Clinton proves to be anything but the damsel in the debate

The Broadway musical "Cats" didn't make it in Las Vegas, but "Catty Shack" was a smash hit Thursday night in the Democratic debate.

Political pundits were sure front-runner Hillary Clinton would be attacked by her closest rivals and that she would have to engage the issues and not just talk around them. But she surprised many by toying with one opponent and batting down another. While Clinton purred, Barack Obama chased his tail, and John Edwards coughed up a nicely coiffed hairball.

Obama set himself up for a fall by asserting early that America needs "straight answers to tough questions," but failed to land on his feet when asked whether he favored granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

Instead of giving a straight answer to an anticipated question, Obama sounded like Porky Pig attempting to explain the nuances of astrophysics. By the end of his convoluted spiel, I didn't know whether he favored those licenses or had lost his car in the parking lot. Th-th-th-that's all, folks!

If he's lucky, Obama will have to spend only a week or so explaining what he actually meant to say before he went into auctioneer overdrive.

I believe Obama's mistake won't soon be forgotten because it fractured his seemingly unflappable political persona. In a moment that seemed to last five minutes, he was exposed as a gifted intellect who was more sound bite and fury than significant leader. He stammered and waffled and was suddenly bereft of the silky rhetorical cadence that has served him so well.

Political beard strokers scoffed at the gravity of the question, but they missed its importance to many U.S. voters who feel betrayed by politicians who have refused to meaningfully address the issue of illegal immigration. For many working-class Americans, that question is one-part policy decision, one-part loyalty oath.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson proved that a thoughtful argument could be made for a yes answer. In his best moment of the night, Richardson explained that as governor he signed a bill allowing illegal immigrants in his state to carry a driver's license. The result was better drivers, a lower fatality rate on the roads, higher insurance coverage and even lower insurance rates.

You can answer yes. You can answer no. But if you need hundreds of words to answer, you ought not set yourself up as Mr. Straight Talk.

Clinton, who fumbled on the question a week ago, answered with a simple, "No." And that only accentuated Obama's garbled response.

Fortunately for Obama, Edwards was at the debate. Edwards also took swipes at Clinton, but he clung to the usual clichés that she "continues to defend a system that is broken, that is rigged and is corrupt." Edwards, a former U.S. senator and vice presidential candidate, has been courting that system for years. Clinton deftly deflected Edwards' generalizations, remained on message, and watched as he nearly imploded on a question he wasn't even invited to answer.

When Clinton was asked whether she was playing the gender card, she calmly explained: "People are not attacking me because I'm a woman. They're attacking me because I'm ahead."

At one point, Edwards seized the airwaves and sucked much of the energy and oxygen out of the room by rambling on about fairness. He said nothing either memorable or clever, and his empty rhetoric only made him look more desperate.

The best part is, it all happened in Las Vegas.

Thursday's Democratic debate provided a national stage for UNLV, Las Vegas, and Nevada. The setting was ideal for a debate that proved not only exciting, but also important. Yes, the debate was actually important.

When the history of the Democratic campaign is written, I believe Clinton's Las Vegas turning point will be mentioned prominently. It was here she emerged as a candidate capable of deflecting criticism without appearing defensive. It was here two of her opponents shrank stammering and sniveling before the eyes of the nation.

Before Las Vegas, Clinton's debate performances had been tepid, almost phoned-in. She's been so scripted and played it so safe it was easy to tell she was more interested in not screwing up than in winning.

That changed on a dazzling night in Las Vegas. Who could have predicted Hillary Clinton would be the coolest cat of all?

Her opponents had better hope they have some lives left.

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0295.