September 24, 2016

Philippe Reines is playing the part of Donald Trump in Hillary Clinton's debate preparation sessions.

Or so 2 unnamed sources have told NBC News.

Remember him? He's a longtime Hillary Clinton confidante, most famous for coming up with the "reset" button that Hillary Clinton gave to the Russian Foreign Minister to symbolize our supposed new relationship with Russia in 2009. Reines is responsible for getting the word "reset" wrong and making it say (in Russian) "overcharged."

It's funny to think of that reset button now, with Clinton so critical of Trump for his interest in working with the Russians. According to Hillary's own memoir, the "bright red button on a yellow base... had been pulled off the whirlpool in the hotel" — the InterContinental Hotel in Geneva.

Also from the memoir:
Philippe is passionate, loyal, and shrewd. He usually knows what Washington’s movers and shakers are thinking even before they do.
Reines's name comes up in a few old posts of mine, including "When Phillippe Reines — the man behind Hillary's 'reset' button — said 'fuck off' and 'have a good life' to Michael Hastings — the reporter who died recently in a mysterious car crash."
Hastings was asking questions like "Why didn’t the State Department search the [Benghazi] consulate...?" and "What other potential valuable intelligence [besides Ambassador Stevens's diary] was left behind that could have been picked up by apparently anyone searching the grounds?" Reines became extremely defensive and abusive...
Here's a CNN video from 2014 about Reines's getting testy when Buzzfeed — having heard that Clinton hadn't driven a car since 1996 — wanted to know about whether Clinton had done various other things that ordinary people do (like using an ATM or eating at Chipotle):



It's interesting to hear those commentators talking about how presidential candidates have felt the need to show that they do what ordinary people do — e.g., candidate Obama went bowling (really badly... and made a terrible joke about it) — but we haven't seen much of that sort of thing from either Trump or Clinton. I guess those 2 protect each other from needing to seem like a commoner. But way back before Hillary had that immunity — back in April 2015 — she made a point of eating at Chipotle. And remember the "Scooby Van"? Those were simpler times.

23 comments:

Hagar said...

Hillary! should be careful about bringing up Russian business interests. I am sure Trump can point to several Clinton, Inc. "associates" and their activities around Russian pipelines, etc.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

This pick would certainly fit with an assumption of Trump being thin-skinned, and a plan to upset him.

My guess is that floating that strategy, and this pick, is misdirection.

Rob said...

Reines is a founder and managing director of Beacon Global Strategies, which appears to be international fixers: "Drawing on our decades of service in the international security arena, we develop strategies and provide services that enable companies to achieve their business objectives, both in the United States and around the world."

Clyde said...

I hope that Gennifer Flowers has security guards and a food-taster for the next couple of days...

Oso Negro said...

If Phillip Reines is doing his job, he will be doing his level best to cause Hillary to have a stroke. You can bet that is what Donald Trump is going to do. Win by knockout. Gennifer Flowers will be sitting right in the front row and Trump will be bringing it. If she falters, or better still, falls off her step stool, that is the end.

Michael K said...

I am sure Trump can point to several Clinton, Inc. "associates" and their activities around Russian pipelines, etc.

I think she is setting up the last moment desperation tactic of Obama's DoJ announcing an investigation and indictment of Trump for Russian ties.

U.S. intelligence officials are seeking to determine whether an American businessman identified by Donald Trump as one of his foreign policy advisers has opened up private communications with senior Russian officials — including talks about the possible lifting of economic sanctions if the Republican nominee becomes president, according to multiple sources who have been briefed on the issue.

Joe said...

The "reset" button thing was humiliating and made the US look like a joke. It likely played a part in Putin knowing he could do whatever the hell he wanted.

YoungHegelian said...

Philippe is passionate, loyal, and shrewd. He usually knows what Washington’s movers and shakers are thinking even before they do.


There's way too much of this going on in DC's political world.

I wonder how often they tell each other "It's so BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG!!".

cacimbo said...

Don't believe it, I think Mark Cuban played Trump during the warm-ups and that is why he is getting a front row seat.

David Begley said...

I always thought the person who got that Russian reset button spelling wrong was fired. More bad judgment by Hillary.

traditionalguy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
traditionalguy said...

Hillary's problem will be recovering from her Pneumonia induced brain damage, that shows in her eye motions and freezes, in time to fake normal strength. But she uses the base emotion of expressing her anger to tap that normal strength appearance.It will do her in, while Trump comes off as the kindly man he actually is at heart.

Churchy LaFemme: said...

Maybe I am too cynical, though as Tomlin said, it's hard to keep up -- but that "button came from a hotel whirlpool" thing sounds like a lie.

Who disassembles unfamiliar 220V electrical stuff near water and with whatever looks like a tool from a diplomat's luggage?

I don't know *why* she would lie about that, but it seems unlikely.

Fabi said...

Gennifer Flowers has apparently accepted Trump's invitation to the debate. Game, set, match, Mr. Trump.

Dagwood said...

Prepping with Reines as Trump surrogate might be smart strategy, if Trump were a flamer.

Bad Lieutenant said...

Yes but she needs to be prepared for the moment when Trump's eyes look into her eyes and she feels herself sinking sinking through the floor. I don't know if Philippe can bring that.

Mary Beth said...

the "bright red button on a yellow base... had been pulled off the whirlpool in the hotel"

Vandalism?

Big Mike said...

Well, Hillary did eat at Chipotle -- and stiffed the staff on a tip. So there's that.

narciso said...

unlike say this fellow,

http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/individualProfile.asp?indid=2310

who ended up the anti isis coordinator,

JAORE said...

"I wonder how often they tell each other "It's so BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG!!".


Huma says it nightly.....

Let Jennifer Flowers sit on the front row and, at, a key point, do her best Sharon Stone leg crossing and uncrossing act.... Bet Hillary's eyes focus perfectly for that moment....

MayBee said...

How in the world can the same woman both give that "Reset/Overcharge" button to Russia, allow our natural resources to be sold to Russia, AND run for POTUS on a Red Scare against her opponent?

clint said...

Trump doesn't need to fake doing what ordinary people do. He's running as a flamboyant character who *gets* the common man and says what they're saying when the elitists don't and won't. The constant drumbeat against him in the press is that he's crude, uncouth, and "not one of us". Which just helps him with that.


Hillary could benefit from more connection to the blue collar union wing of her party. But she lacks the energy to do something like bowling. Good thing the Presidency isn't a strenuous job. /sarc

MayBee said...

OH! Speaking of the Scooby Van-- remember the really expensive tour buses Obama had the federal government build? How many times were they used? I think Obama used his once.....