were unable to respond to the 911 call. http://bit.ly/2d8svcJ

OBAMA REACTS: President Obama urged residents in the path of Hurricane Matthew to take the storm “seriously,” saying the worst is yet to come. “This is still a really dangerous hurricane. The potential for storm surge, flooding, loss of life and severe property damage continues to exist.” http://bit.ly/2d8KuzM

HAPPENING TODAY – OBAMA CASTS HIS BALLOT: President Obama plans to cast an early ballot for Donald Trump – Lol, jk. 😉 Trying to keep you on your toes. Obama is voting today, but will obviously cast a ballot for Hillary Clinton when he travels to Chicago to campaign for her. http://bit.ly/2dkiirg

NO NO NO NO NO. I’M NOT EMOTIONALLY READY FOR THIS: Via The Wall Street Journal’s Reid J. Epstein, activity in Iowa suggests that GOP hopefuls are eyeing 2020. Yes, friends. We are 31 days from the current presidential election and 2020 talk is already starting. Names or it didn’t happen: Sen. Tom Cotton (Ark.) and Gov. Scott Walker (Wis.). Also, Gov. Nikki Haley (S.C.) was scheduled to campaign in New Hampshire but canceled because of Hurricane Matthew. http://on.wsj.com/2dEmfZ4

OUT THIS MORNING — JOBS REPORT IS BLEHHH: The U.S. economy added 156,000 jobs in September, while the unemployment rate ticked up to 5 percent. Context: This is slightly below expectations — 175,000, but it’s not horrible. http://bit.ly/2dAJZhs

Tweet from New River Investments’ Conor Sen: “Performing arts and spectator sports lost 13,200 jobs. Weird one off?” http://bit.ly/2dxMjXv

@ModestProposal1 retweeted, adding: “Bunch of clowns got fired.” Lol. http://bit.ly/2dR8nJp

TODAY IN WEIRD CAMPAIGN ADS — ALRIGHT, GUYS. LET’S PLAY ‘NAME THAT MEANING’: John Kennedy (R) is running for Senate in Louisiana and released one of the weirdest campaign ads I’ve seen: http://wapo.st/2dRTImO “I believe that love is the answer,” Kennedy says at one point, while the ad shows photos of him and his wife. When the camera goes back to Kennedy, he concludes: “But you ought to own a handgun just in case.” Sooooo, uhhhh, what do you mean, own a handgun just in case love doesn’t win? Email me your guesses on what Kennedy meant. 

BAD WEEK FOR GARE-BEAR: Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson is fading in the polls and in short, it’s helping Hillary Clinton. http://bit.ly/2cX4Jle 

‘ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A GARY JOHNSON?’: Jimmy Kimmel did a segment ripping apart Gary Johnson: http://ti.me/2dxLZbo

 

NOTABLE TWEETS:

CBS’s Mark Knoller (Yep, there’s a photo.)
Had to open a new file for presidential pranks: bunny ears yesterday on Alonzo Mourning. http://bit.ly/2dRaOf4

 

ON TAP:

The House and Senate are out for the hol-i-day.

1 p.m. EDT: The National Press Club is hosting a lunch with World Trade Organization Director-General Roberto Azevedo. Live stream: http://bit.ly/2dy0Ogv

2 p.m. EDT: Bernie Sanders campaigns for Clinton in Keene, N.H.

This afternoon: The State Department will release a batch of Hillary Clinton’s emails. What to expect: http://bit.ly/2dB2kLy

5 p.m. EDT: Bernie Sanders campaigns for Clinton in Nashua, N.H.

5:30 p.m. EDT: Mike Pence holds a rally in Rossford, Ohio.

5:30 p.m. EDT: The Washington Nationals (!) play the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLDS series in the MLB playoffs. How to plan your afternoon commute around it from WTOP Radio: http://bit.ly/2dAGibD 

Tomorrow: Bernie Sanders campaigns for Clinton and Dem Senate candidate Katie McGinty in Pennsylvania.

Tomorrow: Musician John Legend campaigns for Clinton in southwest Ohio.

2:30 p.m. EDT tomorrow: Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) campaigns for Dem Senate candidate Russ Feingold in Milwaukee.

 

WHAT TO WATCH:

9 p.m. EDT Sunday: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump meet for their second debate in St. Louis. It will air on all major networks.

 

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF…:

Today is National Frappe Day! And this weekend is National Kegger Weekend!

WARNING: YOU’RE GONNA LOOK STRANGE DOING THIS IN PUBLIC: Here are some graphics where the photo only emerges when you shake your phone or computer back and forth — yes, good luck shaking your entire computer. 😉 They’re pretty cool: http://bzfd.it/2cWVXUy

And to get your weekend off to a great start, here is a dog playing an iPad game with unparalleled enthusiasm: http://bit.ly/2dRpY44

 

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