US election 2024 - "Unbearable pressure": how Hillary Clinton experienced her TV duels with Trump
In the past four months, American voters will decide on their next president. Tonight (local time), in Atlanta, Georgia, there is an event that could have a significant impact on their decision: the first of two televised debates between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
The former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has already engaged in heated exchanges with both the incumbent and the challenger. In the Democratic primaries of 2008, she shared a stage with then-Senator Biden, and in the presidential campaign of 2016, she had three memorable debates with Trump as the Democratic candidate. In the "New York Times," the 76-year-old described what it means to face a Republican opponent on live television.
Clinton prepared for debate against Trump with mock debates
"I know the unbearable pressure that comes with stepping onto the stage, and I know it's almost impossible to focus on substance when Mr. Trump is there," Clinton wrote in an op-ed for the newspaper. She had prepared extensively for her appearances because she knew she would need to find a way to pierce through her opponent's distractions. "In 90-minute mock debates on an identical stage, I practiced, facing tough questions and lies about my record and character," reported the former Secretary of State. A longtime advisor played the role of Trump and did everything he could to provoke, unsettle, and aggravate her.
The preparation paid off, Clinton concluded. As expected, Trump unleashed a storm of interruptions, insults, and lies during their debates, overwhelming even the moderators. The attempt to refute Trump's arguments in a normal debate was a waste of time, according to the Democrat. "It's almost impossible to discern what his arguments are. He starts with nonsense and then veers off into chaos."
Tips for Biden and the audience
Trump interrupts and harasses his opponents, Clinton continued. At one point, he even followed her on stage to dominate and throw off her balance. "Trump insults and rages perhaps because he wants to avoid giving clear answers on his unpopular positions, such as restricting abortions and tax cuts for billionaires," speculated the Democrat.
President Biden advised Clinton to be direct and energetic in her responses, as he had been during his State of the Union address when he engaged with hecklers. Then Trump's tricks would fail.
And for the television audience, Clinton had a tip: "Try to see through the noise and focus on the essentials, on what's at stake!" In 2016, Trump refused to say whether he would accept the election results. "You can stay tuned," he replied. "We should be clear about what he says and what it means," warned Clinton now. "A direct line can be drawn from this conversation to the deadly insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021."
- The upcoming US election debates between Joe Biden and Donald Trump have sparked renewed interest, especially since Hillary Clinton, a previous contender in the US - Election 2024, shares her experiences and strategies.
- In an op-ed for the 'New York Times', Clinton mentioned the challenges of facing a Republican opponent like Donald Trump in live debates, as she did during her Democratic primary with Joe Biden in 2008 and the presidential campaign in 2016.
- Clinton also warned the USA audience to focus on the essentials and understand Trump's statements clearly, drawing a direct line from his past refusals to accept election results to the deadly insurrection at the US Capitol in 2021.
- As the first debate between Biden and Trump unfolds in Atlanta, Georgia, the fate of the US election could be influenced by these lessons from Clinton's past encounters with Donald Trump and the challenges posed by Republican opponents during US elections.
