The Hill’s 12:30 Report

The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Paul LePage considering resignation | McCain, Rubio face primary election today | Roger Ailes at Trump’s debate prep with a black eye (?) | Pumpkin is back at Dunkin Donuts

To view online —> http://bit.ly/2bPgaeM 

BREAKING – USDA OFFICES CLOSED OVER THREATS: The U.S. Agriculture Department has closed some of its offices after receiving anonymous threats, the Associated Press reported. Which offices: Offices have been closed in Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, North Carolina and West Virginia. http://bit.ly/2bzg5v4

DEVELOPING THIS A.M. — MAINE GOV. MULLING RESIGNATION: Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) is considering resigning after his recent statements on race and drugs. “I’m not going to say that I’m not going to finish it. I’m not saying that I am going to finish it. … If I’ve lost my ability to help Maine people, maybe it’s time to move on.”http://bit.ly/2c5oKSE

Backstory: LePage left a threatening, angry, profanity-laced voicemail last week for a state lawmaker, accusing the Democrat of calling him a racist. “Mr. Gattine, this is Gov. Paul Richard LePage. I would like to talk to you about your comments about my being a racist, you c— sucker. I want to talk to you. I want you to prove that I’m a racist. I’ve spent my life helping black people, and you little son of a b—-, socialist c— sucker. You — I need you to — just friggin’. I want you to record this and make it public because I am after you. Thank you.”Name the part that doesn’t fit: The “thank you” at the end. Lol. It’s worth listening to: http://bit.ly/2bG8Ezr 

It’s Tuesday, and 50 days from today, we’ll be heading into the final (!) presidential debate. Filing from a sleepy D.C. that is quickly realizing this is the calm before the fall storm, 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 puppy videos to cmartel@digital-release.thehill.com, @CateMartel and on Facebook. 

 

ANOTHER HEADLINE THAT MAKES YOU THINK, “SIGH, IS IT 2017 YET?”: “Pastor apologizes for tweet of Clinton in blackface” — yes, an African-American pastor who has become a prominent surrogate for Donald Trump apologized for sharing a cartoon of Hillary Clinton in blackface earlier in the day. Lesson for the Trump team: Think before you RT. http://bit.ly/2byF9AU  

 

WHAT TO WATCH TOMORROW — TO BUILD A WALL OR NOT TO BUILD A WALL, TAKE 2: Donald Trump rescheduled his immigration speech for tomorrow in Arizona, and he’s at a crossroads: He needs to balance clawing back in the polls against Hillary Clinton, appealing to Latino voters who have been cool on his hard-line immigration stance, and keeping his own base who loves his hard-line build-a-wall immigration stance. So which avenue will he pursue? http://bit.ly/2byTjU7  

 

HMM, IDK, I PICTURE HIM MORE AS A SWING DANCER KINDA GUY: Via ET Tonight, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) will appear on “Dancing with the Stars.” Note: Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez and Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte (lol) will also appear on the season. http://et.tv/2byYn6n  
Photo of Perry prepping: http://bit.ly/2bz1YGs 

 

NOTABLE TWEETS:

NBC’s Bradd Jaffy (Awkward.)
Hey, Drudge Report, that’s not Huma — it’s Aung San Suu Kyi http://bit.ly/2bxPrUO 

New York Magazine’s Gabriel Sherman (??)
Two sources say [ousted Fox CEO Roger] Ailes showed up for Trump debate prep with a black eye http://bit.ly/2bOA6do  

 

ON TAP:

Today: Primary races in Florida and Arizona. Think: Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). Here’s what to watch:http://bit.ly/2bOAo3Y

1 p.m. EDT: Tim Kaine holds an organizing event in Erie, Pa. http://hrc.io/2bZQzNv 

2 p.m. EDT: Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell meets with President Obama in the Oval Office.

3 p.m. EDT: Mike Pence holds a town hall in Dalton, Ga.

6 p.m. EDT: Tim Kaine holds an organizing event in Lancaster, Pa.

8 p.m. EDT: Mike Pence holds a rally in Winston-Salem, N.C.

10 p.m. EDT: Donald Trump holds a campaign rally in Everett, Wash.

Tomorrow: Hillary Clinton speaks at the American Legion National Convention in Cincinnati. Note: Trump will speak there on Thursday: http://bit.ly/2bZPlSz 

Tomorrow afternoon: President Obama headlines the 2016 Lake Tahoe Summit. http://bit.ly/2bP405O  

9 p.m. EDT tomorrow: Donald Trump gives the postponed immigration speech in Phoenix.

 

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF…:

Today is National Toasted Marshmallow Day!

I LOVE PUMPKIN JUST AS MUCH AS THE NEXT PERSON, BUT IT’S STILL AUGUST, DAMNIT!: Pumpkin is already back at Dunkin Donuts. But I guess I can’t complain — they’re also adding Reese’s peanut butter squares and caramel apple croissant donuts to the menu. http://bit.ly/2coySuE

Tweet of disdain from The Hill’s Sylvan Lane: “Don’t you take my last few days of the best season away from me, Dunkin. I’ve eaten too many of your donuts for this.”http://bit.ly/2c2bU96

 

HARD CLICK: Via CNN’s James Griffiths, a strong signal was detected from a sun-like star. It’s complicated, but essentially, whenever a strong signal is detected, “It’s a good possibility for some nearby civilization to be detected,” said Italian astronomer Claudio Maccone. 

— Paul Gilster of the Tau Zero Foundation, which conducts interstellar research, said that if the signal was artificial, its strength suggested it would have to come from a civilization more advanced than our own (!!!!). This article is worth reading: http://cnn.it/2bT3LE6 

 

HEY, LOBSTAH LOVAHS: Via DCist, here’s where to find the best lobster rolls in D.C. Yep, I’m rethinking lunch plans as we speak: http://bit.ly/2coy6gZ  

And to leave you on a positive note, here are hilarious tweets of Nashville, Tenn., residents showing up for jury duty and finding out Taylor Swift is joining them: http://bzfd.it/2bPjiWh  

 

To view past editions of The Hill’s 12:30 Report, click here: http://bit.ly/1M1mIf

To receive The Hill’s 12:30 Report in your inbox, please sign up here: http://bit.ly/1Tt4hqN