When Hillary Clinton deftly avoided Donald Trump’s hug at the first live debate, most of us just assumed she was being her usual poised and professional self; little did we know she practiced this exact maneuver countless times to master it.
Clinton’s friend Philippe Reines tweeted a video of debate prep yesterday morning that is sending the Internet in hysterics. “Not easy to avoid the unwanted Trump hug, sometimes it even takes practice,” Reines tweeted. “A favorite moment from debate prep (9/24/16).”
In the video, Clinton practices escaping the hug by turning it into a handshake and then sprinting away (Reines plays Trump in the scenario.) I cannot stop watching.
It’s clear the two friends are having fun with the tactic, as Reines runs after her, arms outstretched, and you can hear laughter in the audio.
It made Hillary laugh, too.
The video, which has been retweeted over 30,000 times, is entertaining most people, who find it hysterical that she had to practice avoiding Trump’s touch. Of course, there are other responders who are pointing out that the fact that a presidential nominee had to go to such lengths to avoid the unwanted touch of another nominee is more creepy than funny, especially given Trump’s famed sexual assault remarks.
Really, though, Tyler Oakley said it best: “OH MY GOD, LOL HILLARY.”