Sunday shows preview: Both sides gear up for debate

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are gearing up for their first general election debate, widely seen as the most important event of the election so far.

{mosads}Both candidates need to perform well, but as the New York Times reported this week, Clinton seems to be taking a much more rigorous approach to preparing than Trump.

She has tapped her longtime aide Philippe Reines to play Trump in mock debates and has been poring over thick dossiers analyzing Trump’s behavior and psychology.

Both campaigns are deploying top surrogates for the Sunday shows this week, where they’ll likely to try to play up expectations for the other side.

Here’s the full lineup:

ABC’s “This Week:” Kellyanne Conway and Robby Mook, campaign managers for Trump and Clinton, make separate appearances. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson gives an interview.

CBS’s “Face the Nation:” The two vice presidential candidates, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Gov. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), appear separately. Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also give interviews.

CNN’s “State of the Union:” Mook and Conway both make appearances. 

“Fox News Sunday:” Pence talks about Trump’s preparations ahead of the debate. Joel Benenson, Clinton’s chief strategist, talks about his own camp’s plans for the debate.

NBC’s “Meet the Press:” Clinton campaign chair John Podesta makes an appearance. Former Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, a Trump adviser, discusses the campaign.