In yet another break with tradition, the spouses of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will not shake hands prior to the third and final debate.
New Arrangement
According to the New York Times, the Clinton campaign asked the Commission on Presidential Debates to rearrange the families’ entrances. The candidates’ spouses and families will enter the assembly hall from a point close to their seats. They will go directly to their seats. Because their paths won’t meet on the stage, there will be little chance of an awkward moment where they avoid each other.
Clinton Plans Ahead
Why would Clinton ask for this change? You may recall that at the second debate on October 9, 2016, Donald Trump brought four guests. Three were women who have accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault, or at least unwanted sexual advances. The fourth was a rape victim; Hillary Clinton acted as defense attorney for her attacker. Trump asked that they be seated with his family. The traditional protocol is for the candidates’ families to cross paths and shake hands with the families of their opponent. Trump’s family set this up to rattle the Clintons.
The Commission on Presidential Debates refused to let the guests sit with family. Instead, they sat with other guests who would not come into contact with the Clintons, and Tiffany Trump sat with them.
So before the last debate, the Clinton campaign asked the Commission to change the usual pattern of the families’ entrance into the debate hall. The Commission agreed.
No More Civility
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have already broken the traditions of courtesy and civility that governed previous debates. You may recall that Clinton and Trump did not shake hands before the second debate. Although candidates may have interrupted one another at past debates, Trump did so much more often than candidates in past general election debates. And then there was the stalking, not to mention his calling her the devil. Clinton referred to her opponent as Donald rather than Mr. Trump, a relatively minor show of disrespect by comparison.
Let’s hope that Chris Wallace can turn off the candidates’ microphones when they interrupt or break the rules.
Watch Trump stalking Clinton at the second debate here:
Featured Image via YouTube video
