Here's Hillary Clinton's plan to beat Donald Trump
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
As Hillary Clinton heads into Super Tuesday as a heavy favorite, her team has begun to work on a battle plan against Donald Trump in the ever-increasing likelihood that he and she become their party's nominees. Speaking with many of Clinton's aides, advisers, and strategists, The New York Times found that it was agreed by Democrats that the best chance against the Trump steamroller was turning his wild comments and promises against him.
Along those lines, Clinton's super PAC Correct the Record is ready to go with "a montage" of Trump's "hateful speech" — a turn for Clinton, who has so far fought back at Trump with positive energy ("Instead of building walls, we need to be tearing down barriers").
However, if those tactics fall short, Trump threatens to take the volatile states President Obama managed to win in 2008 and 2012:
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Can you imagine what he'll do?" [Matthew] Dowd, the former Bush strategist, said. [Clinton] will bring up equal pay for women and abortion rights, Mr. Dowd said, "and he'll turn to her and say, 'You can't even handle your stuff at home.'"Mr. Clinton calls Mr. Trump ideal in the era of the "Instagram election," when voters want bite-size solutions ("Build a wall!" "Ban the Muslims!") to complex problems. Mrs. Clinton, by contrast, can appear scripted and static when she tries to hurl planned one-liners in debates. [The New York Times]
Further, the off-the-script nature of Trump's attacks threatens Clinton's tidy campaigning. “Hillary has built a large tanker ship, and she's about to confront Somali pirates,” said Dowd.
It is a concern that stretches to the White House: "The president sees Trump as formidable, no question. He takes him seriously. The campaign takes him seriously," Former South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges said.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
The EU’s war on fast fashionIn the Spotlight Bloc launches investigation into Shein over sale of weapons and ‘childlike’ sex dolls, alongside efforts to tax e-commerce giants and combat textile waste
-
How to Get to Heaven from Belfast: a ‘highly entertaining ride’The Week Recommends Mystery-comedy from the creator of Derry Girls should be ‘your new binge-watch’
-
The 8 best TV shows of the 1960sThe standout shows of this decade take viewers from outer space to the Wild West
-
Judge orders Washington slavery exhibit restoredSpeed Read The Trump administration took down displays about slavery at the President’s House Site in Philadelphia
-
Hyatt chair joins growing list of Epstein files losersSpeed Read Thomas Pritzker stepped down as executive chair of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
-
Bondi, Democrats clash over Epstein in hearingSpeed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi ignored survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and demanded that Democrats apologize to Trump
-
El Paso airspace closure tied to FAA-Pentagon standoffSpeed Read The closure in the Texas border city stemmed from disagreements between the Federal Aviation Administration and Pentagon officials over drone-related tests
-
Judge blocks Trump suit for Michigan voter rollsSpeed Read A Trump-appointed federal judge rejected the administration’s demand for voters’ personal data
