At the Republican presidential debate at the Reagan Library in California on Wednesday, the candidates will be tested on their knowledge of immigration reform, ISIS, healthcare policy, and countless other complex issues. To prepare for those questions – and to one day run the country – they have been gorging on as much information as possible so they can demonstrate their mastery of the critical issues facing the nation.
Cramming isn't anything new, but here's the twist: the candidates aren't taking courses on foreign policy or reading books cover-to-cover. Instead, they're talking directly to the smartest experts. Hillary Clinton has reportedly met with more than 200 economists, policy wonks, and academics to learn what she needs to know. Donald Trump, the Wall Street Journal just reported, says that in an "age of specialization, I am tapping phenomenal people in every field."