(WASHINGTON) — Hillary Clinton, noting she is “the only person” to have debated both Joe Biden and Donald Trump, shared her thoughts on the upcoming presidential debate.
In an op-ed published in the New York Times on Tuesday, Clinton reflected on her own experience debating Trump and offered some advice to Biden ahead of Thursday’s matchup at CNN studios in Atlanta.
She wrote that Trump “interrupts and bullies — he even stalked me around the stage at one point — because he wants to appear dominant and throw his opponent off balance.”
Clinton said any attempt to refute his remarks would be a “waste of time” as he, in her words, “starts with nonsense and then digresses into blather.”
In addition to criticizing Trump’s argumentative strategy, Clinton discussed his felony convictions and attacked his stances on abortion rights and tax cuts. She said that “expectations for him are so low,” which she believes will skew the public’s perception of his performance on Thursday.
On the other hand, Clinton described President Biden as a “wise and decent man” who she claims is “one of the most empathetic leaders we’ve ever had.”
She advised Biden to be “direct and forceful” — a strategy she believes will successfully thwart Trump’s tactics of dominance and intimidation.
“The president also has facts and truth on his side,” she wrote. “He’ll win if that story comes through.”
Clinton acknowledged the disadvantage Biden faces as a sitting president, as his current responsibilities detract from debate preparation and the “excruciating pressure” that is to come. Biden is huddling with aides and advisers at Camp David this week to prepare.
She also briefly recognized Biden’s age, a major point of concern for his candidacy, and highlighted that he is “just three years older than Mr. Trump.”
Clinton also urged viewers tuning into Thursday’s debate to “not get hung up on the theatrics,” and instead focus on three things during Thursday’s faceoff.
“Pay attention to how the candidates talk about people, not just policies,” she began.
She then asked viewers to “focus on the fundamentals at stake” and to distinguish between what she considers to be “chaos and competence.”
Clinton’s op-ed arrived on the same day that she announced a new book. In a press release Tuesday, Simon & Schuster revealed it will be publishing Clinton’s Something Lost, Something Gained: Reflections on Life, Love, and Liberty on Sept. 17.
According to the release, the book will depict Clinton “like you’ve never seen her before.”
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