Democratic Debate in Texas

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama debated tonight in Austin, Texas. CNN has the details:

Sen. Barack Obama said while he and Sen. Hillary Clinton share a lot of policy positions, "there's a fundamental difference between us in terms of how change comes about."

The Democratic presidential candidates are facing off in Texas in their last debate before the state's March 4 primary.

"If we don't bring the country together, stop the endless bickering, actually focus on solutions and reduce that special interests that have dominated Washington ... we will not get anything done," Obama said.

Obama was responding to Clinton's reference to a recent interview with an Obama surrogate who could not name any of his accomplishments.

Clinton said she and Obama offer different records of accomplishment.

"Obama responded effectively -- he defended his achievements, and characterized Clinton as suggesting his supporters are delusional for supporting him. The line played well," said CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider.

Clinton, who has been marketing herself as the candidate in the "solutions business," said, "I do think that words are important and words matter, but actions speak louder than words, and I offer that."

The more I watch the Democratic debates, the more intense is my distrust of these two candidates. On healthcare, Iraq, and fiscal policy, I can't imagine a more left-wing discourse from any major candidate in presidential elections in the last 50 years (and I'm not forgetting Michael Dukakis and George McGovern).

With a Democratic administration next year we'll certainly see an attempted far left-wing makeover of American public policy and national security.

So far the public's favorable to such trends and ideas, although I think the general election campaign will help to refocus the country on more traditional interests, policies, and values.

(Personality-wise, I can't help noticing Hillary Clinton's resemblance to a coiled rattlesnake readying a deadly strike as she contemplates - with supreme contumely and smugness - the debating points of Obama, whose frontrunner status now obviously and deeply pains the New York Senator).