Anger vs. Cool

27 February 2008 |permalink | email article

The 20th Democratic debate in Cleveland before next Tuesday’s crucial primaries in Texas and Ohio, if not quite a donnybrook, was civil but not relaxed.

Clinton and Obama jousted on health care, trade policy, Iraq and his campaign tactics. But there were no knockout blows or gaffes to suggest that the momentum of the campaign might be changing in favor of the once inevitable frontrunner for the nomination.

It was Clinton’s most pugnacious debate performance yet as she portrayed herself as a political fighter, notably for health care, and trying to make history as the first woman president. But a cool Obama gave no ground, parried every shot and accused her of whining. 

But it was Clinton’s thinly veiled anger, evident from the first question in which she complained about pro-Obama media coverage which set a negative tone – comparing her experience with Obama’s positive call for fundamental change.

In Ohio, NAFTA is a major issue and Clinton tried with only limited success to distance herself from the Clinton administration’s touting its success in the 1990s.

On the question about who’s ready to be commander in chief on Day One, Clinton reprised her experience but once again explicitly failed to say that Obama was not ready.

On foreign policy issues, Clinton offered her credentials both as first lady and in the Senate. But Obama again linked her with Bush in voting to authorize the Iraq war.

Both candidates were asked which Senate vote they regretted the most. Clinton, who’s never apologized, almost did in admitting Iraq was the vote she wished she could take back.

Clinton, with her campaign in turmoil, will be at a crossroads on March 4.

Harold Ickes, a senior Clinton strategist, said Monday that “while the campaign is still confident that the senator can capture the nomination, ‘if we lose Texas and Ohio, Mrs. Clinton would have to make the decision as to whether she goes forward or not.’”

He added that it would be nearly impossible for her to end the primary season with a majority of pledged delegates. Instead she would need the votes of superdelegates to pull ahead of Obama. But the erosion of superdelegates to Obama has accelerated.

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