The XX Factor: Slate women blog about politics, etc...

Jujitsu

Melinda, I'm with you that Hillary's performance last night was a devastating blow to her argument that she is cool, collected, and ready. Fine that she is incapable of inspiring (but it's probably not a good idea for her to mock people who have been moved by Obama, what has been called the "insult the voter" strategy), but at least you knew that if you pressed her navel, out poured thorough policy positions on everything. Last night she was a battering ram, and Obama's cool jujitsu kept turning her attacks back on herself. In her attempt to win every point by endless harangue, she lost the strategic goal: to convince people it would be bearable to have her around for four years.

He got the better of her in so many ways, but especially, I thought, in response to Russert's question about having to go back into Iraq if, once we left, the country became a base for al-Qaida. She said it was just a hypothetical and went on nonresponsively. He said that, yes, anywhere forces were massing that threatened the safety of the American people, he would act. So, Obama came off tougher on a crucial national-security question. She may complain that she is treated worse by the press. But at least nobody last night asked, "Senator, how do you justify continuing this campaign when you lose race after race, often by double-digit margins?"