The Debate Hillary Lost

Was it over Kyl-Lieberman? Iraq? Hsu? Fundraising? Corporate influence?

No.

It was over...driver's licenses.

Specifically, driver's licenses for illegal immigrants.

Here's the short version: Elliot Spitzer, the firebrand Governor of the State of New York, is proposing that illegal immigrants be granted driver's licenses in the context of his state trying to deal with the many, many illegal immigrants living in the shadows and away from the law.

Hillary Clinton stated she supported this legislation...until...Chris Dodd called her on it, saying that a driver's license is a priviledge, not a right. Senator Clinton then did her standard backpedal:

1. It's all George Bush's fault

2. I'm for this in theory but I don't agree with the specifics

Edwards then went in for the knock out punch: we need to have a President who says the same thing regardless of who she - or he - is saying it to.

It's about being in truth-telling mode all the time.

Not wanting to be left off the bandwagon, Obama joined in with his ten seconds of "me, too"...but this moment belonged to the tag team of Edwards and Dodd, who got Clinton on the ropes and didn't let her recover.

It revealed Clinton's main weakness: she dissembles, trying to carefully craft her messages so specifically to different audiences that eventually she just ends up completely contradicting herself until you're really not sure where she stands on anything.

And here's what I have to say about all of that: Edwards/Dodd 08!