How Clinton regained momentum in the Democratic race

By Jon Ralston (contact)

Friday, Nov. 16, 2007 | 7:23 a.m.

Stepping into a race that has been marked by Hillary Clinton's careful choreography and Barack Obama's inspirational insurgency, Nevada's debut on the national political stage showed some of the former and very little of the latter.

Who would have guessed that this debate would be about Clinton lamenting the throwing of mud and Obama giving an answer as clear as mud?

Who would have guessed that Clinton would be crystal clear in her stance on driver's licenses for illegal immigrants ("No") and Obama would engage in almost - dare I say it? - Clintonian rhetorical peregrinations on the issue?

Who would have guessed that Clinton would appear relaxed and Obama would seem uncomfortable?

Truth is that if the sharp, tension-filled exchanges, especially between those two, of the first 10 minutes of Nevada's first-ever presidential debate had continued for the entire two hours, I am not sure serious mistakes could have been avoided and incendiary tempers could have been held in check. It could have tested Clinton's preternatural equanimity to the utmost, but instead the energy petered out after the first few exchanges.

The debate was bookended by Clinton's offering a gag groaner fit for a Vegas lounge - she was wearing an asbestos pantsuit, she told us - and ended with her making fun of her trying to have it both ways by answering a vacuous question about whether she preferred diamonds or pearls - both, she said.

In between, Clinton fended off early attacks from Obama, who clearly would rather be in a think tank or on a stage delivering a stemwinder, and throughout by Edwards, who offered familiar lines about the front-runner's captivity to special interests and parsing of positions. What Obama and Edwards hoped would be the story line of this tableau - that Clinton's front-runner status was further shaken and the boys were back - did not materialize.

It was not clear early on that that would happen. CNN questioners set up the debate with early queries designed to draw out Clinton's opponents and Obama immediately took the bait, damning the New York senator with the faint praise of being "capable" and insisting we need "a different kind of politics."

But Clinton, as many foretold, struck back and hard, pounding Obama for not insuring 15 million Americans under his putative universal health care plan. He responded that Clinton wanted to force people to get coverage, but he was defensive and his argument that Clinton was not "enforcing the mandate" probably didn't have much resonance across America.

When Edwards did his part-of-the-corrupt-problem shtick next, Clinton unleashed what surely will be the lead of many stories today, as scripted as ever, but perfectly tailored for the moment.

"I don't mind taking hits on my record on issues, but when somebody starts throwing mud, at least we can hope that it's both accurate and not right out of the Republican playbook," Clinton retorted. When she went on to talk about a "positive agenda" and Bill Richardson went on his familiar rant about "mudslinging," it seemed to take the air out of Obama and, to some extent, Edwards.

Suddenly, a debate that had gone from 0 to 90 in a few moments had slowed to the speed limit, and the candidates fairly coasted from then on, with one notable exception. When Obama was asked about the driver's license issue, which Clinton had so painfully parsed during the past debate, giving sustenance to her rivals and the media who want a race, he gave such a meandering answer that moderator Wolf Blitzer said, "This is the kind of question that is sort of available for a yes or no answer."

And thus Clinton's one-word negative answer a few moments later, while perhaps disingenuous in light of what she said a few weeks ago, sharply contrasted with Obama's circumlocutions.

This was hardly a disaster for Obama, but it clearly was an opportunity missed. And for Clinton, it was a serviceable, unflappable performance that the media and her opponents surely recognized.

The other candidates didn't do much to change the dynamic, although Delaware Sen. Joe Biden may have been the most engaging, showing humor (saying he wouldn't support any of the candidates if they were nominated) and his depth of knowledge on foreign policy. The rest couldn't break out of their stereotypical roles as second-tier candidates.

But the story here was that this was Clinton's chance to blunt the story line that she was slipping and, thanks to Obama's performance and the debate's gradually dissipating intensity, she succeeded.