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A Contest for the Ages: Looking Ahead at Tonight's First Presidential Debate of 2016 

David Brody, Jenna Browder : Sep 26, 2016
CBN News

One poll estimates that a whopping hundred-million may watch it.

(New York)—[CBN News] It's a presidential debate that can be summed up in one familiar word—huge! (Photo via CBN News)

As the construction crew puts the finishing touches on the debate stage, Americans are expected to tune in for likely historic TV ratings.
 
The 2015 Super Bowl clocks in at number one, with 115 million viewers. The 1983 series finale of "Mash" brought in 106 million.  
 
One poll estimates Monday's event could rival those numbers, topping a hundred million.  Regardless of the count, it will be "Must See TV."
 
Trump told CBN News his simple goal for Monday's epic encounter.
 
"Win. That's all I want to do is win," Trump said.
 
But for this "outsider," winning won't be the result of traditional textbook strategy. Instead, he's expected to stick with what got him here: instinct and boldness.  
 
Trump, however, will need to pass the plausibility test—that is, whether voters see him as a president.
 
Many are evangelicals still trying to decide whether they will pull the lever for Trump or possibly sit this election out. But evangelical leader David Barton calls that the wrong approach.
 
"We have a very selfish view of what we do with voting, and I say that in the sense of that most Christians think that voting is a right. It's not. It's a duty," Barton said.
 
And Trump's been rallying the troops in the days leading up to this debate.
 
It's appropriate that this first, attention-grabbing debate will be in the New York area. Both candidates feel right at home in this familiar territory.
 
Trump Tower is located in Manhattan, Clinton's headquarters are 20 minutes away in Brooklyn, and the debate site at Hofstra University in Hempstead is only about an hour drive.
 
As he has proven, Trump enjoys mixing it up and getting feisty at debates. But he doesn't typically throw the first punch. Instead, he waits until he's attacked and analysts say he's one of the best counter punchers out there. So how will Clinton get ready to rumble?

"You have to be prepared for, like, wacky stuff that comes at you," she told Late night host Jimmy Kimmel. "I am drawing on my experience from elementary school."
 
While Clinton's opponent may be taking a less traditional approach to preparing for the debates, she is going by the book.
 
The Democratic nominee cut back campaigning last week. Sources say she's going through briefing books, rehearsing and studying clips of Trump from the Republican primary debates, taking notes of his style and what gets under his skin.
 
Clinton's faith adviser, Burns Stridertold, told CBN News Clinton isn't underestimating Trump.
 
"I run across people, partisans and non-partisans alike; they'll say, 'why are y'all working so hard? I mean your girl's going to be the next president.' Which my comment is 'oh contraire,'" Strider said.
 
"We have a very tough race ahead of us and we have two candidates and we have two candidates' families that know how to win at the rodeo and it's going to be a tough race for both sides and they're going to go at it," Strider warned.
 
Clinton has participated in more debates than any presidential candidate in recent history. But it's hard to say how much that experience will help with an unconventional outsider like Trump.
 
Clinton is preparing to face some uncomfortable subjects—from her email scandal to Bill Clinton's infidelity.
 
A campaign insider says her team hopes to come up with a memorable one-liner that will knock Trump off his game and stick in voters' minds.
 
Regarding Clinton, one of the big dangers to watch for is how she will react to Trump's attacks. She's been known to get agitated pretty quickly so keeping a calm, cool demeanor will be vitally important in this debate for the ages.
 
*CBN neither supports nor opposes any candidate for public office.