http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/27/AR2008022700018.htmlIn the Democratic Debate, Cooler Heads Prevail
By Tom Shales
Wednesday, February 27, 2008; Page C01
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Obama was king of the high road, especially at the close of the debate when he praised his opponent magnanimously, saying she had "campaigned magnificently." He called Clinton "an outstanding public servant" and said she would make a great president, adding that he would make a greater one. What could Clinton do to follow that? If she tried to one-up Obama by giving him praise more fulsome than he'd just given her, she'd be all but endorsing him and dropping out of the race. It was a deft touch by Obama, a no-lose proposition.
The gesture was particularly effective considering that early in the debate, videotape of two recent and seemingly conflicting statements by Clinton about Obama was played back. In the first clip, Clinton said she was "honored to be here with Barack Obama" at a debate and in the second she excoriated him in absentia with "Shame on you, Barack Obama," for alleged campaign transgressions. Asked how she justified the about-face, Clinton said she was a good and passionate fighter, or words to that effect.
It would seem certain that viewers who watched the debate and asked themselves which candidate they would rather listen to for the next four or eight years -- holding news conferences, giving speeches and doing fireside chats from the Oval Office -- would choose Obama purely on matters of speaking technique, eloquence and charisma. He is the most charismatic figure on the national political front since Ronald Reagan and is nearly as effective on television -- a great, if not "The Great," communicator.
As it happened, the debaters didn't get around to bashing the very bashable George W. Bush until half an hour into the proceedings -- having been preoccupied with criticizing (if gently) each other for the first 30 minutes. Commentators may complain that the debaters weren't scrappy or nasty enough, but those who made it through the whole 90 minutes got another opportunity to judge the candidates for style as well as content.
In the former category, at least, which is all we're judging in this column, Barack Obama was the victor by a hundred miles or so -- not as moving and electrifying as in his best speeches, but never in any trouble, either.