MEMO

[c]

TO: Hillary Clinton

FROM: Robby Mook, Huma Abedin, John Podesta
DATE: 9/26/16
RE: Debate Prep Memo
Talking Points and Advice for the first "Likable Enough" Debate Strategy
Donald Trump will come out swinging in what we know will be record setting
ratings for tonights first debate, so we wanted to provide you a memo with some
last minute advice on how to handle the big night.
What difference does it now make? Well, a lot if we want to actually win this thing.
We know what you are thinking: you should be up 50 points on this guy. We get it.
Unfortunately, the American voters have a different idea right now. Some polls
even have you losing. Looks like that basket of deplorables was bigger than we
expected.
Your unfavorable and untrustworthy numbers remain at all-time highs. Stories
about millennial apathy for your candidacy have also become a problem area for
us of late. So, here are some strategy points for a likeable enough performance:

When asked about the recent purchase of a third multi-million dollar

mansion and your growing Chappaqua compound, stay away from the
term dead broke. Makes total sense to us, but turns out that in this
economy thats growing at the slowest rate since World War Two (more on
Obama economics later), a million dollars is a lot to most Americans, let
alone the $55 million that youre worth. Remain humble and happy, and if
anyone asks, we got to Hofstra University in the Scooby Van, NOT a private
jet. (Cats out of the bag on the fact you havent driven a car in two
decades.)

If Lester Holt asks about special favors for Clinton Foundation donors
like Gilbert Chagoury, pretend to not recognize the name and instead
answer, I believe you said Nobel-Laureate Muhammad Yunus. Or say you
are just glad your husband's special favors are now going to dignitaries
these days.

When the debate turns to your ongoing email scandal, remember you finally
have an opponent who cares about the damn emails. Our advice:
continue the Clinton Mantra: keep lying. We have destroyed any evidence to
the contrary, so no need to turn back now. Remember: we are your team,
not your husbands. We actually covered our tracks.

Keep in mind that you already used 9/11 as the reason why you got all that
money from big Wall Street banks. We are still working to come up with a
less offensive comment for the general election audience. But remember,
people are really angry about the Wells Fargo situation. Lets hope they
dont notice the quarter million bucks they gave to your family foundation
or the six-figure check Bill took for a Wells Fargo speaking gig.

The tightening polls will certainly be mentioned. Remember to use the line
We always knew this would happen. (Pray that Lester Holt missed Robbys
recent Dont Panic memo.) You are the underdog. UNDERDOG. America
loves a comeback story. (This one just needs to turn out better than in
2008.)

REMINDER: During this campaign, you now oppose border walls, TPP, school
choice, Keystone, and fracking. We know youre still getting use to these
new positions so just keep every answer vague. Also, youre no longer
allowed to say illegal immigrant.

Back to the economy: its still the biggest issue on voters minds, and we
are running out of ways to claim that its doing better than it seems. Believe
it or not, saying, President Obama doesnt get the credit he deserves for
fixing the economy doesnt test well. Maybe its the record number of
people giving up and leaving the workforce because they cant find a job, or
the poverty level hitting a 50-year high earlier this year? Who knows.
Whatever the reason is, best to avoid pledges to put an entire industry and
its workers out of business.

Speaking of things to stay away from, you once said that President Obamas
plan to defeat terrorism is the same as yours. After the attacks last
weekend in New York, New Jersey and Minnesota (not to mention San
Bernardino and Orlando), were trying to come up with something better,
but its proven challenging, given your role as his top foreign diplomat for
four years.

Finally, our campaign is on our 7th slogan, so if you could work in our current
one, Stronger Together, that would be very useful for spreading
awareness. Its especially critical in light of how badly reviewed and poorly
selling the eponymously titled book is doing. Optional: Tim has taken
to hawking the book during rallies and interviews. Just consider it.

Of course, your excellent ducking and dodging routine could work for any of these
questions. That will mean, however, that the team will have to defend your nonanswers on all the shows tomorrow. Thats ok, Brian and co. are use to it.