Anatomy of a Clinton book tour stop

It could easily be mistaken for preparations for a presidential campaign event.

The signs were hung just so. An advance team has scouted out the location. Local police officers have been requested. Officials were weighing the all-important decisions about where to put the TV cameras and how to manage the lines of eager well-wishers.

All the presidential-style activity is for the next stop on the Hillary Clinton book tour for Hard Choices. At the sprawling Costco in Arlington, Va., store employees are preparing for her arrival Saturday to sign 1,000 books in two hours.

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While it may seem that a book signing magically happens, every stop is the result of painstaking planning, including conference calls with store managers and publisher officials representing Clinton and discussions with the Secret Service. Beyond the concerns about security and making sure the event goes off without a hitch, there is a larger goal that is no different from a campaign event: putting Hillary Clinton is put in the best possible light literally from press coverage to backdrops for photographers.

Its absolutely just like a campaign event, said veteran Democratic strategist and ad-maker Tad Devine, who is not affiliated with Clinton. Its the same kind of media coverage, the same kind of sensitivity to delivering a message through means other than the ones that you choose. You want to make sure its a really positive and good setting, that theres nothing in that would detract from the delivery of the message or pull people away.

He added: You do that by taking time and being careful and sure and also by establishing visuals yourself, the signs you put up, the background you establish and the way that you position the person in the shot, and so that all requires a lot of thought.

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On Thursday morning, officials from Clintons publisher, Simon & Schuster, huddled with store managers near where shell sign books to decide final details on the event, such as how many employees were needed in the area around Clinton and what merchandise had to be moved. There were big cases of Diet Pepsi close to where Clintons signing desk will be set up.

You offer the best [of] what you can to get the photographers the best vantage point, said the stores assistant manager Jamie Sessa. Asked whether that would make Clinton look good, he simply said: Of course.

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Anatomy of a Clinton book tour stop