Ted Van Dyk on Last Night's Austin Debate
One of the Democrats' great senior
wise men, Ted Van Dyk, former aide to Hubert Humphrey, George McGovern,
and others, sent me this wrapup of the debate last night. As always, he
bears listening to:
. . . Both Obama and Clinton have honed their performances over many months
until, now, they are in late-playoff form. Both kept their poise in
the presence of the other. Clinton---having lost 11 straight contests
one-sidedly to Obama and facing elimination if she loses Texas and Ohio
on March 4---gave what I thought was her best performance of the year.
Her closing statement, which could be read as accepting possible
defeat, was graceful and well delivered. Her husband was not in
evidence. It was Hillary, just Hillary and her daughter Chelsea on the
stage and working the audience. And Hillary came through famously.
Obama,
for his part, conceded nothing in the substantive debate and skillfully
made his case. In the end, it was two heavyweights battling to a
draw. The energy in the University of Texas auditorium was far
greater
than at any Republican debate from the beginning of the process. I
favor Obama but found myself being proud of both Hillary and Obama at
the end of the evening. It
is unlikely they will form a ticket. Neither should want to be
No. 2
in an administration led by the other. Either, in 2009, would
have far
more power and influence as Senator from New York or Illinois than
as
understudy to the other.
One thing to know about debates:
Candidates go into them attempting, first of all, to make no big
mistakes but, otherwise, to reinforce their own supporters. Both Obama
and Clinton did that well last evening. The trouble for Clinton is
that Obama's supporters are now more numerous than hers. . . .
