Trump hug a risk for Clinton?

On Friday, Philippe Reines, a Democratic strategist who worked with Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, posted a short video on Twitter. Filmed on Sept. 24, two days before the first presidential debate, the video shows Clinton practicing for her meeting with then-GOP nominee Donald Trump, facing off against one of her staff members standing in for her opponent.

A voice calls out from the background: “Ladies and gentlemen, the two major-party candidates for president: Hillary Rodham Clinton and Donald J. Trump!”

Clinton and the aide portraying Trump walk to the middle of the mock stage, and Clinton extends her hand. But instead of going for a handshake, the man portraying Trump opens his arms wide, inviting a hug. The room bursts out laughing as Clinton awkwardly struggles to avoid the embrace.

Sound familiar? Thursday night, The New York Times published a story with remarkable details about former FBI director James B. Comey’s interactions with President Trump. In the story, a Comey associate, Benjamin Wittes, describes Comey’s interaction with Trump and his desire to maintain distance between the FBI and the White House, including avoiding a hug.

Did the Clinton campaign actually think Trump might go for a hug at the debate? In an interview via email Friday, Reines said Clinton strategists didn’t necessarily think so, but thought he might attempt to differentiate himself from Clinton visually.

“Going overboard was just to make a point and have some fun,” Reines said. “But we thought it was very likely he’d try to use his height and size to present an image that you wouldn’t see between, say, President (Barack) Obama and Governor (Mitt) Romney.”