Hillary Clinton now has the opponent of her dreams. Credit:AP

2. Paint the picture. As horrifying as it might seem, Clinton should be spelling out the potential ramifications of a Trump presidency. One day he writes off the Baltic States in a fit of pique, prompting Vladimir Putin to strike while the iron is hot. Trump does not believe the United States can default on the debt so he does just that in refusing to accept a reasonable budget (or continuing resolution) crafted by members of both parties. He digs in his heels and decides he need not abide by a Supreme Court ruling invalidating parts of his wacky immigration plan. These are not fantastical scenarios; they are entirely predictable.

3. Commit herself to bipartisanship in foreign policy. We have argued that without President Obama, there is a great deal more bipartisan agreement on Russia, the Islamic State, Iran, China, NATO and other topics. Clinton can pledge to include in significant policy positions some of the center-right voices with whom she sees eye to eye on any number of topics. She can say it is time to stop relitigating the Iraq War and work on eradicating the Islamic State and ensuring a stable Middle East. She can be gracious toward respected Republicans (eg Sen. John McCain).

4. She can defend George W. Bush now and then - against Trump. Bush's anti-AIDS campaign has saved millions of lives in Africa. He championed No Child Left Behind. He forcefully derided anti-Muslim bias. It's actually an old trick to praise past Republicans as a means of criticising active ones, but the tactic here is especially effective given how depressed Republicans are about the nominee this time around.

5. Elevate the qualities Trump lacks; support the values he derides. Trump lacks empathy, intellectual curiosity, patience and tolerance - some of the critical traits of successful presidents. He disdains "losers," reveres power and feigns religiosity. These deficiencies go far beyond politics. Most ordinary Americans do not share these glaring defects and feel queasy about a president who does. Simply said, Americans are better than this. (We hope.)