ISIS, Ray Rice grab Sunday spotlight

White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough will get the opportunity to defend and elaborate upon President Obama’s plans for tackling Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) this weekend, as he blankets the Sunday talk shows.

{mosads}McDonough will appear on all but one of the major Sunday talk shows. On CBS’ “Face the Nation,” instead of McDonough, Secretary of State John Kerry will address questions concerning the administration’s foreign policy.

And amidst Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton’s return to the campaign trail on Sunday in Iowa, Sunday show talkers are likely to get into some 2016 speculation.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who’s hosting the fundraiser at which Clinton is the guest of honor on Sunday, will appear on ABC’s “This Week.” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a longshot 2016 hopeful, is also making stops in Iowa this weekend and will appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Here’s the line-up:

ABC’s “This Week”: White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough will likely tackle questions regarding President Obama’s plan to confront ISIS and the prospects for congressional support for any military action. Harkin will discuss Hillary Clinton’s visit to his state, which includes a final steak fry on Sunday. Education Secretary Arne Duncan will share his thoughts on education reform from his back-to-school bus tour.

NBC’s “Meet the Press”: McDonough and former Secretary of State James Baker will again talk ISIS, while Sanders joins the show to discuss his potential 2016 run.

CBS’ “Face the Nation”: Kerry and Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) will both address the threat of ISIS, with the secretary of State updating viewers on his progress in building an international coalition to fight the terrorist group, and McCaul sharing details on the threat the group poses. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), who’s spoken out against sexism in the Senate and has become an advocate against sexual harrassment, will weigh in on the controversy surrounding former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice’s violence towards his then-fiancee.

CNN’s “State of the Union”: McDonough and Harkin again appear, along with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), both of whom will weigh in on the Ray Rice scandal. Retired Army Lt. Gen. James M. Dubik and retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul D. Eaton, both of whom have been engaged with training Iraqi troops, will discuss the challenge confronting the U.S. in Iraq.

“Fox News Sunday”: McDonough, former CIA and National Security Agency Director Michael Hayden and Sens. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), both members of the Senate Armed Services committee, will all weigh in on Obama’s plan to tackle ISIS.