Debate Tickets: getting a front row seat

The Clinton-Trump debate starts in a few hours.  Two New Yorkers go at it. Donald Trump, a native born New Yorker, moved from Queens to Manhattan as soon as he could get there. Hillary, a naturalized New Yorker, born in the Midwest, moved to New York as soon as she could get out of Arkansas. Both want to move to Washington, D.C..  To the Oval Office baby!

The debate, 1 1/2 hours of must see-TV, might include more than the usual dose of mudslinging, innuendo, gossip, and insults. Certain pressure points exist-- Hillary's health and Donald's demeanor. And this is where the psy-ops, psychological operations, come in. The Psy-Ops, psychological operations warfare, even concern the seating plan for  the front row of the debate.

Hillary has saved a seat for Mark Cuban, just to rattle the opponent. Cuban, a feisty billionaire, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, star of Shark Tank, a fondness for the glare of the spotlight is actually a recent arrival to Hillary Camp. He even considered signing up for Trump's vice presidential candidate. But that was months ago. And months ago feels like aeons in Infotainment World, our present home.

Trump countered strongly with suggestions he would bring in Gennifer Flowers, Bill Clinton's mistress for a dozen years.

This tactic recalls Godfather II-- where Frankie Pantangeli is about to testify in front of a Washington grand jury and name names. The Corleone family places an old school mafioso from Sicily in the back of the hearing room and  Frankie quickly reverts to "I don't know nothing." Frankie later takes his own life, the honorable route, rather than rat out his brothers. Clinton and Trump don't strike me as the fall on your sword type of individuals.

Cuban likes to be in the national discussion, whether baiting the refs at his team's NBA games or starring on a reality TV competition show. Who does that remind you of?

Gennifer spells her name with a "G"-- and is called a showgirl. Gennifer Flowers, we learn, has not actually been invited by Trump. Trump may see a downside to going too far with the adultery card. So she may not even be there. Too bad.

Ironically, the studio audience at Hofstra will be completely out of view. The audience is literally in the dark. Trump may not be able to see Cuban, unless Cuban charges the stage a la Kanye West.

The whole front row seating thing reminds me of the motley assemblage of celebrities reminds me of the Beatles high moment, and their memorable cover for the Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover. I always liked the image of Sonny Liston. Where's Sonny when you need him?

The only image that matters will be the body language of the contestants, er, the candidates. If we've learned anything it is that how you comport yourself and how you feel on stage with 80-100 million watching is what really matters. The camera is an X-ray machine and the audience sees the candidates to the core of their being. That clarity seals the deal.

Top 5 Donald Trump stand-ins (for Debate Practice)

Hillary Clinton searches for a good Donald Trump stand-in as she prepares for the debate.  Some top candidates could be...

1) Zach Galifianakis-- a true surrealist, with an unbridled id, like Trump. Hillary appeared on his cable show "Between Two Ferns" and appeared pretty flummoxed by Zach's line of questioning. Maybe they should work together some more.

2) Alec Baldwin-- narcissistic like Trump and self-important. Baldwin, from Long Island, understands the New York attitude.

3) Mark Cuban-- Alec Baldwin with more money. Trump is sensitive to Cuban's accusations that the Trump is not a real billionaire.

4) Stephen Colbert-- Colbert has the right-wing persona down pat. He stared down Bill O'Reilly and never flinched. Apparently, Stephen Colbert unearthed the actually role-player, a Hillary aide named Philippe Reines, (see below)

5) Chris Rock-- not sure why, but Rock might get Hillary to smile and she needs to do that.  He could prod Hillary on the subject of racism and Hillary could use that same technique on the Donald.

Ah, what the hell-- let's take a reach and add #6.

6) Nancy Grace (in drag)-- Nancy is no-holds barred, no slave to objectivity. She could just move her healthy head of hair around to capture the Trump orange-hued chignon.

"Philippe Reines, a longtime aide to Hillary Clinton and one of the most astute observers of her personal and political vulnerabilities, is playing Donald J. Trump in her mock debate sessions, according to people familiar with Mr. Reines’s involvement." (New York Times, Sept. 23)

Reines may be an expert on Hillary's vulnerabilities but already he sounds way too smart and bookish. He's been on Hillary's payroll. Employees defer to their bosses, understandably, and hopefully this does not inhibit Reines during their mock debates. 

Trump claims not to be preparing-- but who would he pick as a stand-in for Hillary Clinton? She's a bit schoolmarmish, maybe more like the school principal. He could look to Melissa McCarthy, actually she's got the id for a Trump stand-in. Elizabeth Warren has potential but wouldn't take the job. Rosie O'Donnell? Fuhgedaboutit...