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LITTWIN: Fiery Clinton doesn't faze Obama's cool

By Mike Littwin, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published February 27, 2008 at 12:30 a.m.

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Susie Hills, standing, toasts fellow debate watchers Tuesday night in her Houston home. From left are Rachael Gass, Vanessa Gatlin, Vickie Gibbs and Sheila Sampson, all of whom are enthusiastic supporters of Barack Obama.

Photo by Judy DeHaas / The Rocky

Susie Hills, standing, toasts fellow debate watchers Tuesday night in her Houston home. From left are Rachael Gass, Vanessa Gatlin, Vickie Gibbs and Sheila Sampson, all of whom are enthusiastic supporters of Barack Obama.

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The debate wasn't quite over when Barack Obama stepped forward to declare a winner.

He did it, well, in a nice way. But that was the point.

He said that Hillary Clinton had "campaigned magnificently," which is the kind of thing you say at the end of a long campaign when you think you've got it clinched and you want to show you're the kind of guy who doesn't hold a grudge.

It's what you say when you're leading by double-digits in newly released national polls and you're leading in all the delegate counts. It's what happens when the race reaches the point that some pundits - apparently those desperate for something to write - are starting to call for Clinton to quit the race, even before the March 4 primaries here in Texas and in Ohio.

This was, for those who insist on knowing such things, the 20th Democratic debate of the long, long, long campaign season. And if it's the last one - as many predict - it may remembered for being the debate in which Hillary Clinton finally figured out how to be tough on Obama without being snarky (if you don't count the "pillow" line, which, if you are counting, may have been the first Saturday Night Live citing in presidential debate history).

But it was also the night in which Obama looked entirely comfortable with a hard-edged debate.

If you watched, it wasn't hard to figure out which candidate had lost the last 11 primaries and caucuses.

It wasn't hard to tell which campaign had been complaining that the press was being unfair to whose candidate.

If Clinton had an occasional edge to her voice, Obama was his usual calm self.

If she complained about the press being unfair to her - and, yes, having to answer all the tough questions first - Obama said he wouldn't (hint) "whine" about that kind of thing.

When shown a clip of Clinton poking fun at his oratorical skills, he gave her points for humor and for execution.

This was the kind of debate Clinton had to have. But as you watched, you had the feeling that it was too late for all that.

She didn't need a solid debate. She almost always has a solid debate. She needed Obama to make a mistake, a campaign-changing mistake, a Jerry Ford-in-Poland mistake. When you're 20 debates into the season, you might know Obama doesn't make campaign-changing mistakes.

The debate did have its tense moments, though. It had one major gotcha question, and who else but Tim Russert would ask, at this late point, the name of the, uh, new Russian guy?

Both candidates took some hits. Obama didn't get the Russian-guy question, but he did stumble on a Louis Farrakhan question, which Clinton jumped on, saying (this may have been another mistake) that there was a difference between "rejecting" and "denouncing."

Obama said if that if it made Clinton happy, he would reject and denounce. The thesaurus fans in the crowd must have been pleased.

He got the laugh he was looking for. In the 20th debate, and coming a week before the Texas and Ohio votes, Clinton can't afford to lose anything, even a few debate- night laughs.

It won't be the last time that Obama will be asked about Farrakhan, who has helpfully endorsed Obama.

But the clip you'll probably see on the cable shows is of Clinton saying, as the crowd boos, that "maybe we should ask Barack if he's comfortable and needs another pillow." That was from a Saturday Night Live skit, and the line was nearly as tone deaf as the Xerox line from the last debate. Isn't the writers strike over?

Otherwise, this was exactly the kind of debate Hillary Clinton needed.

She was ready to fight. And Russert, the co-moderator, he's always ready to fight.

I got in the mood myself by going to Susie Hills' house here for a debate-watching party with a group of Obama supporters. (For the record, I passed on all alcoholic substances.) And they were all in the mood for a feisty evening.

Obama had another strategy. He just wanted to survive the evening.

"He's kicking her butt," said Sheila Sampson, who was sitting next to me.

He wasn't, actually. But he didn't need to be. This was a night for steady counterpunching.

Even before the debate, Obama had already had a good day. Chris Dodd had endorsed him, saying he wanted a candidate who wasn't divisive. John McCain had called out a conservative talk show host who, when introducing McCain, had done the right-wing talk-radio fear-mongering act of reminding everyone of Obama's - gasp - middle name.

McCain was saying America needed a civil presidential campaign. Obama was in full agreement. And the Clinton people, meanwhile, were running out the story line that the press was out to get them.

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said the press "relished" in Clinton's troubles. It was a stretch, but, if so, there was much to relish.

The day before, she had given a major speech on foreign relations, only to have it trumped by the controversy surrounding the source of a photo of Obama in African garb that ended up on the Drudge Report.

The photo turned into a debate-night question. But the real questions were about war and about health care and about, yes, the new Russian guy.

We all know the answers by now. The questions have all been asked and they've all been answered.

Even the one about the new Russian guy.

littwinm@RockyMountainNews.com

Comments

  • February 27, 2008

    3:08 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    gwats writes:

    Wow. It takes an African-American US Senator to build a consensus among Democrats. Imagine that. I gave his campaign more $$$ today. I have never done that in all the years I've been able to legally cast a ballot.( 30+ years) This man exudes hope from every pore of his being. He lifts the spirit of his followers just by walking into the room. And like a virus, that spirit is SPREADING and Hillary can't stop it anymore that we can fight the dawn of a new day. 'Just get out the way and let gentleman do his thing' (Staple singers, 1970?)

  • February 27, 2008

    8:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Diff writes:

    Hopeful! But let's remember there is still a convention.
    I hope that this does not turn into an even more divisive situation and get carried to that convention, with the super delegates left to decide the nomination.We Dems need to be contacting all of the Colorado's super delegates and call them to do the right thing and support the leader from our caucuses! There are several on record as so far supporting Clinton.
    Our convention is late and if we remain divided it could help John McCain in win in November.
    Cool. I think that has been Barack's strength so far during the debates and through the primary season. Despite Hillary's attacks and "call outs" he remains cool and collected, and for the most part not biting to engage in the tit for tat mud slinging and nasty comments. That seems much more presidential to me!
    He defends his point and then calmly moves on.
    Way to go Obama! - My Hopes and Expectations are high.. I believe you can deliver!

  • February 27, 2008

    8:57 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Marshdale writes:

    Scary how, Gene? Explain yourself.

  • February 27, 2008

    1:37 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    JustSayin writes:

    I'm not sure which way to go:

    "This Littwin guy is just a misogynist and is joining the media rush to crown Obama already!"

    -or-

    "O my ga-od!! This guy, just, so like gets it! He wants change, and we all want, you know, change, and Obama is, like, change!"

  • February 27, 2008

    2:39 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    dirkle writes:

    I had to laugh - Nice touch with the "Ford / Poland" reference - good column.

    Just my opinion, but unless Obama is assassinated
    (don't blanche - it's always a possibility and if you don't think so, you're a fool)
    or some extremely dirty tricks take place at the convention, Barack is the Democratic "winner by decision" on points (no knockdowns) and likely the next President of the United States.

    And I can live with that.

  • February 27, 2008

    4:38 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    EastVail writes:

    Litwin . . . get a haircut. And a shave.

  • February 27, 2008

    4:46 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    samsmargolis writes:

    Obama is a traveling pooh salesman that is quite comfortable carrying his samples in his mouth. In other words, Bama is a sh-t-talking, used car salesman and ambulance chaser all rolled into one, pathetic poser. I'm no Hillary fan, but I sincerely believe she can channel Margaret Thatcher or Eleanor Roosevelt far easier than the Obamanation could channel JFK...or whatever dreamy socialist you're all in search of now that Fidel has retired. Hey, for all of you excessively giddy mass media dupes, when does Obama get you to drink the Koolaid?