Duking it out tonight at Hofstra University in Hemstead, Long Island, 68-year-old Democratic nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and 70-year-old real estate mogul Donald Trump put everything on the line. Hillary hopes to continue her campaign narrative that Trump lacks the temperament for the Oval Office, presenting her vast experience as proof of her readiness on Day 1. Trump wants to show that Hillary can’t be trusted not only due to her email scandal but, more importantly, poor decision-making as Secretary of State fighting the war on terror. While the contrast between the two candidates couldn’t be greater, Hillary had a tough time with leftist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), challenging her about her poor foreign policy judgment and close ties to Wall Street’s special interests, including big banks, drug companies, insurance and defense industries.
Trump won’t hesitate to quote Bernie about Hillary’s close ties to the nation’s biggest special interest groups, taking large sums of cash form lobbyists hoping to advance agendas during a Hillary presidency. Whatever questions posed by NBC’s moderator Lester Holt, Trump will raise Hillary’s efforts while Secretary of State to meet with Clinton Foundations donors at the State Department. While there’s nothing illegal about crossing the line, the public needs to trust Hillary wouldn’t use the White House for her own financial gain. Hillary can’t rely on FBI Director James Comey’s July 5 decision not to indict her on narrow grounds of breaching the government classified information laws. Trump will surely bring up immunity agreements given to Hillary’s chief-of-staff Cheryl Mills and her tech staff that scrubbed her private email server clean of some 33,000 emails.
Hillary will no doubt continue her campaign narrative that Trump’s a racist, giving examples of how he’s insulted women, minorities and the disabled, painting him as heartless with no empathy for working people. While Hillary wants to put Trump on the defensive about his past business dealings, Trump wants to shift the focus back on Hillary’s track record while Secretary of State, especially how she instructed her chief of staff and tech team to scrub her server of 33,000 emails while Secretary of State. Pointing out that Hillary or her staff destroyed 13 work-related cell phones with hammers to cover up communications with possible Clinton donors should raise eyebrows. Trump wants to engage Hillary in her foreign policy decisions starting with backing the Iraq War, support for toppling Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, Libya’s Col. Muammar Gaddafi and now Syria President Bashar al-Assad.
More important than discussing foreign and domestic policy, Hillary wants to make Trump look unfit for White House. Focusing on his business failures and ongoing fraud trial with Trump University, Hillary hopes to continue the campaign narrative that Trump’s a fraud, phony and huckster, something said repeatedly by Trump’s Republican rivals, especially 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney. Provoking Trump into an outburst would by a major coup for the Hillary campaign. Trump needs to stay cool the extent he contains his ire while hearing Hillary’s barrage of insults. If Trump keeps his composure and puts the onus back on Hillary’s emails, immunity deals, bleached server and destruction of cell phones, he’ll keep her off balance enough to score points. Former president Bill Clinton told Hillary to act like the grownup, avoiding the kind of schoolyard tit-for-tat that looks bad on TV.
Like a prizefight where a candidate hopes to win on points, neither Trump nor Clinton are likely to go for a knockout punch. Hillary’s been advised to play-it-safe, get through the debate without making any major gaffes. Trump’s more likely to take a big swing at Hillary. Anything that Trump says that exposes Hillary’s trust issues is bound to pay off. While Hillary and Bernie debated nine times, Hillary never looked too rattled knowing she held a commanding lead of super-delegates, leaving the nomination a done deal. While Hillary over-prepared with simulated debates, Trump kept his normal routine of campaign rallies heading into tonight’s contest. Listening to all her consultants contrasts sharply with Trump whose mind is clear heading into tonight’s debate. When you think of the pressure, it’s squarely on Hillary to get through the debate without a coughing fit or fainting spell.
Heading into tonight’s title fight, Hillary wants to go the distance without getting knocked out. Trump has to pick his shots carefully, not flailing around, looking too aggressive and undisciplined. Hillary wants to present herself as methodical, knowledgeable and experienced. Trump has to whip up enthusiasm for changing the system, letting voters know that Hillary represents the status quo. If Trump lets voters know that, if Hillary’s elected, she’ll get nothing done with a Republican House and Senate, he’ll score more points. Hillary’s message that Trump’s too dangerous for the White House won’t resonate with voters if Trump looks presidential. If Trump looks presidential in tonight’s debate, Hillary’s going to have a tough sell telling voters he’s not fit for the White House. Keeping Hillary on the defensive is Trump’s best bet to keep off her game.
