[Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek]

Peggy Noonan sees it this way:

At the Democratic forum in Carson City, Nev., on Tuesday, ABC's George Stephanopoulos asked Mrs. Clinton if Mr. Obama should renounce Mr. Geffen's remarks. She answered, "I want to run a positive campaign" and referred to "the politics of personal destruction." Every time she gets in a spot, she pulls that one out. And for good reason: It has always worked. It works because it confuses people. Is this the boys beating up the girl? Are they sticking her pigtails in the ink well? Is Geffen mean? If Obama is nice, shouldn't he make sure everyone is nice?
It's not so much a diversion as a non sequitur. Mrs. Clinton is like the little girl who steals the boy next door's candy and hits him on the head with a hammer. He runs, "Mommy, she stole my Snickers and hit me on the head!" She turns to the mother, hammer in hand, and gestures at the boy. "This...is the politics of personal destruction."

As I say, it's always worked in the past. The question is, will it work in the future? One senses one thing that is new.

In the Nevada forum Mrs. Clinton had a hard act to follow when she came on after Sen. Chris Dodd, who spoke with energy and concentration, and whose look is striking, sort of Old American Ethnic in a Brooks Brothers suit. He's like a cardinal with his thick white hair and furious eyebrows. He hit the crowd's erogenous zones on Iraq, and took a hard shot at Mrs. Clinton: "Why is it so hard to say you're sorry?"

Mrs. Clinton came out after him, and amid the Geffen flap, so it's not surprising that she was a little off her game. She spoke the way she speaks -- "renew the promise of America...give people the services and support they need...hardworking families" -- but the flat voice seemed flatter, more grating. She seemed diminished by the fact that the event hadn't been built around her, didn't star her, wasn't arranged by her. There were other people there, other candidates on the stage, and she looked like she was in a contest for a change.

Usually Mrs. Clinton is a tough little tank, but on Tuesday she seemed less large, less formidable. If only for a moment, less inevitable.

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I think she's on to something.

[srmorton]

Chris Dodd was a hard act to follow? I can't even stand to have the sound on when he's speaking and I try not to look at him either.

[cgbg]

She seemed diminished by the fact that the event hadn't been built around her, didn't star her, wasn't arranged by her. There were other people there, other candidates on the stage, and she looked like she was in a contest for a change.

That is why I compare her to Beria or Stalin himself. They would never tolerate dissent, debate--only total obedience and adulation.

That is why blasting away at Hillary should continue no matter how hard she plays the "victim" card. Let her play it--but never give up pointing out her countless lies and endless corruption of speech, values, and ultimately, politics itself.

[spokeshave]

tank = skank

[HIDEK6]

Are they sticking her pigtails in the ink well?

Hillary is old enough to have had her pigtails dipped in the inkwell.