You're coaching Trump and Clinton for the first debate

[Statilius the Epicurean]

What would be your strategy for each of them?

[Wells]

Clinton: Be the insider. Make it clear you know policy and highlight Trump's ignorance on policy. It Trump attacks you, take the high road. Mention Obama a lot (as long as his approvals are high).

Trump: Don't mess up. Focus on Hillary's weaknesses (Benghazi, emails) but stay away from Lewinsky or personal attacks. Always talk about how badly things are going. Contrast how dangerous Hillary's policy will be with how successful your's will be (it wouldn't hurt to specify details for once). Keep the language simple to appeal to the base.

[pho]

Clinton: Bait him. Trump has the more resonant message, but only when he is actually on it. The more you can bait Trump into calling you names and saying generally indignant things that offend people, the more you look good by comparison - which frankly is the only way you look good. Do not underestimate him, he didn't get this far by being incompetent. Oh, and for God's sake, try your best not to spin anything. You are absolutely awful at discretely parsing words.

Trump: Hillary is going to try and get you off message, because she wants you to look foolish - and you do look foolish when you are off message. Flash a little intelligence, go in armed to the teeth with facts and well rehearsed talking points - she won't be prepared for that, and she panics and flops when she is not prepared. Do NOT go into this looking to hammer her on any particular scandal - she will be very well prepared for this and you will lose any debate that she is properly prepared for. Big time!

[Wisconsin+17]

Interesting, there are so many ways to market Trump.

I would probably stay on message about jobs, immigration and Islamic terrorism. Point out how Hillary has been a part of the Washington establishment since 92, (24 years). Is America better now, or worse off? She's been secretary of state, what are her accomplishments? How has she made America a safer place? How have we advanced on American foreign policy?

I would point out how Bush left a peaceful Iraq and how ISIS flourished under Hillary's watch as SOS - if she did such a poor job of running the SOS desk, why should she be president?

I'd go after the jobs - especially for men, point out that under Obama we have an economy unlike none seen since the Great depression. Men are struggling to find sufficient work to support their families. People are dropping out of the workforce rather than continue to look for work that is not there.

Point out that the only difference between Hillary and Obama is the name.

Talk about 'fundamental transformation', 'never having to apologize for being American, I'd bring up the Olympian who won a swimming medal - how she was adopted and became a tremendous success as the quintessional American dream. I'd point out all the Christians who credited their Faith for inspiring them to become athletes. "why do we worry about what others think? Let's be proud of being the greatest country in the world".

[Lyin' Steve]

Clinton: Have knockout punches for each of Trump's tactics.  He's going to repeat a simple attack on you over and over again louder and louder as you try to argue against it.  He's going to punctuate your answers with "all lies" or "oh give me a break" or making faces.  He's going to minimize you by attacking the press and the moderator.  He will bait you into attacking him on an extreme position and then retreat into his safe space of a more reasonable position to try to make you follow him into an argument he knows he can win.  This could happen on health care just as easily as it could happen on Monica Lewinsky.

Trump: watch Carly fiorona's performance from the CNN debate for how a candidate who doesn't know much can bs her way into sounding extremely intelligent and well informed.  If you manage to outwit Hillary even once on a single policy topic you win.  Rattle off facts and plans to support your ideas, it doesn't matter whether they're true.  Her saying you're a liar is basically a tie which helps you, and nobody believes fact checkers anymore.

[Orthogonian Society Treasurer]

Trump: You're the outsider, act like it. Bait Clinton by calling a warmonger, attack her for supporting the "job-killing NAFTA and TPP deals", challenge her "extreme immigration [and refugee] policy". Undermine her responses to your criticisms by reminding the audience that "she's a liar, folks. Lied about Benghazi, lied about the emails, lied about rigging the primaries against Bernie Sanders. She's crooked, folks".

Clinton: Engage and best Trump on the issues that won him the primary. Explain in-depth how you'll strengthen American industry and penalize corporations for outsourcing jobs. Articulate your foreign policy position; tell America why Trump isn't up to the task of defeating ISIS and why you are. Attack Trump for his history of outlandish, "dangerous" comments; cast yourself as a reliable and sane reformer who can be trusted with the country's future. 

[Hermit For Peace]

In an alternate universe, I'd tell them to treat each other with respect, stick to the facts, and shake hands. Be yourself and good luck to both of you.

Why do these things have to be rehearsed? Let 'em take their knocks as they make them, or take their accolades as they earn them. People would appreciate something real happening in politics for once.

[indietraveler]

Trump needs to act like a president. At this point, he won't be winning anyone new based off most of his primary debates and how he acts overall. Sadly, he fails at presenting actual policy and this is going to be quite noticeable against Clinton so I imagine he'll resort to outlandish attacks as usual.

Clinton just needs to not over react to Trump, but firmly attack him at any chance.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Trump:  No name-calling.  Not once.  But refuse to answer questions on "temperament" and "character"  Instead, remind the panelists asking the questions that the American people are capable of making up their own minds about the temperments of the candidates (use plural) and it was his understanding that the debate was to shed light on what a candidate will do if elected and those are the questions he will answer.

If the press keeps this up, Trump should RESPECTFULLY ask them why they are refusing to ask him a POLICY question that would actually be providing information for the viewers. 

If he does this, Trump needs to be "bullet-point wonkish", giving specific policy proposals on jobs, ISIS, and aspects of foreign policy.  Cite your differences with Clinton, and point out RESPECTFULLY that while Clinton has "experience" in high office, she doesn't have a track record on being ahead of the curve on any issue the public is concerned over.

Clinton:  Refuse to get into justifying previous lying.  Talk about your greater Government experience in a general way, but find a way to subtly suggest that someone with NO experience in Government at all might not be prepared to start at the top.  Point out where Trump has taken more than one position on an issue during the campaign, and point out where he's taken positions that differ from both her AND from his fellow Republicans.  Don't call Trump a bigot or racist, but point out his total absence of addressing issues that have special significance for blacks, women, and Hispanics.  Cite the improvement of the economic statistics under Obama and the Democrats, and use examples how Republican Presidents have trumpeted these same statistics in previous campaigns. 

Hillary, too, should refuse to speak about the e-mail, except to say that the FBI has concluded their investigation, and this information is already out there for public consumption, and people can conclude what they will about that.  If pressed, she should throw out Trump University as a deflection, and note that Trump's own lawyers haven't called for Judge Curiel to recuse himself. 

Hillary's in the lead now, and a solid lead at that.  She does need to make the debate boring.  Interesting benefits Trump.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

I think she should refuse to shake Trump's hand. There's a chance he would refuse to shake hers if she offered, so she needs to beat him to the punch.

[Crumpets]

Trump: I doubt "act presidential" is advice he would take, so barring that - put everything into terms Americans can relate to. Let Clinton list of a litany of bills, policies, and numbers, and come back with a "people don't care about that sh*t" line. It worked very well for Bush against Gore, and I think this matchup will be pretty similar.

Clinton: Don't fall into the same trap Obama did in the first debate against Romney. If Trump comes out swinging, have some good - but simple - dirt on Trump. For example "you say that, but you yourself have had undocumented workers in your kitchen," or "the American people deserve to know how you plan to pay for this when cost estimates have put it as one of the most expensive proposals in history."

I also think both would be best served to avoid mentioning Iraq, since Trump can be challenged on flip-flopping and Mike Pence and Clinton obviously voted for the use of force.

[Maxwell]

Yeah I think Hillary the wonk needs to come out in this debate, while also subtlely baiting Trump into saying something stupid or offensive. Trump, I think, needs to surprise her by coming off as above her attacks, knowing the facts, and looking like a total flip from his image in the primary, proving to American voters that he can change.

[Bismarck]

I think she should refuse to shake Trump's hand. There's a chance he would refuse to shake hers if she offered, so she needs to beat him to the punch.

If either of them did that they would drop three points in the polls. For Clinton it would hurt her narrative that she's the adult in the room.

[Maxwell]

I think she should refuse to shake Trump's hand. There's a chance he would refuse to shake hers if she offered, so she needs to beat him to the punch.

If either of them did that they would drop three points in the polls. For Clinton it would hurt her narrative that she's the adult in the room.

that tact kind of worked for Rand Paul, in one of his few high energy moments.

[Fargobison]

HRC should push substance and real answers from Trump. Rubio actually tried that in the Texas debate and Donald started to meltdown because he had no idea what to do on health care reform outside of his canned generic line around the states answer.

Donnie needs to be prepared so he doesn't have that kind of moment. You can't just wing a debate on this stage, he won't be able to skate by on fluff filled answers in a general election debate.

[Crumpets]

I also wonder if Clinton can craft a Christie-vs-Rubio line against Trump and pick on him for his incredibly formulaic way of speaking.

[BlueSwan]

Trump: You're the outsider, act like it. Bait Clinton by calling a warmonger, attack her for supporting the "job-killing NAFTA and TPP deals", challenge her "extreme immigration [and refugee] policy". Undermine her responses to your criticisms by reminding the audience that "she's a liar, folks. Lied about Benghazi, lied about the emails, lied about rigging the primaries against Bernie Sanders. She's crooked, folks".

I agree with this. This is what makes the debates dangerous for Hillary. I don't believe that Trump should try to act presidential and serious. First off, he's not very good at it, second, he would get annihilated by Hillary in a serious policy oriented debate. But the relentless attaking and namecalling can definitely get Hillary off her game. She is at her worst when trying to defend herself and at her best when talking policy.

Hillary should do what she does best. Be a cold competent policy wonk. Don't get baited by Trump. Rebutt his attacks shortly and precisely and explain to the viewers why Trump is wrong about rising crime (it's falling) and the bad recovery (it is actually extremely impressive compared to almost all other western countries). And please don't try to be folksy. And don't laugh. Hillary shouldn't be looking for the love of the people but for the respect of the people.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Apologize.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Trump - No one is expecting calm, reasoned and detailed.

Clinton - Be yourself, be above it all, but don't miss an opportunity to force Trump into an error.