Clinton's debate prep: Steeling herself for Trump's Lewinsky attacks
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
Hillary Clinton is beginning to prepare for the first general election debate against Donald Trump, scheduled for Sept. 26, and that means getting ready to confront some old hurts. Among the topics Clinton is expected to prepare to face is the death of Vincent Foster, the accusation she is a rape enabler, and the Monica Lewinsky and Gennifer Flowers scandals, Politico reports.
"You can't put it beyond Trump that Monica Lewinsky will play a role in this debate. [Clinton's] got to be prepared to deal with the Foundation and Wall Street and super PACs and all of that. They need to be less focused on dealing with [Trump's] policy proposals and more on dealing with the unexpected. He's going to be in attack mode, probably the whole time," said Greg Craig, President Obama's former White House counsel and an experienced debate-prepper.
The main issue at hand is predicting the unpredictable. Trump might be expected to go after Clinton for her use of a private email server, for example, but that is only if he stays on message. Clinton is also going to brace for being called "crooked," or being told she "short-circuited," but also for the insults maybe even Trump himself hasn't come up with yet.
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.
Of course, that means finding a close ally to play Trump in the debate prep — an uncomfortable role. "You have to start off by saying, 'I want to thank the American people, especially Monica and Gennifer Flowers.' Nobody who is a friend of hers is going to want to say that in debate prep," a top Clinton ally told Politico.
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.
-
One great cookbook: Joshua McFadden’s ‘Six Seasons of Pasta’the week recommends The pasta you know and love. But ever so much better.
-
Scientists are worried about amoebasUnder the radar Small and very mighty
-
Buddhist monks’ US walk for peaceUnder the Radar Crowds have turned out on the roads from California to Washington and ‘millions are finding hope in their journey’
-
Judge rejects California’s ICE mask ban, OKs ID lawSpeed Read Federal law enforcement agents can wear masks but must display clear identification
-
Lawmakers say Epstein files implicate 6 more menSpeed Read The Trump department apparently blacked out the names of several people who should have been identified
-
Japan’s Takaichi cements power with snap election winSpeed Read President Donald Trump congratulated the conservative prime minister
-
Trump sues IRS for $10B over tax record leaksSpeed Read The president is claiming ‘reputational and financial harm’ from leaks of his tax information between 2018 and 2020
-
Trump, Senate Democrats reach DHS funding dealSpeed Read The deal will fund most of the government through September and the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks
-
Fed holds rates steady, bucking Trump pressureSpeed Read The Federal Reserve voted to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged
-
Judge slams ICE violations amid growing backlashSpeed Read ‘ICE is not a law unto itself,’ said a federal judge after the agency violated at least 96 court orders
-
Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquidSpeed Read This ‘small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work’
