Clinton Wasn't Ready

New York Senator Hillary Clinton. Mark Duncan / AP

She prepared for the last debate by watching SNL, not learning how to pronounce the new Russian leader's name

Hillary Clinton is a stalwart in the Democratic party and she is embraced by hardcore partyliners, I live in New York and I voted for her twice for Senator. But since the party clearly isn't leaning toward her for the 2008 nomination I agree with Newsweek's Jonathan Alter who raises hard and fast reasons why "Hillary Should Get Out Now" before she irreparably damages her name. I think her real inspiration should be John McCain. He lost the Republican nomination in 2000 but lived to fight another day, and look at him now. Hillary, you're a true fighter and if you fight smart you too can live to fight another day.

But she's staying in and hurting herself. Prior to last night's Ohio debate pundits were speculating which Hillary Clinton would show up -- the feisty, fiery fighter she'd been in the South Carolina debates or her congenial, emotive version she'd been in the Los Angeles and Austin debates. In the opening moments of the debate it was clear that the more argunmetative Clinton showed up. Not only did she take aim at Obama but she even took a swipe at moderator Brian Williams for directing the night's first two questions at her, feeling that such format put her at a disadvantage.

Overall I think Obama has gotten better and better in these debates while Clinton, who asked for more debates because she felt they were her strong suit, has gotten worse. She has made it clear that heathcare is the only issue on which she can attack Obama but she still can't knock him out, they always end up deadlocked, agreeing to disagree on their proposed health policies and then they move on to other topics like war and the economy which, as TIME's columnist Joe Klein points out, Obama wins.

And isn't it funny that she mentioned a Saturday Night Live skit last night? I heard about the skit but I haven't sat and watched the whole thing yet. In the previous debate she mentioned a clip of Obama that her campaign compared critically to a clip of Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick, and she said "if you look at the YouTube" of the two clips... and I just have to wonder if her supporters are thinking, why does Hillary have time to sit and watch comedy television and then click around on YouTube?

Since she's been the one calling for multiple debates then shouldn't she jump at the opportunity to set the tone of the debate? In that position couldn't she take advantage by putting Obama on the defensive? In the post-debate commentary Tim Russert pointed out that when he'd posed the question on how much the candidates knew about Vladimir Putin's successor Dmitry Medvedev, Russert said he'd left the table open for either candidate to respond first and Clinton jumped at the chance without hesitating (but couldn't even pronounce Medvedev's name). Clearly there are times when she feels it works to her advantage to respond first so it's odd to hear her fuss only about the moments when it doesn't.

Since she claims to be so ready on day one she certainly ought to be able to answer question one. I have hope that her campaign will be over soon.

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