Here's a simple way Hillary Clinton could compete with Donald Trump for TV coverage

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

On Tuesday night, Donald Trump had a press conference that opened with a rambling defense of his various minor business ventures, including Trump Steaks, which he defended with a mouthwatering platter of raw steaks that did not actually appear to be from his own line of steaks.

He talked for more than 45 minutes, and all three major cable networks carried his event in its entirety, leading to the usual complaints about excessive cable coverage of Trump.

I have a suggestion for the other campaigns, if they would like to elbow Trump off television: Do something unexpected at your campaign events, for once.

I don't mean you should say Mexico is sending "rapists" across the border, or egg the crowd on into roughing up protesters, or offer reporters free bottles of wine from your winery. But how about copying this Trump tactic for drawing attention: Hold an election night press conference, so the media gets to have a hand in topic selection?

Hillary Clinton's last press conference was on December 4. If she'd given one last night, I bet it would have been carried live on all the networks.

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