Hillary Clinton Aide Playing Donald Trump in Mock Debates

[AmericanMan1958]

Philippe Reines, a longtime aide to Hillary Clinton and one of the most astute observers of her personal and political vulnerabilities, is playing Donald J. Trump in her mock debate sessions, according to people familiar with Mr. Reines’s involvement.

Mr. Reines, who was Mrs. Clinton’s chief defender, enforcer, and gatekeeper during most of her years in the Senate and as secretary of state, is a deft practitioner of the combative, no-holds-barred politics that Mr. Trump favors.

His selection as the Trump stand-in means that Mrs. Clinton wants an opponent in her mock debates who knows her flaws and how to exploit them and who is fearless about getting under her skin the way that Mr. Trump might at their first debate on Monday night.

He is also known as one of a small handful of members of her inner circle willing to be tough and blunt with Mrs. Clinton about her own missteps. Mrs. Clinton, in her memoir “Hard Choices,” described Mr. Reines as “passionate, loyal, and shrewd” and added, “I can always trust him to speak his mind.”

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/09/24/us/politics/hillary-clinton-aide-playing-donald-trump-in-mock-debates.html?referer=

[chillfactor]

1. sounds like...

an awesome debate partner.

[lillypaddle]

2. She is gonna be SO prepared

I'm old, hope I can stay awake Monday night.

[AmericanMan1958]

3. Sounds like

She is truly being honest with herself about how outsiders see her.

I really like about her!!!

Feel better about debate after reading this article.

[tazkcmo]

4. I like it too.

Lincoln appointed people in his cabinet that disagreed with him because they weren't Yes Men and could be counted on to speak their minds thus giving him perspectives different than his own to consider. This speaks well for Sec Clinton and is a credit to her leadership abilities and her level of confidence in herself. Bravo Madame Secretary and soon to be Madame President.

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. Might be overpreparing

Two points:

1. Debates don't actually mean that much, and
2. Trump's a fucking idiot.

[patricia92243]

6. Everyone that I know that is "undecided" (uninformed) makes their decision on the Presidential

candidates' debate. Sad and scary but true.

[geek tragedy]

7. Reines can be a real asshole and Clinton trusts him absolutely

good choice for debate prep.

Is anyone playing Clinton when Dollhands is doing his prep?