Dem Debate Gets Testy

By Rick Moran

In the most contentious debate to date, Democratic presidential candidates Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton traded charges that the other one was not being entirely honest:

The debate turned personal almost from the outset, as Obama accused the Clintons of misrepresenting his comments about Ronald Reagan and the Republican Party's ideas, as well as his record on the Iraq war.

"That is simply not true," he said. Clinton responded forcefully: "It is very difficult having a straight-up debate with you, because you never take responsibility for any vote, and that has been a pattern."

Obama clearly came to the debate loaded for bear:

Obama went after Clinton during a discussion on economic stimulus by recalling his years as a community organizer in Chicago, adding: "While I was working on those streets watching those folks see their jobs shift overseas, you were a corporate lawyer sitting on the board at Wal-Mart."

Ouch!

The change in tone reflects a decision in the Obama camp not to let the Clinton's get away with what they believe to be misrepresentations and outright fabrications of the Senator's record.

Meanwhile, Hillary seems content to let husband Bill do much of the heavy lifting:

The campaign has settled on a new strategy: Turn Bill loose.

"There was a recognition that he has a huge megaphone and he can deliver a message in a way that breaks through," said a Clinton strategist, who insisted on anonymity. "The press corps certainly has Clinton fatigue, but a Democratic primary electorate certainly does not."

[snip]

"While some observes have warned the campaign not to allow the former president to 'steal the limelight,' [Bill] Clinton has the ability to validate the candidate and launch aggressive push backs on [Hillary's] opponents, including those of us in the media," said Donna Brazile, a former Clinton aide and CNN commentator who was recently one of his critics.

I suppose if you have a spouse who can command instant and widespread media coverage for whatever he says, the best way to utilize him is to use the former president as an attack dog.

Obama has been slipping slightly in the polls and not making up any ground in the Super Tuesday states like California and Connecticut. A win in South Carolina, while expected, should elevate his candidacy and give him a boost going into the all important February 5 contests.

But he's facing a double barrelled attack in the form of Team Clinton. Whether he can fight both of them is open to question.