The Final Democratic Debate before Texas and Ohio

The last Democratic debate before the huge, monumental primaries in Texas and Ohio, that will likely decide who will be the nominee to go against John McCain this fall.

I've watched the entire debate so far, just past the hour mark now, and I have to say, Barack Obama is hammering Hillary Clinton to the ground. He is coming off inspiring and rational, and she is coming off as petty and divisive. This is purely my view, of course, but there is this sense, watching the debate, that we are all watching a man that is going to take on John McCain and win in November, and a woman who is desperately trying to revive something that's clearly already dead.

Hillary Clinton has tried to put a smile on the entire time, even when she was booed by the Texas crowd, but she is desperately grasping at straws, and it's showing more than ever.

As a quick example, the issue of Obama's alleged plagarism of a Deval Patrick speech was brought up. Barack, in his few minutes, explained logically that it was two lines, which were given to him by Patrick, and that the issue itself was pointless in the face of so many other issues, and to harp on it was part of the divisive politics of the past. Hillary got her response and did nothing but hammer at him for plagarism. Petty, pointless, and divisive.

Again, as they are debating healthcare, Barack is laying out his plan in a rational, coherent way, and Hillary is nitpicking and seeming to become very angry up on stage. Both candidates have completely overridden a question about experience and have returned to a debate about healthcare. They are both very passionate and into this debate, which I love, but all in all, so far, Barack Obama has a distinct advantage, and Hillary Clinton is grasping desperately to something that simply isn't there any longer.

I'll be back later on to recap the debate in full...