Hillary Cracks at First Tough Question

AFP reports on the aftermath of last night's debate:

For the first time, Hillary Clinton woke after a 2008 presidential debate Wednesday roughed up by rivals finally showing the capacity to draw blood in the Democratic race for the White House.

Clinton's top foes John Edwards and Barack Obama painted her as unelectable, facilitating war with Iran, untrustworthy, and claimed to have caught her in a political flip-flop on immigration during the campaign clash in Philadelphia.

Volley after volley of attacks rained in on Clinton, offering the first hints of potential political vulnerabilities, just 65 days before Iowa holds the 2008 race's first party nominating contests.

Was it "attacks" by Edwards and Obama? Or rather was it simply the first time tough questions were able to squeak through to Hillary. If a media interviewer of Hillary is not already favorable toward her, the interview climate is carefully controlled. We have seen with the GQ story suppression how the Clintons crack down on the media in order to get their way.

We have all seen how the GOP candidates get grilled with tough questions and multiple follow-ups if the answer isn't considered complete. With Hillary it has been powder puff softballs or shameless fawning. Then in the debate, the unthinkable happened. A tough question got through. The question about giving drivers licenses to illegal immigrants is pretty tough to give a middle ground. She tried pretty hard though. She can see how Governor Spitzer thinks it is necessary because Congress won't pass comprehensive immigration reform. Huh? Of course when Chris "Bread Slice" Dodd called her on supporting it, she snaps back that she didn't say she supported it. So does she or doesn't she? She is not saying and she wants the right to not say anything.

When combined with her weak answer on releasing documents from when she was First Lady, it is obvious that Hillary is not used to tough questions. The other candidates smelled blood in the water and tried to capitalize on it. However, they were very weak in their attacks. They left some points on the table. Obama, made a few points picturing Hillary as an ambiguous waffler; but then fell flat on his face by claiming clear support for giving illegals drivers licenses. He slit his political wrist on that one. No way he can win the general election with that one statement hanging out there. He will be beaten mercilessly over the head with it if he wins the nomination.

So while the others lost a full opportunity, the media for whatever reason has decided to grant the public a glimpse of the real Hillary by actually covering this. She is cold, calculating, unwilling to take clear positions, and folds at the first tough questions to ever hit her. The nomination is hers to lose. If there was another Democrat candidate with any promise, Hillary would sink fast after her stumbles in the last month. On the other hand, Democrat voters seem to like corruption and flaws. Remember William Jefferson? I think in this debate, Hillary rose like Smaug the dragon and exposed the flawed patch in her armor. The question is which of the GOP candidates is going to be Bard the Bowman?