POLITICO Playbook: DICK, LIZ CHENEY DETONATE NEW BOOK – ROGER STONE book out Oct. 13

BULLETIN - L.A. Times 1-col. lead, "China, Russia ... are cross-indexing stolen databases to identify U.S. intelligence agents, officials say," by Brian Bennett and W.J. Hennigan: "U.S. officials ... say China and Russia are collecting and scrutinizing sensitive U.S. computer files for counterintelligence purposes. U.S. cyberspying is also extensive, but authorities in Moscow and Beijing frequently work in tandem with criminal hackers and private companies to find and extract sensitive data from U.S. systems, rather than steal it themselves. That limits clear targets for U.S. retaliation." https://lat.ms/1Jw1Yi9

Good Monday morning. Enjoy the last day of August.

By Mike Allen (@mikeallen; [email protected]) and Daniel Lippman (@dlippman; [email protected])

SUBSCRIBE to Playbook: https://bit.ly/1W3LMuZ 

SNEAK PEEK - "Exceptional: Why the World Needs a Powerful America," by Dick Cheney and Liz Cheney, out tomorrow from Threshold Editions: "Not since World War II have we faced ... such disparity between the threats we face and our capability to defend against them. ... The challenges facing our next president will be significant and complex. ... In some instances, the U.S. Congress should act immediately. Delay in repealing the Budget Control Act [sequestration defense cuts], improving America's offensive and defensive cyber-capabilities, or hardening American targets again the potential of an EMP [electromagnetic pulse] attack, would leave America more vulnerable ...

"Our next president must be committed to restoring American's power and strength ... [We] have sometimes been dispirited. The damage that Barack Obama has done to our ability to defend ourselves is appalling. It is without historical precedent. He has set us on a path of decline so steep that reversing direction will not be easy."

--Dedication: "To the men and women of the United States Armed Forces, defenders of liberty, sustainers of freedom"

--Acknowledgments: "We are indebted to Ambassador Eric Edelman, General Jack Keane, Michael Doran, Robert Karem, John Hannah, Scooter Libby, David Addington, Juan Zarate, and Marc Thiessen for their suggestions ... Elizabeth Perry, our daughter and granddaughter, was a first-rate intern and research assistant." Excerpthttps://on.wsj.com/1NIiD5Z ... $14.67 on Amazon https://amzn.to/1PGpD0G

COMING OCT. 13 from Skyhorse Publishing, "The Clintons' War on Women," by Roger Stone and Robert Morrow. Roger Stone emails Playbook: "It's Ed Klein and 'Clinton Cash' on steroids. The definitive exposé on Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton. Raw, Shocking and true." Amazon pre-order: $27.99 https://amzn.to/1Un5LkP

DYNASTY WATCH -- "In East Hampton, Bill joins Hillary at fundraiser," by Annie Karni: "The former president schmoozed with donors at an East Hampton fundraiser, where about 175 guests attended, each paying from $500 to $2,700. ... Once Hillary Clinton finished with the photo line, her husband sat on stage and listened ... Bill Clinton chatted up guests at the ... home of Hilary Leff while Hillary Clinton posed for pictures ... The former president ... followed the dress code, which dictated 'Hamptons casual' attire -- he wore a white sweater slung over his shoulders and a blue checkered shirt. ... 

"Hillary Clinton was introduced by her longtime friend and supporter Susie Tompkins Buell, co-founder of Esprit. Bill Clinton has been absent from the campaign trail so far this election ... Behind the scenes, he has been involved in some of the early campaign planning, and he recently made his first visit to the campaign headquarters in Brooklyn. ... 

"[PAGING MAUREEN DOWD:] The former secretary of state joked that when they get home from events he tells her what she did right and what she did wrong, 'and I take notes!' ... Hillary Clinton reiterated her strong endorsement of ... Obama's Iran deal, and said she plans to deliver a big speech on Iran on Sept. 9. That is the same day that ... Donald Trump and Ted Cruz plan to hold a protest against the Iran deal at the Capitol." https://politi.co/1iez1yf

--TWO DOZEN PICS from the Hamptons, on 1 page https://dailym.ai/1JvRQ8R

"FRIVALS" -- "Clinton and Biden's awkward friendship: Not quite rivals, but never very close-now Hillary and Joe are on a collision course," by Edward-Isaac Dovere and Glenn Thrush: "'He really likes her personally, but there's been always an undercurrent of resentment," a former top adviser to Obama, who worked closely with both, told POLITICO. 'I think there's always been an element of ... 'why does she feel entitled to [run] and I can't?'" https://politi.co/1KWCN64

WHAT BROOKLYN IS READING - "Petraeus prosecutor: Clinton has committed no crime," by Anne M. Tompkins for USA Today : "As the former U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, I oversaw the prosecution of Gen. Petraeus, and I can say, based on the known facts, this comparison [to Clinton] has no merit. The key element that distinguishes Secretary Clinton's email retention practices ... is that Petraeus knowingly engaged in unlawful conduct ... Her decision not to segregate her email accounts was regrettable, but ... there has been no evidence of criminal conduct." https://usat.ly/1KmYlhZ

WHY NOT? "Kanye West says he's running for president in 2020" -- Kanye acceptance speech at last night's MTV Video Music Awards, in L.A.: "[I]t's not about me. It's about ideas, bro -- new ideas, bro. People with ideas. People who believe in truth. And yes, as you probably could have guessed by this moment, I have decided in 2020 to run for president." Transcript of speech https://bit.ly/1JGnbCN

--Daily Mail: "Kim Kardashian for FLOTUS?" https://dailym.ai/1Uh37ST

** A message from Qualcomm: It's just human nature. To be impatient. To want what's around the corner to be in front of us today. That's why Qualcomm invents and shares technologies that transform the way we live and perceive the world. Learn how Qualcomm is accelerating the progress of mobile and other industries. Why Wait?. https://bit.ly/1Gw9FCU **

YOLO OBAMA: Today in "Anchorage, President Obama will ... announce that the Federal Government has officially restored the Koyukon Athabascan name of Denali to the tallest mountain in North America, previously known as Mt. McKinley. This designation recognizes the sacred status of Denali to generations of Alaska Natives."

--KARL ROVE emails Playbook: "The 25th president gets overlooked too much already. Would hope the president would find another appropriate way to honor McKinley. Luckily there's a book coming out about McKinley in November." ("The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters," by Karl Rove. See the cover. https://bit.ly/1hO3Fi3)

--BOEHNER STATEMENT: "McKinley served our country with distinction during the Civil War ... And he led this nation to prosperity and victory in the Spanish-American War as the 25th President ... I'm deeply disappointed in this decision."

STATE OF THE ART - WSJ, top of A4, "TV Still King, for Now, in Political Ad Game," by Patrick O'Connor: TV "spending on ... 2016 ... was up almost 900% through mid-August ... Candidates and their outside allies have ... reserved more than $47 million ads for the race ahead, almost three times the amount at this point four years ago ... The money set aside for TV spots in Iowa is double what it was in 2012 and five times greater in New Hampshire.

"Kantar Media ... predicts overall spending for the 2016 elections will be about $4.4 billion, up roughly 16% from the $3.8 billion candidates and outside groups laid out for cable and broadcast ads in 2012. 'TV remains the best way to reach passive voters who are not necessarily looking for information,' said Elizabeth Wilner, who oversees Kantar's Campaign Media Analysis Group. But the role of digital is rising even faster." https://on.wsj.com/1Un5ApC

TOP EDS - PAUL KRUGMAN: "[T]hose predicting Mr. Trump's imminent political demise are ignoring the lessons of recent history, which tell us that poseurs with a knack for public relations can con the public for a very long time." https://nyti.ms/1hNYK0z

--MAUREEN DOWD: "Funnily enough, the biggest narcissist in the race - and possibly the universe - has the one slogan that refers to the desires of voters: 'Make America Great Again!' Hillary has 'Hillary' with an arrow pointing at it. And Jeb has 'Jeb!' with an exclamation point that represents the only fizz in his campaign. ... She is so coiled about losing again - carrying her front-runner status around like a Fabergé egg - that she screws up and starts losing." https://nyti.ms/1KxAISm

AWESOME PRESS DAY FOR WALKER:

--WashPost, top of col. 1, "As Walker slumps, his backers call for a reboot: Wisconsin governor, once a top GOP prospect, has been eclipsed by Trump," by Dan Balz and Jenna Johnson (online "What happened to Scott Walker?"): "Several supporters say Walker appears to have had too many meetings with too many experts, turning him into a more timid version of himself." https://wapo.st/1Q2MLHt

--"Walker looks to Iowa to regain momentum," by AP's Scott Bauer in Onawa: "[I]n the past 10 days, Walker ... changed his stance three times on whether he, like Trump, favored doing away with the constitutional right to citizenship granted to people born in the United States. Walker finally said ... he would not seek repeal of the 14th Amendment." https://bit.ly/1KWvb3u

--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, bottom of p. 1A, "Walker losing support from political center [in Wis.]," by Craig Gilbert: Marquette "Polling ... shows that the ... greatest loss of home-state support this year ... among independents, moderates and voters in northern and western Wisconsin, swing regions that were key to Walker's statewide victories. ... Statewide, Walker's approval rating is down ... 8 points among registered voters this year." https://bit.ly/1IxTcMp Graphic https://bit.ly/1PGmyha

TRAIL MIX - Dallas Morning News, bottom of p. 1A, "Cruz back in N.H., battling for former support," by Todd Gillman in Seabrook: "His last visit [to N.H.] was May 30 ... Here, his focus on religious liberty and social issues falls flat with many voters, though there is a robust tea party element. ... Cruz insisted that he's not writing off the Granite State." https://bit.ly/1KxF23Z

--Las Vegas Review-Journal, p. A1, above fold, "Christie defends plan to track visitors: GOP candidate says proposal doesn't treat people like packages," by Reuters' David Morgan: "Christie [on 'Fox News Sunday'] pushed back ... against 'ridiculous' criticism of his proposal to track foreign visitors the way FedEx Corp tracks packages, saying government needs private-sector expertise to tackle illegal immigration." https://reut.rs/1X4aA6L

WHO THEY ARE -- Miami Herald p. 1A, "Critics refute Bush's cred on consensus: Some people who worked with Bush when he was governor say his style then was more 'my way or the highway,' by Tampa Bay Times' Adam Smith: "Many of the signature elements of Bush's record - high-stakes testing in public schools, overhauling Florida's higher education system to put more control under the governor, privatizing government services, abolishing affirmative action, restricting lawsuits, trying to overrule court rulings to keep Terri Schiavo alive - had little or nothing to do with building consensus." https://hrld.us/1fQFbCJ

DAILY TRUMP -- "Trump's deportation idea similar to 1930s mass removals," by AP's Russell Contreras:"During the Great Depression, counties and cities in the American Southwest and Midwest forced Mexican immigrants and their families to leave the U.S. over concerns they were taking jobs away from whites ... The result: Around 500,000 to 1 million Mexican immigrants and Mexican Americans were pushed out of the country." https://yhoo.it/1hpU6F1

PIC DU JOUR -- ??@RandPaul: "Behind me is the NSA. When I'm President we'll turn it into a Constitutional Center to study the Fourth Amendment!" https://bit.ly/1hpUsM0

TRAILER OF THE DAY - "'Downton Abbey' Season 6 Trailer Previews An Emotional Goodbye" https://huff.to/1X2Lmp9

MEDIAWATCH - SEWELL CHAN's new job: Chan is moving to London to be the NYT's international news editor, starting Sept. 14. On Friday, he wrapped up four years as deputy editor for the Op-Ed page and Sunday Review. He previously helped start and run the NYT's City Room blog, was a metro reporter for the WashPost, and graduated from Harvard and got an MPhil in Politics at Oxford.

WEEKEND WEDDINGS -- "Elisabeth Evans and Daniel Holdaway" - N.Y. Times: "The bride, 30, ... works at the White House as the associate director for health and health care in the Office of Public Engagement and is a senior policy adviser on health to the Domestic Policy Council. She graduated from DePauw University. ... The groom, 32, is a research scientist at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt." With pic https://nyti.ms/1NQAMO2

--"Maria Urbina, Sen. Harry Reid's senior adviser for Hispanic and Asian affairs, and Chris Moyer, director of media relations at the American Gaming Association, were married before friends and family in beautiful Northern Nevada near Lake Tahoe on Saturday. The couple met in Nevada while working on Reid's 2010 campaign. Even though Chris lived in Las Vegas, his role as Reid's body man called for frequent visits to Reno, where Maria was on the political team getting out the Latino vote." Pic https://bit.ly/1Vq53W8

--"Hanna Siegel, Shane Hoffman" -- NYT: "The bride, 30, is the deputy director of the Partnership for a New American Economy, which seeks immigration reform. ... [She is an ABC News and Michael Bloomberg alum]. The groom, 33, is the director of program planning and scheduling in New York for Condé Nast Entertainment." With pichttps://nyti.ms/1N3ct0m Wedding pic https://bit.ly/1MWhqXc

--SPOTTED: Mother of the bride, Susan McDaniel, president of the American Psychological Association, WashPost's Ann McDaniel (aunt of the bride), and Jeremy Robbins of the Partnership for a New American Economy.

--"On Sunday, Abi Weiss and Sam Lipson tied the knot on a beautiful farm with sweeping views in Leesburg, Virginia. Abi teaches kindergarten at H.D. Cooke Elementary School in DC; Sam, a recent graduate of Georgetown law, is joining the DC office of law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati as an associate this fall. Long-time locals of Logan Circle, the couple was feted by dozens of friends from hometowns Potomac, MD and Princeton, NJ -- as well as classmates from Princeton and WashU." (h/t former Foggy Bottom roommate Danny) Pic https://bit.ly/1O34vRNNYT announcement https://nyti.ms/1UhfGh1

OBAMA ALUMNI -- "Ritu Ahuja and Rohit Khanna" -- Times: "Until April, Mrs. Khanna, 36, was a product marketing specialist in New York for Bulgari, the Italian jewelry and accessories company. ... Khanna, 38, is the vice president for strategic initiatives in the Santa Clara, Calif., office of Smart Utility Systems, an energy-efficiency software company. He is also ... a Democratic candidate for Congress from Cupertino, Calif. From 2009-11, he worked for the Obama administration as a deputy assistant secretary of commerce." With pichttps://nyti.ms/1hN7WCn

ENGAGED: Justin Wilson, public affairs consultant, proposed to Vicky Vadlamani, VP at Mercury, on Friday night. They met while working crisis comms at Levick. Pic https://bit.ly/1JqysIo

--HuffPost's senior politics editor Paige Lavender was engaged to Nicholas Ward of the National Restaurant Association. They met at WVU. Pic https://bit.ly/1NRaE5A The ring https://bit.ly/1O2xxkq

BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): Jacob Messer, a Playbooker born and raised in Kennebunkport, is 24.

BIRTHDAYS : Hillary Cohen DeParde, celebrating by taking landscape photos somewhere within the Cape Cod National Seashore (hat tip: Edgar - plus hubby Dick Keil, and Alex, Haley, Reid Kellam, Randall Baker Whitestone, John King) ... Tommy Vietor, cofounder of Fenway Strategies ... NYT's Patrick Healy, the pride of Scituate, Mass., is 44 ... L.A. Times' Michael Finnegan ... Rio Tinto's Ryan Stanton, a Sphere and Levick alum (h/t Courto, Todd Malan) ... Tarrance Group's Ed Goeas, a senior adviser to Scott Walker, is 63 ... Paul Garrahan, charter member of the Young Turk brain trust that helped elected Doug Wilder as Virginia's first black governor (the "Children's Crusade") is 5-0. He runs the environmental law program for the Oregon Department of Justice, and lives in Portland with his wife, Kristen, and kids, Will and Amelia (h/t Dwight Holton) ... 

... Scott Shalett of Dewey Square Group ... Politico's Kim Hefling, Paul Demko and Jennifer Shutt ... Christopher Dickey, Paris-based foreign editor for The Daily Beast ... 3 Americans for Tax Reform staffers, past and present: Ryan Ellis and Mattie Duppler, ATR's federal tax and budget duo; and Brian Johnson, aka the Hungry Lobbyist, federal affairs director at American Petroleum Institute, celebrating with friends at Rural Society ... Meghan Barr, senior editor at Boston.com and AP alum ... Jess Levin, the pride of Philly, comms. director at Making Change at Walmart at UFCW and a Media Matters alum ... Nick Horowitz of Racepoint Group, a Podesta alum ... Justin Meyers ... NYT's Thomas Kaplan ... amNY reporter Alison Fox ... Deadspin editor Tim Marchman

... Adam Dolin of Weber Shandwick ... Neil Alpert, an RNC and AIPAC alum and now CEO of LaserLock Technologies ... Bennett Resnik ... Elizabeth Pemmerl ... Elizabeth Whitehouse ... SiriusXM's Kent Klein, a VOA alum ... Alex Schriver ... Steve Smith (Calif.) ... Scott Shalett ... Tricia Yates ... Mable Squire ... Gabbrealle Allen ... Karisa Johnson ... Ethan Gray ... Barb Helmick ... Daniel Nickeson ... Smitty Pignatelli ... Philip Smucker ... Lenny Stern ... ABC News alum Jill Rackmill ... Beth Roberts ... AU journalism professor Iris Krasnow ... John Leary of Dominion Strategies ... Liz Kurantowicz ... Japanese monster movie actor Katsumi Tezuka is 103 ... Baseball Hall-of-Famer Frank Robinson is 80 ... Itzhak Perlman is 70 ... Van Morrison is 70 ... Richard Gere is 66 ... Olympic gold medal track and field champ Edwin Moses is 60 ... Gina Schock (The Go-Go's) is 58 ... pitcher Hideo Nomo is 47 ... R&B singer Tamara (Trina & Tamara) is 38 (h/ts AP)

** A message from Qualcomm: When will the future arrive? While the rest of the world wonders when, Qualcomm is at work developing cutting-edge wireless technologies today. We are the inventors, the restless innovators continually pushing forward. When Qualcomm connected the phone to the Internet, the phone became smart. When we connect billions more things, our lives will be even smarter. Why Wait?. https://bit.ly/1Gw9FCU ** 

To view online:
https://www.politico.com/tipsheets/playbook/2015/08/politico-playbook-august-31-2015-210047